Vocational Students Celebrate Results Day Success

Exeter College’s vocational students are celebrating remarkable success ahead of the College’s further investment in technical-based qualifications.

Students across the College’s broad range of BTEC and vocational subjects, from Healthcare to Construction, have achieved incredible results in line with recent years, cementing the College’s reputation for delivering an exceptional education for vocational courses.

“Huge congratulations to all of our learners who are celebrating their results and thank you for continuing our legacy of success,”
Sam Hillman, Exeter College Assistant Principal.

Achievement rates for students on BTEC Sport, BTEC Construction and NCFE Diploma in Childcare and Education were at 100%, while 98% of students studying the BTEC in Health and Social Care achieved a pass mark or better.

There was also great success beyond pass marks, as multiple subjects revealed high percentages of students achieving high grades. A massive 75% of BTEC Health and Social Care students achieved three distinctions or higher and over half of the cohort achieved the absolute top grade of three starred distinctions.

The success of this year’s vocational students reinforces the College’s status as a leading provider of workplace-designed qualifications, helping students to excel directly into industry, further study or an Apprenticeship.

Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive John Laramy said, “I’m thrilled for all our students who have worked incredibly hard alongside our staff to achieve these amazing results.”

“Once again, our students have gone above and beyond in their learning in extremely challenging circumstances. I’m so pleased that many of them have gone on to achieve the grades they need to move on to further inspirational opportunities.

“I’d like to thank each and every student for how they have adapted, worked and contributed to life at the College and to the staff who have shown once again why we’re recognised across the country for our Ofsted Outstanding provision.”

The College’s vocational students on creative-based courses are also celebrating terrific success. 95% of students studying for the Advanced Technical Diploma in Theatrical, Special Effects and Media Make-up Artistry achieved pass marks or better, 96% of Performing and Production Arts students achieved the same feat and UAL Extended Diploma students of Art and Design had a 95% achievement rate. In addition, students studying the 90 credit Diploma in Music Performance also excelled with 87% of learners getting a distinction and merit grade profile or better.

Exeter College Assistant Principal Sam Hillman, who oversees vocational and technical training at the Ofsted Outstanding College, said, “I am so pleased that in the majority of cases our learners have received the excellent results they so deserve, building on our legacy of outstanding success for vocational and technical courses.

“It’s also important to celebrate that many of our vocational and technical learners volunteered and worked alongside their studies to support Exeter and Devon’s Coronavirus efforts and of this, we are equally proud.

“Our vocational and technical learners leave us not just with amazing results, but we hope with the confidence, behaviours and skills that will enable them to continue to progress in their future. The resilience of our 2020 cohort has been incredible. We are super excited to see what they go on to achieve.”

The success of vocational students continues Exeter College’s long history of delivering these qualifications, a commitment that has strengthened in recent years with significant development and investment into specialist vocational facilities and provision.

Students on vocational courses with Exeter College could find themselves studying in the inspirational learning environments of the state-of-the-art Technology Centre, the recently developed £5.9million Sports Hall or in the professional workplace environments of the hairdressing salon or @thirty-four restaurant.

More recently, the College and the Department for Education has invested significantly for the delivery of new T Level qualifications from September 2020, with a new £1million mezzanine in the Construction Centre to aid in the delivery of the new technical-based qualifications. Further multi-million-pound investments have included providing learners with specialist industry equipment and learning facilities and revitalised learning and social spaces on the College’s Hele Road site.

Exeter College will be the only provider in Devon offering T Levels from September 2020. Courses are available in Construction, Digital and Education and Childcare.

Sam continued: “We pride ourselves on providing our technical and vocational learners with the very best dual-qualified teachers, world class facilities and resources, all enhanced by exceptional employer partnerships. Our diverse curriculum is of the highest quality and has a direct line of sight to industry for our learners.

“Huge congratulations to all of our learners who are celebrating their results and thank you for continuing our legacy of success.”

Find the right course for your future on the Exeter College course search.

