EXE Issue 01 2017

#issue01

EXE.

The Exeter College Magazine for Alumni and Friends

My Exeter College An interview with Michael Caines MBE

contents

Do you know anyone in this photo?

The caption on the back read: Exeter College dance students leaping forward to a bright future. Email us to let us know.

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12 Julian Tagg How he went from student to lecturer to chairman 14 Alumni in profile Debbie Spencer tells us how her experience with us changed her life

03 Meet the team Learn more about the students behind the features 04 College news The latest news from around the college 06 News in pictures A selection of our favourite memories 07 Two brothers at Oxford Read how these alumni are enjoying university life together 08 Michael Caines My Exeter College 10 Rising star We catch up with West End and Broadway star Alistair Brammer

get in touch 02

16 In conversation with Philip Bostock The college Chair of Governors lets us in on his secret to success

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18 One to watch Abi Lawless tells us why deciding to take up an Apprenticeship was the best decision she ever made 20 Q&A with Anne Oxborough A previous Assistant Principal of the college tells us her favourite moments of college life 21 Did you know?

Facts about Exeter College 22 Sports roundup The latest news from our exceptional sports faculty 24 Exeter memories Sharing our past

alumni@exe-coll.ac.uk

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two brothers at oxford

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WELCOME IT IS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR FIRST EVER ALUMNI AND FRIENDS MAGAZINE. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I TOO AM AN ALUMNUS OF EXETER COLLEGE AS I STARTED MY HIGHER EDUCATION JOURNEY AT THE COLLEGE, STUDYING FOR A HNC IN BUILDING STUDIES ON A PART TIME BASIS BETWEEN 1992 AND 1994.

our writers 01

01. Linus Uhlig

I am a student studying politics, history, English literature and philosophy at Exeter College with an interest in journalism, which I have furthered through the JAx Academy.

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At Exeter College we are proud to be able to say that we have many thousands of alumni and friends who are part of a local, national and global community. We believe that coming to Exeter College is just the start of what is an enduring connection to our very special college. As well as being a place where lives are transformed through the power of education, our college is a place where lifelong friendships are made, and memories are formed.

Throughout our very first magazine we have tried to feature just a small selection of our amazing and talented alumni and friends. We are delighted to have the opportunity to speak to Michael Caines MBE, our very first patron of the college.

Michael has given an enormous amount back to the college.

Elsewhere in the magazine you will be able to read insights from Julian Tagg and a particular highlight of mine – the chance to see him with long hair! There are also interviews with two exceptional brothers who are studying at the University of Oxford, the legendary Anne Oxborough and our Apprenticeship star, Abi, talks about why she chose to do an Apprenticeship.

Some of the articles have been written by our very own students and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their work.

It is always a pleasure to speak to someone with a personal story and connection with our college. I do hope our magazine sparks some memories and inspires others to get back in touch.

02. Connie Champain I’m 17 and studying for my A Levels at Exeter College.

I have always loved writing and am part of the JAx Academy at the college to help my aim towards a career as a journalist.

About the JAx Journalism Academy The Academy aims to bring together in one place, the people, skills, resources and contacts students need to make it as a journalist.

We very much hope you enjoy reading about your fellow alumni and friends in our magazine. This is just the start of us reconnecting with our alumni and friends.

Supported by Pearson UK, it involves giving students the chance to work on published papers and magazines and access master classes from broadcasters and writers. The JAx Journalism Academy is open to any student, on any course across the college.

Enjoy your magazine.

Read more at: exe-coll.ac.uk

John Laramy Principal and Chief Executive exe-coll.ac.uk

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NEWS 04

Exeter College wins trio of coveted Exeter Living Awards on its home turf The award winning Exeter College has won not one, not two, but three coveted awards at the Exeter Living Awards – in a celebration of excellence on its home turf. The college was named as the winner of the best education provider accolade in the prestigious and tightly contested awards. As well as winning the education award for academic excellence, the college won accolades for the best Business Services provider for its Think Apprenticeships service. The college then went on to win the prestigious special Platinum award – awarded by the judges for the best individual category winners out of more than 300 award entries.

