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Exceptional Results for Exeter College Access to Higher Education Students

Exeter College’s truly exceptional summer of results has continued with the stunning success of their Access to Higher Education (HE) students, who are celebrating a huge 96% achievement rate.

The results mean that the vast majority of students on an Access to HE course at Exeter College now have the skills and qualifications to move on to fully-fledged degree level studies at universities throughout the UK.  

“They truly deserve these incredible results, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll all go on to achieve next,”

Lucinda Sanders, Exeter College Director of Adult Learning

The outstanding results follow the news earlier this summer that the College’s International Baccalaureate students achieved a 100% pass rate. Over a third of students achieved more than 40 points, putting them in the top 5-10% of students in the entire world.  

For many adult learners, an Access to HE course is a route into a higher level of study for those who don’t hold many formal qualifications or don’t meet the current entry requirements for university level education. Having completed their Access course at Exeter College, this cohort of students can now go on to make applications to study at universities, safe in the knowledge they have the required qualifications to make a successful application.  

Exeter College Director of Adult Learning Lucinda Sanders said, “It’s hugely satisfying to see the success of our Access students, especially during what has been a unique academic year for their studies with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I’m thrilled that they’re celebrating their achievements in their courses. It will certainly unlock their future ambitions when it comes to university level study. 

“It was great seeing the way students and staff adapted to the pandemic to continue teaching and learning at an incredibly high level during difficult circumstances. I want to thank all our teaching staff and students for taking to the new way of working so well. They truly deserve these incredible results, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll all go on to achieve next.”  

Exeter College Access to Healthcare student Amy Mulvihill, 20, achieved an incredible 45 distinctions, giving her the grade profile to be accepted to study Midwifery at the University of Southampton.  

“I’m so happy that I’ve got the results to go on to study at university. When I last studied, I just missed out on what I needed to get in, so I’m really pleased that I’ve got what I wanted.” 

The student from Exmouth wanted to pay tribute to the Exeter College lecturers that supported her during her year-long programme of study.  

“From the start, they found out about our entry requirements for where we all wanted to study and what we wanted to do at university. This meant they could support each of us in the right way for what we wanted to go on to study in the future, and that definitely made it all easier to understand and relevant to our interests.  

“It has been an enjoyable and sometimes intense year, but everyone is really supportive. Someone is always there to help you if you need them.” 

Find out about former Access to Higher Education student Anna Grayson, who used her Art and Design course to become a fully-fledged artist.  

Find out about Access to Higher Education with Exeter College.  

Discover Exeter College’s wide range of courses for adult learners.

Improved Bursary Support Announced at Exeter College

Bursary support 

In response to the ongoing financial impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic, we’re extending our bursary support to make more students eligible to apply for financial help through the scheme. 

Our Bursary Fund is used to provide financial support to 16-19-year-old students from low-income households, helping to cover some of the costs associated with their further education. Our funding can help to cover resource fees, travel costs and access to free school meals.  

If you’re a school leaver who is due to start with us in September 2020 and you come from a household with a combined income below £24,000, you are now eligible to apply for support via the Bursary Fund which would include a free travel pass to get to and from College. Similarly, you would be eligible to receive a 50% contribution towards fees and, if required for your study, a DBS check and a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card.  

On top of this, we’ve also expanded the scheme so that more learners can benefit. Those from households earning £17,000 or under are eligible to apply for free travel as well as 100% of costs covered for resource fees, DBS checks and the CSCS card. Those from households in receipt of certain means-tested welfare benefits are eligible for all of the above, plus free College meals.   

Director of Student Experience Kristyn Woodward said, “We’ve moved all of the boundaries to include more students to be eligible for this funding support.    

“As an organisation, we’ve worked to support the community through this challenging period with our supply of PPE to the NHS, our work with Food4Heroes to provide free meals to NHS staff and now this shift in bursary support moves to support our next generation of learners to get the exceptional education they deserve, no matter what the circumstances.”    

We allocate our Bursary Fund on a first-come, first-served basis, and students will need to provide evidence of household income when applying for support. Get the bursary application form now.    

We would also like to remind students that even if they’ve completed a year of study at different further education provider, they’re still eligible to join us at Exeter College to restart or continue their chosen courses.  

Wellbeing and Support 

The changes to our Bursary Funding is just one of the many ways we look after our learners, inside and outside of College.  

From application to graduation and beyond, we’re proud to support our students throughout their studies.  

Here at Exeter College, we have specialist teams in place to guide, support and mentor students. Our College Advice Team is there to support applicants from the start of their college journey, helping them decide on their course choices and answering questions on study requirements and life at the College. If you’d like to speak to a member of our Advice Team, you can contact them on CAT@exe-coll.ac.uk.  

When students join us, their first point of contact is their Personal Tutor. Our tutors are there to guide, monitor and support students’ progress, helping them to achieve their goals. Additionally, they also oversee the implementation of our Personal Development Programme, which is designed to help learners think about their long term goals and how best to achieve them.  

We also have a fantastic Student Experience Department at our college. This team supports students with wellbeing, enrichment opportunities and financial support during their studies. Furthermore, we have a team of counsellors offering our learners a safe and confidential space to review anything that might be bothering them and to help them work out tangible steps to help support them and their student experience.  

Our learners are similarly supported after college when they’re looking for their next steps. Our Progression and Employability Team provide expert advice on anything from how to ace that first job interview, to help with university applications.  

We will be enrolling soon for the September 2020 start. To find out more information, check out our enrolment page.  

If you’re a school leaver, there’s still time to apply online to study with us. Once all documents have been sent over and reviewed, applicants will receive a conditional offer.  

