CONNECT April 2018

CONNECT N E WS

|

U P DAT E S

|

D I A RY DAT E S APR I L 201 8

SHUTTLEWORTH AWARDED OUTSTANDING for student accomodation (page 6)

RAISING MONEY ON WORLD BOOK DAY

at Bedford College and The Bedford Sixth Form (page 7)

BCS BEDFORD COLLEGE SERVICES

The Student Services team at Shuttleworth College

EDITOR’S NOTE Hello everyone!

Welcome to the April edition of CONNECT magazine.

This month we have a focus on apprenticeships. In March we had both National Apprenticeship Week and the National Apprenticeship Show in Milton Keynes. In this issue you can read all about our stand at the Show and meet some of our very own apprentices – I had an overwhelming response when I asked who had an apprentice in their department and some really lovely quotes, they are obviously real assets to your teams.

Mark Tinney has kindly written all about how teachers can use technology to enhance assessment – well worth a read on page 5.

It has been a busy start to this half term with staff and students taking part in lots of activities across campuses from a new tortoise to a Zumbathon for Sport Relief.

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter and thank you once again for all your contributions.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY April 2018

June 2018

TUESDAY 17 APRIL - The Bedford Sixth Form Open Day

WEDNESDAY 13 JUNE - Bedford College Open Day

WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL - Bedford College Open Day

TUESDAY 19 JUNE - Corby Campus Open Day

THURSDAY 21 APRIL - National College for Motorsport Open Day

WEDNESDAY 20 JUNE - Kettering Campus Open Day

May 2018

THURSDAY 21 JUNE - Wellingborough Campus Open Day

THURSDAY 24 MAY - Shuttleworth College Open Day MONDAY 28 MAY - Half Term all campuses

CORPORATION NEWS

The Spring term continues to be a busy one for the Corporation with large agendas for Committees and for the Board.

An Equality and Diversity workshop took place prior to the Board meeting on 20 March and thanks go to Anastassia Parsons for her work with the Board on this and in producing bespoke governor training on Equality and Diversity.

Board with positive ideas, statements and also concerns that may have an influence on decisions made, therefore having an input to challenge and change outcomes for the benefit of all staff concerned and the Corporation as a whole”.

The summer term will see elections for two new staff governors and two new student governors for 2018-2019.

More details will follow. The bar has been set high in both areas with the Corporation benefitting from strong participation in the past few years.

If you have any questions about the Corporation or any of the opportunities it provides please feel free to contact the Clerk to the Corporation; Rachel Nicol rnicol@bedford.ac.uk (tel.01234 291003) or one of your staff governors, Jane Dudeney and Shaun Wilson.

On being a student governor Janis writes;

“The most rewarding experience is the opportunity to shape the way the organisation is evolving and see how your contributions are making a positive impact. The role requires quite a commitment as meetings can take considerable amount of time, but offers a tremendous amount of personal development. You can expect to develop public speaking, analytical skills, networking and most importantly being able to see the bigger picture”.

DAISY CRANFIELD

Corporate Communications Executive T: 01234 291026 E: dcranfield@bedford.ac.uk @mrscranfield

2

April 2018

Shaun Wilson staff governor writes of the value of being a staff governor;

RACHEL NICOL

“To take the time to talk and listen to staff, to bring forward and to communicate effectively to the

T: 01234 291003 E: rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

Clerk to the Corporation

“

We expect nearly all our students to be getting very high grades and to be operating at distinction level. Let’s make sure this is the key focus.

“

Did you know you can follow Ian on Twitter? @ipryce

PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE THE BIG JOB I have set out later a summary of our overall performance to date this year. By this time of year it is often difficult or even impossible to do much to correct underperformance in some areas so our attention should be focused where it can make a big difference.

For teaching staff this means a focus on one thing – student achievement in terms of quantity and quality. We expect nearly all our students to be getting very high grades and to be operating at distinction level. Let’s make sure this is the key focus. As things stand today this could lead to a big improvement in results on last year.

LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT THE OLD SCOREBOARD These are the really key indicators we focus on and we “RAG rate” our performance with traffic light colours.

In this first year of merger we have not achieved our 16-18 target or Higher Education recruitment target.

Student attendance also remains below where we would like, though this does not seem to have affected student retention.

The funding bodies are unforgiving on 16-18 performance so, as things stand, our funding for next year will be based on our actual result for this year, even though applications for next year are much stronger, reflecting the fact it takes a while for a merged college to get going.

This means next year will be tougher financially but get easier the year after if that growth starts coming through.