2020 Students Keep Exeter College Top of the Class

Please note: This release was written BEFORE the Government revised how A Level results would be calculated for this academic year.

Exeter College students are celebrating success on A Level Results Day once again, with an outstanding pass rate of 99.5% and high grades (A* to B) of 56%, ahead of the national average for another year, continuing the College’s legacy of outstanding results.

In this unprecedented academic year, the College has now received results for students studying A Levels, the International Baccalaureate and Access to Higher Education courses, all of which have been based on some form of calculated teacher assessment. The professionalism and integrity of the College’s teachers and the talent of students has been recognised as the vast majority of results have remained unchanged from teacher submissions.

“I would like to commend the students for how they have adapted, worked and contributed to life at the College and the staff who have shown again just why we’re rated as Outstanding by Ofsted,”
John Laramy, Principal and Chief Executive

A remarkable 24 of the College’s A Level subjects achieved 100% pass rates, but it was high grades where some subjects truly excelled.

The College’s Graphic Design A Level boasted an incredible 82% of students achieving high grades, while Politics achieved 67% high grades and History 63% high grades. There was also huge success for the College’s maths-based courses, with high grades for 63% of Maths students, 72% of Further Maths students, 60% of Economics students and 57% of Chemistry students.

The results mean that many students from Exeter College will now be going on to study at leading universities, progressing on to further study with the College or moving directly into the workplace.

Reflecting on the results, Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive John Laramy said, “I have seen first-hand how hard students and staff have worked over the last year and I’m confident that our students have valid, comparable and accurate grades that reflect their commitment.

“I can’t pass any judgement on the picture nationally, but we at Exeter College will be celebrating these results with our students. They have once again delivered results that mean Exeter College remains one of the very best further education providers in the country.

“I would like to commend the students for how they have adapted, worked and contributed to life at the College and the staff who have shown again just why we’re rated as Outstanding by Ofsted.”

The A Level results continue to build on the College’s exceptional summer of results, following the success of International Baccalaureate students and Access to Higher Education students in recent weeks.

Today is also the day when many students get their advanced level technical and vocational qualifications and use these as their passport to university level study, an Apprenticeship or employment. There will soon be a further press release celebrating their achievements, which have continued at an outstanding level for another year.

The results confirm Exeter College as the region’s first choice, Ofsted Outstanding College, with impressive achievement across the broad curriculum offered, from Fine Art through to Sociology.

The outstanding A Level results this year were supported by the fact that the College continues to enter students into AS Level exams, with most academic students taking an externally set and marked exam in the vast majority of subjects during their first year of study. It’s hoped that this approach will be especially useful for new students this year, who will not have experienced externally set exams. This means that students will work towards exams at the end of their first year to help them prepare and excel in their A Level year.

This practice on this occasion has meant that only a minority of grades have been changed as part of the Government’s algorithm for calculating final grades, keeping the College’s exemplary results in line with previous years and reflective of the outstanding learning environment at Exeter College.

Exeter College Vice Principal Jade Otty, who leads on academic performance, said, “I’m thrilled the hard work of our students and staff has been recognised with these excellent results in extraordinary circumstances.

“Our decision to retain AS exams for the majority of courses has helped support and validate our calculated A Level results. I am so pleased that in the majority of cases our learners have received the excellent results they so deserve, building on our legacy of success for academic and vocational courses.

“There have been a lot of headlines recently about what this cohort may have missed out on, but today it’s important to celebrate and congratulate them on the amazing skills they have built up over the last months, with the support of their teachers, to continue their studies. They leave us with not just great academic results, but we hope with a confidence born of the fact that they have navigated so much so well. The resilience of our 2020 cohort has been incredible, and we are so excited to see what they go on to achieve.”

In line with new government guidance, some A Level students may have an opportunity to appeal their grade and receive a mock grade if they’re unhappy with their results. There will also be an opportunity for students to register their interest in an autumn series of exams to achieve a different result, should they wish. Further details will be revealed by the Government in due course.

