THE new COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER FROM STRATFORD-UPON-AVON COLLEGE
Includes our complete Part-time Course Guide on page 6
Inside... • Our new website • A Level success! • Become a Friend of SUAC • Calling local employers • All about our Visitor Centre
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WELCOME TO THE BUZZ!
SUAC NEWS
A LEVEL SUCCESS!
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PART-TIME COURSE GUIDE
MP COMMITS TO STUDENTS’ SUCCESS
SPOTLIGHT ON...
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FRIENDS OF THE COLLEGE
CALLING ALL EMPLOYERS
WHAT’S COMING UP
Welcome from the Principal & CEO Hi there, and welcome to our new community newsletter, The Buzz! As your local College, we think it’s important to keep you up to speed with the latest developments taking place here. It’s been an impressive year for us so we have a lot to showcase in this Autumnal edition. We want you to be part of our College - as you’ll see, we have part-time courses, “Friends of the College” memberships and shows taking place throughout the year for you to attend, along with much, much more! And if you’re an employer, we offer a dedicated SUAC Employer Team service to ensure we meet all of your training needs. So enjoy the read, and don’t forget to swing by our Oasis Café for your free coffee - just bring the voucher at the back of this newsletter with you!
Nicola Mannock, Principal & CEO
CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE! Take a moment to have a look at our recently revamped College website. It’s now much easier and simpler to find all the information you need. We are really proud of the new site and will continue to keep it looking swish. Let us know if you feel anything is missing by emailing hello@stratford.ac.uk. After all, it’s there to serve all of your needs.
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SUAC News All the latest from the College...
Star-studded Awards Ceremony In June we were delighted to celebrate our award-winning students at our local Holiday Inn, joined by Paralympic Skier Anna Turney. Students from all walks of life received awards sponsored by local employers. We also raised money for Guide Dogs with a charity raffle. We are so proud of our students and employers for helping to make the evening a roaring success! With thanks to our event sponsors: ELLODAVE Blooming Marvellous D+B Facades Greig Lifestyles Holiday Inn In2ambition Landrover Stratford LEP Stratford District Council Q Hotels Stepnell Solihull Blinds Warwick Castle
Warwickshire County Council Stratford Bespoke Cleaning A M Bailey Bella Italia DCS Europe Lovely Pubs The Shakespeare Bookshop Arden Construction Bravissimo H L Barnes Sarah Horne Flowers Stratford Business Forum
We’re looking Good! Following our inspection earlier in the year, Ofsted says we are Good in all key areas, including teaching and learning, and leadership. This is fantastic news for staff and students of the College, who have all worked so hard to ensure we continue on our journey to Outstanding.
The rating means we are a high-quality and successful training provider with great success rates. And as a result of all of our hard work, we are the only College in the country to have awarded a token bonus to all of our staff. A huge congratulations to all SUAC staff and students!
Lovely Pubs Company opens its kitchens to College students Thanks to the lovely people at Lovely Pubs, final year catering students from SUAC took a trip to the Baraset Barn Country Pub & Grill in Alveston, on Sunday 7th June. The students hosted a takeover of the restaurant for dinner service, creating and preparing a delicious dinner menu in its professional kitchen.
A LEVEL SUCCESS!
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There was lots to celebrate at SUAC on A Level results day in August, with our students achieving a 95% pass
The event demonstrates the College’s commitment to working hand-in-hand with local employers, and the willingness of companies like Lovely Pubs to help in developing young people’s careers. It acts as a culmination of the students’ hard work throughout the year, providing them with an opportunity to prove their mettle in a professional environment, and forms an end-of-year assessment for the students. The students devised a varied, mouth-watering menu which included sea bass with samphire and ginger foam, pork tenderloin with a broad bean puree, potato and sage terrine and glazed asparagus, and a dark and white chocolate brownie with coconut ice cream and caramelised pineapple. Mark Lee, Operations Manager at Lovely Pubs, welcomed the chance to allow the students to demonstrate their culinary expertise: “As an employer who is always looking to take on emerging talent in the industry, giving students the opportunity to grow into well-rounded chefs and restaurateurs is incredibly important to us.” If you’re an employer looking to take on a catering apprentice drop our SUAC Employer Team a call on 01789 417414. READ MORE about these stories & find out what else has been happening at SUAC in the News section of our website: www.stratford.ac.uk/up-to-date
Chloe Schlitter, 18 English Literature - A Drama - B Creative Writing - B “My results are even better than I hoped for. The teachers at the College have always encouraged me so much and pushed me to do my very best. I’m taking a gap year in Germany before studying English and Drama at university.”
PART-TIME & LEISURE COURSES Take a look at the new and exciting courses we have to offer the community.
September part-time course sign-up sessions: 7th, 8th and 16th 3.30 - 7pm
We have been working hard all year to ensure we have something to suit everybody in the Stratford-upon-Avon area at affordable rates, and we believe strongly in lifelong learning.
