Making products, making industries, making careers

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Nelson and Colne College Group’s Assistant Principal for Technical Curriculum, Morag Davis, joined a panel of local leaders for a discussion on how Lancashire can prepare for the industries and tech of tomorrow, and empower the workforce with the skills to drive them. 

Morag discussed the opportunities that exist for business and academia to come together and some of the innovative solutions being deployed to fill the ongoing skills gap.

She began by sharing Nelson & Colne College Group’s recent Ofsted inspection in which we received Outstanding across the board, in part, as a result of the deep collaboration with local employers at every level.

Adding colour to the picture, Morag explained how the level of engagement with local businesses has led to their input becoming the “backbone of the college’s curriculum,” taking multiple forms from leaders coming into to talk to students to checking on curriculum content, to ensuring training is relevant to sector needs.

On the skills gap, Morag spoke of the significant investment being provided from the UK government, partly because of the ‘Skills Whitepaper’ produced by the Commission for the College of the Future – of which Nelson & Colne College Group’s Principal and CEO, Amanda Melton, was a contributor.

She explained how the college has used this funding to strengthen ties with local employers and develop apprenticeship programs so students can enter real working environments and begin applying their skills immediately.

Giving a real-world example, Morag shared details of the college group’s new, two-year T-Level program, equivalent to three A-Levels in both size and academic rigour.

Technical in nature, she described how T-Level students are soon in the field, acquiring practical skills that simply can’t be refined in purely classroom-based environments.

Moving onto the college’s new Digital Skills Hub, Morag discussed the importance of providing learners with access to quality ICT training and the continuing need for local businesses to collaborate in bringing the venture to a wider audience.

An example she raised was the college’s new mobile VR unit that provides students and companies with immersive experiences for projects such as risk assessments and training.

In concluding her segment, Morag talked of Accrington College’s 2019 amalgamation into the Nelson & Colne College Group. She described the significant investment now going into Accrington College to complement the local skills landscape, covering disciplines as varied as mechanics, nursing, and hair and beauty.  

Moreover, she stressed how important it was to create an ecosystem of training providers, colleges and local businesses so the next generation of skilled workers can be firmly established.

To hear the full discussion, click here: https://www.insidermedia.com/event/made-in-lancashire-breakfast-2022

Delighted to accept role as a national Further Education leader

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Since I penned my last column, I’ve been out and about attending a wide range of meetings and conferences around the future of colleges and leadership, including in two of the UK’s capitals in Belfast and London.

The meeting in Belfast was part of the work I’m doing with the Independent Commission on the College of the Future as the representative for College Principals in England, a role which I am incredibly enthusiastic about as the representative for an entire nation of colleges.

I joined my Principal colleagues from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, together with other members of the Commission, where we had some valuable and constructive conversations about the UK’s future workforce, industry involvement in education and the core purpose for colleges in the future across the four nations as we work towards our draft vision.

I left feeling hugely optimistic about the future of skills development and how it is going to support the post-Brexit economy, the prosperity of individuals in the years to come, and the role that colleges will play in this essential drive to skill young talent.

That brings me neatly on to another new development, and that is my appointment to the National Leaders of Further Education programme, where I join 10 esteemed colleagues from colleges around the country. Working together with fellow members, we will provide strategic mentoring and support to other colleges that need to improve, and we are able to determine the best way to support the particular needs of the college or colleges we are working with.

I’m thrilled to accept this role, as driving improvement in Further Education is something I am passionate about. I’m relishing the opportunity to share the good practices we enjoy at Nelson and Colne College Group to improve education standards nationally, while gaining fresh ideas on where we can strengthen the way we operate.

I can’t end my monthly column without a mention of National Apprenticeship Week – and what a celebration it has been over the last five days. It’s been a real showcase of how Apprentices and Apprenticeship programmes have a positive impact on the performance of employers across a wide range of industry sectors, and the knock-on positive effect a skilled workforce has on the economy.

