Connect February 2018

CONNECT N E WS

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U P DAT E S

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D I A RY DAT E S FEB R UAR Y 201 8

FOUNDATION STUDENTS FUNDRAISING for NCS (page 5)

FIRST LAMBS

at Shuttleworth College (page 7)

STUDENTS SHORTLISTED

for national Subway competition at The Bedford Sixth Form (page 8)

BBC LOOK EAST COVERS ACCESS at Tresham College (page 9)

BCS BEDFORD COLLEGE SERVICES

East bank of Ullswater in the Lake District, photo credit: Charlie Whewell, Outdoor Adventure

EDITOR’S NOTE Hello everyone!

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY January 2018

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY – Tresham College Open Day (Corby Campus) WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY – Tresham College Open Day (Kettering Campus)

Welcome to the February edition of CONNECT.

February 2018

I’m sure you are all back in the swing of both a New Year and new term. How are those resolutions going? Probably as well as mine are. As with most things it’s sometimes best to start with small changes in order to see a gradual, sustainable difference. That’s why I’m only going to cut down on chocolate, rather than cut it out completely – it’s not sustainable to think I’ll never eat a Twirl again.

THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY – National College for Motorsport Open Day

In this month’s issue we focus on these small changes as well as all the usual news from across The Group. Don’t say our content isn’t diverse – we have everything from Subway to Suffrage in this edition.

As always thank you to everyone who contributes, I couldn’t do it without you.

THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY – Tresham College Open Day (Wellingborough Campus)

TUESDAY 20 FEBRUARY – Bedford Learning Centre Open Day

March 2018 SATURDAY 10 MARCH – Shuttleworth College Open Day WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH – Bedford Learning Centre Open Day THURSDAY 15 MARCH – Bedford College Taster Event TUESDAY 20 MARCH – Tresham College Taster Event (Corby Campus) WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH – Tresham College Taster Event (Kettering Campus) THURSDAY 22 MARCH - Careers Fair at Tresham College (Kettering Campus)

CORPORATION NEWS

The Spring term for the Corporation commenced with a very sunny day at Shuttleworth on 25 January 2018.

Following a briefing by Mike Johnston on the provision at Shuttleworth campus, members of the Corporation toured a number of areas and saw a wide variety of the residents. The tours were led by Mike Johnston and Catherine Lloyd and facilitated by students and staff who were very impressive in their knowledge of both the provision and the animals.

all students and staff involved.

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.

The Carp reproduction was particularly fascinating and despite watching ‘Finding Nemo’ on a number of occasions I still have a lot to learn in respect of how Nemo (the fish not the film!) was made!

The numbers of non-human residents increased during the course of the morning and it was agreed that the new addition would be given the name “Manisha” after one of the student governors.

DAISY CRANFIELD

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

The afternoon session was held at the Mansion House and Em Lowe briefed the Corporation on the College’s work on the Quality Improvement Plan. The Corporation then spent some time with the Vice Principals exploring the mechanisms for scrutinising progress being made across the Bedford College Group in teaching, learning and assessment (TLA). The Corporation also considered their role in monitoring Equality and Diversity and Safeguarding across the Group.

The Corporation appreciate the significant time and effort involved in organising these events and thank

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”Manisha” the new arrival shortly after being born

RACHEL NICOL

Clerk to the Corporation T: 01234 291003 E: rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

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The most visible change will be the increasing focus on learning walks so we are on top of everything and see that we are building on the great practice in many areas, and implementing decisions taken.

“

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

PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE NEW YEAR, NEW MINISTER We start 2018 with a new Secretary of State. Damian Hinds has taken over from Justine Greening and we wait to see his priorities. We believe he is passionate about social mobility but there are concerns this might translate into a renewed focus on selection and grammar schools.

Further education policy has mainly focused on apprenticeships, T Levels and Institutes of Technology and we expect that focus to continue unchanged.

On a positive note we retain Ann Milton as Skills Minister which means we might enjoy a Minister who remains in post longer than a typical apprenticeship for the first time in many years!