There’s still time to apply online to join Exeter College in September 2020.

Specialist Teachers and World Class Facilities building Exeter College’s Success

Since being named as the UK’s first ever tertiary college 50 years ago, we’ve built ourselves into the exceptional education provider we are today and are now ranked as the only Ofsted Outstanding College in Devon.

We’ve managed to reach this prestigious position by putting students at the heart of everything we do. We know there’s nothing more impactful on a young person’s education than the environment they’re learning in and, of course, who’s teaching them.

Subject Specialist Teachers

As a further education provider, our teachers differ to what you would find at a lot of sixth forms. Here, we pride ourselves on having subject specialist teachers. Unlike at school, our staff don’t teach across different subjects; they dedicate their time exclusively to the subject they teach in the classroom.

This means that our students are taught by people who have a real passion for the topic that they teach. As a result, our students can fully develop their skills and explore their passion within a specific field, which links directly to their chosen further study or employment option.

On top of this, our vocational subjects are taught by teachers who are still actively involved in their respective industries. This means they are constantly developing and updating their own skillset to pass on to the next generation of learners.

Jade Otty, Vice Principal of Exeter College and lead on academic performance, believes our specialist teaching staff positively impacts our consistently impressive vocational and academic results.

“Having specialist teachers is one of the cornerstones of what contributes to the outstanding education environment at Exeter College,” said Jade. 

“Students who study with us are choosing to learn from teachers who have a genuine passion for what they’re teaching and, more importantly, have the skills to transfer that knowledge to students in the classroom. 

“When a teacher chooses to work with us, they do so because they want to have their teaching time dedicated solely to a subject they love, and to supporting young people with that same passion succeeding with their ambitions. We’ve found that students really respond well to being taught by specialist teachers and appreciate the inside knowledge they can learn from teachers who are still involved in the industry.” 

Tom Matthew, A Level student studying Geography, Sociology and Politics, added, “The teachers have been really helpful. They always have their students’ best interests at heart and go over and above expectations.  

“My Geography teachers have experience with the exam board, and they are two of the best teachers I’ve had; their experience has been particularly useful to us.” 

World Class Facilities and Partnerships

We’re proud to offer subject specialist teaching, but we also know that this is only one of the features which has helped to make us into the Ofsted Outstanding provider we are today.

Here at Exeter College, we offer all our students access to world class facilities and equipment in their chosen subject(s).

To make sure our learners have the very best chance to enhance their education, all our students have access to eight Learning Resources Centres, complete with IT labs and Mac suites.

Additionally, we have specialist campuses for different subjects. Through this, we ensure that we are providing our learners with industry standard-facilities, ranging from construction to media production.

The Centre for Creative Industries is home to a range of cutting-edge equipment and software. It also gives students access to the space they need to hone their skills in media, drama, art or photography, as they transform their academic studies into creative practice.

Our Maths and Science Centre, which opened in 2015, holds 11 purpose-build laboratories. These are all designed to the highest specifications, providing a space for inspirational teaching and learning.

Likewise, our Technology Centre offers students the latest technical software used in the industry. We’re also currently investing in our Construction Centre by way of a new state-of-the-art mezzanine which, from September, will host the new T Level qualifications.

Our Digital and Data Centre is also currently under construction. When complete, this will form part of the wider South West Institute of Technology plan, aiming to transform engineering, digital and manufacturing technology in Devon. Opening early 2021, the Centre will provide learners with educational opportunities in the digital field. This will include courses around software development, data analytics and cyber security.

On top of this, our college also works in partnership with leading regional and national businesses and sports teams. This month we announced our newest collaboration, as the BBC is set to open a new studio in our Centre of Creative Industries. All our partnerships provide students with the opportunities to continually achieve their educational goals and even develop beyond the curriculum.

We are currently planning for the enrolment of the new students due to start in September 2020.

It’s not too late to apply online to study with us for the September start. Once the requested documents have been submitted and reviewed, all students will be given a conditional offer.

