Exeter College Scoops Seven Awards at National BTEC Awards 2022

The exceptional achievement of Exeter College BTEC learners was celebrated on Friday at the prestigious Pearson BTEC Awards. As well as a number of learners picking up awards, Exeter College was named as Silver BTEC College of the Year for 2022.

Six learners from the College were recognised by teachers and peers for their outstanding work while studying for the qualification. Exeter College would like to congratulate the following learners on their fantastic achievement.

The award winners are:

Keiko Saruta – Bronze – BTEC IT and Computing Learner of the Year 2022
Hal Furneaux-Gotch – Bronze – BTEC Construction Learner of the Year 2022
Megan Fowler – Bronze – BTEC Construction Learner of the Year 2022
Harry Glanville – Silver – BTEC Construction Learner of the Year 2022
Chris Pratt – Silver – BTEC Construction Learner of the Year 2022
Matthew Wood – Silver – BTEC Sport Learner of the Year 2022

Exeter College student, Harry Glanvile, was awarded a Silver for BTEC Construction Learner of the Year. He said;

“Studying a HNC in Civil Engineering at Exeter College was a great stepping stone for me. The specialist knowledge and skills I have learnt during this career focused course has allowed me to apply them in the workplace while working on real life scenarios.

“After completing the BTEC course, this then opened doors for me to continue my progression to a university course so that I can progress in my career of civil engineering. I’m very happy that my hard work has been recognised through this award. I would like to thank the staff at Exeter College, I really appreciate the nomination and I would also like to thank my employer, Pell Frischmann, for the continued support.”

Exeter College student, Hal Furneaux-Gotch, studied for a HNC in Construction and was awarded a Bronze in the BTEC Construction Learner of the Year category. He said:

“My time at Exeter College has been invaluable in furthering my career in the construction industry, developing my academic knowledge and vocational skills, as well as putting me in contact with a wide range of others working in the sector.

“My HNC, combined with my vocational portfolio, has allowed me to obtain Chartered Construction Project Manager (MCIOB) status, and both have made me significantly more employable, having been offered several jobs since finishing the course. Upon completion of my HNC, I was promoted into a senior civil engineer role in local government.

“I am very honoured to have been awarded a Bronze Learner of the Year Award; the COVID-19 pandemic started during my first year of study and so all learning had to be completed remotely. This, alongside all the other challenges associated with the pandemic, made study more difficult than expected and consequently it’s great to have this work recognised.”

The BTEC provision at Exeter College was also awarded with a Silver BTEC College of the Year Award, recognising the hard work of staff and learners alike.

John Laramy CBE, Principal and CEO at Exeter College said;

“We are very proud of our BTEC provision at Exeter College and our learners who continue to exceed, both at College and within their chosen field.

“We are delighted to have this hard work recognised by the prestigious Pearson BTEC Awards as it highlights the outstanding opportunities that these qualifications provide.”

Freya Thomas Monk, Senior Vice President for Vocational Qualifications and Training at Pearson said;

“After two long years spent giving or receiving lessons behind a computer screen, through face masks, or socially distanced, 2022 has been a whirlwind for everyone involved in education. Considering this, it makes the inspiring achievements documented in Exeter College’s submission all the more impressive. The hard work and commitment they – and all our award winners – demonstrated is extraordinary.”

Hundreds of thousands of learners across the globe have completed BTEC courses over the past year. The career-focused qualifications are a vital route for those pursuing careers in sectors such as IT, business, the creative industries, healthcare, engineering, construction and future industries. Many of these industries are suffering from staff shortages and skills gaps which this year’s graduates will be more than equipped to fill.

Find out more about BTEC courses at Exeter College.

Ready to apply? Applications are now open and you can easily apply online.

Exeter College Announced as England Rugby Partner College

Exeter College is delighted to announce it has been successful in becoming an England Rugby Partner College. The College is one of only eight colleges that have received partner status, and will act as a flagship college for the South West, representing the region nationally.

John Laramy CBE, Principal and Chief Executive at Exeter College, said;

“We are thrilled to have been announced as an England Rugby Partner College. Our team work incredibly hard to provide training, management, and opportunities for our young rugby players and this is the next step in making sure our provision is exceptional.

“We have a fantastic partnership with the Exeter Chiefs, with our women and men’s rugby academies ensuring our young people are trained in a safe, inclusive environment and are given incredible opportunities. This was the natural next step to ensure we are delivering an outstanding rugby provision to young people in the South West.”

