As Newbury College welcomes learners to a new academic year it is also celebrating the success of last year where learners excelled themselves in both their exam results and applications to University for September 2013.
This year the College success rates were 4% above the national average at 88%. Newbury College success rates ranked 29th out of all 224 FE Colleges in England and 8th in the whole of the South East. GCSE Maths results were high with 88% of learners achieving A* to D grades. With good maths and English results the College has equipped its learners to succeed in their careers and to progress further.
The College was also re-accredited with the kite marks for Investors in People and also the Matrix for customer service and its advice and guidance. Principal Dr Anne Murdoch spoke of the success of the College's learners and said, "We are delighted at this year's successes, the results show the hard work and commitment of the students and the Higher Education offers from Russell Group Universities are well deserved".
The Russell Group are the most highly selective universities in the UK and this year saw a number of Newbury College learners progressing with offers from Russell Group Universities, including courses in, Business Management at Cardiff, Southampton and Surrey, Psychology at Surrey and History of Art at Reading.
Newbury College Business Studies Student, Kieran Vass, is heading to Cardiff University to study Business Management. Kieran is really looking forward to starting the next chapter of his academic learning and said, "I really enjoyed my time at Newbury College. It was a great course and stepping stone to Higher Education. It's been a great experience for me and I've learnt a great deal which I will take forward to my degree course".
New learners to Newbury College this September were welcomed to Induction Day last Thursday where they spent an enjoyable day meeting course tutors and their peers in preparation for the next academic year. Students were informed of course expectations to ensure that they are as successful as the previous year, whilst also having the opportunity to take part in fun activities including, sports, zumba, a graffiti workshop, portable climbing wall and martial arts.
Newbury College celebrated over 100 years of staff service at their annual long service awards recently. Staff who had been working for the College for over a decade received gifts to thank them for their hard work and commitment.
Awards were presented to staff for various lengths of service ranging from 10 years to 35. Members of staff who received these gifts were Catherine Smith-Holland, Elaine Buckingham, Ruth Flood, Jill Gayton, Caroline Howe, Jacquie Morris, Lynne Nutley, Julia Reveler, Hazel Kirk, Elise Payne, Debbie Watson, Steve Long, Paul Sells and Martin Rice.
Course Leader for HNC/D Mechanical Engineering Graham Shelmerdine has been teaching at the College for 35 years, which was the longest serving member of staff celebrated this year. Graham asked for the money for his gift to be donated to Cancer Research in memory of his late wife and said of his time working at the College, "There have been many changes in FE over the 35 years, it's been a pleasure to work with such knowledgeable and dedicated staff in Engineering and to play a part in producing such excellent courses that are relevant to industry. The best part of the job however is working with the students. It gives me great pride to see what they can achieve at the end of the course; they are a credit to the companies that sponsor them. I also appreciate the foresight that companies have shown especially in these recessionary times to continue to sponsor students on our Engineering courses".
Steve Long Contracts Manager for the College who has been working for the College for 20 years and seen a number of changes said, "I've certainly seen a lot happen at Newbury College over the last 20 years. Probably the biggest occasion was the move to our new building in September 2002, which was a really exciting time for all of us. It has been both challenging and rewarding to be involved in special projects such as the Sports / Construction Skill Centre building, the hair salon, the nail bar and more recently the new restaurant. There have also been various other fun events such as the 60th Anniversary, summer parties and taster days to name just a few."
This year has been a very successful year for Newbury College learners applying to go to University in September 2013. In particular, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma students, who have received offers from Russell Group Universities.
The Russell Group are the most highly selective universities in the UK and this year we are delighted that a number of our learners have received offers from Russell Group Universities including, Business Management at Cardiff, Southampton and Surrey, Psychology at Surrey and History of Art at Reading.
Lead Learner Guidance and Higher Education Advisor at Newbury College Pat Relph is thrilled with the offers and said, "It is gratifying that the hard work our students have put in has been rewarded with offers from some of the best universities in the UK".
Last year a good number of Newbury College learners progressed to Higher Education and this year is set to see even more, showing both the hard work and commitment from learners and teachers.
Newbury College is the start of all careers, as not only have learners received offers for Russell Group Universities learners have been offered places for a variety of courses, including Midwifery, Beauty and Spa Management, Policing, Criminology and Fine Art.
The College will be holding Advice Clinics on A Level and GCSE weeks where Advice and Guidance Officers will be available at the College on Thursday 15, Friday 16, Thursday 22 and Friday 23 August 2013.
Newbury College recently hosted Pangbourne Rotary Club's annual fund raising event. A number of Art and Design students were able to showcase their fashion skills at the event. The show was followed by a dinner and charity auction with an entertaining fashion show were £2000 was raised for charity.
Inspiration for the student fashion show was taken from a number of historical periods from Victorian Gothic revival, the 1920s and the 1950s and up to the present day. There was a variety of historical references that gave students the idea of a fashion show following different periods of time. Any gaps in the timeline were filled with clothes students found that they could style, which they were helped with by one of the College's very talented Learning support Assistants, Kim Broughton.
Jackie Heggs, Course Tutor for Art and Design, said, "Three students had experience in making garments but for the rest it was completely new. Although the group was mixed all students designed clothes for females which were designed for occasions ranging for 'A night on the town' and a day at the races to 'A Gothic tea party'.
Models of the show included Art and Fashion students Natasha Cockram who plans to join the Army in a few months' time, Jessica Brown, who will be studying Foundation Art and Design at the College, Public Services Student Jazzmyn Field and her friend Emma. Yaritza Baker had recently flown in from her home in Gran Canaria to attend an interview to return to Newbury College to study on the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and also volunteered to help out as a model.
Some of the clothes featured in the show were; a top and skirt in burgundy satin with net petticoats fully accessorised with a cummerbund style belt, a shawl and fascinator, a red 1950's style dress with white polka dots, a short sleeveless contemporary dress in a floral abstract satin fabric, a black long evening dress with black and red laced bodice and a blue satin cocktail dress. All the clothes showed the fantastic talent of Newbury College's students.