Express amd Echo – Friday, June 05, 2009, 23:00
GIFTED students at Exeter College are being helped to obtain university places in a pioneering new programme.
The Reach Academy is one of the first of its kind in the country offering students the chance to hone their speaking and debating skills with some of the nation’s top experts in their fields.
Sponsored by the Met Office in Exeter it gives students access to a year-long speaker programme, master classes, residential trips and study skills workshops.
A college spokeswoman said the activities were aimed at ensuring the students are challenged to reach their full potential and succeed in progressing to some of the country’s best universities.
Speakers taking part in the scheme include Spencer Dale, chief economist of the Bank of England; BBC presenter George Alagiah and Derrick Ryall from the Met Office.
Interview by Janet Murray
The Guardian, Tuesday 2 June 2009
I grew up in South Africa, where I built up a successful catering business with a million-pound turnover. I employed 44 staff, who worked in a variety of settings, including country clubs, golf clubs and wedding venues.
But living in Johannesburg wasn’t easy. We lived on a six-acre agricultural smallholding and security was always an issue. With two young children to think of, my wife and I had talked about leaving South Africa many times, but had decided to stay and try to contribute to a better society. When nine armed gunmen stormed our house four years ago, we were forced to reconsider. They tried to break in twice that night.
Despite the seriousness of the attack, the incident wasn’t followed up by the police, who lost the records. Having lost all confidence in the police, we decided to leave Johannesburg. Luckily, my wife was born in Scotland and had a British passport, as did my children, so we were able to move to the UK.
We sold the business and moved here in January 2005. We had friends in Cornwall so we stayed there for a while. The idea was to buy a tearoom or delicatessen, but we couldn’t find a suitable business. We’ve ended up with a kebab and pizza shop in Dawlish, Devon, which is profitable, but not our ideal business, so we’re trying to sell and start another catering firm.
Although I didn’t do formal catering qualifications in South Africa, we had a good reputation built up through word of mouth. Starting from scratch in the UK, I realised I might need to offer reassurance to new customers, so I decided to take a catering course at Exeter College.
I started last June and have enjoyed it immensely. The tutors are committed to getting you all-round experience and providing opportunities, through service at the college’s in-house restaurant, to get me the practical chefing experience I can’t get in a pizza and kebab shop.
Meanwhile, my girls, now 12 and 15, are settling into life in the UK. Living above a shop, they miss the space they had in South Africa, but they don’t miss being frightened. They still sleep with mobile phones under their pillows, though. Some habits are difficult to shake.
Above all, we value our safety. Back in Johannesburg, my dad still sleeps with a gun under his pillow. I love being able to travel back from college on the train at night and not wake up several times a night worried about intruders. I wouldn’t want to go back to that life.
• Mark Palos is doing an NVQ level 3 in professional kitchen cookery at Exeter College
EXETER College’s most academically gifted students are to be helped to get into top universities in a pioneering new programme that is one of the first of its kind in the nation.
They will have the chance to hone their speaking and debating skills with some of the country’s most respected figures in their fields, giving them an upper hand in getting into the universities of their choice.
The Reach Academy sponsored by the Met Office will give Exeter College’s most academically-able, A-Level and International Baccalaureate students access to a year-long, prestigious speaker programme, master classes, residential trips and study skills workshops.
All the activities are aimed at ensuring the students are challenged to reach their full potential while at college and succeed in progressing onto some of the country’s best universities.
Speakers who have already promised to give lectures and lead debates for the Reach Academy include Spencer Dale, Chief Economist of the Bank of England, George Alagiah, BBC News correspondent and presenter, and Derrick Ryall, Head of Defence Climate Research Programme at the Met Office.
The Reach Academy starts in September and applicants to the prestigious programme will need to get top grades in their GCSE exams this summer and undergo a rigorous selection process to get a place.
It was launched at the Met Office on Monday, June 1, when Penny Tranter, head of Met Office College and former BBC weather presenter, several Reach Academy applicants from St Peter’s C of E College, Clyst Vale Community College and Exmouth Community College.