Measure

2017-18 Actual

2017-18 Plan

16-18 FT FE numbers

5,284

5,469

16-18 apprentices

1,108

1,241 (full yr)

19+ apprentices

1,201

1,354 (full yr)

HE numbers

850

911

Retention %

97.5%

95.5%

Attendance

88%

92%

Income £000

30,225

30,172

Adj surplus £000

4,900

4,557

Cash £000

11,429

8,799

Cashflow £

1.97m

0.66m

Core staff FTE

774

770

BCPS FTE

93

75

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Sometimes we make policy which has unintended consequences. One of the key elements of the strategic plan is to “raise our curriculum centre of gravity” so that more students study at levels 3 to 6 (advanced to degree level). As part of that strategy we do not generally actively market courses at level 1 or below but instead require people to sign up to long level 2 courses where they take these lower levels along the way.

RAG

It was never intended that we would ever stop someone coming to College as a result but sadly a number of people never received an offer to come because their qualifications were deemed insufficient. This will be changed for next year but please make sure the message is always that if you want to come here you can - we just decide the right course. We are about providing ladders to a great future, but never about pulling away the ladder at the bottom.

April 2018

3

INDUSTRY ARTICLE ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS WITH APPRENTICESHIPS Last month I discussed National Apprenticeship Week and the ‘Apprenticeships Work’ (#WorksforMe campaign), as well as Theresa May’s speech on ending the stigma of vocational training.

The huge number of visitors to the National Apprenticeship Show in Milton Keynes - and indeed to The Bedford College Group stand - proved that apprenticeships are on young people’s radar. The team broke through their targets on day one with more than 400 16-yearolds registering their interest.

Young people are aware, now more than ever, of the success stories of apprentices, the cool companies they can get in with and the offer of getting a degree without going to uni.

Apprenticeships are not only more popular now, but seem to be ‘doing their bit’ to drive social mobility, too. However, an article published in FE News during National Apprenticeship Week, discusses how and why this potential “remains largely untapped”.

It quotes: “A focus on apprenticeships is key to create opportunity for young people who may have left school with little or no formal qualifications”, while discussing the need for better overall careers advice for young people (including advice given from parents) and clearer pathways for progression. The article referred to a report, which found that 97% of young people start apprenticeships at levels below what they would if they had followed the traditional ‘academic track’.

I’ve spent a large part of the month interviewing students across College sites for case studies and I loved hearing the enthusiasm in their voices when they talked about their plans for apprenticeships or internships. Every one of them could see a positive future for themselves through earning while they learn.

One Bricklaying apprentice at Corby said: “I feel like I am finally on the right path”. I also met a group of Plumbing apprentices in Corby and Barbering apprentices in Kettering, one of whom said: “Apprentices can be overlooked, but the course has given me confidence in my abilities ensuring I don’t undersell myself.”

4

April 2018

As well as securing opportunities for young people, the article in FE News also discusses progression for those already on the career ladder.

It says: “An expansion of higher and degree level apprenticeships would make a huge difference to help social mobility for those currently in work.”

I also met with some mature students who had chosen apprenticeships as a means to retrain. One said: “I took up an opportunity to start an apprenticeship because courses for mature students like myself are in the thousands of pounds.” Another owed his apprenticeship to a promotion at work from Ground Assistant to Senior Ranger with Center Parcs.

It was also nice to see an Amazon apprentice make the local press recently. Natalia Jedynak, who trains

with the College said: “My career has taken off since I started working at Amazon... I’d encourage anyone, of any age who’s considering an apprenticeship to apply for the Amazon programme.”

So while there may still be some way to go, you don’t have to look far to find stories of apprentices climbing the career ladder, sometimes with companies they didn’t imagine they could ever be a part of.

SARAH HYDE Feature Writer

@SH_Content

INDUSTRY ARTICLE USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE ASSESSMENT PRACTICE Many teachers would benefit from having a good bank of tools that can help them develop a broader range of assessment strategies which can reinforce learning and motivate students to improve. To that end I thought it would be useful to weigh the pros and cons of some of my favourites.

KAHOOT!

SOCRATIVE

If engagement is what you are looking for then look no further than www.kahoot.com, a website which allows you to create quick and easy quizzes, which captures the competitive nature of even the most reluctant students. Kahoot has a few really good uses, but the most common is the multiplechoice question quizzes that you can create for your class.

With a simple login (either through the app or website www.kahoot.it), students get a question on the main screen and a few seconds later the possible answers appear. Each learner gets a score based on how quickly and accurately they answer and the leader board appears after each question.

Learners love it and it will create a real buzz and energy in your classroom. It even has something called ‘ghost mode’ where learners can compete against their previous score, which shows learning within a session.