Teacher Highly Commended in Times Educational Supplement Awards Music teacher James Tarling was recently highly commended in the category of Teacher of the Year at the Times Educational Supplement Awards. Only a very small number of highly commended awards were given out at the national TES FE Awards in London.

Speaking about receiving the accolade, James said, “It felt great to be nominated and to be highly commended. At Exeter College there is a positive culture that people want to do well, and want to be great teachers.”

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£70 million investment in vision to be an ‘Exceptional’ college Exeter College is investing £70 million over the next 20 years in creating an ‘exceptional’ college.

The college launched both a new strategic plan and a 20 year master plan at an event at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM).

John Laramy, Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive, said, “The new strategic plan sets out to meet the academic, education, and skills needs for the city and region. An exceptional student experience remains the focus of all we do.”

The strategic plan sets out a journey to build on the college’s success as an Ofsted Outstanding college over a five year time period, addressing the opportunities that A Level, technical education and Apprenticeship reform offer, as well as continuing to grow university level and adult training and learning for the local community.

The 20 year property master plan provides more than 30% increased teaching capacity as well as addressing future skills needs, such as digital and data for young people. exe-coll.ac.uk

College Named Among the Best Places to Work in the UK According to The Sunday Times, Exeter College is one of the best places to work in the UK. The college is one of only six organisations with more than 1,000 employees and the only further education college in England to be ranked as a Top 100 employer in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2017.

The award citation for the college highlighted that ‘staff say there is a strong sense of family’. Overall, the college is ranked 77th place in the league table, which showcases the very best in workplace engagement across the whole of the country.

News in 60 seconds…

Next generation trained at New £3million Robotics and Engineering Centre The next generation of engineers are being trained at the new £3million world class centre for robotics and engineering at our Technology Centre, a UK-leading facility. Exeter College is a leader in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths) subjects.

Jazz Drummer Reaches Final in National Competition Drummer and Exeter College Music Academy student Kai Craig (pictured right) came a very close second in the Young Drummer of the Year national competition.

Model United Nations Debating Success Exeter College students recorded their most successful Model United Nations conference held at Bristol Grammar School, with the team winning nine awards, including the Best Delegation Awards.

Student Physicists Achieve Gold at The British Physics Olympiad Talented A Level physicists Matt and Tom achieved Gold in The British Physics Olympiad, putting them among the very best young physicists in the whole country.

Apprentice wins coveted NHS Award Apprentice Chelsea Crossman won the title of Advanced Apprentice in the Health Education England’s Star Awards programme in the south west. exe-coll.ac.uk

Exceptional Apprentices and Employers celebrated at Awards Exeter College held its Annual Awards celebrating the achievements of Apprentices and honouring the employers that support the work of the college’s award winning Apprenticeship programme. Foot Anstey sponsored the awards ceremony, at Sandy Park, Exeter.

Alumnus and international rugby referee Luke Pearce was the guest speaker. He spoke fondly about his time at the college and his experiences officiating at the top flight of the game of rugby and the benefits of Apprenticeships for employers and young people.

get in touch For more information on these news stories and for the latest college news, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching Exeter College.

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1> Ed Scott is currently studying for a FdA in Applied Outdoor Adventure and recently made it to the final of ITV’s Ninja Warrior 2> Students celebrate their success at our annual Student Awards evening

NEWS IN PICTURES

3> Student ambassadors with Principal, John Laramy, and Chair of Governors, Philip Bostock, at the launch of the estate master plan and strategic plan

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4 4> College governor, David Allen OBE and Karime Hassan, Chief Executive at Exeter City Council, at the launch of the college estate master plan and strategic plan 5> VIPs gather at our 2016 Graduation Ceremony 6> University level students celebrate receiving their degree outside Exeter Cathedral

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7> 13 Exeter College students have been offered places at the world-leading universities of Cambridge and Oxford 8> Michael Caines Academy students cook for last year’s academy graduates at our annual Michael Caines Dinner

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Joseph says, “I sadly remember getting knocked out of the debating regional finals most clearly, but that’s probably because the debating team was such a joy and prepped me for all the arguments we have in politics tutorials here. Playing cricket for the sports academy was always some much needed relief after maths on a Wednesday so that has to be a weekly highlight as well, even if it did mean getting my kit bag up to the 9th floor twice a week.”

meet the brothers at the University of Oxford

Two brothers, Joseph and Thomas McShane have created a family legacy.