TLC FOR TLA Our staff meetings set out the need for 2018 to be all about teaching, learning and assessment (TLA). We have already taken steps to ensure teaching directors and managers spend less time on other matters and we now want to use the rest of the year to bring our practices together across the whole Group in a sensitive and careful manner.

The most visible change will be the increasing focus on learning walks so we are on top of everything and see that we are building on the great practice in many areas, and implementing decisions taken.

We will also be looking carefully at how we are approaching enhancement, work experience, use of disadvantage funding and community learning funding. Quality is still our big priority and Em Lowe will concentrate even more on this aspect of TLA, while Corrie Harris will assume cross-College responsibility for Study Programmes.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS We said this would be a theme for the year too, making sure we addressed the small frustrations that have a big impact on the quality of our work life. Paula Hobday,

Steve Austin and Jo Wilson gave an excellent presentation to Executive with their recommended changes to our enrolment process, and these were largely endorsed. We think they will make a big difference to many staff, and was one of the two major items you asked us to address to reduce frustration and re-work.

A BUSY RETIREMENT! Finally it is good to see that Ioan Morgan has been appointed as a Deputy FE Commissioner to assist colleges across the country improve when in trouble. Ioan’s work in bringing together Tresham and Bedford made him an obvious choice for the role and I’m sure we all wish him well in his new position.

February 2018

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS IN 2018 At the very start of the year, Ian delivered his presentation at the all-staff meetings where he spoke about moving from being ‘good’ to being ‘great’.

It feels right to start the first Connect issue of the year with a motivational piece about moving forward. So, without wishing to get Blink 182’s ‘All the small things’ stuck in your head again, let’s explore further how each of the small things we change can make a big difference to the College as a whole.

change in my job can never impact on how the College functions’, but this is not true. If you see a way to improve a process in your department, for instance, you could be saving the College time, money and resources. And if we all did that, imagine what improvements we could make.

There’s plenty of research out there on starting small and building up to bigger things, and January is probably the best time to help us understand this. Micro actions - as the name suggests - are small, manageable actions that anyone can achieve. They can help you to pursue those pesky New Year resolutions, for example: if you want a better diet, eat one more piece of fruit each day; if you want to get fitter, take the stairs not the lift; and if you want more ‘me’ time, take two minutes each day just to sit and think about you. These small actions can lead to the big changes you desire in a manageable way.

The agenda that has been set out for the College this year includes: an overhaul of data processes, proper implementation of new systems and technology, and reducing or removing non-TLA meetings. These are all things that will support you in making the day-to-day running smoother, so that we work towards a great 2018 and a great future.

So how does this transfer to work life? You may think, ‘making a small

STUDENT GOVERNOR – JANIS CIRSS Dear members of staff, I am delighted to have the opportunity to address you all in this edition of CONNECT magazine.

In light of our merger with Tresham College I am addressing double the audience, which is exciting for me (as I am sure it is for you) as our family of The Bedford College Group grows.

I'm a student at the Cauldwell Street Campus studying a Level 3 Business Course. I’m in my third year and delighted to say that since serving as a student governor last year, I was reelected by the students in this year.

As a student I like to get involved and keep myself busy. I take part in the student ambassador program and also run the debating society here at Cauldwell Street Campus.

Being on the Board has been a

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There was another important part to Ian’s presentation that also touched on ‘the small things’. It was the importance of getting regular feedback from students so that we can understand what they need from us, in order to further improve their experience at College.

student satisfaction, yet some departments have only been seeing half of their students complete the student survey. Getting students to fill in the survey may seem inconsequential at the time, but that micro action can lead to the whole College having a more positive impact on the overall student experience. Happy students are more productive, they achieve more and so have higher aspirations - a great example of a micro action causing a macro change. And remember, high expectations of our students is a key area of focus for the rest of the year!

Source: https://www. psychologytoday.com/blog/joy-andpain/201506/micro-actions-canlead-macro-changes-make-your-bed

SARAH HYDE Feature Writer

One of our aims in moving from ‘good’ to ‘great’ is to achieve 90%

fantastic experience and has taught me so much about the amazing work our organisation does and how often we go the extra mile. But we mustn't forget that there is always room to improve.

the Board. With a new Chair of The Corporation, Roger Marriott, and governors from the past Board of Tresham College we are all working together to ensure that the future of our organisation is brighter than ever.

