Issuu

#ISSUE 05

EXE.

EXETER COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2022/23

World-class

Celebrating 30 years of the International Baccalaureate exe-coll.ac.uk

OUR STUDENT WRITERS

CONTENTS 2

Welcome from the Chair

Latest News

Principal’s Update

30 Years of the International Baccalaureate

Anne Oxborough and Sue Temple IB Trail Blazers

11 Charlie McNamara

The IB on the World Stage

13 Sam Dunbavin

Man on a Beach Volleyball Mission

15 Lucy Trafford From the Ashes

17 Santina Micalizzi I am Phoebe, and I study the International Baccalaureate with my higher-level subjects being English, French and Philosophy. I want to go onto university and study Philosophy; then progress to law. My goal is to become a human rights lawyer. See page 19.

In The Classroom and Beyond

19 Alice Rubbra

Closing the Skills Gap

20 IB From the Archive 22 Lindsay Skinner

Learner, Leader, Governor

My name is Oliver, and I am taking the International Baccalaureate at Exeter College. I plan to go on to university to study History, and aim to pursue this alongside my musical interests. See pages 11-12.

23 Join Our Alumni Network 24 Exeter College Alumni Fund 25 Hugo Greenhalgh

Changing the Face of Gay Rights

My name is George and I study A Levels in Film and Video, Product Design and English Literature. I am also part of the Cricket Academy. I am interested in journalism and enjoy all sorts of writing and literary analysis. I am hoping to progress to the University of St Andrews to read Literature and Film. Longer term I am interested in a career in media production. See pages 17-18. Hi, my name is Mollie. I study A Levels in Geography, Politics and Maths, as well as an Extend option in Italian. I also have a keen interest in dance. I hope to pursue a Philosophy, Politics and Economics course at university. See pages 27-28.

CONNECT WITH US: 01

See pages 23-24

27 Leonardo Maltese Lights, Camera, Action

29 Neomi Alam

Cultural Champion

31 Ashley Jeary and Josh Tate

Radio Exe's Dynamic Duo

33 Student Statistics 34 Our Finances

WELCOME 22/23 Welcome to Issue 5 of the Exeter College Alumni Magazine, EXE. In this most recent issue of EXE you will find both a celebration of some of our fantastic alumni and highlights from the 2022-23 academic year, including the marking of 30 years of delivering the International Baccalaureate.

national average and the opening of a new Hub for Independent Living and Learning (the HILL), a purposebuilt facility for young people with specialist needs to develop confidence and independence.

The past twelve months has seen the College’s mission to shape futures through the delivery of world-class education for our city and region realised in various ways. The celebration of the College’s renewed Outstanding Ofsted grading towards the end of 2022 was a realisation of a collective goal to achieve the exceptional for our learners. The report cites the College’s “highly aspirational learning environments” and teachers who “have very high expectations.” The “strong contribution” to skills needs was also a national first with Exeter College becoming the first tertiary college in the UK to be awarded this top grade under the new framework.

This issue of EXE is a testament to the enduring legacy that staff and stakeholders of the College help to create in guiding and supporting our students to prepare for their next steps in a range of professions and in pursuit of a diversity of passions and goals. Thanks to you on behalf of the Board of Governors for your unwavering energy and enthusiasm, expertise and duty of care to our learners.

The Ofsted inspection spurred on further outstanding activity through 2022-2023, with sporting successes including a record six players selected for the England Women’s U18 squad, Oxbridge offers 4% above the

exe-coll.ac.uk

Finally, I am always delighted to meet current and former students of the College and to learn more about their journeys. It is wonderful to see so many of our alumni, partners and friends continuing to engage with and champion Exeter College and to inspire future generations in both word and deed.

BINDU ARJOON, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

LATEST NEWS 22/23 AN OUTSTANDING START FOR 2022-23 At the end of November 2022, Exeter College underwent a rigorous four-day Ofsted inspection. The visit - conducted by a 21-strong inspectorate team came eight years after the previous inspection and was the College’s first under the enhanced framework. Staff and students celebrated an overall Outstanding outcome, with top-grade assessments in crosscollege judgements: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management. The achievement of the ‘strong contribution’ to skills needs was a national first for all further education colleges. Scan for Ofsted celebration video

Exeter College beats national average for Oxbridge offers. In October 2022, a total of 66 learners applied to Oxbridge across a range of subject areas including biomedical science, humanities, veterinary studies and medicine. 16 students were offered a place - that’s a 24% conversion success rate for applications to offers. The College once again surpassed the national average conversion rate for independent schools applying to Oxbridge which this year sat at 20%.

Exeter College students from across our range of provision celebrated their qualification outcomes over the summer. Technical and applied advanced level courses delivered excellent results with an overall

pass rate of over 98%. The College’s A Level pass rate was 0.3% higher than last year, and was 2.4% above the national pass rate for this year. Scan to watch Results Day in action

Exeter College secured the next phase of its property development plan in summer 2023. Construction work on the Hele Road site will begin in September 2024, further to the building of a new facility at the Flowerpots site which gets underway in January 2024. Scan the below QR code for a sneak peek of the Hele Road development.

MICHAEL CAINES ACADEMY CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Learners produced and disseminated an original campaign across a range of media, including a live radio broadcast and online articles.

The 2022-23 academic year marked ten years of the Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College. The Academy - a competitive programme designed for budding head chefs and those aspiring to a career in front of house - now boasts over 160 graduates with a 100% pass rate. The anniversary was marked with a celebratory dinner prepared by the Academy’s patron, alumnus Michael Caines MBE DL, and first-year Academy students.

Exeter College and University Support Adult Learning. This year saw the establishment of the new Mature Access Pathway, a joint venture between the University of Exeter and Exeter College. The programme is designed to support mature students in

their progression to university with a series of events and seminars covering such topics as student finance, study skills, choosing the right course, and more. 42% of learners on the Pathway this year were given a conditional offer for their chosen degree course by the University of Exeter.

Aspiring journalists take part in BBC Live News Day. This year our ongoing collaboration with the BBC was further strengthened when 25 Media and Journalism students took part in a Live News Day. Students had just hours to execute media projects as set by representatives of the broadcasting corporation.

In spring 2023, a select group of Software Development Skills Bootcamp students were given the unique opportunity to create a prototype app commissioned by the Royal Navy Leadership Academy (RNLA). The app, intended to phase in the digitisation of the Navy’s leadership assessment and marking scheme, was developed by the students in record time and was met with acclaim by the naval assessors who attended the launch of the product. College hosts the region’s biggest Esports Festival. Exeter College brought together organisations from across the South West for the second year running as it played host to the region’s biggest ever Esports Festival in June 2023. The Rocket League tournament involved over 30 teams that included competitors from the Ted Wragg Trust, Bishop Fleming, Exeter Chiefs, and many more.

Prior to the final showdown at Exeter College, qualifying events ran at other colleges across the South West. Attendees were also given access to roundtable discussions covering cybercrime and the future of the gaming industry.

Scan for a snapshot of the action!

exe-coll.ac.uk

March 2023 saw the opening of the HILL, the Hub for Independent Living and Learning. The Hub is a dedicated space for learners studying on the Independence Gateway programme. The specialist centre was officially opened by the newly appointed Chief Executive of Devon County Council, Donna Manson. Exeter College football had a noteworthy year, with the men’s team winning the regional 7-aside competition in November 2022 and going on to qualify for the Association of Colleges nationals for the first time in six years. To conclude the 2023 academic year one of their players, Jack Fanning, was offered a scholarship with the Swansea City AFC Academy playing for the U18 team there. (Jack is top row, second from right).

