COLLEGE CONNECT SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE SUCCESS
College Connect Issue 3 March 2020
Bolton College - Part of the University of Bolton Group
We are so proud of our learners’ success, so what better way to shout about it than with a very special ‘Celebrating Success’ dinner. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, and Councillor Hilary Fairclough, the Mayor of Bolton, were invited to the College’s Signature Restaurant to congratulate our amazing students for a truly fantastic year. We had the UK’s best, national and regional competition winners, plus a Special Olympics gold medallist! A delicious three-course meal was served up by the College’s talented catering students, and enjoyed by the students’ family and friends, as well as the College’s Principal Bill Webster. Course tutors, who are a vital ingredient in our students’ success, were also invited, after pushing our learners to excel both inside and outside of the classroom. It was a wonderful opportunity to shine the spotlight on the achievements of our inspirational students, and a fantastic evening was enjoyed by all.
Andy Burnham, centre, with the winners and special guests.
College Connect page 1
Issue #3
Part of the University of Bolton Group
CONTENTS
College Connect Issue 3 March 2020
3...5Freya has the Cutting Edge 8... Wellbeing Matters
NHS 5 Steps to Wellbeing: Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give to Others and Be Mindful.
Childcare learner secures a place at Edge Hill.
4...
Journey to Employment How we’re giving our young people the edge when applying for jobs.
5... Falling at the
First Hurdle! Why it’s so important to be in class on time.
6...
Fire it Up! Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week!
10...
14... T Levels & Work Experience
Help and Support with Finances Support with College essentials such as meals, travel, equipment and childcare.
Coming soon, the new ‘Gold Standard’ Level 3 qualification, delivered by Bolton College. Also find out how, as an employer, a work experience placement can benefit your business.
12...
The Door to University Progression to higher education is literally on your doorstep.
Welcome from the Principal I’m so proud of the success of our amazing learners, and their achievements were recognised at our recent ‘Celebrating Success Awards’ Evening. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support and hard work of our staff and employers. I do hope you feel inspired by their success! Developing the employability skills of your child is a priority for us, and our Journey to Employment programme helps harness all their achievements into a high quality portfolio, which is essential at interviews. The importance of good attendance and punctuality is paramount to success; you can read some interesting facts about the first ten minutes of a lesson, and how crucial those minutes are to learning. National Apprenticeship Week provides the opportunity to further highlight the success of our learners, and the pivotal role employers play in their development. Take a look at ‘A Day in the Life of an Apprentice’, and listen to some of the key messages delivered by Adam Corbally, former star of the BBC’s The Apprentice. Good wellbeing underpins successful learning and supports progress to higher education and employment; learn more about the NHS 5 Steps to Wellbeing. You can also learn about the financial help and support available for your child whilst they are at College. Your young person will now be hard at work revising - with your support and encouragement, we hope to see them in next year’s magazine, inspiring future learners! Bill Webster, Principal of Bolton College.
College Connect page 2
Congrats to Childcare Level 3 learner Freya Stott! A former pupil of Harrop Fold School, Freya has secured a place at Edge Hill University, starting this September! "The course is challenging, which means it’s prepared me for the next step. When I showed my learning portfolio to Edge Hill, they said that I’m already doing some university level work in College, so I’m going to be so well-prepared when I start.”
T Levels are a brand new, two-year, nationally recognised qualification that your young person will be able to study after their GCSEs. Successfully completing a T Level is the exact same as finishing three A Levels. Education & Childcare Education covers child development, how education works, safeguarding, special educational needs, and families and carers. This T Level can be your young person’s route to a career working as a: • Nursery Manager, earning up to £30,000 per year • Child & Early Years Officer, earning up to £40,000 per year • Primary School Teacher, earning up to £40,000 per year College Connect page 3
Journey to
Employment Giving Young People the edge
At Bolton College, we want to give our young people the edge when it comes to applying for jobs. One of the ways we do this is through our Journey to Employment programme. Employers tell us they like candidates who have good attendance, are on time, are proactive, engage with extra-curricular activities, are eager to learn and behave in a professional manner. In our Journey to Employment programme your child can achieve bronze, silver or gold certificates that evidence the above. These are presented in a high-quality portfolio at the end of their time in College. These portfolios prove to be a great asset at interviews, enabling your child to evidence their vocational qualifications and skills as well as the qualities and values that employers look for. Your child’s progress towards these certificates is measured throughout their time at College and they are constantly encouraged to improve, with guidance on how to achieve GOLD.
