Exeter College is once again celebrating ‘Love Our Colleges’ week – the national celebration of Further Education colleges across the nation.

Coordinated by the Association of Colleges (AoC), the nationwide ‘Love Our Colleges’ week; seeks to highlight the brilliant work that goes on in FE colleges.

For the first time, ‘Love Our Colleges’ week has a theme: ‘Get in, go further’, which aims to showcase not just all of the great things that happen in colleges every day, but also the journeys that colleges take their students on.

In the spirit of ‘Get in, go further’ here are ten recent Exeter College highlights that celebrate the journeys and progress of the college, its staff and its students:

• The £10.3 million Institute of Technology Digital and Data Centre was officially opened by minister Gillian Keegan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, in July, and has subsequently won the Constructing Excellence South West Client of the Year Award, and been nominated for Building of the Year and Education Project of the Year at the Michelmores Property Awards.

• Exeter College students shone again in a year like no other, celebrating an A Level pass rate of 100%, International Baccalaureate students achieving an average score of 37.6, and an impressive set of adult GCSE results.

• Exeter College became one of the first institutions to be accredited as an Apple Authorised Training Centre for App Development, which will give students the ability to study Apple’s iOS programming and app development as a module or as a stand-alone course (depending on age).

• In July, Exeter College celebrated winning the British Esports Association’s League of Legends Championship by launching its very own Esports Academy, which will give students interested in competitive gaming the chance to shine in the industry.

• Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive, John Laramy, was awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List in recognition of his services to education.

• John also took part in a virtual roundtable with government ministers and other sector leaders as the Government published its Skills for Jobs White Paper.

• Exeter College students who took the leap with Access to Higher Education courses gained places at prestigious universities.

• Exeter College student and Syrian refugee, Khaled, has become a beacon of the community thanks to confidence gained by studying in the college’s Adult provision. Khaled, who came to Exeter without being able to speak English, has progressed through ESOL courses onto an Access to Business course, and is now aiming to go to university.

• The college continued to build its relationship with Co Bikes and Co Cars, installing stations at both the Future Skills Centre and the Digital and Data Centre, providing staff and students with a sustainable way to travel across the city.

• A record number of Exeter College students applied for places at university, with 20 students being offered places at Oxbridge.

You can find out more about ‘Love Our Colleges’ and Colleges Week here.