The Exeter College Women’s Rugby Academy celebrated six of its players being selected to represent England in the U18 squad compared to five players in the previous year. The six women kicked off their squad experience by taking part in a three-day training camp in Telford in early 2023, followed by national and international fixtures through the spring.

Four College teams completed the Ten Tors Challenge at the end of April 2023. Two teams crossed the finish line after their 45-mile trek and Exeter College was also the only college to have two teams complete the gruelling 55-mile route.

For some more of the highlights from the 2022-23 academic year, scan the QR code here:

PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE In my 15 years at Exeter College (with nearly nine years as Principal and Chief Executive), this year has seen some truly landmark celebrations. This issue of EXE pays tribute to our 30 years of delivering the International Baccalaureate, a world-renowned qualification that still runs with noteworthy success and with results consistently ranked above the global average. In fact, at the time of writing the Prime Minister has developed a ten-year ambition to introduce a baccalaureate flavour to all sixth form learning in England. These past twelve months of celebration have also allowed the opportunity to mark our student achievements with the first in-person cross-college awards ceremony in three years, as well as the chance to come together with alumni and guests to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Michael Caines Academy. We have also celebrated the Outstanding grading outcome of the College’s Ofsted inspection that took place at the end of November 2022, which made Exeter College the first College in England to secure the two top grades from Ofsted and one of very few colleges who sustained an Outstanding rating. Our class of 2023 delivered truly exceptional results, especially as these were the students, in the main, who did not take formal GCSEs at the end of school. In our A Level provision our students’ A* to C grades exceeded the national average by a staggering 10.2%, our IB mean points score of 35 was nearly 5 points ahead of the world average, and we secured a 100% pass rate for our Construction, Health, and Education and Childcare T Level programmes. In fact, one of our T Level learners achieved one of just nine top grades across the whole of England.

22/23 become the home for the Exeter City Women’s Team with their home fixtures played at our cutting edge Exwick facility. In relation to rugby, I am delighted that our partnership with the City Council has enabled us to unlock a £4.6m investment into the Flowerpots area (partly supported by a Department for Education grant) to create world class teaching and playing resources for our Exeter Chiefs Men’s and Women’s Academy Rugby Teams. Our Future Skills Centre, a partnership with Devon County Council, had another record-breaking year in terms of bookings; at times we had the challenge that it was full to capacity! In collaboration with the City Council and CoLab we have launched the Urban Learning Academy (to support free and low-cost learning for adults), we have also partnered with another college to offer CPD opportunities to post-16 educators teaching GCSEs, and celebrated our status as one of eight England Rugby Partner Colleges. We know that we cannot achieve our vision to be an exceptional college alone, so I would like to thank all our civic, sporting, business and sector partners for another year of stellar support. Through our College community and our partnerships we continue to bring to life the values of ambition, collaboration and energy that we also see illustrated in this publication.

JOHN LARAMY CBE PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Our Access to Higher Education students impressed with a 95% completion rate. Our Apprentices have also had another excellent year. Yet again we taught the best joinery Apprentice in the country, and we set a new record for the number of employers that we work with to create our sector-leading Apprenticeship programme. Such outcomes are only made possible by the collective efforts and commitment of our talented and passionate staff, working with amazing students, and ably supported by fantastic partners, employers and stakeholders. Partnerships have flourished over the last year. We have

exe-coll.ac.uk

30 YEARS OF THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE The 2022-2023 academic year marked 30 years of the International Baccalaureate (IB) at Exeter College. Authorised to deliver the IB Diploma late in 1992 (one of just a handful of non-selective, state-run providers in the UK to do so), and welcoming its first cohort of IB students in September 1993, the College at once further cemented its standing as a pioneering force for education and training on both the national and international stage.

In its first year the programme boasted just over 40 students (an impressive achievement given the obstacles inherent in establishing a brand new course, and one yet unfamiliar to many educators).1 Then, as now, the six-part course allowed students to study a range of subjects (three at higher level and three at standard level) across disciplines spanning languages, humanities, maths, and sciences. Other core elements comprised the Theory of Knowledge, a 4000-word extended essay and a portfolio of creative, active and community service activities (CAS). It is the CAS element of the course, with its focus on personal development beyond the classroom, that receives so much attention in many of the features in this issue of EXE and that goes some way to set the IB apart from equivalent Level 3 qualifications. With such a comprehensive learning programme it is no surprise that IB students are often cited as motivated and hardworking, and this is borne out by consistently highscoring results over the years.2

Since the programme’s inception in 1993, student numbers have increased, with an average of 60 students enrolled across both years 1 and 2 in recent times.

So, what is it that continues to make the IB at Exeter College so special? We asked our current students to tell us.

In 2022 the programme underwent a rigorous inspection, the IB equivalent of Ofsted. The College was commended as part of this process, a fitting accolade in a landmark year for the qualification. As an IB centre, Exeter College enjoys its place amongst the now 160-strong global centres that deliver this academically challenging and broad-based curriculum. Over the years the programme has laid the foundation for the spirit of enquiry and global-mindedness that has seen the emergence of an international network of alumni that includes AI research scientists, environmental campaigners, professional sportspeople, medical consultants, and many more. Just some of this exceptional cohort feature in this magazine and we are grateful for their contributions. 1

See pages 9-10 for more about the context of starting the programme. 2 In May 2023 students achieved an average point score of 35, significantly higher than the world average of 30.24.

“

I love most the breadth and depth of the subjects. You can really develop your knowledge and gain lots of skills like essay writing, citing, and referencing.

”

Paula

“

I have met some of the most interesting people on the IB, different groups, from cultures all around the world. There’s such a friendly atmosphere.

”

Ned

WE DEDICATE THIS EDITION OF THE EXE MAGAZINE TO ROB PARRISH.

“

There are so many things we have to do ourselves which is really useful: organisation, research. Having to go and find out for ourselves is going to be really helpful for university and future careers.

Rob was a beloved father and a dedicated Maths teacher, who took an active role in developing the IB at Exeter College. He is pictured here on one of the trips that he helped to organise to Nepal. Students and teachers would spend their time hiking and volunteering at local schools. He would also organise charity events at the College to support these rural Nepalese students, including a charity abseiling event from the top of the Tower Building! Proceeds from these fundraising drives went to purchase hearing aids for deaf students in a mountain school, amongst other charitable works. exe-coll.ac.uk

Honor

”

“

The IB gives me broader options for going forward. In the future I’m also considering studying abroad. The IB really helps with that because it’s accepted by universities globally. Isaac

”

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE.

TRAIL BLAZERS

Sue Temple and Anne Oxborough OBE ushered the International Baccalaureate (IB) through its first steps at Exeter College. They sat down with us to talk about its development and lasting impact on students. Sue joined Exeter College as a Psychology teacher in the 1980s. She later progressed to managing cross-college curriculum development and multicultural education, and in 1990 she was tasked with setting up the IB. Around this time, Anne started teaching English in both A Levels and the newly formed IB programme. Sue recalls, “That was quite a challenge in a college like this. The IB had been run in private institutions, but we were only one of two state-run FE colleges running the programme; partly because it was expensive as it demands a lot more teaching time.” Before the College could start offering the programme, staff had a year’s lead-in time, during which teachers went on workshops across Europe, and Sue began recruiting for students locally. “A lot of students in the more academic schools were very suspicious of it because they didn’t think that English universities would accept students with the IB, so there was a degree of prejudice initially,” remarks Sue. By the end of their ninemonth recruitment period, about forty students decided to take the plunge and joined the new course. This first cohort of students graduated with “some of the best results in the world,” thanks to the teachers’ keenness for the material. English universities’ cool response to IB students soon warmed once their aptitude for hard work and self-discipline became apparent.