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Both are Exeter College alumni and have gone on to study for degrees at the University of Oxford. Joseph left the college in 2014 with Thomas following in 2016 and both have chosen to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics. We caught up with them to hear how their time at college prepared them for their next steps and whether there is any sibling rivalry at university!

While Joseph is studying for finals (8 x 3 hour exams), Thomas is midway through his first year. Both admit that the course is demanding but there are other activities to balance this out, such as cricket, debating and the night life.

We asked the brothers whether Exeter College prepared them well for university and the answer was a resounding yes.

Thomas said, “The amount of selfmotivation that is developed at college by having to do a lot of work outside of class, paired with the mature lecturerstudent relationships that college fosters, really do emulate those that are present in a university.” Joseph followed up by saying, “Doing five A Levels was pretty good preparation for university. If you didn’t use your free periods in the LRC well enough then you had to wave goodbye to whatever you wanted to do in the evening which is exactly the same as it is here.”

Both brothers stress the importance of standing out from the crowd when applying to university. Thomas said, “Anything extra you can do related to the subject you want to study that is outside of college work, do. In my experience it’s very important to set yourself apart in ways other than just exam results. Being able to have things on your personal statement that other people do not is key.”

The brothers certainly seem to have the balance right between studying and enjoying student life and it appears studying at the same university hasn’t phased them. Thomas says, “It was especially nice being in the same city when I started. As I am the fresher he has helped me far more than I’ve helped him. Doing the same degree has been very useful, that and just general tips about how to structure my work (and life) in Oxford were incredibly useful at the start.” Joseph followed up by saying, “Tom and I see each other mainly in clubs, occasionally he does come round for some questionable chilli con carne and to help with my maths sheets and to get some notes on his politics.”

We wish Thomas and Joseph good luck for their final exams and look forward to hearing more about what they go on to do.

Photo by: Oxford University Images

When talking about memories of college, both fondly remember debating as a particular highlight and having to troop to the 9th floor of the Tower Building.

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By Connie Champain

Michael Caines mbe My Exeter College

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Michael Caines MBE began his journey to success at Exeter College and is now an award winning, nationally acclaimed chef. During his time at the college he made his fair share of mistakes but Michael says, “those mistakes galvanised me into the person I have now become.”

The freedoms that he experienced throughout his time at Exeter encouraged him to mature; without this Michael does not believe he would be the chef he is today. Starting off cooking at home with his mother, he gained a passion but was unsure whether or not he could pursue this as a career.

However, after listening to talks at the college’s career days and hearing from friends that they were becoming chefs, Michael decided that it was not only a passion but also a profession that he had his heart set on.

Michael came one step closer to his dreams when he won ‘Student of the Year’ in 1987 at the college. “Among the many fond memories,” he says, “I was particularly proud of winning student of the year.” After leaving college, he had the incredible opportunity of working alongside three renowned chefs who taught him valuable knowledge of the catering world. Raymond Blanc, who was Michael’s mentor for three years, taught him about working with the seasons and the importance of understanding the palette. Raymond has supported Michael a lot throughout his career and the two remain close friends. He also spent time with Bernard Loiseau, who taught him how to extract the magical flavours of cuisine, and Joël Robuchon, who inspired Michael with his precise and disciplined techniques. All of these lessons have allowed him to develop his own individual style of cuisine and to flourish into the exceptional chef he is.

Michael has achieved a tremendous amount since leaving Exeter College; receiving his MBE, two Michelin stars and five AA rosettes at Gidleigh Park as well as being awarded ‘Chef of the Year,’ are just a few of his accomplishments. “Every accolade and moment in my career represents a stepping stone and I am proud of all of my achievements. They represent my progression in life.”

Not only does Michael take pride in his career as a chef, but he has also become a father, which has fulfilled his personal life too.

I hope to earn two stars for Lympstone Manor and possibly even get a third. Lympstone Manor, for me, represents a realisation of my dream that started back at Exeter College all those years ago.”

The Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College was launched in 2011. It gives students who are enthusiastic about the hospitality industry the opportunity to gain a unique and extraordinary experience. Michael continues to have close involvement with the academy and it is his way of developing the next generation of talented young chefs.

Michael’s most recent project is Lympstone Manor, a property that he has transformed to represent country house hospitality in the modern world. He is “immensely proud” of this enterprise and he said, “now the focus is all about getting Lympstone Manor up and running and watching that become the success that I hope it will be.

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Alumni in Profile

Rising Star

Alistair Brammer is known for playing Chris in the highly acclaimed West End revival of Miss Saigon, now showing on Broadway in New York.

Here at Exeter College, Alistair is one of our celebrated alumni, so we are delighted to be featuring him in our first edition of EXE. Speaking of his time appearing in Miss Saigon he said, “There’s something so exciting about it. I love the music and high drama.” Alistair adds that it was always an ambition of his to play Chris. “I’d never seen it before, or since actually! I heard it for the first time when I was about 16, and I had it on repeat constantly - I couldn’t get enough of it. I made a promise to myself then that I would one day play Chris.”

Every actor wants their audience to take something away from a performance such as this, Alistair said, “I hope it moves them. I hope their view of war and the people in it changes - I really see that as the main aim of the piece, alongside the love story, to illuminate the aftermath of war. Really, war is the only enemy in the show. I want people to come out changed, even if it’s only for a little while, and to think about what that must be like for people. It’s such a human tale, and it’s so powerfully and beautifully told. It’s been a real honour to be part of it.”

He has also had success with the much loved classic, Les Miserables playing Marius. On screen you may have seen him in shows such as Casualty. Speaking of his time on Casualty he said, “It’s a completely different job – you wouldn’t know that doing this could come under the same umbrella as being onstage! It’s an entirely different ballgame besides from the fact that you’re still playing a character.”

Alistair remembers his time at Exeter College with fondness saying, “I remember making some great friends, one of whom was Student Union president Ross Stanley, who ended up being best man at my wedding.” He goes on to say that his time at college greatly influenced what he went on to do, “They seemed to take drama very seriously at Exeter College.

A great theatre space and passionate teachers. Both of drama and of music. Very fond memories and they certainly fuelled my longing.”

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When asked if any teachers in particular had a positive impact, there are quite a few! “Eithne Greenwell, Jill Coram and Penny Nichols. The three sisters. They were extraordinary.

From playing Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Jill’s garden to Curly in Oklahoma directed by Penny. As well as exploring Hamlet with the absurdly knowledgeable Eithne.

Although I was tipped to the post for the title role by my future best man! They all had great influence and have also stayed in touch, they’ve been to see me in London on a number of occasions.”

So what are his plans for the future?

“Who knows? That’s the beauty and horror of my industry.

You never know what’s round the corner. Hopefully more TV.” We look forward to seeing more of Alistair on the national and international stage.

See more of what Alistair is up to on Twitter by searching @alistairbrammer.

Photos by: Matthew Murphy.

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By Linus Uhlig

The Sporting Life, Exeter style Passion for football, education and Exeter has taken former College student and lecturer Julian Tagg from the city’s playing fields and classrooms to the chairmanship of its football club.

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Knowing the club was facing liquidation, Julian became the club’s vice chair, then the chief executive, and eventually the Chairman, although the youth academy is still where he says “my heart lies.”

For 28 years Julian has run summer camps in which around 300 children a week “play sports and have a go.” “The social, health and wellbeing elements are huge because the children get to mix with other children from many different walks of life.”

Julian Tagg (2nd from right, top row) with his fellow team mates in 1974.

In an exclusive interview with us, Julian Tagg said that even at primary school and then at Ladysmith School, sport played a very significant role in his life. He said,“I wasn’t the greatest student, but I was able to gain some kudos in school because I could kick a ball.”

After becoming an Exeter City supporter at 9, a ball boy at 12 and signed to play Western League at 15, Julian arrived from a school “that didn’t even do O Levels” to study PE at Exeter College for two years that he described as an “absolute joy” and “a hugely significant part of my life.”

