Annual Review 2021 by Reaseheath College

Annual

Review 2021

www.reaseheath.ac.uk

Message from the

Principal

2021 continued to bring challenging times due to the Covid pandemic, but was also full of positivity, opportunities and forward planning. In typical Reaseheath spirit, we got our heads down, got on with it and did our best!

“There is heightened awareness of the value of students with the right specialist skills, and also the attitudes and resilience that employers require.”

Marcus Clinton Principal and Chief Executive

So first I’d like to join our governors in thanking all staff for our strong overall academic performance in the face of such a challenging environment. This was evidenced by the external validation of our Self Assessment Report in which we reviewed our outcomes, strengths and areas for further development. The overall message was one of a good performance for the academic year 2020-2021. This was a remarkable effort and I thank all staff for their dedication, creativity and resilience which have enabled us to continue in our resolve to do our very best for our students. We remain strong academically, with high student satisfaction and achievement, often above national rates. This has resulted in robust undergraduate, student and apprentice recruitment – all of which stands us in good stead for our next Ofsted inspection. We are now concentrating on developing a forward looking curriculum with increasing emphasis on sustainability and innovation. This includes continuing the exacting work of preparing for the introduction of T Levels in September 2022, initially in Construction and Business. FE recruitment is above target, and we are seeing strong growth in apprenticeships, demonstrating the alignment of our curriculum with national skills demand. The offer from University Centre Reaseheath is being transformed, with many appealing degrees being finalised. We also continue to develop our adult offer, in line with the growing emphasis on lifelong learning. While acknowledging the pressures of 2021, we must also remember its many highlights. We have celebrated examples of great practice and engaging activities in all areas of our college and university centre, some of which you will find in the pages which follow. We also applaud the incredible efforts of our Student Association, which set records for student engagement with their events, activities and societies and were able to present £15K to our students’ chosen charity ‘Make-A-Wish UK’. Again, a wonderful example of ensuring that our students had the best possible all round experience. We have always worked closely with partners, employers, individuals and organisations, ensuring we are in alignment with the Government’s latest FE White Paper and its emphasis on industry ready skills.

David Pearson MBE Chair of Governors

One of the key highlights of 2021 was the establishment of our industry leading Reaseheath Engineering Apprenticeship Academy. We have

repurposed extensive facilities on the nearby Hurleston Business Park and invested £250,000 into upgrading and installing state-of-the-art training equipment in the engineering workshops. This bespoke academy has become the base for the UK’s first bus and coach engineering academy, created in partnership with First Bus, and is delivering tailored training to First Bus apprentice engineering technicians in the maintenance of zero-emission transport vehicles. We are also delivering bespoke electrification training for Bentley Motors from this site. You can read more about this exciting initiative on pages 12 and 14. We have also gone further on several fronts, including leading on a Net Zero Carbon Conference which was attended by around 200 businesses and individuals. The main theme to come from the conference was the need for collaboration and the vital role of skills in achieving net zero, with much interest in setting up sectorial working groups. Our Food Centre team were successful in passing the AA BRC audit for the third consecutive year and we remain the only college to have achieved this benchmark. Maintaining such high standards is proof of this team’s commitment to excellence and ensures that our students are learning to the highest standard in the very best environment. We also hosted the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, a major and prestigious event within our business community. On top of that we launched our centenary birthday celebrations, notably with an anniversary cheese which we displayed at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards, and with other events on campus. There will be much more of this to report on in 2022. We continue to pilot through a fast moving and dynamic environment filled with uncertainty and challenge, but, thanks to our wonderful Reaseheath Family, we will develop where required and maximise opportunities as they arise. We will remain open to change, but by working together we will make that change positive and develop ways of working and learning. This will keep our wonderful college where it needs to be – at the Leading Edge.

Our Mission Industry focused, career ready

Our Vision n Be the leading specialist land-based college in the UK n Be the preferred place to learn, work and progress n Support the growth and prosperity of the specialist land-based industries, technical sectors and rural communities we serve

n Place our students and staff at the heart of everything we do n Provide an inclusive offer facilitating appropriate progression for everyone

n Deliver an inspirational learning experience and environment supported through our values, our guiding principles and commitments

Our PRIDE Values People: We will work together in a safe and secure environment with a positive approach to our own and others’ health and wellbeing. We will respect democracy and individual liberty, recognising the valuable contribution each person can make to society.