Being in this role has showed me that student and staff representation on the board can be of the utmost importance; I would therefore like to suggest to all staff members to be more proactive in staff governor elections and applications, as well as supporting and communicating with your current staff governor. The same goes for student governors. I suggest you support students in voicing their opinion, getting involved, becoming student governors and help them reach their full potential, not only as students but also as stakeholders shaping the future of our organisation.

As we are now in the new year of 2018, I would like to wish you all a very happy new year and I hope to see everyone, staff and students continuing to contribute to the amazing work we do.

At the Board meetings we are actively challenging the College’s management on how we are progressing against our strategic plan. Teaching quality and raising the student experience for all students across the group is a top priority for

JANIS CIRSS

Student Governor

BEDFORD COLLEGE NEWS COURT EXPERIENCE

FOUNDATION STUDENTS FUNDRAISE FOR NCS

First year Psychology and Crime students visited Luton Magistrates and Crown Court to observe proceedings and gain a further understanding of the court processes through firsthand experience.

In December Bedford College Foundation students attended a three day event with the National Citizen Service (NCS).

Following this event the students hosted a successful auction in Stansfeld House. Steps 1 group managed to raise around £350 for the homeless in the Bedford area as part of the Community and Travel unit and their NCS fundraising.

Foundation students host an auction to raise money for the homeless

A variety of cases were seen with charges such as possession of a firearm, breaking a restraining order and failing to stop at a red light - a real mix! Students then engaged in an online discussion board to discuss their thoughts and reflect on the experience.

Sandra Waterfield, Lecturer, commented: “The students worked so hard to raise donations and make it an amazing event.”

PUBLIC SERVICES GO OUTWARD BOUND Uniformed Public Services students visit the Lake District In January, 38 Uniformed Public Services students attended an educational visit to the Outward Bound Trust Ullswater Centre in the Lake District as part of their Leadership and Teamwork Unit.

Throughout the week students were challenged with freezing temperatures, snow and wind gusts of up to 60 mph. The trip helped improve confidence and self-belief in their own abilities, improved their listening skills and

taught them how to communicate effectively with others and create effective teams. Tim Cranfield, Public Services Lecturer, enthused: “The students showed real resilience and determination throughout. It gave them the opportunity to plan, problem solve and then review their progress which is all linked to Unit 2 Leadership and Teamwork.

The Outward Bound team were outstanding throughout the week.”

Bedford College students at the Luton Magistrates Court

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BEDFORD COLLEGE SERVICES NEWS

Events Coordinator Leanne Cripps with the Newcomer award

GRAND HALL IS ONE TO WATCH!

JANUARY WEDDING FAYRE

The Grand Hall was awarded ‘One to Watch’ in the Newcomer category at the Four Counties Wedding Awards!

Another successful event for The Grand Hall with 118 attendees and lots of great suppliers exhibiting.

The awards recognise and reward the hard work and dedication of local wedding suppliers in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire - a real recognition of excellence in the wedding service sector.

The next event is on 29 April 2018 – don’t forget staff get a 20% discount on room hire and there are some excellent late availability offers until April 2018 if you are planning a wedding!

Well done to everyone on the team who works so hard to make sure The Grand Hall establishes itself as one of Bedford’s top wedding venues.

Struggling to find a suitable wedding venue?

A vintage wedding set-up - perfect for outside

We still have late availability up until April 2018 at discounted rates.

A wedding reception

Lots of options for dressing The Grand Hall

£1200 instead of £1800

A wedding ceremony £750 instead of £900

Both

£1950 instead of £2700

LIFEGUARD COURSES Do you know someone who wants to earn good money and gain invaluable life skills?

We are currently taking bookings for the April Lifeguarding course!

For more information on upcoming courses visit our website.

Call on 01234 291777

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SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE NEWS

Fresh stock of Carp

Competing colleges at the YGOY launch

YGOY LAUNCH The Young Gardeners of the Year competition was launched at Ascot Racecourse on 16 January 2018.