It opened all of our eyes. By the end of the 1990s, universities were finding that their dropout rates were rising sharply. “They realised very soon that if students had done the IB, they were much less likely to drop out because they weren’t afraid of the amount of work. We used to negotiate with universities when the results came out; they would take learners if they were maybe a little bit lower in their attainment because they knew that the students would apply themselves and come out with a degree in the end,” recalls Sue. Anne adds “It was lovely witnessing that: the students getting offers because they were doing the IB. That was really great.” exe-coll.ac.uk

Alongside this, the IB gradually became more accepted within the College. Anne says, “It became a course that many teachers wanted to teach on because they realised that the syllabus was brilliant; it was much more wideranging in English, for example.” Teachers particularly enjoyed the fact that students kept their hand in with a broad range of subjects that they might otherwise have given up. “This was a time when the numbers of Language students were falling, so the College’s Language staff embraced it with gusto,” says Anne. Sue agrees, “Those whose Maths were a bit weak could still do Maths Subsidiary [now split into Maths Standard and Maths Studies], so the Maths department were pleased as well.” This multidisciplinary approach “was good for staff and students. It opened all of our eyes,” says Anne.

It was lovely witnessing that: the students getting offers because they were doing the IB. That was really great. Another aspect of the IB which both women praise is the CAS element. Built into the curriculum, students must engage with Creativity, Action, and Service on a weekly basis. “The IB is so much more about the whole person than it is in A Levels. I’m not dissing A Levels - they do all sorts of wonderful things - but with the IB it is more about the person in society,” muses Anne. Since then, the IB has continued to be a mainstay of Exeter College’s offering. “One of the things that I think is really good - blowing the College’s trumpet for a moment - is that it’s kept the IB going when various other colleges and schools have dropped it,” says Anne. Sue agrees: “The great thing about doing the IB here is that the College is offering individuals born and raised in Devon an opportunity to do something totally different.”

Scan to watch the 1994 BBC Spotlight report featuring our International Baccalaureate.

Read an extract of the 1994-96 IB yearbook, featuring several of this cohort’s teachers.

CHARLIE MCNAMARA. 11

THE IB ON THE WORLD STAGE "If you see it, and it’s out there, and there is a way to get to it, then it’s worth at least trying." Life can throw many opportunities at us, so being flexible is a crucial life skill. Charlie McNamara is a perfect example, with the enthusiasm to pursue a range of interests and see where life takes her. Starting with the IB at Exeter College, she now studies Liberal Arts at Harvard University. “When I was doing my GCSEs I was still interested in all of the different subjects: I enjoyed English, and I was really interested in Politics and International Relations. When I was applying to Exeter College, I said to one of the College Advisers, “I want to do these things, but I also want to keep learning French, and to maybe do the Extended Essay project. I still want to try new things.” This made Charlie a prime candidate for the IB, with its broad range of subjects. One other element of the course which she valued was the diverse international cohort: “Everyone was very unique in their interests; I don’t think many people have gone on to do similar things afterwards.” Her interest in studying abroad herself was first sparked by a lecture at the College’s Reach Academy, and her subsequent research led her to Harvard University. Though her academic ability was strong, she found the application process intensive. “It was partly intimidating because I didn’t know anything about it, and neither did anyone I knew. I was doing a lot of research, and then having to do a lot more research to make sure that what I was finding was accurate.” With the help of the Reach Academy Co-ordinator Martin Gilbert, she prepared, took the American SAT tests, interviewed via Zoom, and finally was offered a place to read Liberal Arts at the worldfamous university. Liberal Arts incorporates a wide variety of humanities subjects. During her first year she studied Humanitarianism, International Relations, Neuroscience, and French, amongst others. She says that “I’ve had the opportunity to explore my interests, and I ended exe-coll.ac.uk

Charlie at the New York Thanksgiving Day Parade

up going in a different direction academically than I thought I originally would.” Charlie has added an interest in the arts and film to her repertoire. Charlie worked on film projects during her first year, helping to write translated subtitles and dubbing foreign films into English. “I’ve established a programme where students will voice the characters in foreign films and create these newer versions which are accessible. It’s been a real passion project for the last year.” Humanitarian aid is another driving factor in Charlie’s life, and the reason she still studies French. She is considering taking part in humanitarian aid missions in the future, and knowing a widely spoken language like French is valuable for travelling internationally. Charlie’s journey is only just beginning. With plans for an international career, who knows what great achievements she has in her future. Written by Oliver Evans Scan the QR code to watch Charlie speak more about her work in making foreign language films more accessible. 12

SAM DUNBAVIN.

MAN ON A (BEACH VOLLEYBALL) MISSION

Photo credit: Tom Brossard

Sitting in Alicante, taking a short break from coaching on a week-long beach volleyball camp, Sam Dunbavin begins our interview by explaining what it was about the IB that had appealed to him when he started at Exeter College over twelve years ago.

competitions; eventually becoming the first person ever to be awarded a full blue for volleyball (particularly impressive as historically athletes in this sport could only achieve a half blue), and an accomplishment of which he is rightly proud:*

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do at uni and wanted to keep everything open. I didn’t want to limit myself to three subjects, I wanted to do six.”

It is clear that Sam was a champion for his sport during his time at university, and after graduating from Cambridge with a first-class honours in Modern and Medieval Languages, he immediately started to lay the foundations of his volleyball events business, responding to the challenges of the covid pandemic by creating online coaching materials and forward-planning.

The additional elements of the IB were also a motivating factor for Sam, who recalls his extended essay project (about models of microfinance in rural Uganda) and the uniqueness of the opportunity to research such a niche topic as part of an academic programme at that level. Now the head coach and founder of Fireball Beach Volleyball (a volleyball events business), for Sam the IB also presented opportunities to further pursue his love of beach volleyball as part of his Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) portfolio, playing for his active element and coaching for his service. Sam tells me: “I like doing lots of things, so I never found it difficult to do any of the CAS stuff. It was a case of picking what to put down, not a case of finding something to do.” And the sort of learner who might thrive on the IB programme? Sam tells me: “We’re just curious. [IB students] want to learn about lots of things, they’re well-rounded. The IB really suits the kind of person that wants to do a range of things.” The more I learn about the IB, the less I am surprised when Sam recalls the closeness of the IB community at College and the support he received from his lecturers, including help with mock interviews for the University of Cambridge. Sam also felt the learning environment at the College prepared him well for the transition to higher education, remembering, “I was used to making my own schedule and time managing and fitting my training around everything.” By the time he started at Cambridge, Sam had spent his gap year initially teaching English in Austria and had then gone on to coach volleyball (amongst other trips and projects). The prospect of his eventual progression to project managing beach volleyball events on an international scale had started to take hold early on. Growing up Sam had watched his mother run her catering business, seeing first-hand the skills required to run successful events. “I’ve always been good at organising stuff. I’ve done it since I was sixteen. I was the captain of the local men’s volleyball team and organised all our fixtures, everything. It was just natural. And I’m still doing that my business now is events organisation.” At age eleven Sam found beach volleyball, benefitting from the passion and skill of his then coach and playing regularly near his home in North Devon. Once he reached Cambridge Sam was already an experienced beach volleyball player, representing England at international exe-coll.ac.uk

“It was nice because Cambridge could be a bit stuffy, so it really meant something to get the recognition for a different sport, you know. I partly applied [for the full blue] for that reason really.”