Course title
Starts
Duration
Fee
French for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
French for intermediate
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
German for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Italian for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Spanish for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
ESOL
Sept 2015
Please call for details
Bookkeeping - Level 1
Oct 2015
8 weeks
Please call for details
Bookkeeping - Level 2
Oct 2015
8 weeks
Please call for details
English
Sept 2015
Please call for details
Using a Mac
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Excel - for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Social media for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Design & publish your own website
Oct 2015
5 weeks
Creative writing
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Writing for newspapers/magazines/blogs
Oct 2015
10 weeks
£110
HNC Acting
Oct 2015
2 years
£5,700
LANGUAGES
ACCOUNTING
GCSE COURSES
IT & COMPUTING
HUMANITIES
PERFORMING ARTS
£120
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Course title
Starts
Duration
Fee
HNC Photography
Oct 2015
2 years
£5,700
HNC Media
Oct 2015
2 years
£5,700
ART, DESIGN & MEDIA
Life drawing & painting
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Pottery
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Screen printing
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Darkroom photographic printing
Oct 2015
8 weeks
Photoshop for beginners
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Chocolate making
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
Afternoon tea
Oct 2015
Ongoing
£25
FOOD & DRINK
Mixology (cocktail making)
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
Catering academy for kids
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
Barista training
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
Wine tasting
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
LEISURE COURSES
Flower arranging
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
Knitting & crocheting
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£110
Home improvements
Oct 2015
8 weeks
£150
DIY Basic DIY Oct 2015 (tiling, plastering & bricklaying)
8 weeks
£150
Pilates
Oct 2015
Ongoing
£5 per session
SPORT & EXERCISE
Clubbercise
Oct 2015
Ongoing
£4 per session
Senior Citizens Aerobics
Oct 2015
Ongoing
£4 per session
£110
Call our Marketing Team on 01789 417414 to enrol for our October starts, or pop in to a September
MP commits to college students’ career success Our local MP Nadhim Zahawi officially opened SUAC’s dedicated in-house Job Pod during National Apprenticeship back in March. The College Job Pod, which provides advice on job vacancies, assistance with writing CVs and the opportunity to talk to local employers, is now officially open to students of all ages as well as members of the public. Nadhim also met with a team of Engineering apprentices. These apprenticeships involve paid work-based training, with four days a week spent with a local employer and one day in College. Following a demonstration of the apprentices’ engineering expertise, Nadhim discussed how their training is providing them with vital skills that prepare them for employment. Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Engineering Apprentice Baillie Sadler,17, is employed at CTR Carbide Dies Ltd tool makers. Baillie is really enjoying his apprenticeship and finds the training he receives at the College invaluable. “At the College we train on manually operated machines which set you up with skills that you can transfer to the big computer-controlled equipment I
use at work. It’s difficult sometimes but I really enjoy the work there.” Baillie added: “You hear in the news all the time how highly praised apprenticeship schemes are. Employers don’t just want university graduates that have got lots of qualifications on paper but have never touched a machine.” CTR Carbide Dies Ltd is so impressed with Baillie’s work that they are currently looking to take on more apprentices. Nadhim is equally impressed by the College’s apprenticeship schemes. “My dream is that young people will be as excited when they get an apprenticeship as they would be if they got an offer from Oxford or Cambridge. They offer careers rather than just jobs. Stratford College is doing a tremendous job.”
READ MORE AT WWW.STRATFORD.AC.UK/UP-TO-DATE
If you want to join Nadhim Zahawi for his keynote speech on 18th September from 1.30-3pm, drop our friendly Marketing Team a call on 01789 417414 or email hello@stratford.ac.uk
SUAC’S VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE At SUAC’s Visitor Information Centre, you can purchase discounted tickets for fantastic attractions across Warwickshire and beyond, including:
•Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Properties •Warwick Castle •Bancroft Cruisers •Avon Boating River Cruises •Falstaff Tudor World •Kenilworth Castle
Our Visitor Information Centre is VisitBritain approved and provides a wealth of information to enhance your visit including details of attractions, events, what to see and where to eat. We can also assist with last minute accommodation bookings and travel and transport enquiries. To find out more, please visit: www.discover-stratford.com/tourist-information.cfm call: 01789 264293 | email: welcometosua@gmail.com visit: Bridgefoot, Stratford-upon-Avon,CV37 6GW @StratfordVIC
Your first port of call for the latest information, a bed for the night & attraction tickets!
A LEVEL SUCCESS!
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Lydia Mealing, 18 Creative Writing - B English Language - B History - C “My time at the College has been amazing. I’ve had so much exposure to interesting people and new and exciting concepts. All the A Level tutors are so encouraging and have provided extra support whenever I’ve needed it.”
George Elsby, 23 English Literature - A Philosophy - C “The staff at the College are incredibly helpful. They are really interested in their students and so caring, which makes you want to do well. Being at the College was a very different experience to being at school - the environment is so much more supportive.”