The Young Gardeners of the Year competition pioneered by TV gardener David Domoney in association with The Prince’s Foundation for building community was launched at Ascot Racecourse on 16 January 2018. The annual competition, now in its eighth year, celebrates young British ‘green’ talent. Six of the UK’s leading horticultural colleges, including Shuttleworth, will go head-to-head to create show-stopping sustainable gardens that will be seen by thousands of visitors to the show.

Our Level 3 Horticulture students will be allocated a 5m x 4.5m plot to create an inspiring garden to showcase what can be achieved in a small urban space, acting as an escape from inner city life and bringing a touch of nature to the metropolis.

Students will submit their garden design by the end of February and have five days to build and plant their gardens ready for the show’s opening on 13 April 2018.

We wish the team all the very best – grow for gold!

Students with Mark Simmonds and Mark Pettit

FRESH STOCK Shuttleworth students carried out a fish stocking on one of the many lakes surrounding the College campus.

The students were extremely fortunate to have the infamous Mark Simmonds to deliver a talk about all things rearing Carp.

Shortly after, Matt Pettit gave an insightful talk about the economics of running a successful Fishery.

Thank you to all the people involved in giving the students authentic industry experience.

FIRST LAMBS Level 3 Horticulture students at Ascot Racecourse during the YGOY launch

An exciting time of the year on Kingshill Farm as there are new additions to the Shuttleworth agricultural family!

The first lambs of the year have arrived (a little earlier than expected) and are settling in nicely.

A very cute new addition to the Shuttleworth family

Ewes in the barn ready to lamb

This year the team are lambing 231 ewes - 113 singles, 113 twins and 5 triplets. All the lambs are born indoors but will be back out onto grass at around 1 week old. Look out for the new arrivals on the Shuttleworth Estate parkland.

February 2018

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SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE NEWS OUTWARD BOUND TRIP Stunning scenery at Ullswater Lake

Students open boating on the lake

The famous ‘Jog and Dip’!

First year Level 3 Outdoor Adventure students travelled to Howtown on the banks of Ullswater in the Lake District in December to spend a testing 5 days with Outward Bound.

The week started with a bright (actually very dark) and breezy 6.30am meet-up on Monday at College. After a bus drive north the students arrived at the centre and headed straight out onto the water for some all-in rescues and the famed Outward Bound ‘Jog and Dip’!

Night time canoeing; tunnelling; night orienteering; raft building and packing for the expeditions kept our evenings busy and entertaining. Needless to say the days were jam packed!

The week drew to a close with each group taking time to review their highs and lows. Lots of learning and lots of fun was had and hopefully the experience has helped to raise awareness of our own strengths and weaknesses, along with those of others.

The Outward Bound staff went out of their way to say how much they had enjoyed working with the group during the week. They were very impressed with many of the students, and have shortlisted several students to be awarded the bursary supported places on the prestigious 19 day ‘Skills For Life’ summer programme.

Watch this space to see who have been awarded the places!

Visit the Outdoor Adventure blog to see what our students get up to! http://shuttleworthcollege. wordpress.com

THE BEDFORD SIXTH FORM NEWS SUBWAY SHORTLIST

SUFFRAGE CONNECTIONS

A group of three Bedford Sixth Form students made it to the finals of a regional competition with high street sandwich chain Subway™.

There was more filming at The Bedford Sixth Form in January, this time for Sky Arts, celebrating the 100th anniversary of women having the vote.

The students were tasked with designing a new themed sandwich and an accompanying marketing campaign.

Students Ababil Yasmin, Ashleigh Chipandire, Jessica Owusu-Ansah devised ‘The Santiago Steak Sub’ under the theme ‘guilt-free gourmet’. Out of almost 100 entries in the Anglia region, the girls have been shortlisted in the top 6 to attend a final presentation and pitching day at Cambridge University in February 2018.

Good luck!