This partner status means that the College will need to adhere to several operating standards which will benefit the programme. This includes utilising the RFU’s coaches, match official training programme, advocating best practise and providing a safe and enjoyable environment for rugby. The partnership will be player-centred, developing young people through the college journey, whilst using the vehicle of rugby to shape positive on and off field behaviours. It is an inclusive provision, providing rugby for all skills, motivations, and genders.

Chris Wall, Sports Academy Manager at Exeter College, said;

“This partner status is great recognition of all the hard work we are doing around our rugby programme at Exeter College. We are looking forward to collaborating with the RFU to introduce new players to the game of rugby and to support talented players on their chosen pathway.

“This is a reflection of all the hard work of our staff over a number of years in providing such a quality product. Our active role within ECRFU (England College RFU), has allowed us to play a pivotal role in shaping the game for our learners and all students across the FE sector. We hope this ‘Partner College status’ will further underpin our provision and enhance identified areas for improvement, continuing to grow our rugby offer for our student population.

“We are incredibly proud of our provision and believe our values align with those of the RFU to produce well-rounded learners who are confident, resilient, and aspirational while teaching respect, teamwork and discipline, plus enjoying the game too!”

To find out more visit Exeter Chiefs Rugby Academy.

Exeter College A Levels Top 10 Percent Nationally for Outstanding Progress

Exeter College is celebrating being in the top 10% nationally for the outstanding progress of its A Level learners.

The College has recently been awarded a 2022 Alps Certificate of Outstanding Progress, achieving a top 10% national position. This is compared to the A Level outcomes of 2,809 schools and colleges in the UK, including independent schools.

Alps is the leading post-16 data analysis provider in the country, used by almost 3,000 school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and tertiary colleges. The Alps analysis framework aligns with the vision of Exeter College, as it is designed to help students aim for higher grades. It is used to measure the progress of students from their GCSE grades to their A Level results.

This news may not come as a surprise for anyone who shared in the many congratulations for our A Level learners in summer 2022 when the College achieved the best A Level results in its history, and this in a year when students had no previous experience of externally set and marked exams. An incredible 69% of Exeter College learners achieved high grades at A Level (A*-B), way ahead of the national average which this year fell to 62%. In 2022 the College’s overall A Level pass rate of 99.3% was significantly ahead of the national average (98.4%), continuing the legacy of outstanding results at Exeter College.

John Laramy CBE, Exeter College’s Principal and CEO praised students and staff for A Level outcomes, he said;

“I would like to congratulate all our students, who have shown why we are an outstanding college. I would also like to thank all College staff, these results demonstrate that we have exceptional staff, who dealt with the challenges of the last few years with care, talent, and tenacity.”

The College’s 2022 Alps outstanding progress rating is further testament to the quality of the learning experience and ethos of supporting students to achieve their best.

Noteworthy subjects included both Law and Environmental Science A Levels showing progress at Alps grade 2.

Business Studies, which achieved excellent A Level results (with 78% of learners achieving high grades), returned an Alps rating at grade 3.

Our two largest A Level cohorts which saw over 75% (Psychology) and 69% (Biology) of students achieve high grades in their A Levels (with 44% of students in both subjects gaining A or A* grades), also attained an Alps rating at grade 3.

Exeter College and its Governors would once again like to reiterate their thanks and congratulations to the class of 2022 and thank staff, parents, and partners for making 2022 a year to celebrate.

Transforming community life in Exeter through learning

Exeter College Community Learning is delighted to announce a new partnership with CoLab and Exeter City Council. Partners are collaborating to provide opportunities for adults to participate in free and low-cost learning across the city through an initiative called the Urban Learning Academy.

The Urban Learning Academy is a venture exploring innovative approaches toward city-wide inclusive adult learning opportunities. The project was kickstarted by multi agency well-being hub CoLab funded through the National Lottery. It offers a range of sessions taking place in community hubs across the city, rather than a traditional bricks and mortar building,

Maddy Hearn, Adult Community and Partnership Lead at Exeter College, said;

“The Urban Learning Academy is an amazing new learning initiative for the city. Together with educators, and through listening to learners’ hopes and aspirations we are building an innovative programme of free to access learning that is open to all and delivered in accessible, community locations.”