I took real pleasure from seeing the case studies of Apprentices from our employer partners being shared widely on social media throughout this week, and I would encourage you to have a look at some of the exceptional individuals and their journeys that have been shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. I’m equally proud of the culture we have at College in terms of growing our own talent through Apprenticeships in a variety of College departments.

Until next month, Amanda.

Principal of Nelson and Colne College Group appointed as National Leader in Further Education

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Nelson and Colne College Group Principal Amanda Melton has been appointed to a national team of 11 FE College leaders to drive developments in the College sector.

The Department for Education role provides mentoring and support to other FE Colleges with an ambition to improve their curriculum, local responsiveness, or financial efficiency.

NLFEs are able to determine the best way to support the particular needs of the colleges they work with and may also draw upon experienced members of their own College staff to help address the needs of under-performing colleges.

Alongside her Principalship of Nelson and Colne College Group – incorporating Nelson and Colne College, Accrington Rossendale College and Lancashire Adult Learning – Amanda is currently a Commissioner for the Four Nations Independent Commission for the College of the Future. The Commission aims to ensure that FE Colleges adapt to meet the future national skills needs of individuals, businesses and communities.

Other voluntary positions that she holds includes as a Director at the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP Champion for Skills and Technical Education), Chair of the Lancashire LEP Skills Advisory Panel, and a Director of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

Amanda said: “I’m pleased to accept this role, as colleges have a fundamental part to play in ensuring we support the economy regionally and nationally, and enable young people and adults to access interesting and well-paid jobs in a rapidly developing job market.

“I’m relishing the opportunity to share the strategies we deploy at Nelson and Colne College Group to improve opportunities nationally, while gaining fresh ideas on where we can strengthen the way we operate locally.

“Most important is the relationship between the worlds of work and education, ensuring that our students leave with relevant knowledge, skills and experiences. We are keen to hear from regional employers who want to get involved in these important developments.”

Nelson and Colne College is the number one FE college in the country for A Levels, based on progress scores. It is also the number one college in Lancashire for student satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices survey.

If you would like to apply to study at Nelson and Colne College, contact 01282 440272 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk.

Nelson and Colne College climbs to the top of national performance table for A Levels!

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Nelson and Colne College has climbed to the top of the national performance table of FE Colleges for A Levels.

In the newly-published Government performance tables, Nelson and Colne College places first in the country of all FE Colleges and is third nationally of all Sixth Forms and FE Colleges with a progress score of +0.42. This ranks the College as ‘well above the national average’ and means that students attain nearly half a grade better on average across their subjects than they were predicted to achieve.

Nelson and Colne College has consistently been one of the top performing colleges in the country and the new year-on-year figures show this is the highest place the College has ever been for the value added to the grades of students. Progress scores are calculated by comparing students predicted A Level grades based on their GCSE results against their A Level achievement when they leave College.

It was a spectacular year for A Level results for the College in 2019 as it bucked the national trend for students achieving the highest A* and A grades, while 58.5% of students at NCC achieved high A*-B grades, an improvement of more than five percentage points, and the percentage of students achieving A*-C grades also improved to 80%.

For those students who do not achieve successful GCSE grades in Mathematics and English at school, Nelson and Colne College has also placed respectively as the number one and number three FE College nationally for GCSE progress, with the results achieved by students who resit their exams in order to advance in their studies.

Principal Amanda Melton said: “I’m ecstatic at the new performance tables and this achievement sees us at number three of all colleges nationally for A Level progress. I take great pride in the fact that students who attend our College improve to achieve better A Level grades with us than they would have done at almost all other FE Colleges or Sixth Forms in the country.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to my brilliant colleagues on this exceptional result as it is testament to the high-quality teaching, support and progress monitoring that students receive here at Nelson and Colne College.

“Our GCSE resit performance is once again extremely pleasing too. Taking both tables of results as a whole, it means that the College can successfully support those who aspire to achieve the highest A Level grades and reach the best universities in the country, as well as having the capacity and expertise to support students to positive destinations who have not achieved their potential at GCSE level first time around.”