Responsibility: We will be responsible for our own actions and decisions whilst making a positive contribution to community cohesion and pride. We will demonstrate environmental sustainability through our behaviour.

Integrity: We will demonstrate honesty, integrity and ethical standards in everything we do. We will respect the rule of law and act fairly in the best interests of all.

Diversity: We will actively promote equality; recognise, respect, promote and celebrate diversity and individual difference and strive to create an inclusive environment. We will challenge behaviour or views which discriminate against others.

Excellence: We will challenge ourselves to strive for the highest standards of quality and behaviour by adopting a supportive self-critical approach in our pursuit of excellence. We will always aim to be the best that we can be.

Our Drive:

Strategic Aims and Objectives Our five year strategic plan, implemented in 2019, sets out our vision to be the leading land-based and technical college in the UK. This will ensure the sectors we serve have highly skilled, technical specialists with the right attitude and aptitude for work. We will do this through our guiding principles, which are to ensure that: 1

We are financially strong, sustainable and able to invest to continually develop so that all our stakeholders can benefit from an outstanding environment supporting learning, personal development and positive experiences.

We are relevant and meet the needs of students and employers. Our students will benefit from up-to-date high-quality programmes of study that meet their individual needs and the needs of employers.

We create a sustainable environment by ensuring students, staff and industry have the skills, knowledge and facilities needed for the emerging challenges of net zero carbon, resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.

We have excellence in all we do and consistently exceed expectations. We will continually strive to ensure we have a high performing culture with high expectations alongside the highest levels of support and infrastructure.

We have a leading edge. We will lead in the sectors we serve, be engaged with our stakeholders and take an innovative approach to ensure we are at the forefront through our specialist facilities and equipment, technologies, our people, systems and processes.

Our top priorities within the strategic plan are: 1

Our offer - We will continue to refine our curriculum in order to facilitate high quality and impactful learning for our students, regardless of their starting points.

Our people - We will continue to invest, develop and shape our ‘Reaseheath Family’ to ensure we are able to support our evolving delivery model and offer.

Our environment - We will continue to improve our environment to ensure we keep students at the heart of what we do. We will do this by providing specialist technical education facilities while delivering on our commitment to a sustainable environment.

Our employer solutions, innovation and scholarly activity - We will develop our relationships with businesses, public sector and private sector partners so that our students and clients have relevant technical and professional skills.

Our core processes and supporting systems – We will achieve our ambition of inter-operable, complementary systems and processes that add value, remove waste and release time for staff and students to engage in innovation and personal development.

Continued investment ensures progress Reaseheath College and University Centre Reaseheath have some of the most progressive facilities and resources in the country and we have continued to invest despite another challenging year.

Vertical farm completed The UK’s largest training and research centre for vertical farming was completed on campus and is allowing us to grow crops and ornamental plants indoors under controlled and sterile conditions. This project showcases technological innovation within this specialised sector and is part of the Institute of Sustainability and Food Innovation, a joint venture between Reaseheath and our academic partner, the University of Chester. We will be offering undergraduates and businesses the opportunity for applied research and technical training and are already linking with local schools, particularly in the practical application of digital and STEM subjects. The build was supported by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which contributed £340,000 through its Local Growth Fund.

Institute of Technology We are among high performing educational institutions to have benefited from government investment into higher level technical skills and innovation through Institutes of Technology (IoTs). IoTs are collaborations of specialist colleges, universities and employers who work together to produce skilled workforces for priority sectors such as agri-technology, sustainable food production and environmental land management. Led by Cheshire College South and West, our IoT also includes Warrington and Vale Royal College, Macclesfield College, Priestley College, the University of Chester and employers within the Cheshire and Warrington LEP region. We are using our share of the £13million funding to expand our offer of higher technical qualifications, higher apprenticeships, degrees and professional courses for adults. We are integrating further state-of-the-art technologies into our commercial farm, agri-technology centre and food innovation centre, expanding our teams of vocational and academic experts and ensuring current lecturers are at the forefront of sector developments.