Ababil Yasmin, Ashleigh Chipandire, Jessica Owusu-Ansah of The Bedford Sixth Form

The programme will feature the life of Dora Carrington, a champion of womens’ suffrage and former pupil of Bedford Girls’ School, on which site the Bedford Sixth Form is now based.

Impressive architecture at The Bedford Sixth Form

Dora Carrington – illustrated by former Bedford College lecturer David Litchfield

Margaret Stansfeld and Dora Carrington are being referenced in a special exhibition at The Higgins Bedford museum as champions of women’s suffrage. Bedford College’s history dates back 125 years to the origins of teacher and women’s PE training in the town.

Save the Children - Staff and students raised £123.27 for Save the Children on Christmas Jumper Day. 8

February 2018

TRESHAM COLLEGE NEWS

Students perform Brief Encounter

Access students being filmed for BBC Look East

BBC LOOK EAST COVERS ACCESS On Thursday 18 January 2018 BBC Look East visited Tresham College to talk to and film our Access course students following an interview in December with Charlene Townsend.

Charlene, who was nominated for the ‘Outstanding Commitment to Study’ award with the Cambridge Access Validating Agency (CAVA), studied the HE Diploma in Access to Humanities.

train as a paramedic at the University of Northamptonshire. The piece was filmed for a segment on Look East about social mobility and how taking an Access course can improve your life chances.

The team from Look East filmed students and Head of department Sarah Nolan dissecting lungs in a Biology lesson and interviewed two students, one of whom is going to on

A big thank you to Cathy Sandy for a great lung dissection lesson under the pressure of filming!

SERVICE TO INDUSTRY AWARD National College for Motorsport awarded the ‘Service to Industry’ award at the MIA (Motorsport Industry Association) Business Excellence Awards

Chris Weller of NC4M collecting the Service to Industry award

Do you have a press story? Get in touch with Jacquie Manners A big congratulations to the National College for Motorsport who was awarded the ‘Service to Industry’ award at the MIA (Motorsport Industry Association) Business Excellence Awards on 11 January 2018.

The award was presented by Jon Hourihan of Goodridge Ltd to Chris Weller on behalf of NC4M.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS Our Level 3 Performing Arts students recently put on an adaptation of the 1945 film ‘Brief Encounter’.

Strong performances from the entire cast helped transport the audience back in time to a setting of a 1930’s British railway station, where a great romantic drama unfolded.

The success of the performance is a testament to the hard work they put in, which can only mean good things for the group going forward. We can't wait to see what they come up with next.

KETTERING LEARNING CENTRE OPENS The Learning Centre has now opened in Kettering, offering FREE computer training for adults.

Kettering Learning Centre

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CROSS COLLEGE NEWS STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS You’ve sent us some great images of your staff development days.

As well as having a fun element the purpose of staff development is to bring teams together, build relationships and find ways to enhance understanding of your role within the Group. From climbing to pizza making it looks as though you’ve all had a great time!

Personal tutors making pizza at the Sharnbrook Hotel after a training session on Equality & Diversity and LGBTQIA.

TES AWARDS HAT-TRICK It’s a hat-trick for The Bedford College Group at the Times Educational Supplement (TES) FE Awards.

On 23 February members from the group will attend the awards in London after being shortlisted for three awards in the FE category:

Bedford College Marketing Team who are nominated for ‘Professional Services Team’

• Professional Services Team: Marketing Team, Bedford College est Teaching & Learning Initiative: •B The Bedford College Research Network led by Sam Jones and Catherine Lloyd, Bedford College •A ssessor of the Year: Keith Haynes, The Bedford College Group at Tresham College.

These national awards celebrate excellent and innovative practice across the FE sector. With colleges and training providers having submitted a record number of entries the awards are set to the biggest yet!

Tresham College’s Keith Haynes, who is nominated for ‘Assessor of the Year’

Look out for the results of the TES Awards in the March issue!

Following a successful launch of the new cross-College Group staff intranet, Connect, we are now planning to switch off the old intranet platforms for both Bedford and Tresham.

Thank you to everyone who has worked to move critical content across onto Connect.