Katie Hill, 17, formerly of The Hollins in Accrington is currently studying A Levels in Biology, History and Sociology at Nelson and Colne College. She said: “I definitely made the right choice in choosing Nelson and Colne College. I love all of my lessons and if you need help with your studies here, the teachers are very supportive.

“I have found the College to be a friendly learning environment and the A Level Connect event held at the beginning of the year was a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends. The learning resources, study spaces and Refectory are also very good.”

Another current student Usman Muhammad, 16, formerly of Pendle Vale College, is studying Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics at Nelson and Colne College. He said: “College is really good. I’m looking to progress on to a Russell Group university like Imperial College London to study Medicine and I’m supported well to do that here.

“There is so much on offer at College to develop you through the extracurricular offer such as the Pre-Professional Programmes, and you gain responsibility and become increasingly independent here in preparation for university.”

Students who attend Nelson and Colne College can expect to receive outstanding A Level support, and this includes Pre-Professional Programmes to aid career aspirations in competitive sectors, specialist one-to-one guidance for Oxbridge applications, taking advantage of the College’s partnership with New College, Oxford’s Step Up programme, and the Realising Opportunities programme with the University of York.

Nelson and Colne College is the number one college in Lancashire for student satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices survey.

If you would like to apply to study at Nelson and Colne College, contact 01282 440272 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk.

Painting and Decorating Apprentice Jackson making great strides with support of Nelson and Colne College Group

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A chance brush with Painting and Decorating has seen an Apprentice from Clitheroe make great progress in his trade.

Jackson Whalley, 18, is working towards his Level 1 Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship with Nelson and Colne College Group and his Clitheroe-based uncle Simon Thompson of Thompson Décor.

Jackson has not looked back since making the switch from Carpentry and Joinery to Painting and Decorating when he started working with Simon in April last year. He is relishing getting to grips with his new trade working on a variety of Thompson Décor jobs from kitchens and bathrooms to elaborate wall murals.

Simon and Jackson supported Nelson and Colne College Group’s National Apprenticeship Week celebrations when they hosted Vice Principal Alison Rushton during a ‘Back to the Floor’ opportunity, showcasing the Painting and Decorating industry.

Jackson, formerly of Ribblesdale High School, said: “I love Painting and Decorating because every job is different. I think my favourite area of a property to decorate is the hall and stairs as I enjoy the challenge. I also love the satisfaction of finishing a job for a happy customer.

“I’m going to progress through the different levels of Apprenticeships to build my knowledge, skills and experience as I think it is important to do this. Long term, I would like to have the skills and expertise that Simon has and be self-employed.”

Simon said: “I’m grateful for the visit of Vice Principal Alison Rushton during National Apprenticeship Week, as it was great chance to be able to celebrate Jackson’s talent, impact and progress.

“I’m very impressed with the way he is rapidly developing his skills and his attention to detail is strong. For example, I already have the confidence in him to apply finishing coats to doors and other woodwork which is remarkable and very unusual for an Apprentice at Level 1.

“It was also a good opportunity to share how grateful I am for Nelson and Colne College’s Group’s continued commitment to offering Level 3 Painting and Decorating Apprenticeships.

“Not all colleges offer this, but I think it is invaluable for the industry to skill up-and-coming Painting and Decorating Apprentices up to Level 3, and it is a real feather in the cap of colleges that do offer it.”

Alison said: “It was lovely to meet Simon and Jackson and understand in greater detail the work that they do and how we as a College Group can improve the way we support the Painting and Decorating sector and Apprentices working within it, in line with the demands and needs of industry.

“I’m delighted to hear that Jackson is making great strides in his Apprenticeship too and most importantly that he is thriving in a Painting and Decorating environment and is enjoying learning his trade.”

Following the successful merger between Nelson and Colne College and Accrington and Rossendale College, the range of Apprenticeships offered by the Nelson and Colne College Group has expanded.

Sectors in the Group offer include: Business and Professional Services; Catering and Hospitality; Construction Trades and Building Services; Education and Childcare; Engineering; Hair and Beauty; Health and Social Care; Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair; Retail, Sales and Customer Service; Sport and Leisure.