T Levels We have received further funding to help roll out T Levels for 16 to 19-year-olds. These new qualifications have been developed to meet the needs of businesses, have a technical focus and are an attractive alternative to ‘A’ Levels. They offer a mix of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ training which includes a substantial industry placement. From September 2022 we’ll be offering three T Levels: OnSite Construction; Design, Surveying and Planning; Business Management and Administration.

Reaseheath100 Reaseheath celebrates 100 years of cheesemaking We celebrated 100 years of cheese making in this our centenary year at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards - the world’s largest cheese and dairy show. Reaseheath has been training dairy students since its launch as the Cheshire School of Agriculture in 1921 and we marked the special occasion by producing a unique Reaseheath100 cheese. The Cheshire cheese was made in our industry standard food processing halls by Level 5 apprentice dairy technologists using traditional methods and cultures from a century ago. We also proved that we fully embrace modern technology, research and development by displaying a seaweed cheese which we are developing in partnership with Oceanium and Mara Seaweed.

Commemorative flower bed celebrates centenary A commemorative flower bed celebrating our 100th birthday has taken centre stage in Nantwich Town Square. The project, in partnership with Nantwich in Bloom, marks our long history as an educational institution and invites our local community to share the significant milestone with us. Designed and planted by Royal Horticultural Society students, the flower bed has Reaseheath’s blue and gold logo and the number 100 planted out in colourful bedding. Reaseheath became an educational institution in 1921 when it opened its campus to male students only. It soon expanded to offer courses in agriculture, dairying, poultry keeping and horticulture to male and female students and has remained at the forefront of horticultural innovation ever since.

Florists create tribute for Reaseheath100 Level 2 florists celebrated our centenary birthday by creating displays showing how floristry skills have evolved over the past 100 years. The students researched techniques and materials used over the past century to illustrate how their industry has progressed – and how some current trends have come full circle. They created two displays which went on show in our Centre for Horticulture Environment and Sustainable Technologies and were much admired by passing students and staff. One incorporated traditional and contemporary design to create a ‘Then and Now’ picture of wedding floristry while the other featured contrasting designs with flowers and accessories in our corporate colours of blue and gold. Both used sustainable materials.

Our Students

Further Education

Morgan is BBC Countryfile Champion Inspirational student Morgan Tudor flew the flag for young farmers at the finals of the prestigious BBC Food and Farming Awards. The Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Agriculture student was one of three national finalists in the Countryfile ‘Young Countryside Champion’ category. The award is presented annually by Countryfile, the BBC television flagship series, and celebrates young people who are making a positive impact in the countryside. Morgan took over his family’s farm after his father died in a tractor accident. Despite his youth he has continued the farm’s transition from beef to dairy and also completed his qualification with us. Judges commended his drive, passion and determination.

Daisy recognised as floristry star Floristry student Daisy Annandale has been recognised with a prestigious industry award which celebrates young talent. Despite being the youngest contestant in The Florist Magazine and Good Florist Guide’s ‘Thirty under Thirty Awards’, Daisy was selected as the ‘One to Watch’, with judges agreeing that she shows enormous promise and has a great future ahead. The award was presented at a conference attended by over 100 leading florists and allied professionals. Alongside her studies Daisy works for Flores Diem, a florist and house plant specialist. She was nominated by the company’s Creative Director and Designer Vivienne Derricutt, herself a Reaseheath ICSF Level 4 Higher Diploma in Floristry student.

Gamekeepers praised by NGO Our Game and Wildlife Management students were praised for their professionalism and efficiency when they supported a prestigious clay shooting competition. The Level 3 Diploma students were on duty at the National Gamekeepers Organisation (NGO) 2021 Golden Grouse Clay Shoot at Bolton Castle, North Yorkshire Moors. They released the clays and did the scoring on the stands throughout the six hour competition, which attracted 140 high aiming competitors from across the NGO membership. As well as highlighting shooting expertise, the competition is a key networking event and our students met and were commended by industry figures for their excellent attitude and appearance.

Arena party praised for HOYS support

Stylish new home for mongooses

Our student arena party again earned praise from key industry professionals for its support of the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) – the world’s most famous horse show.

Our yellow mongooses are enjoying a stylish new enclosure in Reaseheath’s mini zoo thanks to our Level 2 Diploma in Animal Management students.