“Exeter College helped me bridge that gap and pass the exams that got me into university and that’s what the college does all the time,” he said. “I had an absolute ball.

I was with talented athletes with similar outlooks who were great fun – a little bit edgy, but not ridiculous. We did stupid things and grew up together. We’re still in touch now.”

Inspired by his PE teachers, who he described as, “exceptional role models,” Julian went on to take an education degree at the University of Exeter (St Luke’s) thinking it would be his passport to leave the city.

“Coming from not a great background, I was desperate to get away from Exeter and was always looking for greener grass,” he said. But when he was finishing his degree, he had a sudden realisation – “everyone from the north was trying to get to where I was, so that settled me down. I absolutely love the place and couldn’t be more proud of it.”

Julian credits his two decades as a lecturer with giving him the stamina for his chairmanship of the club. “Few people realise the hours you do as a lecturer. With the marking and planning several nights a week and at weekends, the workload is huge, which stood me in very good stead for Exeter City. Now, I very rarely take a day off and always work on a Sunday.”

And what is his proudest moment at the club?

“There’s any number when it comes to football,” he said. “We’ve been promoted. We’ve been to Wembley, Manchester United and Liverpool. These are certainly highs.”

But none of the events on the pitch have topped his achievements off the pitch with the city’s youngsters, he said.

“As chair of the Football in the Community Charity, the work the club does with pupils about to be excluded, groups and individuals with disability, social inclusion, sports participation and education has a phenomenal effect and benefit to greater Exeter.”

So what’s more important to him – the success of the senior team or the behind the scenes work with the city’s youth?

“Success on the pitch is absolutely vital,” he said. “But by the same token, Exeter City is a community-owned club and its ultimate job is to support that community.”

Julian Tagg, Director and Chairman of Exeter City Football Club

After graduation, Julian returned to Exeter College’s PE department, this time as a lecturer, taking an interest in sports psychology and finding a particular affinity with students “that were a bit on the edge.”

“I related to them, perhaps as I hadn’t been the best student,” he said. “You’re in a very privileged position as a PE lecturer. You get close to the pupils because you’ve got sport in common, so they’d much rather talk to you than their parents, giving you a chance to change their lives and in some cases really save people.”

After 20 years at Exeter College Julian made the switch from the classroom to the clubhouse. “It’s all my son’s fault.

He was coaching Exeter City’s first youth team, but then discovered the club was in financial difficulty and they wanted to shut down their youth work.”

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Alumni in Profile

Debbie Spencer Debbie Spencer completed a Graphic Communications Foundation Degree with our Centre for University Level Studies, gaining a distinction in May 2016.

Debbie chose Exeter College because it was close to home, meaning it would fit in around her children’s lives too.

Debbie describes her experience with us as “life changing” and goes on to say: “I’ve set up my own business, I can go and work in an agency. It’s opened up a whole world for me really.”

Since graduating Debbie has launched her business and done freelance design work including creating a brand for a start-up business. Not one to rest on her laurels and always keen to learn more of her craft, Debbie has also done work placements at the Met Office and local design agency, Buddy Creative.

Not only was she awarded Art and Design student of the year at our annual student awards evening but she was also awarded a runners up prize for a national competition with Design Bridge. The brief: “a compelling, bold and brilliant design solution for something that the entrant feels passionate about.” Debbie says she went away and thought about what was important to her, having worked with 14

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children before, a campaign for a children’s charity was the obvious choice. She says she wanted to get across the heart breaking statistics in a way that would engage the audience. “There are so many stats out there, it just goes over your head, even though it’s heart wrenching.”

Once entries were shortlisted, it was down to the judges to decide. Asa Cook, Creative Director at the Design Bridge London Studio says, “The Save the Children idea was so hard hitting. It really stopped us in our tracks and made us think about the inequality of the world and made us want to redress the balance. The genius of this idea lay not in directly telling us what to think, but in demonstrating the imbalance in an engaging way.”

Debbie said the whole experience boosted her confidence.