Socrative.com is in some ways similar to Kahoot, learners can easily access through computers or their own devices. The tracking on Socrative is particularly good as you can see a full report for each quiz. Where Socrative goes a bit further is that you can ask open-ended questions which allow you to assess the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. It is also really easy to pull up the quiz results of the whole group and go through them together. Socrative has a few other great features which allow you full control over how the quiz is taken (i.e. student-paced or teacher-paced) and an exit card mode, which is a great plenary activity you can use on to go with no prior planning.

Cons: First, it is dependent on wifi and students having devices or laptops, so teachers need to plan ahead. It is a great way to engage students, but those with dyslexia or reading difficulties may struggle so consider the language you use and how long the question is. The questions are limited to multiple choice so you are really only assessing rote knowledge here, you are really only getting to the bottom of Bloom’s taxonomy.

Learners choose their own nicknames so watch out, it’s okay though, if you catch one that is inappropriate, you can kick them out and make them start over.

Cons: Learners need their own devices and have to create a name when they log in. The graphics and competitive side are not quite as good as Kahoot, but the power to ask open questions is great.

PLICKERS Plickers.com is an assessment tool with a difference. Instead of depending on learners having a device, all they need is a QR code that can be printed straight from the site. You can create your classes and assign numbers to each learner so you know who got each question right. You can also pull up a report on a group or an individual question. Only the teacher needs a device, but that means you can also easily ask questions on the fly and have full control of the questions as they come up. Avoids the potential behaviour hiccups of Kahoot and Socrative.

Cons: Learners do need to remember their cards for the session, but this can be overcome if teachers have a spare set to hand.

Like Kahoot, this site only allows for true/false and multiple-choice questions.

There are a few other sites that you might want to explore (listed below), but these four really give a good range of features that will make you assessment seamless and effective.

1. w ww.sporcle.com – millions of premade quizzes where you work against the clock. You can build your own, but it is a bit fiddly to do so.

2. w ww.memrise.com – flashcards meet the 21st century; create and share your own sets or explore what is already out there.

3. www.padlet.com – this is a site normally used for collaboration and discussion, but can easily be used for group or individual assessment or evidence.

4. w ww.quizizz.com – similar to Kahoot, but less time pressure and jumbles the questions up.

Having a range of tools can be overwhelming, so if you are not sure, just choose one that sounds good and start there. Like any other resource, it will take a bit of practice to find the best strategies in implementing them, but follow David Bell’s (EvidenceBased Teaching Network) advice and try it at least 5 times before you decide if it is right for you.

MARK TINNEY Teacher Education Course Leader/ILT Development Coach

Tresham College

April 2018

5

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP IT’S AN ‘OUTSTANDING’ FOR SHUTTLEWORTH The team at Shuttleworth College were awarded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for the residential student accomodation following their inspection last month.

We currently have 40 residential students who are aged under 18 and 25 residential students over 18 who are accommodated in five residential halls, split into under 18, over 18 and male and female.

A team of staff that work at the College have additional ‘warden’ responsibilities to provide residential students with supervision during the evening and overnight. These staff are supported by appointed wardens from the student group as well as the wider student support service staff.

TUG OF WAR TEAM HELPED BY CONSTRUCTION Diane Mcdonald, Centre Administrator at Bedford College, belongs to a Ladies Tug of War team in Kempston.

To help with their training the team wanted some wooden slats created so they would be able to lift heavier weights on the gantry (rig) - making the team fitter, stronger and able to work harder in preparation for the Nationals and the World Championships in South Africa this year.

It is these staff who were highly praised in the report for the work they do: “The staff are highly student-focused. They treat the students with respect, and there is a strong focus on the individual. The students are able to develop positive self-images as a result.”

During the snowfall the staff and students managed to build an igloo at Shuttleworth College too – just in case we need a spare room!

Diane approached Dave Wilkins, Head of the Construction department and asked if the students could make the slats as their project work. Dave agreed and Lecturer Phil Hart took on the responsibility of getting the students involved. The slats are now completed.

Diane said: “Everyone has done a fantastic job and is nice to see students from Bedford College supporting our local team as well as using their future skills in the process.”

What a fantastic example of teams across the College working together.

Maybe you have a project students could work on?

‘Outstanding’ igloo built by the staff and students at Shuttleworth College

The student accommodation at Shuttleworth College rated Outstanding

RAISING MONEY FOR SPORT RELIEF Bedford College Level 2 first year Sport students put on an event to raise money for Sport Relief.

The event was a series of sport and fitness challenges where students from around the College could compete to win prizes. Steve Smith, Sport Lecturer, said: “The event was a great success and the students raised £107.75 yesterday, a total which has now risen to £116, their initial target was to raise £65 so they’ve done very well!”

