As part of Exeter College celebrating 50 years as the UK’s first ever tertiary college, we’re talking to some of the inspirational students, staff and alumni who have helped make us the Ofsted Outstanding education provider we are today.

This month 31 years ago, Exeter College celebrated being given the esteemed Longmans Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, gaining recognition for the quality of education the School of Business Services had provided for its secretarial students. 

The award was presented by the Minister for the Environment Virginia Bottomley to Doreen Askew, Secretarial course co-ordinator and Frances Petersen, Head of the School of Business Services. They were given a trophy and a cheque for £500 at the reform club, Pall Mall. 

Principal at the time Dr John Capey was thrilled that the staff’s work had been rewarded. 

Today, the staff at Exeter College are still being recognised for all of their hard work and for shaping courses to meet employer needs. 

Our Business School remains to offer a variety of relevant qualifications for both adults learners and school leavers, from A Levels to Apprenticeships to University Level courses. 

Exeter College is celebrating 50 years since being named as the UK’s first tertiary college. Although our roots date back to the 1800s, our status as a tertiary college marked a revolution in further education and 2020 marks our 50 years of excellence since that landmark. If you have a memory of Exeter College through the years that you’d like to share then contact marketing@exe-coll.ac.uk or get involved on social media using #ExeColl50