I ask Sam what a typical day looks like for him now:

“Every day is completely different. Sometimes I’m coaching for five hours a day, then I’ll do my own training, followed by two or three hours running the other sides of the business. And then off to coach again. Or I’ll be visiting events, checking and doing quality control. The business is still growing loads so I’m working a lot. But days like today where I’m in Spain and get to coach really don’t feel like work.” It is clear that for Sam beach volleyball is more than a professional interest, it is a genuine passion, a way of life. When asked about his hopes for the sport Sam talks animatedly about accessibility and future prospects.

It’s a fantastic sport in terms of gender equality. Men and women are paid completely the same across the sport. In fact, women probably get more from sponsorship, which is fantastic. “[Beach volleyball] is really accessible and in the UK there is scope to do more. We’ve got tons of different beaches and some really nice places to play that currently no one is doing anything with. We could see lots more courts around the UK to get people out coaching and playing and getting involved in the sport just like you see when you go to the beaches in Spain or the Caribbean.” Before returning to one of those Alicante beach courts to deliver more coaching, Sam concludes by sharing with me his formula for success: “Be open to opportunities and actively look for your own. It’s taken me a long, long time to get to where I am. I’m not the best at volleyball but I have just carried on doing what I love and now I’m pretty good at it. If you just keep doing something, you’ll get better at it.” End note: Sam attended our Academic Awards ceremony in June 2023, inspiring students with his story. *A full blue is the top award of sporting colours earned by athletes at some universities and schools for competition at the highest level. 14

LUCY TRAFFORD.

FROM THE ASHES

Lucy Trafford is one of the shining stars of her IB cohort. She overcame severe personal difficulties whilst excelling in her course, and has gone on to complete an undergraduate degree in Law at the University of Oxford, a Master’s in Criminology at Cambridge, and at the time of writing, is completing her PhD in domestic abuse while simultaneously working as an adviser for Frontline, a social-start up working to improve police responses to domestic abuse. As a result of domestic violence, Lucy was homeless for a short period during her final year of the IB; only three weeks before she received her offer from Oxford. A teacher helped her to find housing so that she could continue her studies, while she worked part-time to cover rent. “I just feel like the level of support I got from the teachers here was something I hadn’t had anywhere else. I’d had these sorts of family issues going on before, but it was always something that was overlooked or that I didn’t really get help for. I mentioned it in passing to a teacher, and I didn’t really expect anything to come out of it, but actually they were fantastic and they put me in contact with other people outside of Exeter College that could help.” Asides from the financial and wellbeing support that Lucy received, she was also strongly encouraged to pursue her Oxbridge application. “It made me feel more confident in myself, that I could achieve these things, and that there was actually a chance. I think that without having that support and coming to Exeter College I wouldn’t have applied to Oxford. Before I came here, I didn’t think that I was good enough.” One of the teachers supporting her was the then Head of the IB, Laura Bell. “She was so helpful going through that whole process. She actually came to my wedding, and we’re still in contact today.”

I was like, well, now I have to achieve this. This was my dream. I didn’t want it to just get ruined because of other issues in the background.

exe-coll.ac.uk

These difficult experiences informed Lucy’s perspective on what she could do with her education. “I really enjoy studying, I really enjoy learning, and I want to use that critical way of viewing things to try and make the world better.” In her early days, she worked as a Head Outreach Ambassador at Oxford, and appeared on Newsnight in 2017 for Beat UK (an eating disorder charity) to discuss her experience of overcoming anorexia. “That is something that was quite close to my heart, because there was not much funding available when I was struggling. At that time, the government was looking to introduce more help to support people with anorexia and eating disorders, and were putting more funding into it. I really found it helpful to have that impact and explain the necessity of having these resources.” During Lucy’s undergraduate degree, she studied family law. An optional domestic violence module left her thinking "I really enjoy studying this, because it’s something that people need to understand and work on”. She remembers that “there didn’t seem to be as much research, or as many findings in the area as I thought there would be.” This naturally led to her PhD, which explores how a police force in the South East respond to domestic violence cases. “It’s weird, because I went in with the mindset of police need to change and they need to do better on this, and I want to find out what they’re struggling with in order to improve it. From researching it, it’s been quite an eye-opener because I found that actually they’re trying really hard in some cases and it’s obviously really difficult for them to do this work.” As part of her research, Lucy has conducted statistical analysis using 26,090 different data points from police domestic violence cases, as well as investigating their case files and interviewing officers. “What I’ve been doing is trying to understand the police’s perspective: how they understand domestic abuse, and how that understanding influences the decisions they make; especially how they grade risk. I’m specifically interested in how they decide which cases are the most serious.” “I’ve basically found that the impact on victims is something they look at quite a lot, but coercive control is overlooked. That’s something I’m interested in; how the police navigate these cases and understand these harder to reach victims.” “I’ve also found that they have been looking at prior history more than they used to. There’s been a lot of improvements, but there’s still a long way to go.” As her PhD draws to a close, Lucy is looking forward to training as a barrister, having received the Baroness Hale of Richmond Scholarship from Gray’s Inn. She is hoping to practice either in criminal law, or environmental law.

SANTINA MICALIZZI.

IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND Beginning at Exeter College as a Foreign Language Assistant in 2009, Santina Micalizzi worked her way to the position of IB Italian Programme Lead and IB CAS Coordinator, in 2015.1 Talking about her life before the College, Santina, originally from Italy, tells me she graduated with her degree in Italian Language and Literature, Media Studies and Art, before moving to the UK in 2006. “The move was terrifying, but so rewarding.” She adds, “I loved Exeter from the start.” Following a job as a retail assistant, which she juggled alongside an improvers English course at the University of Exeter, she landed the Language Assistant post at the College. During our interview Santina frequently comments on the camaraderie amongst the IB community at the College, emphasizing that it is something “special.” She talks about the staff’s willingness and capacity to listen to both the students and their parents and guardians.

Students are at the centre of what we do, and we always listen to them and their families. One of the things that drives the IB staff is their strong belief in the principles of the programme which in turn helps to motivate students. The “intercultural understanding” of the IB curriculum is one of the unique features of the course. “There is a strong connection with other cultures and countries, a 17

real global element.” And this connecting with others is also encouraged on a more local scale, with Santina highlighting the importance of CAS: “I believe this pillar of the IB is the best part.” CAS is both a crucial part of gaining an IB diploma and of setting students apart, helping them to see things from a different angle, and to try new skills. It is valued by both employers and universities. Santina is the perfect advocate for CAS. She tells me, “CAS is for life - once you do it, you do it always.” And, indeed, alongside her Programme Lead and teaching responsibilities, Santina is also a working artist, actively practicing those CAS principles of enhancing learning and experience beyond the classroom, herself one of the “lifelong learners” she sees reflected in her IB students. Santina shares some of her favourite memories of the IB: celebrations on results day, “Always the most emotional part […] it is wonderful to see students get what they deserve,” and the department trip to Rome, “Incredible to be able to introduce students to another world.” Finally, asked what she might say to anyone thinking about studying the IB course, Santina comments, “Have passion for what you do, dedicate yourself to your studies. It does not matter too much about your final goal but having an idea of the direction you want to go in is important. It also helps to be the sort of person who wants to make a difference, to have a desire to create a better society. Let’s remember the IB motto is ‘think globally, act locally’.” Written by George Perry CAS refers to one of the core elements of the IB diploma Creativity, Activity and Service. 1