Following a successful summer pilot programme, Exeter College Community Learning has designed a new programme of courses to take place in community locations including Exeter libraries over the winter months. Courses enable people to connect, build skills and improve wellbeing. Adults are encouraged to take part in learning programmes exploring creativity, employability, and numeracy.

Exeter College Creative Writing Tutor Sam Watson, who facilitated Writing at the Museum, a Creative Writing course taking place at RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum) said;

“It is so nice to be able to meet with learners in such creative and inspiring locations. We took full advantage of the space and exhibits available at the Museum, and we wrote some beautiful pieces.”

The Winter Programme aims to offer free of charge, meaningful learning opportunities produced in collaboration with partners, to help shape curriculum and add value for learners. As well as feeling more connected, healthier, and happier, participants will be empowered to build confidence in areas such as writing, everyday maths, self-care, and employability skills.

Learners form close communities through their classes; Catriona, who took a poetry class at Exeter Library, said;

“It was so lovely hearing everyone talking about the poetry they like and great to hear them read their own words.” Catriona described being immensely proud of one of her fellow learners, she said; “They are so honest and so brave when facing challenges.”

Through experimentation, collaboration and a shared vision, the work has created a lively learning community and opened accessible pathways to connect and transform communities through new and innovative learning opportunities. Exeter is a learning city and Urban Learning Academy is providing equity of access in the heart of the city.

Find out more by emailing info@urbanlearningacademy.org.uk.

Exeter College Women’s Rugby Assessment Evening

Elite Rugby Programme at Exeter College – Partnered with Exeter Chiefs

Join us on Wednesday 30 November to take part in our Assessment Evening.

Are you interested in being part of one of the best female rugby academies in the country?

Would you like the opportunity to study full time on a BTEC or A Level programme whilst training as part of your timetable?

You will benefit from:

Regular strength and conditioning and analysis sessions with trained professionals
Highly experienced and qualified coaching staff including current Exeter Chiefs players and international players
Direct links to Premier 15’s Rugby and Apprenticeship opportunities and professional relationship with Exeter University
Weekly fixtures in the most competitive U18 competition in the country.

We create international players year on year and have great representation at England TDG Camps.

There is DiSE opportunity for selected high-level performers.

To book a place on the Assessment Evening please contact Chris Wall via email on chriswall@exe-coll.ac.uk

Find out more about the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Academy.

Lenovo Collaboration Leads to Top of the Range Esports Suite at Exeter College

Earlier this week Exeter College unveiled its newest Esports Suite, bringing the total number of gaming stations up to 40. This has been made possible due to considerable investment from Lenovo, the biggest gaming technology provider in the world.

Esports is a growing industry, said to have a net worth of $3billion by 2022*, with up to 26.9 million monthly viewers** in the US alone, tuning in to watch top gamers play competitively. Exeter College now has over 300 players signed up to its Esports Academy. The Academy aims to provide students with the chance to up-skill, whether they want to be a professional player, shout caster or manage a team.

Rob Bosworth, Vice Principal and Deputy CEO, spearheaded this initiative said;

“Exeter College strives to provide students with cutting edge technology and the skills to succeed in their chosen industry. Esports is a growing industry with a wide-range of careers from team management and welfare to social media management and professional gaming. We are excited to be at the forefront of training our young people for this versatile and exciting industry.

“This state-of-the-art facility has come about due to a unique collaboration with Lenovo. This is the result of 18 months of teamwork and ambition leading to us gaining the most up-to-date and professional gaming suite in Further Education.

“By providing students with sector-leading facilities and outstanding teaching we are setting them up to succeed in the future by giving them a clear line of sight into the esports industry.”

Simon Kirkland, Lenovo Account Manager said;

“Lenovo is fully aware of the importance and further potential of esports in education, as well as the transferrable skills it can equip students with for their future endeavours and careers. The enthusiasm shown by Exeter College on this project has been amazing to be a part of, and I can’t wait to see where they take the esports programme in the future with our latest generation of Legion hardware in place to support them!”

The new Esports suite features Legion T7-34IMZ5 Gaming Rigs with GeForce RTX 3080 graphics cards. Supercharged with Ray Tracing Cores, Tensor Cores and streaming multiprocessors, the thin and light design delivers the most realistic ray-traced graphics, cutting-edge new features, and the power of AI. The enhanced Legion Coldfront 2.0 cooling system ensures that the Legion Tower 7i runs on the most soundless, low-heat, and high-performance conditions possible.