“It was lovely to feel like all those sleepless nights and all that hard work had come to something. It’s given me the confidence to approach people, they did interview me for a job but unfortunately I don’t want to live in London.” exe-coll.ac.uk

Having only graduated a year ago, Debbie has certainly made a success of her new career. When asked what the favourite part of her job is, Debbie said she loves working on client briefs, most recently the brand for a start-up company: “He was so positive about it. I felt really proud when I saw it launched on the internet, you feel really proud that you have done something that they are happy with and that will work for them.”

You can see more of Debbie’s work on her website: spencer-design.com To read more about Design Bridge, please visit: designbridge.com 15

In conversation with Chair of the Board, Philip Bostock OBE DL What do you remember of your early days as Chair of the Board?

Luckily I’d already served three years on the Board when I became Chair in 2013. So I’d had time to get to grips with the world of Further Education, its issues, terminology and endless acronyms! It is quite a steep learning curve for someone who, like most of our governors, had had little previous experience of the education and training sector.

Nevertheless, becoming Chair of the Board was still a challenge and another learning curve to overcome. Our Board is populated, I’m pleased to say, by an exceptionally skilled, intelligent, authoritative and committed group of people - so to take on any kind of leadership role within that group is quite daunting.

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What I remember, though, is that the whole Board was extremely supportive and forgiving of any mistakes I may have made in those early days and that the support, knowledge and experience of former Chairs, the Principal and the Clerk to the Board were a great help to me in navigating the demands of the role.

Have you enjoyed your time in the role?

It’s clearly an honour to head up such a distinguished board of governors in such an outstanding college, but it’s also really interesting, fulfilling and enjoyable. Everyone in Exeter College, from fellow governors, the top management team, academic and support staff to the students, is so committed, enthusiastic and enterprising that it would be hard not to be swept along by that exceptionally positive and uplifting culture.

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The role of the Board is essentially about overseeing the strategic direction and financial health of the college and holding the Principal and senior leaders to account in terms of delivering on the strategy.

As Chair I’ve worked with two outstanding Principals, Richard Atkins and now John Laramy; both inspirational and dynamic leaders. Together we have celebrated the rapid growth of the college, continuous improvements in our excellent student outcomes, outstanding teaching and learning, the opening of some superb new buildings and student facilities and numerous national accolades. What’s not to enjoy?

We do believe strongly in constantly refreshing our governance and, for that reason, my maximum term as Chair is four years; so at the end of July I will be handing over to my successor. I can’t believe how quickly those four years have flown by.

So the unequivocal answer is yes – I’ve really enjoyed it!

How does it feel to be someone who shaped the history of Exeter College?

I wouldn’t presume to have personally shaped the recent history of the college, but I do feel privileged to have been influential as Chair at a time when so many interesting challenges have had to be faced and the college has made so much progress.

Sustained organisational success is always about team effort and culture.

What is your most memorable moment during your time as Chair?

It’s not really answering the question to say that there have been many memorable moments, which there have. But if I have to single one out I suppose it would be the moment we learnt, in January 2014, that we had been confirmed as Outstanding by Ofsted after a full and extremely rigorous inspection.

What is the secret of your success?

Any successes I have had, both in this role and in my previous professional role as Chief Executive of Exeter City Council (from which I retired in 2013), are, I believe, down to a real passion for the role and the organisation, hard work and commitment, the creation of a positive culture and the cultivation of a strong and united team. Sustained organisational success is always about team effort and culture.

Having said that, I have naturally experienced some disappointments and setbacks, as we all do in our journeys through life. It’s important that we treat them as a positive learning tool. I am certainly very much still learning and I have learnt a huge amount from my four years as Chair of the College Board. I hope I can build on that in whatever roles I may take up in the future.

Do you have any advice to Exeter College alumni and friends on achieving their ambitions?

The vast range of skills, experiences and careers that our alumni and friends have is extraordinary and many will already have achieved their aims and ambitions. All I can suggest is that you never give up on learning, always believe in yourself and try to follow a path that you have real passion for.

And good luck!

I hope that, alongside my extremely talented fellow governors, I have played a significant role, working closely with our equally talented senior leadership team, in steering the college through the turbulence of the last four years. Difficult decisions have had to be made about some complex situations, but the combined wisdom and judgement of our Senior Leadership Team and Board have ensured that Exeter College has emerged stronger than ever. We are proud to be one of the top FE colleges in the country and a major partner in the dynamic growth and economic success of Exeter.

