As a record number of students settle into the new term, the city's college is celebrating winning not one but two awards for the student services it provides to support them throughout the college, and is awaiting news of another two awards later in the term.

Exeter College has been awarded the NHS South West 'Young People Friendly Health Services' accreditation for the importance it attaches to the health and wellbeing of their students, has passed the stringent assessment for the Buttle UK Quality Mark for its work with care leavers, and has been nominated for two Times Educational Supplement FE Awards – Outstanding Provider of the Year and Outstanding Leadership in Learning and Skills.

“Each year we celebrate the success of our students – whether that is through excellent exam results, outstanding training achievements or inspiring music, art or community achievements” said John Laramy, Deputy Principal, “but what is even more important is the welfare of all our students that helps them enjoy their time at college and achieve all the successes they can. The NHS and Buttle awards show how the welfare and student services teams work with our tutors to ensure all students are supported and we are delighted that this work now has this important recognition.”

The NHS award came after a challenging visit to the college in May when the work of the college nurses and welfare teams were scrutinized. The report, published this week, notes “there was a genuine determination to ensure that students felt “safe” in all aspects of their time on campus and in terms of young people friendly this is a high performing service”. The service provided to individual students by the college nurses was particularly praised, helping students make sense of health issues and often providing the important link with external clinics and treatment. Also noted was the work of tutors across the college who develop students' skills in personal, health, social education through a series of intensive tutorial sessions that target healthy eating, sexual health, alcohol and drug awareness.

“Raising the importance of health and well-being with all our students is crucial particularly with our young students.” said Sarah O'Shea, head of safeguarding, tutoring, equality and welfare, “This award is a practical benchmark that helps us measure the quality of the service we are providing and it will challenge us to keep that emphasis throughout the year with our welfare teams working with tutors. The report recommended some useful additions to our service including how we improve the way that minority groups access our welfare services.”

The Buttle UK Quality Mark is awarded to institutions that can demonstrate they have a sufficiently robust strategy in place to support students from a care background.

“Young people who start at the college who have previously been in a children's home or in care can sometimes need particular support,” said Samantha Cox, welfare officer, “The start of term can be unnerving for any student but for care leavers it is yet another change in their lives which may have already been quite unsettled so we ensure that, through our welfare teams and tutors, we are ready to help them settle into college very quickly.”

The college worked with the Devon Care Leavers Service to create a support programme based on a multi agency approach. This means that each young person leaving care has a tailored support service which can include weekly contact with the welfare team, support at care review meetings and support for financial issues ensuring that any equipment or resources needed for their college course are provided through the programme.

Exeter College is also eagerly awaiting news later in the term from the Times Education Supplement about its nominations as the Outstanding Provider and Outstanding Leadership in Learning and Skills. “We're rightfully very proud of the college and the achievements of our staff and students”, said Richard Atkins, Principal “The college has enjoyed an exceptional year with our Outstanding Ofsted pilot inspection in March, stunning exam and training results in the summer and the excitement of new and refurbished facilities opening this term. We're very pleased that these achievements have gained national recognition through these nominations and are looking forward to the announcement at the World Skills event in Birmingham in November.”