Annual Report
2014/15
CITY COLLEGE … THROUGH KNOWLEDGE …
High in glassed and concrete steeples, soft with breezes borne the sound, ‘pon those decades past in learning, stand we hushed now casting round; Laid beneath us, in the dawning, writ upon this city’s heart, all that cent’ry, and a quarter, where we, modest, played our part.
Growing ever in ambition, throwing wide its arms to all, scholar, artisan and dreamer, out to each her siren call; To the young of Plymouth’s dreaming, arts and trades to urge their rise, that they all on wisdom’s shoulders, might unto the heavens rise.
Three spanned cent’ries, peace and conflict, through its joy, its rise, its spoil, gaze we down now ‘pon our hist’ry, ‘pon our footprints in that soil … Reaching proud across its landscape, as this city rose and grew, casting wide as stocks on meadows, seeds of knowledge in the dew.
In this stone and steel cathedral, all to knowledge predicate, to the young and to their children, sole this place stands dedicate; Theirs the hope and theirs the future, in their hands our hopes and fears, may this college stand to guide them, through their triumphs, through their tears …
© Sullivan the Poet, 2014 Commissioned and written by Plymouth’s Poet Laureate to celebrate the 125th anniversary of City College Plymouth.
If you would find it easier to read this report in larger type or a different format, please call 01752 305300 or e-mail info@cityplym.ac.uk.
CONTENTS Welcome 3 College Vision, Mission and Values
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Corporate Governance 6 Celebrating Success 8 Finance and Quality Measures
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College Statistics 20 Sustainability 22 Equality and Diversity 24
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125
YEARS of providing outstanding education and training
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WELCOME City College Plymouth celebrated 125 years of providing outstanding education and training for Plymouth in 2014/15*. This historic milestone was marked with a series of celebratory events over the year, and now, in our 125th year, the College trains approximately 10% of Plymouth’s population, continuing to provide thousands of young people with the strong start they need to progress in their careers. During the year we opened our new Gazelle STEM Centre a dedicated science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) facility for young people and businesses in the City. Packed with the latest technology, the Centre is designed to capture the imagination of young people, inspiring them to consider the vast range of exciting career opportunities for scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.
This three-year contract is vital to ensuring the construction companies involved have the skilled staff they need to build the planned 5,500 homes and 84,000sqm of commercial and community infrastructure. As part of this, the College is also heavily involved with the City Council’s Building Plymouth initiative, aiming to see 10,000 construction workers recruited in the next ten years.
The College was also successful in gaining financial support to create a Regional Centre of Excellence for STEM. With funding from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, the Regional Growth Fund and Plymouth City Council, this £13million investment will be a huge boost to the City’s education and training infrastructure. It will enable Plymouth and the wider region to meet the challenging demands for a more highly skilled workforce with expertise in STEM, ensuring the growth and prosperity of the City’s innovative and knowledge-based economy.
The 2014/15 Annual Report summarises some of the many achievements the College, our students and our staff have had during the year. It is an opportunity for us to celebrate and demonstrate our enterprise and versatility, and to show how we continue to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
This year also saw our university-level provision come under the scrutiny of a Higher Education (HE) Review by the Quality Assurance Agency. The College received full endorsement of all our HE areas, and also saw higher levels of student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. In addition, our International Partnerships continue to thrive, with the College attracting more and more students from China, Vietnam and India. Our support of the local business economy has also continued apace, and during 2014/15 we have further increased the number of apprentices the College trains with local employers. The College was also successful, in partnership with South Devon College, in its bid to lead the Sherford Training Skills Scheme for the £1billion Sherford Development.
Phil Davies
Nick Holman
Principal
Chair of Corporation
* This report covers the financial year which ran from August 2014 to July 2015. The date of the publication follows the approval of accounts for that year. 01752 305300
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COLLEGE VISION, MISSION AND VALUES VISION To be a College with a national reputation for promoting enterprise, employability, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
MISSION To be the South West’s leading provider of innovative, technical and professional education and training by supporting partnerships for growth, raising aspirations and fostering wealth creation.
VALUES ▪▪
We put our students and our community at the heart of all that we do.
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We foster excellence, innovation and creativity.
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We celebrate diversity and inclusion and the breaking down of barriers to success.
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We have high expectations of ourselves, our students and our partners.
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Governing Body of City College Plymouth, led by Nick Holman as Chair, continues to support and challenge the Principal and Senior Leadership Team. Its primary role is to ensure that the College’s aims and objectives are aligned with agreed strategy and that its vision, mission and values continue to reflect the paramount importance of the student experience and the needs of the community it serves. Drawn from all parts of the community, governors have a balanced mix of appropriate skills to support and challenge the College. In 2014/15, the governing body had 14 members, including the Principal, two members of staff, two students and nine general governors.