Anne Oxborough, Assistant Principal of Exeter College who is leading the Reach Academy, said: “This is an exciting and unique programme. All the activities for the Reach Academy have been planned to be directly relevant for students applying to the country’s leading universities, where admissions officers are placing more and more importance on the extra-curricular experience applicants have.
“For example, the Reach speaker programme is designed to be fun, stimulating, cross-curricular and to introduce students to new ideas and ways of thinking. Each lecture or master class will be followed by a debate or discussion so that students can build self- confidence in speaking and debating – key skills for selective universities and employers. The speakers on the REACH Academy programme are also some of the country’s most respected figures in their field.
“We are also thrilled that such a world-class organisation as the Met Office is sponsoring our ground-breaking initiative to give students a head-start in reaching for the top in their chosen careers.”
The Reach programme will allow Exeter College’s most academically-gifted A-Level students to take part in a range of activities mainly in their first year of study to prepare them for submitting university applications by the start of the second academic year.
Other Reach master class speakers include Professor Martin Goodman, Oxford University and BBC consultant on Romans and Jews: the history of anti-Semitism; Dr Jim Gilbert, Chair of Medical Ethics Committee at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital and Director of Exeter Hospice; Professor Sue Blackmore, psychologist and neuroscientist and author of books on consciousness; Frances Cairncross MBE, Rector of Exeter College Oxford and distinguished economist; Dr Paul Redmond, Head of Employability and Careers at Liverpool University and author of books on successful careers; Professor Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor Exeter University and international politics expert; and Ben Bradshaw, Exeter MP.
In addition to the Reach Speaker Programme there are careers and progression interviews, A-Level study skills and exam technique workshops, career management sessions, university conferences and UCAS, interview and admissions test preparation skills.
There are also subject-specific optional activities, for example, reading, current affair, science and modern languages groups, competitions, residentials, summer schools, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Oxbridge shadowing and mentoring and Ten Tors.
The Reach Academy Residential in London includes visits to the Operating Theatre Museum with a demonstration of Victorian Surgery, the Bank of England, a West End Theatre and the House of Commons.
HARDY students from Exeter College are celebrating completing the recent Ten Tors and Jubilee Challenge with flying colours.
Six students from across the college took part in the gruelling, 45-mile trek across Dartmoor led by International Baccalaureate student Jethro Cooke.
Another nine Foundation Studies students with varying learning difficulties put their best feet forward to ace the shorter Jubilee Challenge.
They were all congratulated by principal Richard Atkins at the college this week.
Iain Taggart, Public Services Lecturer and Ten Tors Manager, said he was proud of their achievements.
He said: “The teams successfully completed a very tough route over the weekend.”
AN adult opportunities fair is to be held in Exeter this week, where people can find out how to develop their skills and careers.
Exeter College is hosting the free event this Wednesday in conjunction with the launch of its new part-time courses guide.
There will be free seminars on a variety of different subjects, including starting your own business and English as a second language.
There will also be demonstrations about what you can learn on different courses available at the college.
Guests can also find out more about the wide range of technical, professional and recreational courses on offer and enrol at the fair on the day.
Experts from Exeter and Bicton colleges, the Open University, Exeter and Plymouth universities and Nextstep will also be on hand to answer questions.
Chris Lorimer, director of business and marketing at the college and ambassador for the Echo’s Bites Back campaign, said this was exactly what the city needed.
He said: “It is an opportunity for people who have just been made unemployed, or feel they may be at risk of unemployment, and are looking to enhance their skills or even change their career entirely.
“It will give them a wide range of opportunities to hear directly about how training and development can help them succeed.”
The fair will be held on Wednesday from 5pm until 8pm at the Centre for Creative Industries, opposite Exeter Central Station, in Queen Street, Exeter.
For further information about the event visit www.exe-coll.ac.uk or call 0845 111 6000.
PART-TIME photography student Justine Hyde has been named a finalist in the national photography competition, Colleges on Camera.