The old intranet site links will be hidden shortly but the systems will remain 'in the background' until 1 March 2018, when they will then be shut down. If you require any assistance moving content that has not been migrated over from the old intranets, or need any other help, please contact Rich Hemery in Marketing at rhemery@bedford.ac.uk.

SSG UPDATE There are a number of SSG events planned over the coming months.

Animal Centre staff who had the opportunity to visit Whipsnade Zoo where they had a behind the scenes tour of Hippos, Oryx and Partula snails in the Discovery centre.

Outdoor Adventure tutors took a climbing wall update enabling them to award students climbing certificates linked to skills and qualifications in Rock Climbing.

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All of the current events are listed on the Staff Social Group page on Connect. The group are due to meet in the next couple of weeks so look out for more events and additional information being added to the calendar.

We are also keen to receive suggestions for events from staff at all of The Bedford College Group campuses, so if you have an idea that you would like the SSG to consider please email ssg@bedford.ac.uk.

Please bear in mind that we try to put on events that appeal and cater to a wide range of staff.

TRANS HEALTH GROUP AT HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT Shuttleworth College Transform Group visited the Houses of Parliament.

On Tuesday 23 January, students from the Shuttleworth College Transform Group visited the Houses of Parliament in Westminster to talk to MPs and health professionals about The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report on the 'State of Child Health'. The group has been working for the past two years on reports and training workshops to promote better Trans health and create awareness of Trans issues.

PEOPLE NEWS HUGH REA 29 August 1953 to 26 December 2017 It is with extreme sadness that we share news of Hugh’s death on 26 December 2017.

Hugh started work at Bedford College as a Lecturer in Engineering on 1 January 1983 and through the developments in the College became a Project Director for YTS on secondment to the Manpower Services Commission, then Assistant Group Manager for Technology and then a Senior Manager with a focus on managing College wide projects.

Hugh was deeply committed to the College and his legacy to us includes managing the challenging preopening phase of the Bedford Free School, the successful re-launch of Engineering Apprenticeships at Brunel Road and the continuing success of Engineering.

Hugh will be remembered as a loyal and true friend, a thoughtful and generous colleague – and as a wise and caring mentor to our latest generation of managers who regarded Hugh as an excellent

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

people manager and role model.

Hugh and Jenny Rea both left the College on 31 August 2016 with plans for many adventures together in retirement – and it is hard to believe that Hugh’s life has been cut short just at the moment when they were looking forward to many more years together.

Hugh’s funeral took place on 17 January 2018 and a great many current and former College staff attended – a fitting testimony of the esteem in which Hugh was held during his long service at College.

Our thoughts are with Jenny, his family, and with Hugh’s close colleagues from all parts of the College and we hope that memories of happier times will bring some comfort to all who knew and admired Hugh.

I am the Graphic Designer for The Bedford College Group and I work within the Marketing Department based at Bedford College Campus.

My job involves designing material such as the prospectuses, leaflets, brochures and all supporting material for each of the brands within The Group. This month I have worked at the College for a year.

AZARA SULTANA Student Recruitment Adviser CALUM ATTERWILL Personal Tutor CHRISTINE CONBOY Learning Resources Facilitator DEBORAH PARTRIDGE Purchase Ledger DEE OWUSU-ANSAH Apprenticeship Recruitment Adviser DENISE PAGE Learning Support Assistant DONNA CORY Purchase Ledger JAMILLA ALLY Lecturer JOANNA KING Personal Development Coach

Elizabeth Nash Director of Organisation Development January 2018

KAREN THOMAS Work Placement Coordinator

My hidden talent:

MARY KANGERE Lecturer

I love drawing and all things arty. I use graphite pencils and coloured pencils to create portraits of animals and people. Over the past few years I have started taking on commissions which has allowed me to develop my skill further. I am also starting to explore using other mediums such as paints, charcoal and inks.

MARK GODWIN Training Coordinator

MELISSA WAIT Work Placement Coordinator NAT BARRON Personal Tutor NATALIE ALLDERS Work Placement Coordinator NATASHA BLADES Development & Quality Coordinator NERISSA WILLIAMS-HENRY Lecturer

This section is to introduce you to other staff members who can do things most of us know nothing about. To start we have Danielle Harrington, the Groups in-house Graphic Designer and artist extraordinaire!