The Nelson and Colne College Group is the number one college in Lancashire for employer satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices Employer Survey.

If you are interested in starting an Apprenticeship with the Nelson and Colne College Group, please contact the Apprenticeship Team today by calling 01282 440319 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk/apprenticeships.

New Centre Principal to lead multi-million pound transformed Accrington and Rossendale College

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Progress on the multi-million pound transformation of Accrington and Rossendale College’s facilities is continuing apace, and a new Centre Principal has been appointed for the campus.

Morag Davis, Assistant Principal for Technical Curriculum across the Nelson and Colne College Group, has taken up the position and will be the designated lead from the Group’s Senior Leadership Team for the Accrington site which is currently undergoing £4 million of improvements.

This includes brand new industry-standard Hair and Beauty salons, innovative study spaces, a revamped specialist Learning Resource Centre, dedicated Learner Services and Careers areas and a remodelled and modern student Refectory. Coming soon is the redevelopment of the Construction and Technology building and transformational green space creation to enhance the campus environment.

Within the newly-formed Nelson and Colne College Group, Accrington and Rossendale College has been positioned as the Technical and Skills Centre because of its strong reputation for delivery of vocational and technical training, with Nelson and Colne College sitting as the Sixth Form and academic centre within the organisation.

Morag has been with Nelson and Colne College for 18 years, beginning as a College Lecturer before working her way up to Head of Division for Creative and Digital and then the Assistant Principalship role.

She also has experience of leading on projects on outstanding teaching, learning and assessment, working with the Department for Education on a national communications strategy group and writing for national subject journals and publications on a range of topics.

Morag said: “I am extremely excited about the plans for Accrington and Rossendale College, and progress on our £4 million campus transformation has already changed the feel of the site, creating a new advanced and specialist curriculum plans in place, and the collaboration with our ‘Outstanding’ partner College, Nelson and Colne College.

“I am passionate about the importance of vocational and technical qualifications and curriculum in preparing East Lancashire’s young people for their future, and ensuring they develop the essential industry-focused skills and knowledge that our evolving economy and society need.

“I am currently working closely with the Department for Education in leading the introduction nationally of new ‘gold-standard’ T Level qualifications, developed in collaboration with employers and businesses and which will launch in Education & Childcare and Digital at our College later this year.

“Here at the Group we are committed to a broad curriculum offer for students across East Lancashire and beyond. We continue to increase the range of high-quality education, training opportunities and progression routes available to students, and strive to create a College that raises aspirations and shapes future career choices among our young people.”

Accrington and Rossendale College’s doors will open up to visitors again on Monday 10 February between 5.30pm and 7.30pm for the final Year 11 Open Event of this academic year.

This is another chance for prospective students and parents to come and discover what life is like at one of the top 10 colleges in the country for Level 3 learner achievement and Apprenticeship achievement, and a College which is being significantly improved with £4 million of investment.

Accrington and Rossendale College is in the top 10 colleges in the country for 16-18 timely Apprenticeship achievement, at all levels, and classroom learning achievement at Level 3. The College improved by 50 and 91 places, respectively, in those measures in the 2019 National Achievement Rate Tables published by the government.

If you would like to apply to study at Accrington and Rossendale College, contact 01254 389933 or visit www.accross.ac.uk

Off-the-pitch members of Burnley FC team sign up to Apprenticeships with Nelson and Colne College Group

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Two off-the-pitch members of the Burnley Football Club team are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by signing up to Leadership and Management qualifications with Nelson and Colne College Group.

Carl Sanderson, Burnley FC’s Commercial Operations Manager, and Steve Hawthorn, Project Manager and Data Protection Officer at the club, celebrated the occasion by meeting Alison Rushton, Vice Principal for Apprenticeships at the Nelson and Colne College Group, during a ‘Back to the Floor’ opportunity at Turf Moor this week.

Carl and Steve are both eyeing the career progression opportunities that Leadership and Management Apprenticeships can open doors to, and both are looking forward to kicking off their new studies to develop themselves professionally and personally.