What one word would you use to describe Exeter College?

Inspirational.

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Past Chairs of the Board - Left to right: Philip Jenkinson, Philip Bostock, Tim Stapleton and David Bowen.

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One to watch

ABIGAIL LAWLESS STUDIED FOR A LEVELS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY, GAINING AN A GRADE IN ALL THREE. Abigail Is Now Completing An Apprenticeship In Accountancy At Simpkins Edwards. Find Out Why. As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Abi wrote a blog piece to highlight to other learners the advantages of doing an Apprenticeship and why it was the right choice for her.

You can read an extract below, for the full article please visit our website exe-coll.ac.uk/news I was lucky enough to have a work experience placement at Simpkins Edwards, an accountancy firm based in Exeter. This allowed me to get a feel for what it was like to work in a firm, and have more of an insight as to what the work would involve. Not only were the staff friendly, accommodating and supportive during my placement, but I was also offered the opportunity to attend an interview as a result. Not only did this increase my already growing interest in this possible career prospect, it also built my confidence knowing that I had made a good enough impression to be offered an interview.

Being an Apprentice has been a massive learning curve. I had to adapt myself to full time hours whilst maintaining my AAT studies and learning a practice and job that I had never before done. On-the-job training is vastly different to classroom learning, and so it has required a lot of perseverance and acceptance that things won’t always be perfect straight away. The transition has helped me grow as a person: gaining not only workplace skills, but life lessons that have allowed my confidence and versatility to improve.

Choosing to do an Apprenticeship was the best decision I could’ve made. I felt ready to start my career, and to do so proactively has been an experience I can carry forward in my future developments. I am able to earn a wage rather than paying fees, whilst getting the same level of training I could get from university. I am able to fulfil my passion for travelling, rent my own flat, and still have an enjoyable social life.

The interview itself was fairly relaxed, and was a good chance to get to know more about the firm as an employer, and what I could expect if I were to embark on this path as an Apprentice.

For me, my biggest worry was that abandoning my choice to go to university would prevent the career progression that I wanted to achieve. I was assured that I could achieve the same end in this role as an Apprentice as I would if I were to go to university. With this in mind, when I received a job offer from Simpkins Edwards it was clear what I now aspired to do.

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Choosing to do an Apprenticeship was the best decision I could have made.

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What makes Exeter College so special?

The college is set in one of the best-placed cities in Britain and offers massive, genuine choice to post 16 students.

There can’t be many students who fall outside its remit in terms of what’s on offer - and that includes the extracurricular opportunities. The staff are incredibly hard working and really care about students’ welfare and progress. The quality of facilities has just got better and better over time. It provides a fantastic bridge between school and work/university. For me, a tertiary college is the obvious answer for most post 16 students.

Anne Oxborough OBE

What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve ever been given?

Shakespeare gave it to me: “To thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”

What has been your greatest professional achievement?

I think I’d have to go back to English and MFL faculty’s grade 1 in 2004. We presented ourselves to Ofsted pretty much as we were - warts and all - and on that occasion, Ofsted recognised our quality.

What was it like getting the OBE for services to further education?

Anne Oxborough OBE began her career as an English and Drama teacher and joined Exeter College as a lecturer in English in 1991. In 2001 she was appointed Head of the Faculty of English, Languages and IB and was subsequently promoted to Assistant Principal in 2006, joining the college’s senior leadership team with overall responsibility for A Levels, IB and the college’s Reach Academy. Anne retired from the college in 2013.

What are your best memories of your time as a lecturer, Head of Faculty, and then Assistant Principal at Exeter College?

I taught in secondary schools before coming to the college, so it felt a very real privilege and a lot of fun to be focusing on A Level and the International Baccalaureate (IB). I loved being a tutor and I am still in contact with several tutees.

We had some very memorable end of A Level parties!

The English faculty, at various times joined together with Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), Music, Drama, and IT, was a vibrant place to work. I was very proud of us all when we received the college’s only Grade 1 in the 2004 Ofsted inspection. As Assistant Principal, I had to develop an overview of the college and came to properly appreciate the vocational, alongside A Level and IB. I became as passionate about the staff as I did about the students - you need both groups to enjoy what they’re doing to achieve genuine success. When the college was named College of the Year in 2012, I thought, ‘YES - we are an Outstanding bunch!’