At Tresham College students Louise Macdonald (Uniformed Public Services) and Will Phillips (Musical Theatre) lead some of our students in a bit of Zumba exercise at lunchtime raising £18.73 for the cause.

Good work everyone!

Diane and Dave with construction students and the training equipment they made

6

April 2018

Level 2 first year Sport students

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP WORLD BOOK DAY 1 MARCH 2018

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY There was a great buzz around the campuses for International Women’s Day this year.

World Book Day celebrates authors, illustrators, books and most importantly, reading.

At Tresham College they had a photo quiz, word searches, and an all-female playlist playing in the morning before classes and at lunch time. There were inspirational quote posters around the refectory and TSU Hub as well as selfie signs about this year’s theme #pressforprogress. Female students and staff members were given one of the famous TSU lollies if they could tell us their positive intentions for the day and how they were going to #pressforprogress towards fixing gender inequality.

The main aim of this international event is to encourage children to explore the pleasure of reading books.

At our Bedford campus some of our tutors dressed up to raise awareness and collect donations for the Book Aid International Charity. Every £2 collected buys a text book for children in third world countries.

After 4 hours of walking the corridors the tutors raised £140, which is approximately 70 textbooks! Thanks to everyone who donated.

Over at The Bedford Sixth Form there was a small display in the LRC, around the theme ‘It’s Your Story’.

The idea was to encourage students to write a line to continue the story in any direction they choose.

World Book Day display in the Sixth Form LRC

TSU International Women’s Day quiz at Tresham College

LGBT+ GROUP Our LGBT+ social group had visitors this month.

Big thank you to Bedfordshire Police and University of Bedfordshire for talking to our LGBT+ social group this month. The students found it really helpful and motivational!

From left to right: Sarah Davies (Computing teacher) as Miss Havisham, Sara Pryce (Maths teacher) as Daisy Buchanan and Donna Vine (Personal tutor) as Bonnie (Bonnie and Clyde), Sophie Custance (English teacher) as Mary Poppins

The police visit the LGBT+ social group at The Bedford Sixth Form

April 2018

7

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP TSU HEALTH FAIR

GREAT SUCCESS!

The Tresham Students’ Union organised a ‘No Smoking Day’ and Mini Health Fair at the Kettering Campus.

The Foundation Degree in Building Services and Sustainability has helped Jas Bains to secure a position on the management trainee development programme with SDC Builders (Survey, Design and Construction Ltd).

Kettering Borough Council Wellbeing team joined our staff and students to give out information about Smoking Cessation, Nutrition and Hydration. ‘Solve It’ also came along to provide information on substance abuse as well as the NHS Sexual Health Outreach team to provide Contraception, Sexual Health Advice and Chlamydia testing.

TSU Health Fair Stand

OUR FIRST PANCAKE TORTOISE

“The degree has been excellent in helping me decide which path to take within the construction industry as many areas are covered allowing me to discover what I enjoy and what I excel at.”

The first Pancake Tortoise egg hatched at Shuttleworth this month.

A very important time for the Animal Sciences team as these are a CITES listed species – for those of you who don’t know, CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Studying this course provided Jas with a substantial amount of knowledge relevant to the construction and overall has given him a better understanding of the processes within industry. Jas said “I have also learnt about the many roles involved, along with the stages such as: planning, pre-construction and Building Regulations.”

The first Pancake Tortoise hatchling at Shuttleworth College

“The tutors are very knowledgeable and guide you through the various elements of the course. If you are looking for a career within the construction industry, then the foundation degree is the best route to take and I strongly recommend it. Don’t hesitate to get yourself enrolled onto the course as your investment now will pay off in the foreseeable future.”

Carl Groombridge, Animal Centre Manager, said: “Don't let the distorted shell worry you as this is usual with tortoises - they hatch folded having been forming within the egg and take time to flatten out!

This is just one reason we do this job, made my day!”

The baby is in isolation at the moment where two more eggs await to hatch (could be days or weeks) and the wildlife cameraman is on call to film the event.

We’ve been taking name suggestions on the Shuttleworth social channels – feel free to join the conversation!

8

April 2018

Here you can see the Tortoise and the remaining egg shell

Jas Bains studying the UoB Level 4/5 Fd Course

THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP

NEEDS YOU! Do you have what it takes to battle it out on the water?

Can you row, row, row a boat (not at all gently) 200m along Bedford River or across Wicksteed Lake?

If you can’t row, can you bang on the big bass drum and shout enthusiastically at your team mates?

YES?

Then sign up to compete for The Bedford College Group team at this summer’s main events:

The Bedford River Festival on Saturday 14 July 2018 Bedford Embankment

Nene Valley Dragons on Sunday 2 September 2018 Wicksteed Park, Kettering

We need approximately 15 members of staff to take part and the events are open to everyone who works for The Bedford College Group, at any campus and from any department.