Carl, 36, from Burnley, said: “I’m looking forward to starting my Leadership and Management Apprenticeship. One of the things I am often asked about is what I want out of my job, and the answer is progression. I’m always looking better myself and improve my skillset and this is a perfect opportunity to do just that.

“I started working at Burnley Football Club straight after leaving university in 2007 as a Commercial Assistant and I have worked my way up to become Commercial Operations Manager. I really enjoy my job as no day is the same. A lot has changed in the time I have been at the club and my responsibilities have changed too. I’m relishing the challenge of going back into learning to develop my knowledge.”

Steve, 40, from Bradford, said: “I absolutely love the job that I do at Burnley Football Club as I get to work across the departments and I’m part of the Senior Management Team.

“I’ve got quite a broad working background as my degree is in Music Technology, and I worked in entertainment marketing for a number of years.

“I’ve now been in the football industry for 10 years and worked my way up to be Head of Marketing at Bradford City Football Club before I moved to Burnley. I’m excited for the opportunity to gain a formal qualification that is relevant to my career and the Apprenticeship will really help develop my leadership and presentation skills.”

Alison, who is also a Trustee at Burnley FC in the Community, said: “I’m delighted that Carl and Steve have decided to upskill and develop themselves through Leadership and Management Apprenticeships, and it was a pleasure to meet them to learn more about their career aspirations.

“Leadership and Management qualifications are a ‘go to’ qualification for individuals who are aiming high in their career, and Carl and Steve have ambition in abundance.

“Nelson and Colne College Group has a long track record of providing high-quality, flexible and tailored Apprenticeships and training to support employers across the North West region, and I’m proud that we are able to support Burnley FC in its ambition to develop its talented team.”

Following the successful merger between Nelson and Colne College and Accrington and Rossendale College, the range of Apprenticeships offered by the Nelson and Colne College Group has expanded.

Sectors in the Group offer include: Business and Professional Services; Catering and Hospitality; Construction Trades and Building Services; Education and Childcare; Engineering; Hair and Beauty; Health and Social Care; Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair; Retail, Sales and Customer Service; Sport and Leisure.

Nelson and Colne College Group is holding its Apprenticeships and Careers Expo on Wednesday 5 February from 5pm until 7pm at Nelson and Colne College, and visitors will have the opportunity to find out more about Apprenticeships, volunteering options and work placement opportunities.

The Nelson and Colne College Group is the number one college in Lancashire for employer satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices Employer Survey.

If you are interested in starting an Apprenticeship with the Nelson and Colne College Group, please contact the Apprenticeship Team today by calling 01282 440319 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk/apprenticeships

LAL launches new Immersive Care Hub to support Lancashire Health and Social Care sector

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Lancashire Adult Learning has launched an Immersive Care Hub at its Northlight home attended by 20 of the county’s key employers in the Health and Social Care sector.

The launch of the Health and Social Care immersive learning environment is a significant development in a Lancashire-wide strategic plan to improve the skills of the workforce in the sector.

The new facility, developed in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care and Skills for Care, is specifically designed to provide an authentic learning experience for those seeking a career in Health or Social Care, and to attract fresh talent into the industry.

At the launch of the hub, employers from across Lancashire had the chance to provide their expert knowledge and input into redesigning the curriculum so that learners aged 19-years-old and over who wish to enter into a career or further study in Health and Social Care are receiving industry-relevant training.

Alison Rushton, Vice Principal at Lancashire Adult Learning, said: “I’m thrilled to launch our Immersive Care Hub with some of the county’s leading Health and Social Care employers and industry experts, and I firmly believe that by working together we can improve the sector.”

Nicola Hall, Head of Curriculum and Strategic Partnerships at Lancashire Adult Learning, said: “The facility looks absolutely brilliant and is the perfect environment for Health and Social Care learning. The constructive input from our discussions around what skills the Health and Social Care sector requires will prove invaluable too in developing an industry-relevant curriculum.”

Kerry Hemsworth, Deputy Director of Education at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The newly introduced Health and Social Care curriculum developed by Lancashire Adult Learning will provide their local community with an additional platform and pathway into Health and Social Care careers.