exe-coll.ac.uk

ALICE RUBBRA Alice Rubbra has made a name for herself tackling some of the civil service’s most complex issues. After graduating from the IB in 2015 and completing her joint honours programme in History and Politics, she joined the civil service fast stream programme in 2018. She left the programme to work in the Treasury and is now with the Department for Education. In late 2022, she enjoyed a step-up as maternity cover for the Head of Skills Strategy unit. She’s since joined the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority as their Head of Growth and Skills Policy. Alice sat down with us to discuss her work and some career highlights. How did you find the IB programme? I enjoyed it as I wanted that breadth, but it was intense as it required a lot of work. It was that good step between secondary school and university. It was all good practice to be very independent and structure your own work. Can you tell me about your work as Head of Skills Strategy at the Department for Education? The Skills unit covers higher education and further education policy. We do a lot of project-based work, dealing with assessing problems and issues across the skills space. If there’s a problem with a programme, we come in and think about solutions and policy. We often deal with a lot of issues that are in the idea inception phase of the policy cycle. What is a highlight of your career so far? Working on the furlough scheme was incredibly rewarding. It was such a bizarre time to live in, and to work on a scheme that helped to save millions of jobs is amazing. It was very cool to see all the statistics about how many people have been supported.1 What do you enjoy most about your work? The ability to work on lots of different policy issues and problems. My job in the Department for Education let me get involved with a broad scope of things happening in the skills space. That’s just intellectually quite interesting. Written by Phoebe Efstathiadi 11.7 million employee jobs were furloughed through the scheme, at a cost of £70 billion. 1

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

The first ever IB results in the South West are celebrated at Exeter College, with one student achieving 41/45 putting her in the top 20 IB scorers globally. Sue Temple is pictured at centre back (see pages 9-10).

The first IB residential takes place at La Molay Littry in Normandy, in September 1993. Students take part in a range of outdoor activities, contribute to domestic chores and visit sites of cultural and historical importance, including the Bayeux tapestry. exe-coll.ac.uk

Exeter College IB learners mark the end of their 2 year programme of studies with the first IB Yearbook for 1993-1995.

Express and Echo interviews students in July 1999 about the community service element of their IB diploma which included supporting primary schools, nurseries and volunteering with the National Trust. 20

Exeter College staff and students feature in the local press in October 2002 in a record-intake year (50 students versus 24 in the previous year), and amid government debate about the introduction of a baccalaureate in place of A Levels.

IB learners receive their certificates of achievement in summer 2016.

IB students taking a Spanish language option spend time testing their skills during a trip to Seville in 2022.

Staff and students celebrate IB results in 2011.

Students undertake their Environmental Systems fieldwork in 2018.

In its 30th year, IB graduates celebrate the completion of their diploma with a glamourous reception and dinner at Reed Hall at the University of Exeter in the summer of 2023.

LINDSAY SKINNER. LEARNER, LEADER, GOVERNOR Lindsay Skinner’s career in education has truly come full circle. This former pupil of St James School became its Executive Headteacher, and her time studying at Exeter College is being followed by her taking up governorship of our institution in 2023. Since our interview in June 2023, Lindsay is now also the Ted Wragg Trust’s Director of Education. What stands out to you most about your time at Exeter College? I loved it. I just remember all my friends were jazz musicians, and we basically spent all of our free periods either in the refectory studying or down in the practice rooms, with my friends improvising jazz. Even though I’m not a musician, that’s created a lifelong love of jazz for me that I probably wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t met those people. Can you tell me about your ethos as headteacher of St James School? Our motto is ‘Work hard. Be kind.’ I just want to produce lots and lots of kids who just do the right thing because it’s the right thing, and who try hard.

In education it is really easy to produce results year in year out, but it’s got to be about the human beings that you create. You spoke with the Guardian in 2015 about your experience being out of the closet as a teacher. Do you think the culture in education has shifted since then? Yes, I do think things have got better for gay people since 2015. In fact, I was reflecting on it the other day. The amount I tolerated then was very different to now. exe-coll.ac.uk

I would say that I think there has been a definite shift and much more awareness about language used around LGB people, and I think that people are more and more aware that people shouldn’t be disadvantaged or persecuted because of their sexuality. Sadly, I don’t think that there has been that same shift with trans and non-binary people. Unfortunately, I actually think that it goes beyond sexuality or gender. People who are Black, Asian and from minority ethnic backgrounds in this area of the country are in a significant minority and still face an element of prejudice or difficulty that they might not have if the colour of their skin was different. I strongly believe we all have a duty to do everything that we can to make sure that any people who are part of a minority group feel absolutely accepted and supported. Making education more equitable for all students is clearly a driving force for you. Have you explored this outside of your work as a headteacher? Yes, I’ve worked with Lee Elliot Major, the Professor for Social Mobility at the University of Exeter. When the government reduced the funding for its post-Covid national tutor programme, Lee had the idea that as part of a much larger project, universities could create courses where their undergraduates were trained to deliver 1-3 support for children in schools. I was asked to join because of my book Crafting Brilliant Sentences, a resource for teachers on how to craft language and how you can teach your pupils to craft language. I wrote the lecture programme for the university students, and the programme that the children actually follow. Then we did a pilot to see if it worked and it really worked: there was a 100% increase in the accuracy of their writing. Now that pilot has been expanded across the country and several other universities are partaking in it to see if that could be something that essentially promotes social good but that doesn’t need to be funded in the same way. You can create a cycle of perpetual positive intervention that narrows the disadvantage gap essentially for free. It’s funny how one thing leads into another and leads into another. Sometimes it’s just the way. 22

JOIN OUR.

#issue01

ExE. The exeTer College

Magazine for aluMni

ALUMNI NETWORK

and friends

#issue 02

EXE.

E My ExEtwEithrMiCChAoEllCAlinEEsgMBE An intErviEw zinE

E Maga ThE EXETEr CollEgfriEnds for aluMni and

Our students, past and present, are exceptional and our alumni programme aims to celebrate and recognise their achievements.

2019 issue 03

EXE.

We love to hear from former students, whether you attended Exeter College two years ago or twenty years ago, stay in touch and together we can recognise your successes and inspire future generations.

ippEr k s o T T n E d u T s M fro ys phrE MEET Conrad huM

E: My EXETEr CollEg h wildwood kin wiT ErvlliEw gazinE Ma anErinTCo E Eg ThE EXETaround ThE fr rld: ds woiEn M aluMni d an and ni for aluMhigh flying TravEl Touris

with: partnership Working in

Join our alumni network to: 1 Stay connected

Share your story and memories of your time at Exeter College Receive the latest issue of our alumni magazine, EXE Receive e-newsletters direct to your inbox Hear from us about College events and alumni activities

2 Make a donation orld’s MosT MEET onE of ThE WEn in MusiC.. . influEnTial WoM #ISSUE 04

EXE.

iT May surprisE yo

Tography E: My EXETEr CollEg h saM hEasMan, dirECTor of pho an inTErviEW WiT faMily: KEEping iT in ThE a lovE of MusiC s: GAZINE big in ThE WEsT End NI MA UMCEs LLEpinGEg ToALsuC sET To MaKE iT EXETER COlEa ThE danCEr Who is 22

W 2021-

AND ANNUAL REVIE

SPORT EDITION

LD MEET ONE OF WOR S EE RUGBY’S TOP REFER LUKE PEARCE HEAR FROM:

BALL PYRAMID CLIMBING THE FOOT THE FIFA REFEREE N PIO AGON BOAT CHAM THE EUROPEAN DR k

exe-coll.ac.u

Our alumni fund helps disadvantaged, low-income families in supporting their children in education. If you would like to make a donation, please call our friendly accounts team on 01392 400319 or email accounts@exe-coll.ac.uk.