My job at The Bedford College Group:

WELCOME TO THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP

NICHOLAS GALE Wood and Machinery Technical Assistant PHIL ROMEO Lecturer Coloured pencil drawing of a Cocker Spaniel

RACHEL DAVIES Trainee Lecturer SIMON RICE Library Manager SORCHA O’LOUGHLIN Student Data Coordinator

Graphite pencil portraits

SUSAN POWELL Lecturer

Follow Danielle’s work on Instagram @dharringtonarts

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PEOPLE NEWS SORRY TO SEE YOU LEAVE

LEIGH-ANN SPARKS Receptionist Enquiries and Guidance

ADAM EASTER Finance Assistant - Purchase Ledger

MATTHEW DUPONT Student Recruitment Adviser

BEN DEMPSEY Technician - Land & Environment

NIKKI STRAND Training Centre Trainer (Luton)

DEBBIE HORNE Trainer / Assessor

OM PARKASH Schools Accountant

HELEN BERRY Invigilator

RAVEN BRYAN Lecturer - GCSE (English)

KYLE SCHIPPERS Apprentice - Land & Environment

ROBERT STONEHOUSE Head of Brunel Training Centre

LEANEAN CALLENDER Apprenticeship & Employment Recruitment Manager

SARAH CRUDGE Head of Library & Learning

SAM HOANG Finance Assistant - Purchase Ledger SARAH HEDGES Personal Tutor (BSF) SHAM SINGH Student Recruitment Adviser SHAUN WILEMAN Apprentice - Electrical Installation TOM BLACK Lecturer - Animal Science VIKKI WILLIAMS Employment Assistant

CURRENT VACANCIES

Here are the current vacancies available across the Group. Visit the Staff Intranet to find out more information on how to apply.

TEACHING VACANCIES: Associate Lecturer in Graphic Design Based at Bedford College Bank staff – hourly paid Closing date: 11/02/2018 Lecturer in Computing Based at Bedford College 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 11/02/2018 Head of Department – Sport, Public Services and Outdoor Education Based at Bedford College 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 09/02/2018 Lecturer in Animal Science Based at Shuttelworth College 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 11/02/2018 Lecturer in Plumbing Based at Kempston campus 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 05/02/2018

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Lecturer in Theatrical Make-up Based at Bedford College 22.5 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 11/02/2018

Prince’s Trust Development Worker Based at Northampton 20 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 05/02/2018

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES VACANCIES:

Training Coordinator - Mechatronics Based at Brunel Training Centre, Bedford 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 04/02/2018

Training Coordinator (Assessor) – Carpentry & Bench Joinery Based at Bedford College 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 11/02/2018 HE Coordinator Based at Tresham Kettering campus 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 09/02/2018 Prince’s Trust Team Leader Based at Tresham Corby campus 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 09/02/2018 Training Coordinator – Business Based at Tresham Corby campus 24 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 08/02/2018

Head of Department – Construction and Building Services Based at Tresham Corby campus 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 02/02/2018

Training Coordinator – Plumbing Based at Kempston campus 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 06/02/2018

Lecturer in Agriculture Based at Shuttleworth College 37 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 04/02/2018

Apprentice Technician – Electrical Installation Based at Bedford College 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 05/02/2018

February 2018

Technician in Land and Environment (Agriculture) Based at Shuttleworth College 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 04/02/2018 Learning Resources Support Assistant Based at Tresham Kettering campus 30 hours per week / 40 weeks per year Closing date: 02/02/2018 Technician in Land and Environment (Horticulture) Based at Shuttleworth College 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 04/02/2018 Salon Manager Assessor (Maternity Cover) Based at Bedford College 40 hours per week / full year basis Closing date: 01/02/2018

PEOPLE NEWS SCHOOLS VISITS As some of you may already know Trudie Tebbutt has taken over the role of Schools Liaison for The Bedford College Group and has been contacting schools to arrange to attend Careers Fairs, taster days and Apprenticeship events.