5 REASONS TO ATTEND EXETER COLLEGE’S ADULT ONLINE OPEN EVENT

Are you an adult looking to further your education or learn a new skill? Exeter College is here for you. We’re inviting you to our Adult Online Open Event, Tuesday 16th June 2020, 3pm-7pm, where we’ll help you to find your future.  

This event is directed towards any adult (19+) who is interested in studying a course with Exeter College. Perhaps you’re hoping to move forward with your career aspirations, retrain in a new profession or just improve your skills. We have something for everyone.  

Our Adult Online Open Event is the best and easiest way to find out what Exeter College can offer you…  

FIND OUT ABOUT COURSES 

Exeter College is bursting with opportunities for adult learners.  

We offer a range of course types and subjects, from GCSE English and Maths, professional and leisure courses, university level study and Apprenticeships. We know all learners are different, and that’s why we cater for all levels of learning.   

Our Adult Online Open Event is the perfect place to find out which course could help you to unlock your future, and you can do this all from the comfort of your own home, via your phone or laptop.  

HEAR FROM SUBJECT LECTURERS  

We want you to get the best start to your time at Exeter College, and that’s why we’ve arranged for you to be able to hear from subject lecturers during an interactive seminar.  

Each lecturer will break down their courses for you, so you know what to expect when you start. From course content, timetabling and typical exam results, our lecturers are here to guide you.  

ASK LIVE QUESTIONS 

Each session will give you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.  

After each interactive seminar, subject leaders will respond to your queries. Simply type them in using the question box and get your reply.  

We recommend having a pen and paper handy during the seminar, so you can note down your questions as you think of them.  

HEAR FROM ADULT ADVISERS  

We know that for a lot of our adult learners, the thought of going back into education can be daunting. To help you achieve your full potential, Exeter College’s adult advisers are here to support you.  

Hear about the outstanding adult learning environment at Exeter College and our personalised approach to teaching and learning.  

We make sure you’ll gain the skills to take you to the next level in a supportive and engaging environment.  

LEARN ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT 

Often, adult learners feel there are barriers to returning to education, but we want you to know that we’re here to support you.  

Our Adult Online Open Event will allow you to learn more about the financial support available to students.   

Our advisors will guide you through how to finance courses through funding or other means, and the bursaries the college offers and how to access them.  
 
If you would like to join us at our Adult Online Open Event, you can register your interest here.  

You can view our range of adult courses on our website, or you can request a course guide to be sent to your home. For any additional information, please email our adult advisers on adultadvice@exe-coll.ac.uk.  

To apply for an adult course, please visit our application page. For help with your application, please email info@exe-coll.ac.uk. For adults interested in studying a university level course at Exeter College, you can apply via the online UCAS application system.   

Looking after your health and wellbeing at home

Exeter College is closed due to the Coronavirus outbreak, but the exceptional learning continues for our students.  

In this blog, Jake Cole, our Emotional Health and Wellbeing Advisor, has sourced some top tips on how to look after yourself during a challenging period.  Please also see advice from Young Minds, the NHS, and Mind. 

Connect

This is a huge one – everyone needs to socialise! Even if it’s not possible to pop to your friend’s house, make sure you continue to connect with them online.  

Make plans to video chat with people or groups you’d typically see in person. You can also arrange phone calls, texts or online messages.  

If you’re worried that you might run out of stuff to talk about, make a plan with someone to watch a show or read a book separately so that you can discuss it when you contact each other. 

You can also get yourself a study buddy. Team up with a friend from College to discuss your work and swap revision notes. Not only will this help you connect with others, but it will also make learning from home a lot more enjoyable.  

Routine

With so much uncertainty, sticking to your routine can really help you to maintain a sense of normality. It can also help to reduce anxiety and troubling thoughts.

You might want to add extra activities into your day that make you feel calm but try to keep to your daily schedule as much as possible.  

Figure out what you need to be working on. Write it down with timings on to paper or into an app like Outlook Calendar.  

Choose how long your work segments are. I like to work in 90-minute segments but do what works for you. 

Keep Active

Almost any form of exercise will stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain and will help you to focus your mind. For this reason, try and build physical activity into your daily routine. 

Most of us don’t have exercise equipment like treadmills where we live, but there are still activities you can do. Try cleaning your home, dancing to music, or following along to an online exercise class. 

Regular physical activity can also improve symptoms of anxiety, depression and help you sleep better.

Be aware of your health 

Eating regular meals and staying hydrated will help. You should also take breaks throughout the day to talk to someone or do something you enjoy.  

Be aware of your screen time too. It’s good to have a few hours a day where you are not looking at a screen – perhaps try calling a friend, reading a book or doing some housework.  

Find things that help you feel calm 

Like at any other time, it’s important that you are not only looking after your physical health but your mental health too.  

Acknowledge how you’re feeling. We know that things might continue to feel overwhelming or scary, so it’s good for you to talk about this where possible.  

Think about some activities that can help when you are feeling overwhelmed like breathing techniques, writing down how you feel, playing music, or talking to a friend. Try not to overexpose yourself to the news.  

To draw away from any stress you’re experiencing, write down three positive things at the end of each day. You can also look for opportunities to help others – doing good feels good.  

Extra Resources  

  • There is lots of additional advice on the NHS website. 
  • Check out our WHAM page on the portal for further health and wellbeing information.  
  • Headspace (the mindfulness app) is offering free resources to help people during this time. 
  • The charity YoungMinds offers mental health help and support.  

Remember that these new approaches can be difficult at first. Keep going, you will find a way to make them work if you stick with them.  

Ultimately, it’s down to finding out what works best for you. If you have any additional tips that you think could help others during their studies, share them using the hashtag #ExeCollTogether.    

Find out how exceptional learning is continuing at Exeter College during the Coronavirus outbreak.  

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