Andrew Ashley
Prof. Paul Brunt
Phil Davies
Freelance Project Management and Business Consultant
Head of School, Tourism and Hospitality and Associate Dean Quality and Standards Plymouth University
City College Plymouth
Kelly Dunning
Louise Harrop
Judith Harwood
Human Resources Officer City College Plymouth
Head of Hair, Beauty and Hospitality City College Plymouth
Assistant Director for Learning and Communities Plymouth City Council
General Governor
Staff Governor
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General Governor
Staff Governor
Principal
General Governor
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Nick Holman
Michelle Hughes
Runy Leily
Head of Professional Services Vickery Holman Property Consultants
Finance and Commercial Director MGB Group Ltd
Access to HE - Information Technology Students’ Union President
Pauline Odulinski OBE
Martyn Starnes
Julia Tindall-Jones
Business Consultant
Chief Executive Plymouth Argyle Football Club
City College Plymouth
Emma Tringham
James Venning
William Woyka
Associate Foot Anstey
Marine Engineering Chair of Student Council
Community Organisation Consultant
Chair of Corporation
General Governor
General Governor
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General Governor
General Governor
Student Governor
Student Governor
Clerk to the Governors
General Governor
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CELEBRATING COLLEGE SUCCESS
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CELEBRATING OUR 125TH ANNIVERSARY The College celebrated 125 years of providing outstanding education and training in Plymouth. The occasion was marked with a series of celebrations and a specially commissioned poem from Plymouth’s Poet Laureate, Sullivan the Poet. From our beginnings as Plymouth’s Science, Art and Technical College in 1889, the College has given thousands of young people the strong start they need to progress in their careers, including polar explorers and Michelin starred chefs.
NEW REGIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR STEM Funding for the creation of a new Regional Centre of Excellence for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) was secured from Plymouth City Council, the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal and the Regional Growth Fund. Due to open in 2017, the new Centre will support training and skills in high demand STEM-related occupations as identified in Plymouth’s City Deal.
EUROPEAN COLLABORATION CONTINUES The College was successful in its Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership application, in partnership with Italy, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, to further social enterprise in vocational education and embed this in the curriculum. The project will create continuous professional development tools for vocational, educational and training practitioners. These tools will give them the experience and confidence to embed entrepreneurship in their teaching and encourage entrepreneurship behaviours in learners across Europe. 01752 305300
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SHERFORD TRAINING SKILLS SCHEME The College has been awarded the lead role for the Sherford Training Skills Scheme. This three-year contract will see the College coordinate the provision of skills required to support the on-going construction needs of the new £1billion Sherford development, and will be delivered as a partnership between City College Plymouth and South Devon College.
HIGHER EDUCATION REVIEW SUCCESS The Quality Assurance Agency’s Higher Education Review is the principal mechanism by which the Government assures the quality of university-level provision in further education colleges. The outcome of the review is a critical measure of our performance and the results are published widely. This year’s review showed that the College met UK expectations across the board. The overall student satisfaction for higher education students as measured by the 2013/14 National Student Survey increased to 90% (97% for students who are directly funded through Plymouth University). This is a positive increase, from 85% in 2012/13, and places City College above the national average of 86%.
CHARITY FUNDRAISING SUCCESS Staff and students raised over £4,900 for the College’s chosen charity, Jeremiah’s Journey, with a variety of fundraising activities. These included bake sales, raffles, sponsored activities and festive fancy dress events.
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GAZELLE STEM CENTRE OPENED The College’s new Gazelle STEM Centre, a dedicated science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) hub for young people and businesses in the City, was officially opened by Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council. Filled with the very latest technology, the Centre aims to change student perceptions of the subjects and highlight the career value and entrepreneurial potential they offer. Since opening, the Centre has played host to several school groups and Women into STEM Plymouth events.
HERALD BUSINESS AWARDS The College was the headline sponsor for the 2015 Herald Business Awards. We were proud to support and celebrate the successes of our business community, whilst positioning the College at the heart of the local economy. Over 500 businesses entered the Business Awards, a record number for the prestigious event. They ranged from large companies, employing hundreds of people, to one-person enterprises.