In order to make the calendar of events accessible to everyone, a page has been created a page on Connect, the staff intranet. You can find this

either by going to the Marketing Department and choosing Schools Liaison on the left hand menu or putting Schools Liaison in the search box and then opening the Schools Liaison homepage. On the right hand side there is an Upcoming Events calendar which shows the next five events we are attending but also gives the option to click the calendar icon at the top to show events by week or month. All the events we have booked in the next few months have been added.

If there are any events that you would like to add that Trudie is not aware of, or if you would like to attend any of these events please email Trudie at ttebbutt@bedford.ac.uk. All of these events are being attended by members of the Student Recruitment team and/or the Apprenticeship team, as appropriate, but it would be great if any teaching staff also wish to attend.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS Diversity Calendar LGBT HISTORY MONTH Bedford College is Stonewall School champion and February offers an opportunity to raise students’ and staff’s awareness of gender and sexual identity, and the dangers of homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying and language.

This year’s theme for LGBT History Month is ‘Geography: Mapping the World’. This is a chance to explore not only influential LGBT figures from the past, but also from all over the globe. Watch ‘This is what LGBT life is like around the world’ here https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ivfJJh9y1UI What does LGBTQIA + stand for?

Why ‘coming out’ is good for business? Do you know how to tackle homophobic language? To find out the answers to these questions, visit the staff intranet https:// college.oak.com/Content/Page/ Index/0b8f586c-289f-4684-bc926021d1d6a883

4 FEBRUARY WORLD CANCER DAY It raises awareness of cancer and its prevention, detection, and treatment.

6 FEBRUARY SAFER INTERNET DAY Education packs can be found here https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/ safer-internet-day/2018/sid2018education-packs/education-packteachers-and-educators

21 FEBRUARY INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS 1ST FEBRUARY IMBOLC Pagan 8TH OR 15TH FEBRUARY NIRVANA DAY Buddhist 13TH FEBRUARY SHROVE TUESDAY Christian 13TH FEBRUARY MAHASHIVRATRI (Great Shiva Night) Hindu 16TH FEBRUARY NEW YEAR FESTIVAL Chinese (2018 is the year of the dog)

It promotes linguistic and cultural diversity.

February 2018

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SPOTLIGHT ON...

QUALITY

WHAT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT DO? The Quality Department provides all quality related tasks and activities across the group, including Quality Assurance, Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Stakeholder Feedback, Equality and Diversity and all Professional Development activity. It offers a critical friend role, providing appropriate levels of support and challenge to raise standards.

WHERE ARE YOU BASED? There’s now a team of eight of us across The Bedford College Group with main offices at Cauldwell Street (Tower Block, Sixth Floor TB614) and Kettering Campus (Top Floor, Room 229).

WHAT CHALLENGES WILL YOU BE FACING THIS YEAR? The main challenges relate to providing an outstanding learning experience for our students across the entire group. To

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.

TOP CONTRIBUTOR THIS MONTH TO SOCIAL MEDIA ALEX TOWNSEND, The Bedford Sixth Form

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February 2018

do this the team must ensure that we are providing high quality learning and teaching by listening to the voice of our stakeholders and applying consistency in policy and practice across the merged group.

WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS DID THE TEAM ACCOMPLISH LAST YEAR? The biggest achievement for last year was the effective way in which the team worked together throughout the merger process to ensure appropriate systems and practice were agreed and implemented for 1 August.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? The cross-College roles within the department allow great perspective on all College functions, leading to successful student outcomes. A challenging but very rewarding role!

WHAT ROLE DOES EACH TEAM MEMBER HAVE? (From left to right)

EM LOWE Vice Principal Based at Cauldwell Street JOHN GUINEY Head of Quality Based at Cauldwell Street TASHA BLADES Quality and Development Coordinator Based at Kettering BRAD BILLINGTON Head of Professional Development Based at Kettering ANASTASSIA PARSONS Equality and Diversity Coordinator Based at Cauldwell Street STEVE AUSTIN Data Analyst Based at Cauldwell Street TONY MANGAN Head of Quality Based at Kettering ANN SIMSON Quality Manager Based at Kettering