Forty students and staff worked alongside the show jumping course designers and supported the dressage championship, the Pony Club mounted games and the harness scurry throughout the action packed, five day programme. Their efforts helped to provide a seamless spectacle for thousands of visitors and were much appreciated by the organisers, who praised the team’s enthusiasm, high standards and work ethic. Always a favourite event, HOYS 2021 was particularly memorable as we celebrated a decade of providing the arena party and also the start of our centenary year.

The students designed and built the replacement home for mongooses Bertha and Barry in practical ‘stretch and challenge’ sessions where they were encouraged to research the animals’ natural habitat and use sustainable building practices. The result is an eyecatching themed enclosure, highlighting the illegal wildlife trade, which has been built entirely from recycled and repurposed materials. Gifts of materials from many college departments were combined with further donations from the public and local businesses such as Nantwich Saddlery, and the whole build was supported by our Animal Centre’s dedicated maintenance team.

Our Students Higher Education

Landscape architect is rising star

RABDF success for agriculture undergraduates

BSc (Hons) Landscape Architecture graduate Nathan Webster has been recognised as one of the most promising young stars of the UK’s landscaping industry.

Two agriculture undergraduates celebrated success in the prestigious Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) Awards 2021.

Nathan was a winner in the prestigious Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation 2021. The initiative recognises the 30 top young people in the sector and is one of the highest awards achievable.

Hannah Morten (pictured), who has now completed her Foundation Degree in Agriculture with Dairy Herd Management, was runner-up in the RABDF Farm Health Management Award (University Category), while fellow undergraduate Ben Broughton was one of seven finalists in the RABDF Dairy Student of the Year. Both awards attracted high numbers of excellent entries.

Contestants were judged by respected industry professionals and scored on their passion, skills, qualifications, achievements and goals, plus their potential to inspire new entrants. Nathan, who is a landscape architect for Wright Landscapes, received his award at FutureScape 2021. He has also won a British Association of Landscape Industries award for his design of a client’s garden.

Sadly, Covid-19 restrictions meant that Hannah missed out on her award ceremony at Dairy-Tech and Ben was unable to give his presentation live at the Farmers Club in London. But both felt that their achievements were highlights in a challenging year.

Access to HE students rewarded Two highly committed students who prepared for vocationally focused degree study on our ‘Access to HE’ programme had their academic achievements recognised with lucrative regional awards. Dayne Mcleggan (pictured) and Rory Brace, who had both been out of formal education for over ten years, each received a £600 bursary at the Open College Network West Midlands ‘Access to HE’ Learner Awards. Dayne, who originates from the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos, has progressed onto a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture Science while former events manager Rory is following his passion for landscape architecture. Both agree that their one year course has opened new and exciting doors to career opportunities which they didn’t know existed.

Project earns awards and benefits employer A research project completed as part of our degree level Eden programme earned a dairy technologist two major awards and industry-wide acclaim – as well as financially benefitting her employer. Stephanie Nish, Environment, Health and Safety Co-ordinator for Arla Foods Lockerbie, applied sophisticated technology already at her workplace to determine the criteria for optimum firmness of cheese curd at cut. She used this data to modify the recipe for her employer’s cheese manufacturing process, resulting in improved fat retention which in turn increased cheese yields. Stephanie carried out her project during her final year of studies with us under the supervision of her lecturers. She completed her practical research at her workplace.

Emerging survey technique detects newts BSc (Hons) in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology undergraduates are using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to survey Reaseheath’s ponds for the presence of great crested newts. This rapidly emerging survey technique is highly effective at confirming the presence of rare or hard to survey freshwater species and is becoming widely used by professional ecologists. Animals and plants which inhabit water leave minute traces of eDNA which can be detected during analysis of water samples. Our undergraduates are surveying all 12 ponds on our estate and identifying where populations of great crested newts exist, allowing us to focus our efforts on the future management of this European protected species.

Our Students Apprentices

WorldSkills UK gold for apprentice butcher

Zero emission training pioneered

Butchery apprentice Jason Edwards proved he is the nation’s best by winning a gold medal at the WorldSkills UK Butchery national finals.