3 Get involved and support our students Volunteering with Exeter College is a great way to stay connected and to make a difference to current students and their future prospects.

Here are some of the ways you can get involved: Inspire with your story Deliver a talk or keynote speech as part of a college event such as a student awards ceremony Offer work experience, work shadowing, or work-based activities Come and talk to our students as a career mentor Support careers focused events Become an Apprentice employer Contact us: exe-coll.ac.uk/alumni alumni@exe-coll.ac.uk 01392 400224

THE EXETER COLLEGE.

ALUMNI FUND

We are delighted to announce the opening of the Exeter College alumni fund. Donations towards the fund will go to support disadvantaged students from low-income families in their education. Stewart Noakes is our first alumni donor, having made a generous annual donation. Stewart currently sits on our Board of Governors, where he contributes to Exeter College’s strategic direction. Stewart is an international entrepreneur who has previously worked in the UK and Portugal, alongside work with partners in the USA and India. His area of interest on the Board is as a member of the Business Services subcommittee, where he advises on vocational training and re-skilling.

Stewart says: “This fund is a fantastic initiative. It aims to make education fairer and more accessible for everyone. If you have benefitted from Exeter College, consider supporting this fund and help to remove barriers for learners. Stepping into Further Education can transform lives and create incredible opportunities.”

Scan the QR code to see how you can support our learners today.

exe-coll.ac.uk

HUGO GREENHALGH. EXETER COLLEGE GRADUATE CHANGES THE FACE OF GAY RIGHTS Securing an equal age of consent for gay and bisexual men was a long process, drawn out by harmful stereotypes and hysterical attitudes from the media. In 1993, three men took the British Government to the European Court of Human Rights. Today, I’m talking to Hugo Greenhalgh. He is one of the brave individuals who helped to battle the Government’s discriminatory laws against LGBTQIA+ freedom. In 1967, the UK’s age of gay consent had been set at 21, even though the consent age for heterosexual couples was 16. So, on 5th April 1993, three men - Hugo Greenhalgh, William Parry and Ralph Wilde - took the British Government to the European Court of Human Rights to change this unjust disparity. Greenhalgh, Parry and Wilde appealed to the court, arguing that the consent age of 21 was a breach of human rights and impacted their private lives. Their appeal, backed by UK LGBTQIA+ rights charity Stonewall, successfully managed to get the age of gay consent lowered to 18. This laid the foundations for Euan Sutherland and Chris Morris, who in 2001, continued the trio’s work by getting the gay age of consent reduced to 16. But where did Hugo’s activism start? Hailing from Ribston Avenue, Heavitree, Greenhalgh attended Exeter College between 1989 and 1991. As he studied for his A Levels in Maths, English and Russian, he was also the Gay Officer for the College’s LGBTQIA+ community. “At that point, Exeter College was one of the two Sixth Form colleges in the country that had Gay and Lesbian Officers,” Greenhalgh tells me. “Katy Lawrence was the Lesbian Officer, and she and I went to the National Student’s Union conferences quite often." 25

“Katy was bisexual, and bisexuals were even banned from attending NUS gay and lesbian conferences back then. They’ve come to terms with it now, but it was a very strange time.” Greenhalgh continues, reflecting on his early activism at College. “Katy and I put up an array of notices around the College to raise awareness. We put up a list of famous people in history who were gay. Edward II and Piers Gaveston, for example, we put up more contemporary names too.” Greenhalgh’s actions meant he was no stranger to the principal’s office. “We stirred up trouble,” Greenhalgh says, proudly. “This was the 80s, where being gay or lesbian, bi or trans was seen as beyond the pale.” But it was through his Devon upbringing that Greenhalgh claims he gained his courage to be the voice of thousands suffering the same discrimination. “At its heart, Devon is a very liberal place. You’ve got Exeter, Totnes, Dartington… There’s something about the culture in Devon that allows and encourages difference. “And, of course, I was informed by activism at the time. I was bouncing around, angry and shouty. I was just being me.” “I didn’t understand the law. I couldn’t walk down the street holding my boyfriend’s hand at 16, in case I got arrested. It was ludicrous. I knew this was the right thing to do. Anyone would have done the same thing in the same situation.” As part of his campaign to lower the gay age of consent from 21 to 16, Greenhalgh, William Parry [his boyfriend], and Ralph Wilde spent 18 months on the road travelling up and down Britain. They gave speeches at town halls and students’ unions, broadcasting their message on TV and radio. “People just weren’t aware of the disparity between the ages of 16 [the consent age for heterosexual couples] and 21,” Greenhalgh tells me. Greenhalgh hesitates, explaining that halfway through his campaign things “got weird.”

On one of his many radio appearances, Greenhalgh met Dr Adrian Rogers. Rogers applied to become the Conservative MP of Exeter in the 1990s. He’s well-known for his odious rants about homosexuality and gay sex, under the guise of it being the “best medical practice.” “I admitted to having a sexual relationship with my partner, Will,” Greenhalgh continues, “and Dr Rogers called for a police officer to arrest me live on air.” Luckily, the police officer fluffed the arrest, but that wasn’t the end of Greenhalgh’s feud with Rogers. “Dr Rogers bought a private prosecution against us [Greenhalgh and Parry] several months later. I was questioned under caution at Rochester Row station [London], about our relationship. That was terrifying, as you can imagine.” In 1993, Greenhalgh, Parry and Wilde applied to the European Court of Human Rights. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act lowered the age of consent for gay men to 18 in 1994. “Parliament had a choice between 21, 18, 17 and 16,” Greenhalgh explains. “They chose 18, and I was 19 when the campaign began.” He continued, “Euan Sutherland and Chris Morris picked up the ongoing battle when they were 16. Eventually, in 2000, Tony Blair used the Parliament Act to push through equality.” He laughs, “You may hate him nowadays, but Tony Blair and the Labour government really helped change the culture of the country at the time.” “When we campaigned, the press coverage was varied. We had a lot of positive, but a lot of negative as well. The Daily Mail and the Sun were very, very anti-gay, with words like ‘bender’ still allowed as derogatory slurs in print.” “Our campaign helped change public opinion, and we were fortunate to be backed by Stonewall, too. Tony Blair was entirely behind us, which really helped.” Though he agrees that attitudes towards gay and bisexual men and women have improved dramatically since the 80s, he’s worried that in recent years, Britain is becoming increasingly complacent. Most of all, he’s concerned that the movement towards equality is nothing more than a ‘tick box’ for the Government, rather than an attempt at any real understanding. “We think everything in the UK has been done, and it’s okay. I’m worried it’s not. We’re talking a lot about ‘the trans debate’. What debate? What are we debating - people’s existences? It’s ridiculous.” “The problem, if you ask me as a gay man and a man of the media, is the press agenda. It’s transphobic, and it’s what we need to protect ourselves against.” Now 49 years old, Hugo Greenhalgh has the same fire he did back in 1993. As the LGBTQ+ editor at the Thomson Reuters Foundation, his articles confront the global problem of homophobia and transphobia head-on. exe-coll.ac.uk