To take part in this fantastic opportunity to raise money for charity and feel truly glorious, contact: Daisy Cranfield, Corporate Communications & Events Executive dcranfield@bedford.ac.uk

April 2018

9

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP APPRENTICESHIPS FEATURE WORK EXPERIENCE CAN LEAD TO AN APPRENTICESHIP Students undertake work experience now as a part of every course we offer. Not only does this provide excellent industry experience it can also lead to on to much more.

An example of this is Ollie Sargent, a student from Tresham College Wellingborough campus who recently completed a very positive work experience placement at the prestigious Rolls Royce headquarters in Derby over half term. He plans to go back and do some more in his Easter break.

The team at Rolls Royce said: “Ollie was polite, enthusiastic and had fantastic rapport with all our teams on site with some superb feedback from them. Would advise him to apply for the apprenticeship.”

This is great news for Ollie and his tutors and just shows that making a good impression on work experience can often lead to other exciting opportunities for our students.

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP SHOW 2018 Staff and students from across the Group had a stand at the National Apprenticeship Show at Arena MK in March.

The team were promoting apprenticeships from across the Group with the overall aim to have a fun and interactive stand which generated lots of interest and helped them meet their target of collecting 400 Year 11 students’ contact details.

Thank you to all the staff involved in the event; Tom Drage, Gina Bubbins, Sharon Daly, Morgan Piper, Georgina Smith, Julie Hoult, Dee OwusuAnsah, Kyra Joy, Jim Harrod (NC4M), Michael Herbert (NC4M), Chris Weller (NC4M), Mark Godwin (NC4M).

The interactive activities included a huge, branded, digital graffiti spray wall and the National College for Motorsport (NC4M) had a ‘Pit-stop challenge’ (fastest time to change a wheel). Both activities were in constant use throughout the two day exhibition with many people returning to improve their challenge times – including other exhibitors!

You can find out more about the event here: Link to website http:// www.nationalapprenticeshipshow. org/midlands/

We had some great coverage of the event from BBC Look East who included our stand in their broadcast of the event and MKFM interviewed Gina Bubbins, Director of Business Development.

The Bedford College Group stand at The National Apprenticeship Show

10

April 2018

Special mention – big thank you to Paul Simpson (Technician for Drama, Music and Media at Tresham College) for his valuable input in arranging the lighting and assisting with the set-up of the stand, giving up his Sunday afternoon!

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP MEET OUR APPRENTICES! Because we practice what we preach we have several apprentices that work in departments across the College, some of whom have stayed on and joined their teams on a permanent contract. Let us introduce you to them!

SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE Name: Sophie Holmes Apprenticeship: Business Administration Department: Shuttleworth College Administration What they say about Sophie: “Sophie Holmes joined the Admin team at Shuttleworth as an apprentice in July last year just a few weeks after completing a Level 3 Animal Management course at the College.

She had no admin experience when she started her apprenticeship but has impressed us with her willingness to learn and has accepted the challenge of everything we’ve thrown at her from tedious photocopying to complicated RHS spreadsheets and lots more besides! Her customer service skills are excellent as anyone who has telephoned our switchboard or visited Shuttleworth reception will know.”

Margaret Curry, Centre Administration Co-ordinator, Shuttleworth College

THE BEDFORD SIXTH FORM

in the event of a catastrophe where the College systems are completely ruined. He’s a critical member of IT Services with a huge amount of skill for hardware.”

Mark Downing, Computing Training Co-ordinator & Associate Lecturer

Name: Abi Calvert Apprenticeship: Business Administration Department: The Bedford Sixth Form, Administration What they say about Abi: “Since I started at The Bedford Sixth Form in August 2016, my Apprentice Abi has flourished. She willingly took on additional tasks when asked and is a huge attribute to the Admin office here. She is bright and intelligent and passed her Level 2 Business apprenticeship with ease and is nearly at the end of her Level 3. Abi will be missed greatly when her contract ends in June.”

Alison Meeks, Senior Academic Administrator/PA to the Head, The Bedford Sixth Form

Name: Jason Dexter Apprenticeship: Computing Department: IT Services, The Bedford Sixth Form

BEDFORD COLLEGE

What they say about Jason:

“Jason has more responsibility since he was on his Level 3 apprenticeship.