“Employers need a workforce with a diverse range of skills, knowledge and behaviours to deliver excellent care, and it is clear that the curriculum design is being mapped to employer needs.

“It will be interesting to see how the immersive learning environment helps to develop a learner’s skills in a safe and simulated setting with the ultimate aim of bridging the industry’s skills gaps.”

Tracy Heyes, Strategic Partnership Manager Lancashire Skills Hub, Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “The LEP is investing Lancashire Growth Deal funds in over 50 projects across the county which, together, will drive significant economic growth.

“One of these projects is Northlight. We have invested £4.95m to support the regeneration of a once empty, abandoned building and transform it into a valuable community asset with leisure facilities, apartments and offices, creating jobs and driving local economic growth in the process.

“It’s really exciting to see space at Northlight being used to provide an immersive learning environment for Health and Social Care as well. The Health and Social Care sector is predicted to grow across Lancashire and it is so important that there are modern, high-quality facilities to support the development of skills in our future workforce and to upskill existing staff members.”

June Sears-Jones, Manager at Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group, said: “We are extremely grateful for the launch and the help that this facility will provide for the group. We look forward to working together in partnership with Lancashire Adult Learning to improve quality of life for all. We are proud to be involved in skills development, and it was inspiring to see the potential this facility has, with the passion there is for improving the sector.”

Lisa Fitzsimmons, Manager at Dalesview Partnership, said: “I’m very pleased that some of the core issues in the Health and Social Care sector are being addressed. The launch is very encouraging and the hub is a fantastic facility. The enthusiasm for improvement is here and I think the future is positive.”

Lancashire Adult Learning’s guide for Spring is out now and is full of inspiration for the new year, with courses to help adults across the Red Rose County develop a new hobby, learn a new skill, improve their wellbeing, enhance their social life, gain employment or change career.

As well as its targeted delivery and partnership work, Lancashire Adult Learning offers a huge range of planned provision across Lancashire, from Arts and Crafts to Humanities classes, Languages to Health and Wellbeing sessions and Functional Skills English and Maths and Employability courses.

Further information about Lancashire Adult Learning can be found at www.lal.ac.uk or by calling 0333 003 1717.

‘New year, new you’ and opportunities for all

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I would like to begin my first column of 2020 by wishing you a happy new year, and I hope that you had a wonderful festive break.

Here at Nelson and Colne College, we have a flying start to the new year. This week, we held a series of adult advice events promoting our fantastic Higher Education offer and new Professional Skills courses for anyone looking to improve their professional credentials in 2020. We also highlighted our brilliant range of leisure and wellbeing courses delivered by our wonderful Lancashire Adult Learning team.

It may be a bit of a cliché, but the new year is always an opportunity for a ‘new you’, and it really is never too late to learn. Taking Higher Education qualifications as an example, they truly can be transformational for career prospects and improving lives. As a Further Education College we are able to support our community to develop their skills and qualifications at all levels, even to degree level, with courses to suit everybody starting in January and February.

For those who were not able to make the advice events, I would encourage you to contact our teams at Nelson and Colne College to find out more about our Higher Education and Professional Skills qualifications, and at Lancashire Adult Learning, who will be happy to share details of leisure and wellbeing courses. You can also find out more by visiting www.nelson.ac.uk or www.lal.ac.uk.

Turning attention back to supporting our community, our continued support for local employers will be highlighted at our Engineering Apprenticeship Event on Thursday 16 January, from 5pm until 7pm, aimed at College leavers, school leavers and parents. It is the perfect chance to find out everything you need to know about Engineering Apprenticeships, volunteering and work placement opportunities.

Some of our key employer partners and their Apprentices will be on hand to talk to for valuable insight into careers in the sector, and these include Pendle Engineering, Saco, Bright Engineering, Protec Fire Detection and Fort Vale. There will be the opportunity to apply for live Apprenticeship vacancies on the night too.

As a Director at the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership, and as Chair of the Lancashire LEP Skills Advisory Panel, I understand the skills demands of our regional engineering sector, the opportunities it presents, and its value to the economy, particularly here in Pendle and East Lancashire.