LEONARDO MALTESE. I speak to Leonardo Maltese (Leo Fulcro to fans of his music and followers of his social media) at a pivotal moment in his multifaceted career. A rising actor and musician in his native Italy, he has already walked the red carpets of Cannes Film Festival for his role in ‘Lord of the Ants’ (2022), and is preparing for the impending release of his album ‘Boy on Earth’. In May 2023* Leo will revisit Cannes with the cast of his latest film ‘Kidnapped’, and later in the summer he will film the highly anticipated TV series about the nineteenth-century Italian poet and philosopher, Giacomo Leopardi. Life has certainly been busy for this talented polymath since he graduated from Exeter College just seven years ago. You moved to Exeter at 16 - was there any culture shock or had you travelled to the UK previously? I moved to Exeter from Italy on 1 September 2014 and began College five days later. I’d been to the UK many times before because my mum is from Norwich, and my gran lived in Exeter - that’s the reason why we settled there. I thought I knew quite a lot about England but when I got there I realised I had no idea. I was shocked by everything. But I was so happy and excited to be there. In ways it was difficult, but I didn’t really struggle to make friends or anything. The experience changed my life.

You spent two years studying A Levels in Philosophy, Drama and Film Studies. How did your courses and your lecturers inspire your love of film? Film Studies really helped me a lot, as did my lecturer Kiri Thompson. She delivered the best type of teaching for arts and culture because there was the opportunity to practise with what you were studying. We were just watching films and talking about them. If you want to be in cinema you have to watch a lot of films. We spent a whole semester on Gael Garcia [Bernal] in ‘Amores Perros’ and discussing Mexican cinema in general. I found it really interesting, and it got me thinking about the work of an actor in a way that I had never done before. It made me realise what I wanted to do in life. Do you feel that speaking more than one language was instrumental in opening your eyes to different genres of film across different cultures? Yeah, absolutely. I think just learning more than one language is amazing for your brain. The sounds that your mouth can make and the way you can articulate sentences is different and you learn more about yourself when you speak another language. The person I am when I speak English is a different person than who I am when I speak Italian. That’s just mind blowing to me.

What does a typical day in the life of Leo look like? I do lots of public relations every day. From the minute I wake up I have emails to write, phone calls to make, and text messages to send. I call my agent, maybe a director, and I look for venues where I can play my music. I read books and listen to music as well; I take time just to listen to an album without doing anything. Sometimes I’ll read about the character I am acting out in the summer [Giacomo Leopardi] because of the cultural importance and background I need to study. Sometimes I’ll watch two films in a day or go to an exhibition. Every day I try and do one of these things. Are there any particularly valuable lessons you’ve learned on your journey to where you are today? Well, unfortunately you need to sacrifice a lot and be busy. You have always got to move yourself, otherwise stuff won’t happen. If you stand still, everything will stand still. I always recommend, for example, when there are actors that try and focus too much on the role they are playing, they shouldn’t think about it too much. Focus on something else and then maybe that other thing will happen - the answer will always come from outside of you. Be curious, open your eyes, look at what’s happening around the world and that always helps a lot. I also think College was a great thing in my life that really helped me and I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if I hadn’t had those two years.

exe-coll.ac.uk

You can be anything and become whoever you want at College, so I’m glad I went there. What is your next big project? I’m having a great year! I have my second film [‘Kidnapped’] releasing at Cannes Film Festival and I will be playing the role of Giacomo Leopardi on mainstream Italian television. I’m releasing my album, ‘Boy on Earth’, for which I also wrote an illustrated book that tells the story of the character narrated within my music. I wrote the book because my dream is to perform in theatres with live music and with myself playing the lead character - I am now doing rehearsals for it. Written by Mollie Coles Editor’s note: * Leo was interviewed in March 2023. At the time of EXE going to print he had just completed filming for the series ‘Giacomo Leopardi, vita e amori del Poet’ [‘Giacomo Leopardi, life and loves of the poet’], charting the life and works of Giacomo Leopardi. The series is now in post-production phase and will be aired on Rai 1 (the Italian equivalent of the BBC) towards the end of 2024.

NEOMI ALAM.

CULTURAL CHAMPION Neomi Alam is one of the unsung heroes of the Exeter community. She gives time for this interview just as she gives her time and energy to so many others in need on an almost daily basis. Today she speaks to me as she makes her way from one of the Inclusive Exeter drop-ins at which she provides a myriad of support to beneficiaries of this essential service. The service, based at the Mint Methodist Church in the heart of the city, is open to anyone from culturally diverse backgrounds and is a lifeline to many seeking to navigate such things as visa applications, access to healthcare, school admissions, and much more. Neomi’s community work began long before her studies at Exeter College where in 2016 she enrolled on the Access to Higher Education Humanities Diploma. Having grown up in Scotland, Neomi moved to Exeter with her Scottish Highers (just below a full Level 3 qualification). When the prospect of degree-level study loomed, Neomi felt the Access course was the best first step towards that goal. I listen as Neomi recalls her time at College with fondness and gratitude: “When in secondary school I did not do well. I just thought I was a terrible student, but I realise now it was because the teachers were awful. I really enjoyed studies with my Exeter College lecturer, Mark. He has a way with students, an ability to bring the subject to life. I will forever be grateful to him. He helped me realise I could write and express myself. People often tell me now, ‘You should write a book’. Perhaps it is something I will do when I have the time.” For Neomi, the Access course, designed as a stepping stone to university studies, was an endeavour that she tells me was “for me.” It is no surprise, however, that what was intended as an undertaking for Neomi’s personal growth ended up as much more than that, opening doors to networks and individuals who began to actively seek Neomi’s insights and expertise as a community connector and faith speaker. Neomi recalls: “I graduated from my Access course and began my 4-year master’s degree in Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. I flew to Oman as part of my course but quickly had to return home as my mother fell ill. She 29

needed me and, in the end, I had to abandon university entirely. In fact, through my studies and upon my return from Oman, I felt the perennial draw of a community who needed me. I always did lots of work within the Muslim community, long before Access and then my degree, and this work continued throughout. But my studies presented new avenues and opportunities, so much so that now my work is 70% interfaith.” Neomi is driven by her ambition to bring communities together. She admits that her diary is “ridiculous,” and no wonder, given the many strands to her community engagement which range from her drop-in commitments to school liaison through Exeter Mosque, her work with local councils and community groups, to name a few. As Chair of the Inclusive Exeter board, I ask Neomi what she feels has been the greatest achievement for this community interest company in recent times. She enthusiastically returns us to the drop-in service: “The drop-in was not yet fully formed at the time of the covid pandemic. We had arranged for a launch in March 2020 and had this amazing group of volunteers in place. It made sense to enlist those volunteers to bolster what then became the Corona Hardship Relief Project. The project was principally centred around preparing and delivering food to those who needed it, but it soon transpired through doorstep-conversations with delivery drivers that individuals felt isolated and ill-informed. They needed help and guidance with job searching, identifying benefits - there was a gap that needed to be addressed and so the drop-in was eventually formed.” Neomi continues to engage with the College, having recently visited to deliver a talk to a cohort of ESOL students.* This is a woman who is continually reaching out and innovating to offer tangible, impactful support to those who need it. I am told that in addition to ongoing services and projects, Neomi and her Inclusive Exeter colleagues are now in talks with Devon and Cornwall Police to explore ways to facilitate the reporting of hate crimes, and they are also opening up avenues to collaborate with the Sikh community. And, no doubt, there is much more to come from this motivated, community-minded cultural champion. *English for Speakers of Other Languages

exe-coll.ac.uk

ASHLEY JEARY.