Back in 2012 he looked after Shuttleworth College and Kempston campuses. Now since his return to the college in 2017 he has been given the Sixth Form, Brooks Hair and Beauty & The Skills bank. IT Services they have said that his repairing skills are of the highest quality. Jason loves getting stuck into laptops and changing the components! He ensures that all data is backed up is safely secured

Name: Morgan Piper Apprenticeship: Business Administration Department: Business Development & Apprentice Recruitment What they say about Morgan:

a Business Administration Apprentice undertaking her Business Admin Level 3 course after leaving Starbucks Coffee where she completed her Customer Service Level 2 and Leadership & Management Level 3 apprenticeship after leaving school.

Morgan shares her time assisting the Business Development and Apprentice Recruitment team helping to achieve our sales targets by taking incoming calls, enrolling employees on commercial courses, taking credit card payments, booking applicants in for interviews for apprenticeships positions and updating our customer relationship management system.

Morgan’s confidence has really grown since joining the College and she has blossomed and is a valued asset to the team. Morgan wants to be able to make the use of all the skills she’s learnt through being an apprentice to further develop her career.”

Gina Bubbins, Director of Business Development

Name: Gemma Crewe Apprenticeship: Beauty Department: Brooks Hair & Beauty What they say about Gemma: “Gemma studied her Level 2 Beauty Therapy at Bedford College and then went on to be employed in the department as a Level 3 Beauty Apprentice. She has a very keen interest in the aesthetics side of beauty and aspires to own a salon which offers not only beauty but whole body wellbeing through nutrition and fitness.”

Clare Baron, Salon Manager, Brooks Hair & Beauty

“Morgan joined the Business Development team in July 2017 as April 2018

11

NEWS FROM THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP

Name: Stephanie Hurst Apprenticeship: Customer Service Department: Student Enquiries & Guidance What they say about Stephanie: “Having the opportunity to take on a Customer Service apprentice has been invaluable for the service we provide. It has meant that we found Stephanie Hurst and we have not looked back since. She has proven to be an outstanding individual who is so inquisitive, conscientious, hardworking, organised and always willing to lend a helping hand. She is quirky and funny which is part of her charm and very endearing. I have received very positive feedback from our customers and she will always strive to do her very best and you can’t ask for more than that. I am so very proud of how far she has come in the last year.”

Name: Lucy Johnson Apprenticeship: Business Administration Department: Tresham Student Union

Name: Ashley Farquarson Apprenticeship: Electrical Department: Construction

What they say about Lucy: “Lucy is a great asset to the Tresham Student Union, both organising and getting involved with lots of activities and always supporting our department.

Our students really connect with her.

Lucy also keeps the Marketing team up-to-date with all the important stuff we do over at Tresham for news stories and photos to add to our social media channels.”

“Ashley has made a very useful contribution to our technician support.

He is always ‘hands on’ and willing and has been very effective in the repair and maintenance of the various pieces of equipment he’s been asked to look at. Ashley splits his time between Engineering and Electrical and is about to successfully complete his apprenticeship.”

Graham Wooldridge, Student Engagement Co-ordinator

Paul Timmins, Head of School, Science, Computing and Engineering

Sue Wilson, Student Recruitment Manager

TRESHAM COLLEGE

Name: Luke Cresswell Apprenticeship: Business Administration Department: Marketing What they say about Luke: “Luke is a real asset to the team, he not only looks after the business administration tasks within the department and has taken Tresham’s social media pages into the top 20 colleges in the UK over the past six months!”

Michelle Tilley–Sanders, Senior Marketing & Communications Business Partner

Name: Kyra Joy Apprenticeship: Department: Business Development

“Kyra joined the Business Development team as an Apprentice in February and has hit the ground running. Kyra is friendly and professional and has already demonstrated that she will go over and above to provide great service to both our external and internal customers.

Kyra provides a unique insight from the perspective of an apprentice- it is great to finally have an apprentice in the apprenticeship team! She has a keen sense of humour and brings an energy and enthusiasm to her role promising a bright future.”

Julie Hoult, Head of Business Development

Name: Ayden Mullen Apprenticeship: Brick/Plaster Technician Department: Construction What they say about Aydn: “Adyn started as a student on the schools programme a number of years ago.

He enjoyed his time in construction at Tresham and decided to enrol on a Painting and Decorating course starting at Level 1 and after 3 years finally completing a Level 3 to a high standard (distinction in all principles).

An apprenticeship was then advertised at Tresham within the Brick/Plaster area. He went through the rigorous interview process and was offered the job. Over the last two years that I have known him he has carried out various duties to a high standard and is always there to help others. Adyn is a dedicated individual who always carries out his job to the best of his ability.”

Tim Smith, Lecturer in Construction

12

April 2018

PEOPLE NEWS HIDDEN TALENT AT THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP With more than 700 staff it’s no surprise that there are some hidden talents amongst us.

