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City College Norwich recieves AoC president's award accolade
City College Norwich was this week unveiled as the winner of this year's President Award at the AoC Beacon Awards ceremony in Westminster, London. The College was selected from the 23 AoC Beacon Award winners by the President of the Association of Colleges Charitable Trust, paralympic gold medalist Giles Long MBE, as a shining example of further education achievement. The announcement was made as Sion Simon MP, Minister for Further Education, awarded all the winning colleges with the prestigious AoC Beacon Awards. City College, winner of the AoC Award for Widening Participation, was crowned this year's President's Award winner for its unique RUG Room facility and Phoenix Purple course, which provide support for students with a wide range of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The Rug Room facility provides over 120 students who suffer from Asperger Syndrome with a dedicated resource to develop their social and communication skills. The support on offer includes access to computer games and IT services, ICT and creative therapies to allow inclusion in more traditional college courses and social activities and clubs such as drumming, beauty therapy, jewellery making, sewing and dress making. Students at the College have played a major role in the design of the RUG Room, and act as mentors for other learners with ASD. In 2008, retention of ASD RUG Room learners was excellent at 97%, with an 88% achievement rate. City College also offers an innovative foundation studies course called Pheonix Purple for students with ASD. The course integrates the development of personal and life skills with learning support, providing students with the social, communication and employment skills needed to boost their self confidence. The Phoenix Purple course has achieved high progression rates, with a number of students advancing on to mainstream courses. The AoC Beacon Awards, which consistently receive more than 300 applications each year, recently celebrated fifteen years of rewarding outstanding teaching and learning in further education colleges. The Awards recognise the achievements of colleges in a variety of categories, such as Promoting Equality and Diversity, Engagement with Employers and Lifelong Learning, all of which provide national recognition for excellence and innovation as well as acknowledging the talents of staff at all levels who work in the further education college sector. Si?n Simon MP, Minister for Further Education, said: "I'm delighted to present the AoC Beacon Awards to these colleges, which have demonstrated exemplary practice in the FE sector. They are leading the way in further education, showcasing innovative approaches to both teaching and learning and providing successful models that can be rolled out across all colleges in the UK. "The Awards highlight the achievements of the further education sector across areas such as inclusion, technology and creating employer partnerships, demonstrating its adaptability in responding to the needs of students and the demands of businesses and local communities." Chair of the AoC Beacon Awards, Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb, said: "The AoC now has a fifteen year record of recognising and rewarding excellence in the sector. Whilst the winners this year are located all around the UK, from Stevenson College Edinburgh to South Devon College, what they all have in common are key traits. Beacon winners blaze the way in finding new ways of doing things, contribute to social justice and are instrumental in local and regional economic generation. The AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group and I are delighted to reward this contribution to our communities and our economy through the presentation of these awards." President of the AoC Charitable Trust, Giles Long, commented: "The AoC Beacon Awards bring the superb work of UK Colleges into the limelight, providing the recognition they deserve. As a former FE student myself, I fully support the AoC and the Beacon Awards and would like to extend my congratulations to all winners. I was especially impressed with City College Norwich?s RUGroom facilities, which widen access to a group that can otherwise not have the same access to education opportunities as others. City College Norwich is a worthy winner of this year's President's Award."
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