College student Jaidan is studying a BTEC Foundation Diploma in IT. Talking about the new Esports facilities, he said;

“I feel like the new room is a massive step up and it’s fantastic how they managed to get the hardware and technology because it is so advanced. It’s such a pleasure to be able to learn and play in there. How fast a PC runs can determine how well you can play the game, so with these new PCs and the new equipment we will definitely have an edge.”

Exeter College student Freya is studying A Levels in IT, Psychology and Business. Speaking about why she does Esports, she said;

“I love the community; I love the competitiveness of it as well. I like having a college day and then being able to come here and relax and compete at the end of it, it’s just fun.”

The College also unveiled their plans to host the region’s biggest Esports Festival, in partnership with Tech South West. The first South West Esports Festival took place in February this year. In 2023 five major colleges from across the region will join forces to showcase the leading role the South West can play in this booming sector.

*Esports.net

**Insider Intelligence

Exeter College Students Celebrate Achievements at Prestigious Graduation Ceremony

On Friday 7 October, Exeter College graduates took to the stage in Exeter Cathedral to collect their degree certificates. Graduates from a wide range of programmes gathered with their friends and family to celebrate this special educational milestone.

Exeter College has a proud history of delivering Higher Education courses which range from Business to Engineering to Football Coaching and Early Childhood Studies. Many students have already secured employment or will now go on to their next steps in education.

Louise Fisher progressed from a Level 3 course at the College and has now completed a BA in Business Management. She has secured a graduate job in Financial Services. She said:

“I’m a Financial Executive and Insurance Broker which I started in July. My employer opened a new branch in October, so I have used my degree with that and I’m continuing my professional development by doing my CII (Chartered Insurance Institute).

Speaking about her experience at College, Louise said:

“The lecturers and teachers were all supportive. It’s been hard work but rewarding in the end. I’m really excited for graduation today but I also feel really proud because it’s a great accomplishment.”

Principal and Chief Executive, John Laramy CBE, said;

“The Exeter College graduation ceremony is one of the highlights of our College year. The iconic setting of Exeter Cathedral always adds some extra magic to the day and I am sure that the experience will stay with our graduates for many years to come.

“This year’s event was given an international flavour, as our guest of honour joined us from Daytona Beach, Florida. William J Muldoon is Vice Chancellor at Embry-Riddle Worldwide and Managing Director of Europe, part of the esteemed Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Our unique partnership has seen Engineering students visit the university in Florida, as part of the Government’s Turing Scheme. We were delighted he could join us at the Graduation where he gave our graduates and guests an inspirational and fascinating address, outlining the dynamic world of work that our graduates will now join.

“The last few years have not been straightforward, and all our graduates will have learnt new skills, beyond the content of their programmes. It has been a privilege to celebrate with all our graduating students today whether they had completed a degree, a professional course, or an apprenticeship. I would like to congratulate all our 2022 graduates and wish them well for their future endeavours.”

Among this year’s graduates were two award winners. The University of Plymouth Academic Partnerships Prize went to Adam Coombe, a FdA Graphic Design student. He is described as an exemplary design student by his tutor, Nigel Lowe, who said:

“His endeavours to push boundaries and “go the extra mile”, both conceptually and technically, have resulted in professional and innovative design solutions. He has developed not only as a talented designer, but also as a person who now has the confidence to progress to Level 6 at the University of Plymouth.”

Lucy Chard-Maple was awarded the Exeter College Award. She has just completed a BSc (Hons) in Public Services. Talking about her achievements, her tutor, Rev Dr Edgar Mihas, said;

“Lucy has demonstrated exceptional aspiration, determination, effort, motivation, and a pro-active attitude, all of which paved the way for the exceptionally high First-Class Hons degree. Lucy has been a Special Constable throughout her three years as a Higher Education student and is now in the process of joining the Police as a full-time officer.”

Speaking about her time at Exeter College, Lucy said:

“It’s been fantastic, they have always been there for students. They have excellent tutors, and you always get opportunities to progress any skills, not necessarily related to your degree or your course but extra skills that help you every day. I’ve learnt a huge amount from that as well.”