Reaseheath and industry partner First Bus have established the UK’s first bus and coach engineering academy and are training apprentices in green technology. The academy is delivering bespoke training to First Bus apprentice engineering technicians in the maintenance of next generation, zero-emission transport vehicles.

Jason completed his FDQ Diploma in Professional Butchery Level 2 with us in 2020 and manages Littlers Butchers, a high street shop in Hartford. This is his second medal at national level and follows the bronze award which he won at the WorldSkills UK finals in 2019. He has now moved up to international level and will represent Team GB in the apprentice category at the World Butchers Challenge in California, USA, in September. WorldSkills UK is the nation’s largest celebration of vocational skills training and showcases the technical expertise and professionalism required by apprentices.

We have created a new Engineering Apprenticeship Academy, invested £50,000 into state-of-the-art training equipment and recruited experienced tutors and skills coaches. First Bus has equipped our purpose-built, heavy engineering workshops with hybrid electric training buses and other specialist training tools. Apprentices learn in a workplace style environment which provides a seamless switch between depot and learning. The first cohort of 22 apprentices, including several female students, have begun their Level 3 training programme.

Apprentice successes at international cheese show Cheeses produced by apprentice dairy technologists on our degree level Eden programme won gold and silver awards at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards - proving they are capable of manufacturing cheeses which are among the best in the world! The apprentices made the cheeses in our industry standard food processing halls during training sessions with our experienced tutors. The awards came in the Student Cheesemakers class at the international show, which attracted over 4000 entries and is part of the world’s biggest and most prestigious cheese festival. Classes are highly competitive and winning entries must be outstanding in flavour, texture and taste. The apprentices also stewarded for top judges and networked with senior industry professionals.

Construction plant apprentices win top accolades A construction plant apprentice who remained focused despite serious illness was recognised with a national accolade. Lucy O’Rourke, who works for Sunbelt Rentals, received the Judges Special Award at the Construction Plant-hire Association’s ‘Stars of the Future Awards 2021’. The prestigious competition is an annual industry highlight and recognises outstanding engineering apprentices who have the potential to be sector leaders. Judges selected Lucy after hearing that, despite being hospitalised with Covid-19 complications, she completed her college studies and remained keen to return to work. A second Reaseheath apprentice, Beth Doel from HSS Hire, was also a national winner and we took a further five regional awards. Reaseheath itself was runner up in the College of the Year category.

IMI supports carbon neutral future Automotive electrification and how it is driving us towards a carbon neutral future was a main topic for discussion when our awarding body partners, The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) visited Reaseheath’s progressive Engineering Apprenticeship Academy. The academy is home to the UK’s first dedicated bus and coach academy and our visitors were keen to see how we have worked with industry partner First Bus to provide a comprehensive and relevant apprenticeship programme for the company’s apprentices. Michelle Barrett, Business Development Manager, and Tony Lawson, End Point Assessment Manager, toured the workshops and training facilities and gave a presentation on the benefits of student membership of the IMI to the First Bus apprentices.

Industry excellence

Third accolade for Food Centre Our outstanding Food Processing Halls team has achieved the highest standard of food safety and hygiene within a food production facility for the third consecutive year. Following a rigorous audit against the latest BRCGS (British Retail Consortium Global Standard) Version 8, the team, led by Quality Assurance Co-ordinator Laura Bateman, was again awarded the prestigious AA standard. This is the highest benchmark for best practice in food manufacture and proof that our Food Centre operates under highly controlled conditions and at the highest industry standards. This benefits both our students and the industry partners who use our facilities for new product development.

Electrification training for Bentley Our motor vehicle team is delivering bespoke electrification training for Bentley Motors, helping the company to meet an increased need for skilled technicians in this fast changing area. The High Voltage Level B training course is being offered to selected employees involved in Bentley’s progression to hybrid and all electric vehicles and who require specialist training within their current roles. The training, which combines online and practical learning, is delivered at our new Engineering Apprenticeship Academy and we have taken delivery of a hybrid Bentley Bentayga for training purposes. Bentley has also invested in specialised training for Motor Vehicle Programme Leader Wayne Dyson to ensure that the electrification course aligns to the Volkswagen Group’s levels of training.