CAROLE MCQUILLAN STEM FACULTY ADMINISTRATOR TRESHAM COLLEGE My job at The Bedford College Group: I am faculty administrator for STEM based in Corby. This means that I work with the Science, Engineering, Computing and Motor Vehicle staff.

My duties vary and keep me on my toes as I never know what will be asked of me next.

What is your hidden talent?

I have been knitting and crocheting since I was a teenager as I really wanted a certain colour cardigan and couldn’t get one, so my mum took me shopping and brought wool, needles and a pattern and started to teach me.

I vary what I make now, from toys and blankets to bunting and regularly experiment.

I do attend a couple of craft fayres each year to sell my products as there is only a certain amount you can have in one house! This also means I can buy more wool and try new patterns.

I struggle to say what is my favourite as each time I make a new item I change my mind. Below are my favourites at the moment.

What are yours? Facebook: carol’s hand knitting and crochet

CURRENT VACANCIES

Here are the current vacancies available across the Group.

Visit the Staff Intranet to find out more information on how to apply.

Lecturer – Foundation

FIXED TERM CONTRACT UP TO 12 MONTHS (MATERNITY COVER) 37 hours per week/full year basis Bedford Campus Application closing date: 02/04/2018

Technician in Animal Care

40 hours per week/full year basis Shuttleworth Campus Application closing date: 02/04/2018

Training Coordinator (Assessor) Carpentry & Bench Joinery

20 hours per week over 2.5 days/full year basis Corby Campus Application closing date: 03/04/2018

Market Research Analyst

18 hours per week/full year basis Bedford Campus Application closing date: 04/04/2018

Learning Facilitator

32 hours per week/full year basis Kettering Campus Application closing date: 04/04/2018

Learning Facilitator

32 hours per week/full year basis Corby Campus Application closing date: 04/04/2018

Lecturer in Plumbing

37 hours per week/full year basis Kempston Campus Application closing date: 06/04/2018

Lecturer in Agriculture

37 hours per week/full year basis Bedford (Shuttleworth Campus) Application closing date: 08/04/2018

Technician in Land and Environment (Agriculture)

40 hours per week/full year basis Bedford (Shuttleworth Campus) Application closing date: 08/04/2018

April 2018

13

PEOPLE NEWS WELCOME TO THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP JOE ADLAM Associate - Lecturer in Electrical Principals Construction & Building Services SUNDAY BIYI Lecturer - Construction Technical & Professional Construction & Building Services HANNAH BUCKLEY Senior HR Co-ordinator Human Resources NICOLA CUNTO Senior Cashier Finance KYRA JOY Marketing & Business Development Apprentice - Business Development Administrator DAVID MOORE Facilities Assistant Estates & Facilities STEPHANIE STRONNAR Lead Trainer Adult & Community Learning VIJAY TEJI Technician in IT (Advanced Apprenticeship) Information & Learning Technology

SUSAN WILDMAN Trainer Adult & Community Learning ISABELLE WILLIAMS Lecturer - Animal Management Land-based Studies JACQUELINE WILLOWS Associate - Lecturer - PET Adult & Community Learning

SORRY TO SEE YOU LEAVE SOPHY COLEMAN Management Accountant Finance HELEN HINDMARCH Pre-employment/ESOL Trainer Adult & Community Learning BEVERLEY COSTELLO Learning Facilitator in Hairdressing Service Industries GEORGINA REVELL Business Development Assistant Marketing & Business Development NERISSA WILLIAMS-HENRY Lecturer in ESOL Adult & Community Learning LOCK RUTH Teaching Assistant Adult & Community Learning

ENROLMENT STAFF REQUIRED Are you, or is anyone else you know, looking for work on a temporary contract in August and September?

We are looking for staff to help with enrolling our new students onto their courses. Enrolment is taking place at several locations and you would need to apply for work at either Bedford sites or Tresham sites e.g. if you apply for Bedford you may be required to go to any or all of the Bedford sites so a full driving licence and access to transport would be beneficial but not essential; Bedford: Cauldwell Street, The Bedford Sixth Form, Shuttleworth College, Kempston (Motor Vehicle and Plumbing) Tresham: Kettering, Wellingborough, Corby

DATES: FROM 20.08.18 to 07.09.18 minimum at Bedford FROM 20.08.18 to 31.08.18 minimum at Tresham We also need some staff (around 10) to continue working up until 21st September 2018.

Applicants need to be confident working on a computer entering data, have an excellent customer focus, have a friendly and outgoing personality, have good attention to detail, be flexible on the hours worked over the contract period. Confidentiality is an essential requirement for this role as you will be dealing with the processing of sensitive data Staff would be required to work full days from 08:30 and be able to stay until required each day – usually between 17:00 and 18:00.