Speaking about graduation, she said:

“I think it’s amazing. The opportunities I’ve had, I’ve been so lucky and had such supportive friends and family, tutors and staff members encouraging me. So, it’s a huge day and I think it’s going to be really good to celebrate that with everyone I love.”

Find out more about university level learning at Exeter College at the next Open Event on Thursday 13 October.

Exeter College is proud to be part of a consortium of Further Education and training providers to deliver skills to the South West. Working in partnership with the Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and the Somerset Chamber of Commerce the consortium has been created to act as a catalyst to align educational provision with business needs in the region.

Consortium members, Exeter College, City College Plymouth, Bridgewater & Taunton College, Petroc, South Devon College, Strode College, Yeovil College, Focus Training and SWATPRO (DSTPN) are delighted to have each been awarded a share of £2.5m from the Department for Education for two projects; “The Heart of the South West Collaboration for Success”, and “Green Skills for the Future”.

Members of the consortium will collaborate to deliver regionally significant projects which focus on delivering skills and training in green construction, automotive, digital, engineering and advanced propulsion.

As part of this vision Exeter College has ambitious plans to develop the first Retrofit Skills Centre in Devon, working with Taylor Lewis and designed by APG, the centre will be an essential addition to the College’s Construction Centre at Sowton Industrial Estate.

To enable collaborative success, the College has set-up the new Green Skills Advisory Panel (GCAP). GCAP is a member-led committee of local building services, housing and construction businesses supported by local authorities, charities and training providers across the South West. The clear purpose is to upskill current workforces and provide green careers, where individuals are educated about new and emerging technologies and techniques to reduce the impact on the environment.

John Laramy CBE, Principal and CEO at Exeter College said:

“Through collaboration and working with industry leading experts and partners, we are well placed to drive the ambitions of the local authorities and the community. Our ambition is that by providing bespoke qualifications, niche skills can be developed to meet the burgeoning demand.

“This funding is an integral part of making this happen and we are excited to work with consortium members to deliver these much-needed skills to our region to enable employers to flourish.

“Exeter College is committed to leading by example on environmental sustainability and this is initiative will help in our plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.”

Best Year Yet for Apprenticeships at Exeter College

This summer saw students across the country collect exam results for the first time in two years, but for Apprentices, every day is results day. The last academic year has seen high Apprenticeship pass rates for Exeter College across all programmes.

Motor Vehicle Apprentices have done particularly well, achieving a 100% pass rate. Construction has had an excellent year too, with a 90% pass rate for Level 4 Construction Management and 96% pass rate for Carpentry and Joinery, with the majority of learners achieving a Distinction at end point assessment.

“Apprenticeships are an integral part of our offer at Exeter College. We are incredibly proud of our Apprentices and what they go on to achieve.”
John Laramy CBE, Principal and Chief Executive

Bench Joinery student Laura Michell has also gained national recognition having come first in an Institute of Carpenters competition this summer. She will be collecting her award in London this November. She said;

“After the first year of my Apprenticeship, I was entered into the Institute of Carpenters competition. When I found out that I had not only won the Regional’s but also the National stage, I was completely overwhelmed and shocked. I’ve always been passionate at trying to be the best at anything I apply myself to and joinery is no exception.

“I am incredibly grateful and honoured to the Institute of a Carpenters to be receiving my award in London in November. Finally, I would like to praise and give recognition to my tutor, Gill Taylor, who from day one has encouraged me to believe in myself and given me an infinite amount of knowledge to perfect my craft. He was a huge inspiration as to why I entered the competition, and I am forever grateful.”

For the third year in a row Exeter College has enrolled over 1000 new apprentices. Not only that, but this year saw the College deliver their biggest ever contract for Apprenticeships, serving more employees than ever before and delivering to a record number of Apprentices. New partnerships with businesses such as Taylor Wimpey have seen the College expand their employer network, offering Apprentices some of the best job opportunities available nationally.

Exeter College celebrates the start of 1000 Apprentices

Director of Future Skills and Apprenticeships, Mike Blakeley, said:

“We set the bar high for our Apprentices at Exeter College and they always deliver. This year we have seen our Apprentices represent us at National Awards, conferences and in government campaigns to help raise awareness about the fantastic opportunities that come with doing an Apprenticeship.

“Working with local and national partners, we continue to adapt and evolve our Apprenticeship offer to maintain a clear line of sight to industry. This ensures Apprentices have a career to progress to and that we are delivering what our local economy needs.”