College Connect page 4
first hurdle!
Why it’s so important to be in class on time... We all know the importance of being on time for work and appointments, and helping our young people get into good habits is part of the life skills we teach…but there’s a much more important reason not to be late to class.
The opening ten minutes of the class is crucial to effective learning for the rest of the session. In the ‘opening phase’, the teacher consolidates the learning from the last class, links it to what will be taught in the session ahead and sets out what key elements of learning will be covered. It provides a road map for learning…without it, the late learner is like a ship without a rudder for the rest of the class. So the next time your son or daughter presses the snooze button, it would be great if you could go in there, switch the light on and remind them about the early bird…
Attendance and Reporting an Absence We appreciate your support in promoting the importance of good College attendance to your child. If your child is going to be absent from College, please report this as early as possible by calling: 01204 482 999. The line is open Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.
College Connect page 5
g n i t bra
Cele
ip h s e tic n e r App
l a n o i Nat 0 2 0 2 k e e W
Amber Glennie, Painting & Decorating Apprenticeship Level 2 Ever wondered what it’s like to be an apprentice?! Wonder no more! For National Apprenticeship Week 2020, we followed apprentice Amber Glennie, to find out exactly what ‘A Day in the Life of an Apprentice’ is like!
Molly Breakspere, Personal Trainer Apprenticeship Level 3 Our apprentice Molly Breakspere works at Bolton Arena as a Personal Trainer. For National Apprenticeship Week 2020, we caught up with the fitness fanatic to ask her 10 questions about Apprenticeships – here’s what she had to say…
College Connect page 6
y l l a rb o C m ! a P d U A D E R I F L L IS A Apprentice star Adam Corbally has ‘Fired Up’ year 10s & 11s for National Apprenticeship Week 2020. Adam, who reached the finals of the BBC’s Apprentice in 2012, visited 13 Bolton secondary schools including Harper Green, Canon Slade, Ladybridge, Rivington & Blackrod and ESSA Academy, inspiring pupils with the story of his road to success. The College, which is part of the University of Bolton Group, planned a series of events to mark National Apprenticeship Week, with Adam at the helm of the secondary school visits. .
Adam’s Applocum Takeover Adam also found time in his hectic schedule to visit AppLocum, a local Bolton company who have revolutionised the medical recruitment process. AppLocum strive for a sense of community, and have invested time in developing a number of College apprentices in the areas of management, accounting and business administration. Check out Adam’s takeover of Applocum, there are four epsiodes in total.
College Connect page 7
As well as providing an excellent learning experience, we aim to support your child to develop the understanding, skills and behaviours to lead fulfilling, worthwhile and happy lives. Good wellbeing underpins successful learning and supports progress to further learning and employment, so our whole College approach aims to provide the best possible experience for your child. Your young person will be provided with opportunities throughout their learning journey to reflect on and enhance their wellbeing. In addition to their learning programmes we provide a menu of activity and support based on the NHS 5 Steps to Wellbeing: Connect, Be Active; Keep Learning; Give to Others and Be Mindful. You can find
out more about the 5 Steps to Wellbeing by visiting: www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/
College Connect page 8
1 1
Encouraging your child to engage in out-of-class activities and clubs to support their wellbeing.
2
3
Our curriculum promotes positive health and wellbeing, providing your child with sources of online support for mental health and wellbeing.
4 5
l
Opportunities for your young person to engage in socia action projects.
Mentors, personal tutors, support workers, the mental health team and others, work with groups and individual learners to support mental health and promote wellbeing.
We have an excellent counselling service if your young person needs more professional support during their time with us. We also work with many partners in the local area, if we need to direct your child to support outside the College.