MP praises technical innovation Edward Timpson CBE, Member of Parliament for Eddisbury, learned about technical advancements on campus during a fact finding tour. Mr Timpson was updated on our latest horticultural innovation, the UK’s largest training and research centre for vertical farming, which was completed in 2021. Vertical farming is the practice of growing plants indoors in stacked layers under controlled and sterile conditions. He also visited our robotic milking centre and associated data hub, which allow us to deliver training in green technology. Both projects have been supported by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership through its Local Growth Fund. Mr Timpson said he was delighted to see us showcase technical innovation in the fast growing and specialised land-based sector.

Zero Carbon Conference A virtual conference aimed at tackling climate change, hosted by Reaseheath, attracted 200 businesses, organisations and individuals. We and partners Cheshire East Council and Sustainable Nantwich organised the Cheshire Net Zero Carbon Conference as a regional response to COP26. Our aim was to guide businesses and organisations across all sectors to meet regional, national and global net zero carbon targets. Other event supporters included Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the University of Chester, the National Farmers Union, Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) and utilities company EQUANS. All are committed to a localised net zero programme.

ACT delivers construction training Our Construction department is partnering with Cheshire Surveys, land surveyors and setting out engineers, in an initiative to deliver advanced digital and skills training to the region’s construction and allied industries. The Advanced Construction Training (ACT) project, funded by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, enables selected colleges to partner with leading employers from within the sector and to invest in sophisticated digital surveying equipment. The collaboration aims to develop and promote skills in new technology which will help companies to build high quality, sustainable and efficient buildings and infrastructures. Warrington and Vale Royal College is leading the project, while we join Cheshire College South and West, Macclesfield College and UTC Crewe as ACT centres of excellence.

BHS praised for sector partnerships The Chief Executive of the British Horse Society (BHS), James Hick, praised our thriving sector partnerships when he visited Reaseheath’s Equestrian Centre during our annual Equine Industry Week. This initiative puts the spotlight on the diverse equine careers available within the sector and encourages students to consider their options. James toured our training facilities, judged a student turnout competition, met our teaching team and learned about the ways we work with employers to ensure our courses are relevant to the equine industry. He was impressed by our efforts to meet the requirements of employers through collaborative partnerships, and was delighted that students can study for BHS qualifications alongside their college studies.

Campus tour impresses NFU NFU Cheshire County Chairman Richard Blackburn and Cheshire County Advisor Helen Wainwright learned about the latest technical innovations on campus during a fact finding tour aimed at strengthening partnerships between Reaseheath and the region’s farmers and food producers. Their visit, which took in our new Robotic Milking Centre with associated Data Hub and Vertical Farming Centre, highlighted the support and guidance which we offer the agricultural and horticultural industries, particularly in sustainable green technology skills training. Ways of achieving informed business decisions and production efficiencies were discussed, along with opportunities for successful farmers to become further involved in educating the next generation of agricultural students.

Our Communities Students praised for fundraising Students and staff were praised for continuing to raise funds for charity despite the challenges of Covid-19. Student Association members presented a cheque for nearly £15,500 to children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK. The money was raised through virtual and actual activities over a two year period which included a sky dive, a raft race on the campus lake and students collectively walking the distance between Land’s End and John O’Groats in local parks. Make-A-Wish UK is a children’s charity which helps to grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses, and the money will help to make ten young people’s wishes come true. The cheque was handed over to long term Make-A-Wish UK volunteer Nikki Wrench.

Reaseheath Remembers Reaseheath united to mark Remembrance Day in honour of the people and animals who made and continue to make sacrifices during conflict. A campus-wide effort delivered 142 knitted or crocheted poppies which were used to create a display of the number 100, linking the centenary of the Royal British Legion with our own 100th birthday. Building Heroes military veterans retraining in property maintenance chose Reaseheath’s flagpole as their location to honour the fallen, while our countryside department made a display of small wooden crosses where staff and students could pay their respects. Public services students recited a poem, and other tributes included a portrait of a carrier pigeon, commemorative cakes and Air Force memorabilia.

Nantwich Buddies thanked Local volunteers received a surprise ‘thank you’ for their invaluable support of our Covid lateral flow test centre, which in turn helped us to ensure a safe return to campus. Nantwich Buddies, a community volunteer support network, aided our own testing team daily for two weeks by registering and marshalling students, staff and visitors and by cleaning and disinfecting the testing booths. Nearly 6000 lateral flow tests were administered and the extent of measures put in place enabled face to face teaching to resume as seamlessly as possible. We showed our appreciation by presenting the volunteers with bouquets, Reaseheath cheese and vouchers for college activities.