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A total left fielder. I’d just retired when Mr Cameron’s letter arrived. I was due to go for a hole in the heart operation the next day - so I broke the rule (you have to keep silent for several weeks) and told my sister, in case anything untoward happened on the operating table. I feel I was in the right place at the right time, with the right colleagues and although given to an individual, this award is rooted in teamwork - ‘Our Brilliant Efforts’ perhaps. However, on a personal note, I loved being inside Buckingham Palace, meeting The Queen, and the slap-up meal afterwards.

What did you find most rewarding about your time at Exeter College?

It’s corny maybe but putting into practice ‘right student, right course’ probably sums it up. By the time I retired, I felt that most students were finding the pathway that suited them at that time. And when they found it, chances were they had teachers and tutors who helped them to realise their skills and increase their understanding, ready for the next step.

What makes you passionate about education?

I believe in state education - in giving all children the best opportunities we can. That obviously involves looking after the teachers - conditions and pay. I also believe that when it comes to what we teach and how, the teachers are the people we should be listening to. They are the professionals. Teachers are the guardians of the best the world has to offer in terms of cultural values. As Alan Bennett says in The History Boys - ‘’Pass it on, pass it on.”

exe-coll.ac.uk

Did you know?

193 higher education students graduated at Exeter Cathedral in 2016

100% College reputation

100% of staff agreed that the reputation of the college is good

98% of staff agreed that the college provides high quality learning opportunities

A Level students achieved an outstanding 99.8% pass rate overall in 2016

Our vision...

to be an exceptional college.

98% of adult learners said that teaching on my course is good and helps me to learn

Our mission is to shape the future of education by delivering excellence in all aspects of our work, in order to realise the ambitions of our learners, city and region.

98% of students said I feel safe at college

94%

94% 94% of students were accepted to their firm choice university in 2016

exe-coll.ac.uk

Four International Baccalaureate students achieved 40+ points (equivalent of five A Levels at A/A*) putting them in the top five to ten per cent of students in the entire world

94% of students said the quality of teaching and training is good or outstanding

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Sports Roundup Sport at Exeter College has always been something we are immensely proud of.

Every year our students seem to go on to bigger and better things, strengthened by our community partnerships. Here is a roundup of the achievements over the past year.

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3 For the latest sports news follow @execollsport on Twitter.

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#ExeCollProud

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Jess Thomas and Ebony Jefferies were selected for the RFU U18 south west squad. The pair made the 28 strong squad after it was whittled down from 76 hopefuls from all around the south west of England

2> Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport

National Championships Finals 2017: This

academic year, after various regional

tournaments, the Sports Faculty

is exceptionally proud that an

unprecedented 87 students and

14 staff travelled to Nottingham after

gaining selection from various regional tournaments 3>

The winning partnership between Exeter Chiefs and Exeter College is celebrated, after Exeter College’s U18 team recently won the AASE League for the first time

4>

Exeter College crowned U18 AASE national champions. The team took the title and made competition history to win 53-19 against Gosforth Academy in the AASE League Championship Final at the high-profile venue Allianz Park, London

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Students Charlie Wright, James Kenny, and Marcus Street won places on the prestigious England Under 18 Development Squad, while Richard Capstick won a much sought after place in the England Under 17 Development Squad

6>

Exeter College mixed hockey team have been crowned national champions for the second year in a row. After a hard-fought final, the team won the match 5-1 to be crowned the Association of Colleges (AoC) national mixed hockey cup champions for the second year

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More than 80 Exeter College athletes played their part in the south west being crowned the victors at the Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport National Championships 2016. The students competed across a range of different sports representing the south west alongside a number of other colleges

8> Haven banks received an AoC

Beacon Award for their pioneering

and innovative work 9>

The college basketball team have had another successful year, including being AoC champions and winning the E&D Men’s International Divisional Championship for the second year running

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Do you have memories of Exeter College?

Share them with us at exe-coll.ac.uk/ alumni