December 2018 - We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Student Governor, Sophie Hemsley.
Sophie joined Newbury College from The Clere in Burghclere, in September 2017 to study L1 Catering and Hospitality, driven by a passion for catering from an early age and impressed by the industry standard training kitchen at the College.
In December 2018, now working towards her Level 3 in Catering and Hospitality, Sophie was appointed Student Governor. As a Student Governor I provide student insight, working together with the staff to generate ideas and feedback a student perspective. I meet with the College Governors to discuss the agenda for the term, and I have an opportunity to give feedback from the student council, which I chair. It is good to know our student voice is heard and I am privileged to have been chosen to represent the students amongst the governors.
We asked Sophie to tell us about a typical day at Newbury College
08:00 - Arrive at College and head to The Street Diner for a Starbucks to kick start the day. I tend to get into the Restaurant early and begin polishing the cutlery ready for service. 09:00 - I pop out for a Maths lesson for an hour and then head back to the Restaurant to help set-up the tables, stock the fridges and polish the glasses. 10:00 - Tasks rotate every week; either cooking or front-of-house, this ensures we get experience of all aspects of catering and hospitality. Today I'm in the kitchen, its December so we're cooking Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. All items are prepared from scratch. 12:00 - Service starts. We plate the food ready for the waiting staff, serving between 30-50 people per sitting. Once we finish in the kitchen we go and help front-of-house with clean down. 15:30 - I head home and have a rest before starting work. I work 4 times a week as a chef at a local pub and love the fact that I have actual experience within my course. It has made it a lot easier to adapt to life in a professional kitchen.
A little bit of royalty Sophie is also a Pearly Princess, and having celebrated her 18th birthday, takes the title of Pearly Queen in 2019.
Former and current staff, governors and students of Newbury College attended a special event on 04 Thursday 2018 for the opening of an exhibition celebrating 70 years of the further education provider.
The exhibition, which showcases the history of Newbury College through stories, photographs, news articles and memorabilia, was attended by a host of invited guests including Dr Anne Murdoch OBE, former Principal from 2001 to 2018, Jan Cover, Mayor of Thatcham and Tony Allen, former Chair and member of the Corporation from 1997 to 2015.
Former Newbury College alumni also joined in with the celebrations and provided memorabilia for a special cabinet of curiosities, including Mrs Elkins, who studied with the College in 1953 and Roly Wise, who started his Newbury College journey as an apprentice before enjoying a long and successful career within the engineering department.
Iain Wolloff, Principal, said: It's wonderful to look back and celebrate the rich tradition that Newbury College has had shaping education and training in West Berkshire and it is equally as important that we build on this as we look to the future. Our work with employers, the building of Highwood Copse Primary School and our plans for a university centre will ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our community.
The exhibition is open to the public throughout October at the West Berkshire Museum and will be rehomed at the Newbury College campus on Monks Lane for the remainder of the year.
Newbury College is still looking for stories from people in the local area who have fond memories of their involvement with the College, and would like anyone who would like to share their experience to visit the exhibition or their website at www.newbury-college.ac.uk/70
Over 40 businesses took part in the annual West Berkshire Work and Careers Fair at Newbury College on Wednesday 7th November, providing an opportunity for organisations to network and showcase their employment opportunities to students and jobseekers. As well as meeting with the exhibitors and discovering the opportunities available, visitors to the fair were also able to obtain advice on apprenticeships, tips for successful job hunting and attend 1-2-1 CV workshops with Adviza.
Dawnus Construction, who are currently building the Highwood Copse Primary School at Newbury College's Monks Lane campus and medical technologies company, Stryker, also offered interactive workshops covering the employment opportunities within STEAM industries from the College's Engineering Solutions Laboratory. Participating organisations included a wide range of employers and training providers including local universities, Vodafone, Metro Bank, BUPA, Sovereign, Mencap, WBTC, Healthwatch, Berkshire Labels, AWE, Roc Technologies and many more.
Annie Danielli, Junior Marketing Manager, Roc Technologies, said: The West Berkshire Work & Careers Fair is a great opportunity to promote your business, network with other local organisations and find the perfect candidate for your latest role. Roc Technologies was delighted to be a part of the event.
As well as jobseekers looking for full & part-time job opportunities, Newbury College students and pupils from local secondary schools also attended the event to explore their future career options. Supporting businesses and ensuring that local people are well trained to meet the needs of those businesses, is central to what the College is about. The campus is a fantastic location for exhibitions and events that engage with existing students, local schools and other members of the community, said Iain Wolloff, Newbury College Principal. Our aim is to inspire and support informed choices for young people and for all those looking to develop their careers. Anyone seeking further careers advice is welcome to book an appointment with our impartial Careers Advice team. We want to extend our thanks to all of the organisations involved in making the event a success.
Exhibitors enjoyed an opportunity to network over a complimentary business breakfast, sponsored by Local Buzz magazine, before the main event opened to the public, supported by Job Centre Plus, West Berkshire Council and West Berkshire Skills and Enterprise Partnership. Register your interest in exhibiting at next year's Work and Careers Fair, alongside the majority of exhibitors who said they would be returning, by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Students on the Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning, a higher education course offered in partnership with the University of Reading, have rated Newbury College 100% in the National Student Survey for the third year in a row.
The Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning is delivered over two years, with the option to progress to the BA for a work-based programme at the University of Reading.
There are still spaces available for the 2018/19 academic year. To apply, please visit the course information page or call 01635 845000.