To find out more follow the link to our Wellbeing for Learning and Life Strategy: www.boltoncollege.ac.uk/assets/Uploads/Wellbeing-forLearning-and-Life-Strategy.pdf College Connect page 9
Help & Support with Finances £ We offer financial support with College essentials such as travel, meals, equipment and childcare.
rs Eligible* learne ge attending Colle three days per week could
Save up to
Our Pass – the door to Greater Manchester and all that it has to offer. Our students each receive an Our Pass, which enables them to travel around Greater Manchester, anytime, free of charge! To find out more visit: www.ourpass.co.uk help@ourpass.co.uk 0300 323 0777
FREE College Meals * are available if your child or your
family is in receipt of any of the benefits listed below, and has an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 as assessed by HMRC. • • • • • •
Income Support Income based Jobseekers Allowance Income based Employment & Support Allowance Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit
*Learners must meet eligibility criteria and apply for financial support once they are enrolled. This information is based on our 19/20 offer and is subject to change according to Government regulations and funding for 20/21.
College Connect page 10
Support through Bursaries £
A Discretionary Bursary* is available for eligible learners to help towards costs such as travel, equipment and meals whilst at College. Your child may qualify if your family’s income is £20,000 or less a year and they travel more than two kilometres from home to College (Google Maps is used to determine distance). Learners entitled to a Discretionary Bursary also receive a free ‘Meal Deal’ on the days they are studying in College.
Care to Learn* is a Government scheme which will cover 100% (up to £160 per week) of childcare costs for learners who need to arrange care for their own children whilst they study. You can find out more information by visiting: www.gov.uk/care-to-learn/overview
If you think your child is eligible for financial support whilst at College please encourage them to apply as soon as they have enrolled at the College. For pupils finishing school this year, our Financial Support Application Forms will be available from June but they can’t be returned until enrolment has been completed on or after GCSE results day. More information on Financial Support is available from our Student Finance Team. You can contact them on 01204 482 199 or via studentfinance@boltoncc.ac.uk College Connect page 11
The Door to
University
Our merger with the University of Bolton created many opportunities for our students, meaning there’s never been a better time to study with us!
JS Aspire Card Bolton College students progressing to university receive an exclusive £500 on their JS Aspire Card! They’ll be able to spend this money on a range of items which will aid their learning experience such as books, electronic equipment, course materials and more.
College Connect
page 12
EXCEED Programme Our EXCEED programme is designed to give our students an early taste of university life through exciting masterclasses, guest lectures, study visits, and more! Advantaged membership of the University of Bolton EXCEED programme Learners will have the unique opportunity to join the programme alongside their studies so that they can discover the vast professions their course can lead them to whilst enhancing their skills and experience. We’ll provide: • Masterclasses and guest lectures from expert professionals in their field • University visits and use of modern facilities • Access to mentoring and coaching • Extra support in university applications EXCEED will help learners to become a…. • • • • • • • • • •
Future Artist Future Engineer Future Creative Future Business Leader Future Health Professional Future Sport Practitioner Future Scientist Future Law Professional Future Psychologist Future Teacher
Exclusive invitation to Offer Holder Days All Bolton College students will receive a guaranteed offer* on a course in their chosen field and an invite to an Offer Holder Day which covers in depth information about the subject they’ve received an offer for. *Subject to meeting entry requirements.
Guaranteed place to the Get Ahead! Summer School To ensure that transitioning to university is as smooth as possible, the Get Ahead! summer school will allow learners to get an early taste of university life, meet new friends and take part in enriching activities.
College Connect page 13
Part of the University of Bolton Group
Delivering GOLD STANDARD T Level Qualifications from 2021 T Levels are a brand new Gold Standard two year, nationally-recognised Level 3 qualification. Successfully completing a T Level is the exact same as finishing three A Levels. T Levels are career focused rather than subject based, combining classroom learning with meaningful on-the-job experience. The programme has been designed with employers and businesses, with the inclusion of English, maths and digital skills.
T Levels coming in 2021 From September 2020 your child will be able to apply for a range of T Level programmes, including: • Construction – Design, Surveying & Planning • Onsite Construction • Digital Production, Design & Development • Education & Childcare • Health Pathway • Science Pathway To find out more visit:
www.boltoncollege.ac.uk/t-levels
Can you offer Work Experience? Issam Iqbal From work experience to work at RRG
If you’re an employer, or work for a company who’d like to support a young person to gain work experience, we’d love to hear from you. What’s in it for you?
College Connect page 12
• Additional help at no extra cost • Support from enthusiastic students • Grow your own talent • Raise your profile in the local community • Develop existing employees’ supervisory skills Call our Work Placement team on 01204 482 954