Amputee footballers impress We are proud to be the national home of the England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) and were delighted to welcome visits from freestyle footballers and global influencers Billy Wingrove and Kieran Brown in the run-up to the European Amputee Football Championships. Billy filmed his sessions with EAFA’s elite squad for ‘The F2’ YouTube channel and was in awe of their skills, while Kieran invited national goalkeeper Thomas Atkinson to join him on our all weather pitch for a series of challenges. All players demonstrated spectacular moves and our visitors were impressed with both them and our fantastic facilities. EAFA is dedicated to improving access to football for those with a limb disability and is credited with changing perceptions within the sport.

BHS volunteer honoured BSc (Hons) Equine Science alumnus Mary Lennon has been honoured for her tireless support of the British Horse Society (BHS). Mary, who is Treasurer of the BHS Greater Manchester Committee, received the BHS ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’ from BHS Chief Executive James Hick in a presentation held at Reaseheath’s Equestrian Centre and attended by Cheshire and Manchester committee members. Mary was selected for her promotion of the BHS, her help in recruiting and supporting new members and in particular her efforts to protect safe riding routes through the official recording of Rights of Way. She also co-organises fund raising rides and events.

Pupils create ‘Field to Fork’ meal Pupils from Wrenbury Primary School learned about sustainable food production and healthy eating by making a nutritious meal as part of a ‘Field to Fork’ initiative run by Reaseheath. The pupils used our Food Centre to prepare a dish which included salad leaves they had previously sown at college. They were supervised by Level 3 Diploma in Food Technology and Management students led by Simon Radley, former Executive Chef and Director of Catering at The Chester Grosvenor. Simon, who completed over 30 years at the five-star hotel, designed the recipe for pumpkin flat bread, hummus and oakleaf salad and trained our students in its preparation. He has selected further recipes for future visits by the school.

Bumper collection for Foodbank Our generous students and staff pulled together to help local people in need. All departments were involved in collecting non perishable food, household items, toiletries and festive treats to make up a bumper Christmas delivery for Nantwich Foodbank. The Foodbank, which was set up in 2013 by The Trussell Trust in response to food poverty, has seen a massive increase in requests for food parcels throughout its national network. Nantwich Foodbank supported 2,146 individuals in 2021, nearly 40% of whom were children, plus additional Christmas parcels for 509 people.

Reaseheath

Alumni

Dan Lewis Level 3 Construction Plant Engineering Apprenticeship 2018 Job title: Traverse Vehicles Engineering Manager, British Antarctic Survey Dan has enjoyed his second incredible Antarctic experience as one of three vehicle engineering managers overseeing the heavy duty vehicles which provide logistical support to the British Antarctic Survey. He is in charge of the traverse fleet, the expedition vehicles which haul the fuel, scientific equipment and supplies for the survey team, and describes his role as a great adventure, with the added incentive that he could be helping to solve climate crisis. He spends half the year in Antarctica and the remainder in the UK testing how mechanisms react in low temperatures and modifying equipment.

Charlotte Daniels BSc (Hons) Zoo Management 2015 (First Class) Job title: Project Assistant Intern with the United Nations Environment Programme Great Ape Survival Partnership (UNEP-GRASP) Following her UCR degree Charlotte accepted two seasonal jobs at UK wildlife parks, then volunteered at a chimpanzee rescue centre in Cameroon. That led to a role as chimpanzee caregiver at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, Dorset, for four years during which time she completed her Masters and had her first piece of research published. She now has an exciting internship in Nairobi with UNEP-GRASP, a partnership of governments, research institutions, United Nations agencies, conservation organisations and the private sector.

Abi Donaldson and Georgina Nixon Foundation Degree in Bakery and Patisserie Technology 2021 Job titles: Joint owners of The Northern Cakery Co., Lancashire Abi and Georgina both wanted to run their own businesses and achieved that dream by forming a partnership and opening their own cake and coffee shop in November 2021. They both ran successful online cake businesses while UCR undergraduates and combine running their shop with meeting orders for pre-existing and new online customers. They say that the creative and business skills they gained at college and university gave them the confidence to take the project forward, along with the additional professional certificates they achieved. They also appreciate the advice on business administration and marketing which they received from our Business Hub.