Awarding BTEC Qualifications FAQs

Updated:
06/05/2020

Some current BTEC students have been asking for clarification on how the awarding process for their qualifications will work during the College closure. Here are some frequently asked questions to help support your ongoing study with Exeter College and provide guidance on the process for awarding grades.

Please note: Pearson (the awarding body for BTEC qualifications) has announced they will be using calculated grades for any units due for completion after March shut down. For units that are assessed by coursework, predicted grades will be provided. For units that are assessed in the way of an exam, Pearson will calculate these grades. However, for some NVQs and for all Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas, they will carry on with adapted assessments. We will communicate directly with learners with any further updates.

How will my overall grade for the year be calculated?

Pearson have told us that your qualification grade will be worked out using the following evidence: 

Actual grades you achieved in units that were due in before the disruption began: this means that the College will submit your grades for work that you were supported with before the shutdown. If you have any outstanding assignments or re-submissions from before 23rd March, it is therefore really important that you do hand these in to your teacher or else we will not be able to submit a grade for that unit for you. Please talk to your tutor if you are unsure if you have any outstanding work. 
Predicted grades for any assignment units or exams that were due to take place after 23rd March 2020: your teachers will be asked to give you a ‘calculated grade’ for such units. We will do this using our knowledge of your working level before the disruption. Please do not worry if you feel the work you are able to complete at the moment is not of the same quality that you were producing before 23rd March. We understand that working remotely without the face-to-face support you usually get in the classroom is not the same experience, and we know that many of you will find working at home at the moment a challenge. No learner will be marked down in predictions on this basis.

What are my priorities with remote learning?

If you have any outstanding assignments or re-submissions from before 23rd March, for units that should have been completed, it is really important that you do this work and hand this work in to your teacher or else we will not be able to submit a grade for that unit for you.

How can I check if I have any work that needs to be handed in?

Your unit lecturers should be contacting you via your college email if you have any work that needs to be completed and handed in for the units that finished before 23^rd March. You can also email your tutor if you are unsure if you have any outstanding work. Don’t forget that you can also check your tracker.

Will units that started in September and finish in June/July (delivered all year) be counted in my final grade?

As these units were not completed before March 23^rd teachers will be asked to give you a calculated or predicted grade for these units. We will do this using our knowledge of your working level before the disruption.

Will units that were due to be completed in April be counted in my final grade?

Why am I is still being asked to study and complete work if it will not count towards my overall grade for the year?

Continuing online study is important for a number of reasons:

Gaining the skills and knowledge to progress to your next stage: whether that’s the next academic year with us or, university study or employment. We want to make sure we have supported you with all the content your course would have included for your next step. 
It’s good for your mental wellbeing: Having a positive focus for your day is good for your mental health.
For assessments next year:  Awarding bodies have provided assurance of an extra exam window in the autumn for those who are unhappy with their calculated grade or feel they can do better. You need to have the skills and knowledge for this option to remain open to you. And of course, for those of you in year 1, we are supporting your knowledge ready for assignments and exams that you will sit next year.

Will I continue to be set assignments?

We will continue to support and provide you with learning materials remotely. In some cases, you may still be asked to complete a piece of writing however, we are very mindful that many of you will find working at home a challenge at the moment. Therefore, instead of an assignment you may be set different activities to complete. For any written work that you do submit you will continue to receive feedback.

Will my Tutor let me know my final grade?

We are not able to discuss with you individually what grade we might submit for you. In any case awarding bodies have their own quality and moderation processes that they will be applying to any data we send. We will not know your final grades until they are released by Pearson.

When will Pearson release my final grade?

Ofqual (the Office who regulate all qualifications) have said that they want this process to happen in a timely way so that you can progress and their aim is for you to receive your results around the same time as AS and A Level results. As soon as Pearson have advised us of the date your results will be released, we will let you know.

Click here to see Ofqual’s statement on awarding GCSEs, AS Levels and A Levels.