XTEND Courses for 14-16 year olds Stratford-upon-Avon College’s Xtend programme is aimed at able and motivated pupils who wish to gain additional qualifications in their own time. XTEND key facts: •Learners study either a GCSE or Level 2 vocational qualification • Xtend is offered to Year 10 and Year 11 learners •Lessons take place one evening per week during term time, and usually start at 4.15 or 4.30pm lasting for 2 or 2½ hours •The course duration is one academic year and courses usually run until the final examination (generally before May half term) •Transport is not provided. If you would like to find out more about the Xtend programme, please visit www.stratford.ac.uk /14-16-courses or call Tricia Berry on 01789 266245 ext. 3134.
Friend of the College
One of our main aims as a College is to enrich our community and we’d very much like to offer our range of facilities for you to use.
We welcome you to visit our coffee shop or one of our many restaurants, where you will be served by catering students who go on to work in establishments such as The Ritz and Claridge’s. Or maybe you simply wish to use our free wi-fi. Take a look at our Friends of the College membership – it’s free to join and you will receive special discounts as well as up-to-date news on what’s happening here at SUAC!
FIND OUT MORE & SIGN UP ONLINE AT:
www.stratford.ac.uk/ friends-of-the-college
CALLING ALL EMPLOYERS… WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! We have a dedicated Employer Team at SUAC to meet all of your training provider requirements, from taking on an apprentice to hiring our facilities. Call 01789 417414 or email us at apprenticeships@stratford.ac.uk if you require our services!
And don’t forget, on 18th September we are hosting our very own Apprenticeships Show at the College, joined by Nadhim Zahawi MP and many local employers both big and small. If you would like to book into this please drop us a line!
Download our new Guide for Employers if you would like to find out more about how SUAC can help your business. www.stratford.ac.uk/employers
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES FOR EMPLOYERS
STAFF TRAINING COURSES
The following courses are available free of charge for employers, providing that the applicant is aged over 19 and has been a UK resident for over 3 years.
SUAC also offer the following staff training courses:
» Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care » Common Health Conditions » Principles of Working with Individuals with Learning Disabilities » Understanding the Safe Handling of Medication in Health and Social Care » Certificate in The Principles of End of Life Care » Principles of the Prevention and Control of Infection in Health Care Settings » Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health » Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Problems » Certificate in Understanding Dignity and Safeguarding in Adult Health and Social Care » Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care » Understanding the Care and Management of Diabetes » Team Leading Knowledge » Principles of Customer Service » Cleaning Knowledge and Skills
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» Emergency First Aid
1 day | £95 | dates TBC
» First Aid at Work
3 days | £185 | dates TBC
» First Aid Refresher
2 days | £125 | dates TBC
» BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLA) 1 day | £115 | dates TBC
» CIEH Level 2 Award: Food Safety In Catering 1 day | £95 | dates TBC
» CIEH Level 3 Award: Supervising Food Safety In Catering 3 days (1 day per week, usually 9.30am-4.30pm) | £300
» AAT Accreditation » Adult Functional Skills English – from September 2015 » Adult Functional Skills Maths – from September 2015 » Maths GCSE for Adults
Monday, 5.00-8.30pm | from September 2015
» English GCSE for Adults
Monday, 5.00-8.30pm | from September 2015
FIND OUT MORE AT: www.stratford.ac.uk/staff-training
What’s coming up... WATCH OUT FOR EXCITING PERFORMANCES BY OUR TALENTED STUDENTS COMING SOON Find information at www.stratford.ac.uk/events The latest show was Musicals Rock which took place in June at the Stratford Arts House - a great success!
APPRENTICESHIP FAIR 18th September 1.00-3.30pm Meet with a wide range of local employers eager to take on apprentices. Chat to the College’s Apprenticeship team and learn more about this exciting programme.
with Apprenticeships at
Stratford-upon-Avon College
To register your interest, please email hello@stratford. ac.uk or call 01789 417414. Dinner service Thursdays, 7pm for 7.15pm 6 courses including coffee & petit fours £25 per person* Parties welcome if booked in advance
2015-2016 Full-time open events:
» Fri 6th Nov 2015 5:30-8:00pm
» Sat 7th Nov 2015 10:00am-2:00pm
» Fri 11th Dec 2015 5:30-8:00pm
» Wed 27th Jan 2016 5:30-8:00pm
» Wed 16th Mar 2016 5:30-8:00pm
» Wed 8th Jun 2016 5:30-8:00pm
Lunch Tuesdays & Fridays from 12 noon 3 course lunch including tea or coffee £9.50 per person* *Prices as at September 2015 www.stratford.ac.uk/academy-bar-and-restaurant
New SUAC publications: Xtend Guide / Full-time Prospectus / Higher Education Prospectus / Travel Guide / Parents & Carers
enjoy your free coffee Stratford-upon-Avon College The Willows North, Alcester Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 9QR www.stratford.ac.uk call: 01789 417414 email: hello@stratford.ac.uk
This voucher entitles you to one coffee at SUAC’s Oasis Cafe free-of charge. Please present voucher to cashier. Terms & conditions apply - please ask for further details