Our Year in Review

2021 student numbers:M 2,200

Further Education

Higher Education

699

Apprenticeships

680

690

Residential students

502

Students supported with bursaries

£602,000 660

Awarded to students in financial support

Students using college transport to Reaseheath daily

£1.5m

Amount Reaseheath College supported students with cost of transport

Student Experience Surveys Higher Education National Student Survey Results

89%

Staff are good at explaining things.

Staff had made the subject interesting.

82%

My course has provided me with opportunities to bring information and ideas together from different topics.

The timetable works efficiently for me.

78%

82%

80%

The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance

Further Education Pulse Survey

98%

Of students feel they are on the right study programme.

Of students are satisfied with their experience so far.

99%

Of students feel safe in college.

98%

Measuring success: 84% of learners believe that their course has improved their career choices or prospects

93% of learners would recommend the college to a friend

97% of 16-18 years olds achieve their qualifications

59% of apprentices were successful, 1.5% above the national average

REASEHEATH NATIONAL AVERAGE

59% 57.5%

91% of learners progressed into a positive destination such as employment or further study

Our GCSE Maths pass rate (Grade 9 – 4) is 5% above the average of all colleges

REASEHEATH ALL COLLEGES

41% 36%

8.1 out of 10 learners report that their course has improved their confidence and has helped them to make progress

Total number of staff Staff breakdown by role

597

Staff numbers by gender

39%

Teaching

65%

Female

19%

Teaching support

35%

Male

41%

Non-teaching

Staff satisfaction

97% 97% 95% 95% 97%

of staff are proud to work for Reaseheath College and University Centre Reaseheath of staff gain job satisfaction from their role of staff are optimistic about the future of the college and university centre of staff would recommend Reaseheath as a good place to work of staff feel the senior team are leading Reaseheath in the right direction

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives • To improve our data collection to provide meaningful reports by protected characteristic groups and intersectionality, which give insight into the college and enable us to identify areas for improvement, and take positive action to improve reporting rates • To maximise the accessibility of our campus, website, language, technology, and approach for our learners • To introduce and promote wider engagement activities for our staff and students and build links with external EDI and community networks to encourage a wider appreciation of lived experiences both within the college and beyond • To utilise every opportunity to celebrate diversity and inclusion and take opportunities to start brave conversations to improve our learning environment

Reaseheath College Group

Financial Results 2020/ 21 502 £602k 23% 58% £1,155k

Students were awarded a Bursary The amount of money we awarded in bursary The proportion of income generated from Student fees Staff costs as a percentage of total expenditure The underlying surplus after adjustment for exceptional costs

Reaseheath Colleges Group

Income for 2020/21 Where does the money come from? 1% £22.2

Funding body grants

£8.3

Tuition fees and education contracts

£0.2

Other grants and contracts

£2.5

Catering and residences

£0.8

Farming income

£0.4

Transport

£1.1

Other income

£0.0

Endowment and investment income

3% 1%

23%

62%

Reaseheath College Group

Expenditure for 2020/21 Where is the money spent?

0.4%

12%

£19.9

Staff costs

£0.0

Fundamental restructuring costs

£2.0

Other operating expenses including exam fees, staff development and recruitment

£1.9

Transport, student bus costs

£1.1

Establishment costs, including professional fees, insurance and administration

£2.1

Premises costs including utilities, maintenance, rent

£4.0

Supplies and services costs including farm expenditure, IT costs, food and provisions

£2.8

Depreciation and amortisation

£0.4

Interest and other finance costs

58%

3% 5% 6%

Reaseheaths College Group Financial Summary for 2020/ 21

£35.6M - £34.2

(Total Income) - (Total Expenditure)

= £1.38M

= (Underlying Operating Surplus)

Reaseheath Nantwich Cheshire CW5 6DF General enquiries 01270 625131

enquiries@reaseheath.ac.uk

Websites

www.reaseheath.ac.uk www.ucreaseheath.ac.uk www.reaseheathbusinesshub.com

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