RADIO EXE Radio Exe Programme Manager, Drivetime Presenter, Co-Director of ExeDAB and two-time awardee of the Radio Academy’s 30 Under 30. Meet Ashley Jeary. His path into this exciting industry began with a BTEC National Diploma in Media Production at Exeter College, and a bedroom studio he made in his early teens.

“That’s a full time, on-air presenter’s gig which is what I always wanted. Alongside that, I’m still doing a lot of the sponsorship and promotions, marketing, production and overall station sound design.”

“I had a little mixing desk, I think it was actually a karaoke machine. I was just doing radio shows for myself, and clipping the best bits. I remember sending one of my radio demos off to the programme controller at the time at Gemini FM [now Heart Exeter]; he invited me in and that’s how I got my foot in the door.”

Radio Exe has proven itself to be an incubator for young talent. Sixteen year old Josh Tate balances his UAL Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology at Exeter College, with presenting at the station.

Ashley’s first volunteer role at Gemini FM had him hard at work before he even started his day at College. Alongside making the teas, he started assisting with the production and marketing. He soon graduated to spending weekends helping with promotions and outside events for the station. He began work at Radio Exe in 2011, initially working in marketing and doing some presenting, but he soon had his eyes set on more. After doing the station’s weekday evening show, in 2015 Ashley was given the opportunity to present and produce his own weekday drivetime show. 31

His work certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed; he was first awarded as one of the Radio Academy’s 30 Under 30 in 2013. “I remember when the news was broken at one of our events, keep in mind that I’d only been on air for about a year at the time. A few years later in 2017 I picked up the award again. It was a great opportunity and great to be recognised at a national level for the work I’d done at Radio Exe.”

Josh started his work experience with Radio Exe in August 2022, and he has worked closely alongside Ashley ever since. Ashley says, “He reminded me a bit of myself, having that enthusiasm and wanting to get as much experience as possible.” Josh went live for the first time just one week into his work experience, and in December joined Ashley’s show to read the traffic and travel news. Ashley recalls “We gave Josh that ability and responsibility of compiling and writing the story, and then threw him into the deep end. Josh did a brilliant job of that; he handled it like a professional.”

Josh has enjoyed getting stuck in, enthusing that “No day is ever the same. There’s always so much going on.” Josh is getting real ‘boots on the ground’ experience outside his work in the recording studio. If something newsworthy happens in the city centre, Josh can often be found capturing some photography or gathering vox pop on the station’s behalf. In early 2023, Radio Exe broke the news that Josh had become the UK’s youngest newsreader. He was invited to speak about his experience on Times Radio, in front of hundreds of thousands of live listeners. “It was incredible. I keep pinching myself now, really,” says Josh. Josh has already been taking full advantage of the opportunities that have come his way. “Since the Times Radio segment, I’ve had a lot of contact from people at Sky. I’ve gone up to their studios a few times, and they’ve asked to make a documentary about me as well. Because I love Formula 1, they invited me to sit in on their production studio. I just think that’s incredible.” Josh and Ashley both have plenty of advice for young people looking to work in radio. Volunteer-run hospital and community radios can be a great starting point. Ashley also praises the College’s

facilities; “You’ve got the College radio station now as well, so you can get experience in a live studio. The College has the production and editing suites too, so get as much practical experience as you can and make contacts.”

You will get lots of knockback in radio but listen to the advice and keep working on your demos. There are a lot of free hours you’ve got to put in; I certainly did over the years. Josh says that although he used to struggle with anxiety, with persistence he was able to overcome this obstacle. “I just think, keep working towards it, send in lots of different audio clips, and keep knocking on the door. If you just keep knocking, eventually the door will open and someone will be able to see the work you’ve done.” And what does the future hold? For Josh, he hopes to continue the legacy of Exeter College students working in local radio. “Hopefully in 10, 15 years’ time, I can be sat with Ashley here at Exeter College with someone a bit like me, aspiring to do radio news. It’s great, it’s like a family really.” Watch Ashley and Josh chat about Josh’s appearance on Times Radio. exe-coll.ac.uk

22/23

STUDENT STATISTICS

Total students enrolled = 12081 Under 16

19+ STUDENTS BY COURSE TYPE

0.10%

36.60%

16-18 64.00%

30.30% 25.30%

19-24 11.90% 25-29 4.50%

4.80%

Over 65

0.80%

Students by age

Apprenticeship

Community Learning

50-65 4.60%

Continuing Professional Development

3.10%

40-49 6.00%

SFA Supported Learning

8.10%

Higher Education

30-39

DESTINATIONS OF FULL TIME STUDENTS (THIS IS INTENDED DESTINATIONS)

LEVEL OF STUDY OF FULL TIME STUDENTS AND APPRENTICES AGED 16-18

Level 1 & below Level 2

5.70%

Level 3

76.60%

17.70%

17.70% 57.70% 5.80% 10.50% 8.20%

Ethnic and gender breakdown of students

Other

Employment

Apprenticeship

Further Education

Higher Education

Ethnic Majority

Ethnic Minority

Female 45.66% Male

45.16%

Female

4.80%

Male

4.38%

22/23

OUR FINANCES

The Exeter College Group generated an operating loss of £1,195K for 2022/23, after FRS102 pension adjustments of £1,631K. Student numbers for our 16-18 cohort continued to grow and the College is classified as having “Good” financial health by the ESFA. Investment in the College estate continued in 2022/23, with £5m invested in IT and smaller scale estate projects compared to that of previous years. A full transcript of the statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2023 is available from the Head of Governance, Exeter College, Hele Road, Exeter EX4 4JS, or on the College website exe-coll.ac.uk/about/governors The College’s auditors, Bishop Fleming, have issued an unqualified opinion on the statutory financial statements.

INCOME:

£’000

Funding Body Income (ESFA 16-18)

35,677

Funding Body Income (ESFA 16-18 (Apprenticeships))

7,153

Other Funding Body Grants

3,946

Tuition Fees and Education Contracts

2,602

Other Income

6,247

Total Income

55,625

EXPENDITURE:

£’000 37,259

Other Operating Expenditure

14,976

Depreciation

3,850

Total Expenditure

exe-coll.ac.uk

13%

11%

64%

7% 1%

Staff Costs

Interest and Other Finance Costs

5% 7%

26% 66%

735 56,820

P O L L A R D S PRINT E V E RY T HI N G UN DE R O NE R OOF We can help you with:

NOW OFFERING MERCHANDISE & WORKWEAR

P O L L A R D S P R I N T. C O . U K

Leaflets, Brochures & Catalogues

Banners, Signage & Point of Sale

Merchandise, Workwear & Branded Clothing

Online Brand & Stock Management

Mailing & Newsletters

Website Creation or Re-fresh

Creative Graphic Design

Stationery & Calendars

....and so much more! For more information please call us on 01392 445 333 or email sales@pollardsprint.co.uk pollardsprint.co.uk