Working with local partners in response to employer demand, this year has also marked the launch of several new Apprenticeship programmes. A partnership with Exeter Aerospace has meant the launch of an Aircraft Technician Apprenticeship. There are also exciting developments underway in Hospitality and Catering. New professional Construction courses, such as Geospatial Survey Technician and Construction Support Technician, have also been introduced.

John Laramy CBE, Principal and Chief Executive, said:

“Apprenticeships are an integral part of our offer at Exeter College. We are incredibly proud of our Apprentices and what they go on to achieve. We have seen record growth in the sector this year and I believe our accolade of being the best in the South West is down to, not only our Apprentices, but the incredible employers we work with to provide our Apprentices with an outstanding education.”

This year also saw the seventh year of growth for the College’s Pre-Apprenticeship provision. A Pre-Apprenticeship is a skills development programme, through which a young person can gain work experience, industry and employability skills, and Maths and English support if required. Pre-Apprentices has seen a 93% pass rate, with 70% of learners progressing onto an Apprenticeship or full-time work upon completion.

One learner, a care leaver from Eritrea with many skills, enrolled on the Pre-Apprenticeship programme to upskill their English. After working with Pathfinder Homes, they overcame many personal and learning challenges to achieve their long-term goal of securing a full-time job in maintenance.

The Exeter College Apprenticeship team gleaned national recognition on a number of fronts last year. This includes being awarded CMI Learning provider of the Year, an AAC Award for Legal, Finance and Accountancy Provider of the Year, and the AoC Beacon Award for College Engagement with Employers. On the back of this success, the College have been invited to deliver a national best practice webinar for the Association of Colleges this month, and the Director of Apprenticeships and Future Skills, Mike Blakeley, was invited to speak at the Apprenticeships4England conference about exemplar employer partnership practice.

Find out more about Apprenticeships at the next Exeter College Open Event.

Exeter College Adult Learners Praise Teachers as they Collect GCSE Results

As 16-year-olds across the country collect their GCSE results today, adult learners at Exeter College also face the trepidation of opening results.

Exeter College is proud to be celebrating another year of great results from its Adult Learners taking GCSE Maths and English.

Adult learners take the decision to go back into education for a whole host of reasons, including wanting to change direction in their career.

Hubert is delighted with his results for GCSE English and Maths

Hubert Pawlowski, 33, from Exeter works in a hospital as a Health Care Assistant and wants to continue his education to allow him to do a degree in Nursing. He achieved a grade 6 in GCSE English and a grade 5 in GCSE Maths. He said:

“I am very happy with my results; I think the teachers have been great. Maths was always my weaker subject, and the fact that English is my second language as well means it wasn’t necessarily my favourite. I have enjoyed it all very much and I’m coming back here in September to do my GCSE in Biology.”

Sarah Mandeno, Head of Faculty for Professional Adult Learning at Exeter College, said;

“Our adult learners have done incredibly well this year. We are very proud of their achievements and wish them all the best with their next steps.

“Our teachers, as ever, have delivered a fantastic learning experience and learners today have been full of praise for the support and high-quality teaching and learning they have received.”

This was the first time Martin had sat formal exams.

Martin sat GCSEs in both English and Maths. He currently works in clerical administration but would like to work in mental health in the future. This was the first time Martin had ever sat exams and he achieved an amazing grade 6 and 4. Speaking about his experience at College, he said;

“It’s been brilliant, and not just because I have passed. Both of my teachers have been inspirational on a daily basis, but they have also made it fun. I was soaking up everything they were saying. Especially with Maths, because that was the one I was really scared about but they were always very supportive, and I’ve come out with some really good marks.”

Natasha Kingston, 31, from Exmouth has just collected her results for GCSE Maths and English, achieving a grade 4 in both. She now plans to take GCSE Biology before doing an Access course which will allow her to study Midwifery at university. Talking about her experience, she said:

“I was really quite nervous when I signed up, but it’s been great. I’ve made some lifelong friends. It was out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it.

“It’s been really supportive; the fact that the College help pay for childcare and travel and things like that has helped because I was a bit worried, but I would definitely do it again. I’m glad I did it.”

Find out more about GCSE English and GCSE Maths at Exeter College or contact our Adult Advice Team on AdultAdvice@exe-coll.ac.uk or 01392 400170.