SPORTS FUNDING FOR COLLEGE The College was awarded £45,000 of National Lottery investment from Sport England’s Further Education Activation Fund to help engage more females in sport and physical activity. The funding will be used to improve existing resources, purchase equipment, employ professional coaches and instructors, and to link with local sports clubs to help bridge the gap between college and community sport. 01752 305300
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CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS
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STUDENTS SHINE AT SKILLS COMPETITIONS City College students gave outstanding performances at the 2015 WorldSkills regional competitions. They took joint first in thick platework as well as achieving second, third and fourth in the construction fabrication metalwork category. Our students were also at the regional SkillBuild competition, winning two gold, one silver and five bronze awards.
DIGITAL FUTURES Games development students worked with the Real Ideas Organisation, a social enterprise, who are developing the Devonport Market Hall as a digital centre for arts, community activity and enterprise. The College students presented specially created computer games at a Digital Futures open day held at the Devonport Guildhall, to help raise awareness of the project and its potential.
SPORTS STUDENTS’ SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT In November, sports students organised a week of different sporting tournaments for local schools, as part of their module on ‘organising sports events’. They fundraised, planned and delivered the competition activities as well as involving local companies and sports teams as sponsors. The event was well received by local schools.
STAR APPRENTICE’S AWARD SUCCESS Philip Orme, an apprentice with Steve Mason Decorators, was awarded first place in both the regional SkillBuild and Dulux Student Decorator of the Year competitions. Philip also achieved second place at the Johnston’s Young Painter of the Year competition. His remarkable achievements were recognised with the award of Student of the Year at the College’s annual awards ceremony.
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MP INVITES STUDENT OPINION
100 YEARS SINCE WW1 REMEMBERED
Alison Seabeck MP invited College students to a joint conference to discuss ‘how does our sexualised society affect relationships?’ Three students and their lecturer attended the event, and their responses were fed back to relevant agencies and departments, including the Shadow Secretary of State for Education.
To commemorate 100 years since the start of the Great War, 15 apprentices cleaned war memorials and graves that had fallen into a poor state of repair and become overgrown with weeds at Ford Park Cemetery. Services of remembrance were also held at both Kings Road and the Goschen Centre for College staff and students.
NEW INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT CITY COLLEGE Business management student, Cameron Phillips, secured an internship with awardwinning law firm, Foot Anstey. Cameron went through a rigorous selection process, and was one of only two students selected by Foot Anstey to interview for the role. Cameron’s internship is a varied role, and marks a new development in paid work experience opportunities for City College students.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SUPPORT CHAMBER’S CHINA EXPORT RESEARCH The Devon Chamber of Commerce welcomed eight international students from the College to research export opportunities in China for the City. The students also learnt about the Chamber of Commerce and gained a practical insight into the UK business environment. At the end of their three-week placement the students produced several reports. They presented their findings to Chamber staff at a Plymouth International Trade Club event. 14 cityplym.ac.uk
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We achieved
90%
STUDENT SATISFACTION in 2015*
*Source: The Quality Assurance Agency’s Higher Education Review 01752 305300
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CELEBRATING STAFF SUCCESS
FE LECTURER OF THE YEAR AWARDS Colin Seddon, a lecturer in creative, cultural and digital industries attended the National Final of the FE Lecturer of the Year at the Pearson Teaching Awards. Only six finalists were shortlisted in his category.
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MBE FOR COLLEGE’S DIRECTOR OF WORK-BASED LEARNING Julie McLean, the College’s Director of Work-based Learning, was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list for services to education. Julie has worked at the College for 29 years, and in that time has positively impacted on 27,000 young people. She has worked tirelessly to support young people into employment through Apprenticeships and helped those not in education, employment or training through the highly successful Prince’s Trust programme. Prince’s Trust celebrated its 200th team this year. Julie received her MBE from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle.
TRIPLE SILVER AT PEARSON AWARDS College staff won three silver awards at the annual Pearson Teaching Awards. Chris Brown, a lecturer in literacy, won silver in the FE Lecturer of the Year category. He has spent the last ten years at the College working with young people and adults to improve their reading and writing skills. Also winning silver in the FE Lecturer of the Year category was Programme Manager for Level 1 Health & Social Care and the College’s Parenting Programme, Rebecca Clarke. She has also worked at the College for over a decade. The College’s Healthcare team won silver in the Outstanding FE Team of the Year category, for their commitment to the College’s values of employment, enterprise and opportunities for young people.
QUEEN’S GARDEN PARTY Alison Chapman, who teaches business studies and enterprise, attended the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate those who work in education and the public sector. Alison was invited in recognition of her significant contribution to the College and its students over the years. Also attending the event was fabrication and welding lecturer Dr Clive Easter, who was nominated for his involvement with the Church Monuments Society.