Before I sign off, National Apprenticeship Week takes place this year from Monday 3 February. We will once again be celebrating the value of Apprenticeships with our Apprenticeships and Careers Expo at College on Wednesday 5 February – a date for the diary.

Until next month, Amanda.

Newly-formed College Group achieves highest possible grade of ‘significant progress’ after Ofsted monitoring visit

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Accrington and Rossendale College has made ‘significant progress’ in raising the standards of learners’ and Apprentices’ education under the new Nelson and Colne College Group, according to Ofsted.

After a monitoring visit in October, Ofsted inspectors graded three key areas of provision as having made ‘significant progress’ – the highest achievable grade – within a year of the Colleges becoming a merged institution. Ofsted praised the Colleges’ commitment to improving standards in the provision areas of Apprenticeships and GCSE English and Mathematics.

Nelson and Colne College has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted since 2005, and the monitoring visit was a requirement post-merger. The themes of the monitoring visit were selected from the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection of Accrington and Rossendale College in 2018, prior to the merger, when the institution was rated as ‘good’.

In the view of the lead inspector, significant progress has been made in improving the quality of education that Apprentices receive on their training programmes, on improving learners’ and Apprentices’ knowledge in English and Mathematics, and the effectiveness of teachers and assessors in using learning assessments so that all learners and Apprentices can achieve their potential. Reasonable progress has been made in making sure that Apprentices have an appropriate understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.

The Colleges are among the first in the country to be inspected under Ofsted’s new stringent and rigorous Education Inspection Framework. A full inspection will take place in due course.

Principal Amanda Melton said: “I’m utterly delighted that we have managed to achieve significant progress in the three of four key areas of inspection. This is a remarkable achievement in the short space of time since the merger.

“As a combined institution, we are a Maths and English College, as these are the two qualifications students require to progress and improve life chances. To have our curriculum acknowledged and endorsed in this way is extremely satisfying.

“Equally, Apprenticeships are an incredibly important aspect of the College offer, providing a pipeline of young skilled talent for employers and the economy locally, regionally and beyond. Again, to have our provision positively recognised by Ofsted is very encouraging.

“We still have work to go, and I am confident that we will continue to progress over the months ahead. I would like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues from across the College Group for their tireless work that went into this, in particular to the English and Maths teams, and the Apprenticeship Team who were under the microscope during inspection, and other teams who supported this significant achievement.”

On the question of Apprenticeship provision, the inspector stated: “Leaders and managers have worked hard since the merger of the two colleges to improve the standard of training that Apprentices receive. They have nurtured very effective links with industry specialists. Managers and staff use their local intelligence about the health sector to develop and put in place very effective learning programmes. They use innovative ways to develop and plan the curriculum.”

Regarding the issue of improving learners’ and Apprentices’ knowledge in English and Mathematics, the inspector said: “Since the merger of the two colleges, leaders have prioritised the improvement in the English and Mathematics curriculum. This strategy ensures that all learners and Apprentices benefit from extended time with teachers to develop these important skills. Leaders work closely with other outstanding colleges in the region and local schools to improve further the quality of education in English and Mathematics.”

And in response to the effectiveness of teachers and assessors using learning assessments so that all learners and Apprentices can achieve their potential, the inspector stated: “They use the results of these assessments to plan an ambitious learning programme. As a result, many learners and Apprentices receive a rich experience at College. They learn new knowledge that will support them in their next steps of learning or future careers.”

Accrington and Rossendale College is a top 10 college in the country for 16-18 learner achievement at Level 3 and for 16-18 timely Apprenticeship completions. The College campus is currently undergoing a major £4 million redevelopment including improved study zones, a transformed student Refectory, new industry-standard Hair and Beauty salons, a revamp of the College’s acclaimed Construction department, and significant landscaping.

If you would like to apply to study at Accrington and Rossendale College, please contact 01254 389933 or visit www.accross.ac.uk. To study at Nelson and Colne College, contact 01282 440272 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk .

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