If anyone would like further information, please contact Sue Rich, Head of Student Data & Examinations on 01234 291360 or by e-mail srich@bedford.ac.uk stating either Bedford or Tresham. Individuals can also apply directly by completing an application on the following link.

Applications should be returned by 27.04.18 and you should indicate whether or not you are able to stay on until 21.09.18 if required.

14

April 2018

Diversity Calendar 2 APRIL - AUTISM AWARENESS DAY

Autism is a hidden disability that remains with a person for their whole life. Learn more about autism here. Guidance about working with students with autism and practical resources for education professionals are here. This short film by the National Autistic Society shows what a boy with autism might experience when walking through a shopping centre. Finally, see the perspective of people with autism in ‘Things not to say to an autistic person’.

7 APRIL - WORLD HEALTH DAY

The theme of the World Health Day this year is ‘Universal health coverage: everyone, everywhere’ and the slogan is ‘Health for All’. Test your knowledge of universal health coverage with this short quiz.

Religious festivals

The Inter Faith Network has a more detailed list of festivals and short descriptions 1ST APRIL EASTER DAY Christian (Western Churches) 8TH APRIL HANAMATSURI Buddhist (Japanese) 9TH APRIL THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD Christian (Anglican) 12TH APRIL YOM HA-SHOAH (Holocaust Day) Jewish 13TH APRIL THE PROPHET'S NIGHT JOURNEY and ASCENT Muslim 14TH APRIL THE SIKH NEW YEAR FESTIVAL 21ST APRIL – 2ND MAY RIDVAN Baha’i 23RD APRIL ST GEORGE’S DAY National 30TH APRIL BELTAINE/MAY EVE Wiccan / Pagan

SPOTLIGHT ON...

APPRENTICESHIPS TEAM Upskilling of internal delivery staff to enable the College to have a flexible offer that meets employer needs post merger and post apprenticeship reforms. This is ongoing now and will remain a key focus to ensure that this happens as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Building capacity into teams where new standards mean that curriculum teams will need to diversify and broaden out their current capacity within the delivery teams. This will mean new skills being recruited into the College. For example, into the higher management new standards we will need to either upskill staff, change current staff remits or recruit new staff into post.

WHAT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT DO? It is responsible for the quality of provision of every stage of the apprenticeship journey, from sign up through to completion. It ensures that the provision is delivered in a way that meets the College strategy and milestones for both delivery and for employer engagement. We provide curriculum areas with a clear steer and set of expectations to support them in choosing which programmes to run, when they need to move from frameworks to standards, how to deliver the curriculum and how to follow set processes to enable the College to deliver a high quality experience to both employers and apprentices. The team lead on the standardisation of practice within delivery and oversee the College observation process to ensure that delivery teams receive any support that they need to help them to improve on or share best practice.

WHERE ARE YOU BASED? The central team are based across Corby and Bedford campuses.

Improving the apprenticeship delivery and central teams practice and internal processes and systems to ensure that employers receive the best service from the College which helps and not hinders them when working with us on the delivery of their apprentice’s training.

WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS DID THE TEAM ACCOMPLISH LAST YEAR?

WHAT ROLE DOES EACH TEAM MEMBER HAVE? DEBBIE HOUGHTON Director Corby Campus KATE CAMERON Apprenticeship Specialist Curriculum Development Corby but works multi-site JULIE CARTER Apprenticeship Admin Corby KIMBERLEY COOPER Delivery Manager Corby but works multi-site RACHEL HAYES Apprenticeship Admin Bedford JULIA MINNEY Apprenticeship Levy Coordinator Bedford SHARON NICHOL Apprenticeship Admin Corby TAMMY ROMAIN Apprenticeship Admin Bedford

We successfully placed 750 apprentices with employers and brought in ÂŁ600,000 of commercial revenue. We won a Supplier of the Year award with Weetabix and tendered for and won a contract to deliver apprenticeships for part of Cambridge University.

NINA SAMPLA Apprenticeship Admin and Compliance Manager Bedford but works multi-site

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT?

PAUL WINDRAM Apprenticeship Specialist lead for OneFile Corby but works multi-site

Fast-paced, chaotic at times but very rewarding.

KEVIN STARK Apprenticeship Specialist Curriculum Development Bedford but works multi-site

Social media is a great way to raise awareness about our courses and student successes.

Help us to help you by keeping your marketing team up to date with everything going on in your area.

WHAT CHALLENGES WILL YOU BE FACING THIS YEAR?

TOP CONTRIBUTOR THIS MONTH TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Moving from frameworks to standards and the preparation that each delivery area needs to go through to get us there.

LUCY JOHNSON Tresham Student Union (TSU)

April 2018

15