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FINANCE AND QUALITY MEASURES
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 JULY 2015
INCOME Funding body income
Notwithstanding the challenging economic environment with pressures on Government spending, the College Group generated a small operating surplus in 2014/15 of £8,000 and an historical cost surplus of £329,000 (2013/14 - operating deficit of £1,413,000 and an historical cost deficit of £1,092,000). The College has a subsidiary company, Achievement Training Limited, a private training provider operating in Plymouth. Any surpluses generated by the subsidiary are transferred to the College under Gift Aid. During the year, the College Group invested £1,453,000 in building improvements and equipment purchases to improve further the infrastructure available to students and local businesses. This was split between land and buildings acquired of £1,008,000 and equipment purchased of £445,000. In the main, this related to the construction works for the Gazelle STEM Centre and associated equipment. Cash balances represented ten days in hand at 31 July 2015 (2014: eight days). At £1,789,000 net cash inflow from operating activities (2013/14: £601,000 inflow) was strong.
Tuition fees and education contracts
Other income
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE Staff
£000’s
22,171
23,364
6,968
7,567
638
766
1,425
1,602
2
4
31,204
33,303
£000’s
£000’s
20,432
21,623
Other expenses
8,839
9,691
Depreciation
1,630
1,712
205
638
31,106
33,664
98
(361)
0
(885)
(90)
(167)
8
(1,413)
Interest TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Surplus/(deficit) before exceptional items
Surplus/(deficit) for the year retained within reserves Historic cost adjustment
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£000’s
Investment income
(Loss) on disposal of assets
Deputy Principal
2013/14
Other grants and contracts
Exceptional restructuring costs
Nicola Cove
2014/15
HISTORIC COST SURPLUS/ (DEFICIT)
321 329
321 (1,092)
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0.0% Investment Income
51.6% Funding Council Recurrent Grants
65.5% Staff Costs
15.3% Work-based Learning
ANALYSIS OF 2014/15 INCOME
0.3% Loss on Disposal of Assets
13.2% Tuition Fees and Education Contracts
ANALYSIS OF 2014/15 EXPENDITURE
28.3% Other Operating Expenses
3.7% Other Council Funding 4.6% Other Income 9.6% HE Funded Activity
2% Other Grants and Contracts
5.2%
0.7% Depreciation Interest Payable
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2015 2014/15 2013/14 £000’s FIXED ASSETS
2014/15 2013/14 £000’s
£000’s Deferred capital grants
6,146
5,795
Income and expenditure account (excluding pension reserve)
9,180
8,330
(17,978)
(14,272)
(8,798)
(5,942)
5,782
6,103
44
44
3,174
6,000
26,204
26,471
3,559
2,930
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
(5,317)
(5,377)
Net current (liabilities)
(1,758)
(2,447)
Total assets less current liabilities
24,446
24,024
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year
(2,303)
(2,585)
Capital reserves
(991)
(1,167)
TOTAL
21,152
20,272
(17,978)
(14,272)
3,174
6,000
Current assets
Provisions Net assets excluding pension (liability) Net pension (liability) Net assets including pension (liability) 01752 305300
£000’s
Pension deficit Income and expenditure account (including pension reserve) Revaluation reserve
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COLLEGE STATISTICS 2014/15
12,897 Total number of students 12,897, including 795 higher education students and 148 non-EU ‘international students’
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4,068 8,829
Number of full-time students
Number of part-time students
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622
Number of employees
Number of Silver Pearson Teaching Awards won in 2014/15
1,453
 15%
Number of apprentices
(including subcontracted apprentices)
The College’s Apprenticeship success rates are 15% above the national average*
PROGRESSION
In 2014/15, 401 students completing level 3 programmes progressed onto higher education via UCAS.**
* Source: National Success Rate Tables 2013/14 ** Please note these figures only include students entering higher education through UCAS who had obtained their application form from the College 01752 305300
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SUSTAINABILITY
The College has had another proactive year developing sustainability initiatives, thanks to the support of the Sustainability Working Group, Sustainability Focus Groups and curriculum areas. The College continues to drive for change by educating students, staff and stakeholders on ‘greening’ the College and influencing everyone to think about reducing their impact on the environment. An end of year report has been produced by the Sustainability Working Group outlining the College’s successes for 2014/15. Here is a summary of the College’s key achievements: ▪▪
the target of reducing greenhouse emissions by 34% by 2020 was achieved in 2015, therefore a new target of 43% by 2020 has been set
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Goschen maintained its ‘B’ rating in this year’s Energy Certificates
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photovoltaics were installed on the sports hall roof, paid for through an EDF grant and part-funded by the College, taking total peak generating capacity of the Kings Road site to 50kWp
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an interest free loan of £131,836 was secured through Salix for energy saving projects, including replacing lighting with LED, improving heating and improving insulation in the boiler room. All projects will pay back within five years with a predicted CO2 saving of 124.53 tonnes per year
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sustainability embedded through new Sustainable Procurement Policy
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students from Skills Development have successfully helped the wildflower meadow to grow for a second year, encouraging more pollinators to the site
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Laura Parry
Sustainability Officer
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Aramark exceeded their 60% local purchasing target in 2015
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Fairtrade status was maintained, with a student-organised celebration meal during Fairtrade Fortnight attended by the Lord Mayor and the Fairtrade Foundation
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the College wood hosted the Forest Schools Programme, staff workshops, performances and a Christmas carol concert
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students from Romania supported the biodiversity survey and report, to manage and improve conservation on-site
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equipment continues to be sent to the Human Technical Training Centre in Uganda, with yearly audits taking place
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in support of the Green Transport Policy, the College invests over £200,000 a year in a College bus.