There was one finalist selected in each of the nine LSC regions and full-time mum Justine won through in the South West region.
Justine said: “Our new buildings define our present meaning and sense of place and yet we cannot forget how the older buildings brought us to where we are today.
“To best attain equilibrium and understanding of this idea, we should continue to celebrate the best of the past within the setting of the present, and always on the optimistic shoulder of the future.
“For this reason I wish to celebrate how Exeter College has recently invested in buildings of the future yet placed them harmoniously and respectively within the setting of the past.
Thinking of re-training?
Want to gain new skills?
Want to take up a new hobby or interest?
Then Exeter’s Adult Learning Fair could be for you…
Please Click here for more information on the Adult Learning Fair
29th April 2009
Exeter College reached the finals of the British Colleges National netball Knockout Cup on Wednesday which is to be played in Sutton Coldfield on Wednesday May 6th against Cardinal Newman.
Having travelled to Hereford, Exeter found it difficult to overcome the long journey and took time to settle. There were outstanding performances by both shooters, Katie McGinley and Sophie Garton, showing consistency and accuracy. Both teams played quick, skilful and tactical netball and Exeter had the lead going into the final quarter. Tiredness was setting in and errors began to creep into the game.
Millie Cooper in defence had been vital in stopping the onslaught but was substituted due to injury .Hereford clawed back and took the lead but with 30seconds to go Hannah Strong made a vital interception and Exeter drew level.
The final whistle was blown and extra time was set. Hereford had the first centre pass but outstanding defensive play by Vikki Brooks and Hannah Burak allowed Exeter to take a 4-1 lead. Hereford again applied pressure and caused Exeter to lose concentration allowing them back into the game. With 3 minutes to go Hereford made vital interceptions and took the lead but Exeter once again fought back and some outstanding work from Jess Bennett and Steph Kift allowed Exeter to score in the final seconds and win by one goal 55-54. A well deserved place in the final V Cardinal Newman on May 6th.
29th April 2009
EXETER College students put their pedal power to the test recently when they visited the nation’s only velodrome.
Pete Kempton, who organises the college’s Bike Club, organised the trip to Newport Velodrome to raise awareness of cycling.
Research from Cycle Exeter, which sponsored the trip, shows that 25% of St. Luke’s students ride to school and 35% of Isca students.
Exeter College is currently applying for ‘Cycle Friendly’ status and has new Cycle Parking.
Pete said: “Track cycling at a Velodrome is very much in the public eye at the moment with all the Olympic medals and Chris Hoy being the current BBC ‘Sports Personality of the Year’.
“A trip to a Velodrome was high on the agenda of our priorities for the year. This is the sort of experience that students would otherwise find very difficult to arrange for themselves.
“We booked two hours at the track together with an experienced coach and never believed we could be riding the banking by the end of the session.
“However, it was an afternoon of exciting, achievable challenges at every stage, and everyone was riding on the boards by the end of the session, with most at ‘Chris Hoy’ speeds (well maybe not quite) high on the banking.
“I will be organising another trip later in the year for both students and staff.”
28th April 2009
Exeter College has delivered a bespoke leadership and management course to 18 managers at a national property consultancy.
The managers at NPS South West’s three Devon offices were presented with an ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) accredited certificate following successful completion of the management training course.
Amanda Brent, Director of Business Support for NPS South West, who worked with Exeter College to develop the programme, said: “Investing in training and developing staff is even more critical in times of economic difficulty and we have been pleased to work with Exeter College to deliver this course”.
Dan Meek, Senior Land Agent who is responsible for managing Devon County Council’s farm estate was one of the successful delegates. He said: “I have already implemented some management techniques learned, which has undoubtedly improved team efficiency and effectiveness.”
Diana Moyse, Exeter Business School Employer Engagement Manager, said: “The collaboration between NPS and ourselves has worked very well and the Development Award enabled us to develop high quality training that reflected the commercial business priorities of NPS”.