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£1,000
secured through MVV Environment Devonport, through corporate sponsorship policy, to set up a gardening club and convert raised flower beds into ‘edible beds’.
‘GrowAllot’, the College’s community allotment project, has worked successfully with students and staff to build a composting toilet, clay oven and shelter.
74% RECYCLING RATE The College has a robust waste management system with an income of £8,600 and recycling 74% of the waste generated - an increase of 7% compared to last year. Over the year, the total amount of waste generated has been reduced by 114.62 tonnes!
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members of staff have purchased bikes and safety equipment through the cycle scheme initiative, now in its second year.
8.6% DECREASE
The College made 8.6% fewer copies and prints last year, resulting in energy and carbon savings.
AWARDED GOLD
for ‘Best University or College’ at the South West Fairtrade Business Ceremony in Bristol. Mark Jones, Aramark General Manager, also won a gold award for ‘Best Fairtrade Advocate’.
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EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY The College has a long-established commitment to equality and diversity. We aim to go beyond expectations and our legislative duty in our drive for inclusion and community development. Equality objectives are set and published annually to promote equality for our students, staff and in our working practices. The College’s commitment to equality and diversity is reflected in one of its core values: ‘WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND THE BREAKING DOWN OF BARRIERS TO SUCCESS’.
Dianne Evans
Director of Student Journey
This was recognised in the 2012 Ofsted inspection, which commented on the ‘high standards of learner behaviour and mutual respect’ and noted that our College ‘provides a very inclusive environment in which previously under-achieving groups of learners enjoy high levels of success’.
In 2014/15 a programme of training in Prevent and British Values took place for staff and Governors. The College Prevent Risk Matrix outlines how the College supports students to become resilient to extremism and identifies ways in which British Values are embedded within the curriculum and College life.
We create a culture and ethos of mutual respect, understanding and tolerance within a friendly, harmonious and safe learning environment. We achieve this by:
This academic year, equality objectives were set to reduce achievement gaps between disadvantaged groups and their peers. Improved performance for learners of most groups, including disadvantaged learners, has resulted in achievement gaps narrowing significantly across the College. Our 2014/15 Achievement Gaps are: Gender 0%, Learning Difficulty +2%, Learning Disability -2%, Ethnicity +4%, Young White +1% and Additional Learning Support 0%.
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welcoming students and staff from all backgrounds
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valuing and actively celebrating the benefits that diversity and difference bring to the College and our society
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believing that all forms of prejudice and unfair discrimination are unacceptable
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raising awareness of equality and human rights, promoting diversity and combating all forms of inequality, disadvantage, prejudice, unfair discrimination, harassment and mistreatment
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a commitment to creating a safe environment
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expecting all members of our community to follow our vision and values for equality and diversity
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providing clarity for those who work and learn with us about the inherently British values of the College.
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There is tailored provision for disadvantaged groups, including those with profound and multiple disabilities, disengaged young people and asylum seekers. The College’s learning accommodation is highly accessible for people with motor and sensory disabilities. Details are set out in the annual ‘Accessibility Commitment’ and on the national DisabledGo website (www.disabledgo.com). There is a College chaplaincy team which aims to provide spiritual support to students and staff of all faiths and none. The team provides quiet/prayer rooms at Kings Road and Goschen. There are excellent nurseries at Kings Road and Goschen. The 2012 Ofsted inspections for each campus identified the effectiveness with which each setting promotes equality and diversity as ‘outstanding’. info@cityplym.ac.uk
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