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2006-7
A brilliant result at London Education Partnership Awards
Our staff and students took to the podium twice, more than any
other college, at the first ever London Education Partnership
Awards. They collected a first prize and a runners up award from
Lord Adonis, the schools minister, at the ceremony held at held at
Arsenal football club’s Emirates Stadium.
Of more than 80 entrants from partnerships involving more than
200 institutions, only two other further education colleges among
the 54 in London were presented with awards. We were judged winners
in the “Excellent Professional Practice in Curriculum and Student
Support” category for its Early Years Sector Endorsed Foundation
Degree, which we deliver in partnership with London Metropolitan
University.
We finished runner up in the “Cross Organisational Partnership
and Impact” category for its Partnership for Excellence project
with University College London (UCL). Jane O Neill, the college’s
director of students, said: “These awards are an excellent
achievement and provide further evidence that City and Islington is
indeed London’s leading college.”
Judges described the two-year Foundation Degree in Early Years
Education as “a prime example of innovative and collaborative
curriculum design and practice, aimed at raising both student
aspiration and progression to university”.
Anne Carvalho, City and Islington’s director of the Centre for
Health, Social and Child Care, said more than 100 students have
undertaken the foundation degree since it was introduced in 2001,
with the majority going on to complete a BA honours degree. She
added: “Most are women who are in low paid jobs in nurseries who
would not normally think of going into higher education. The
Foundation Degree allows them to continue at work whilst they
study. Many have progressed into management positions and one
is now head of Early Years Workforce Development in a London
borough.
Taking the stage with her to collect the award was Mine
Conkbayir, who did an Early Years foundation degree at the college,
went on to complete her full degree, then did a PGCE teaching
qualification, and returned to the College as a lecturer. She said:
“The foundation degree opened so many doors for me and gave me the
confidence to achieve. It has enabled me to be a role model for
students who come from similar backgrounds to me.”
Our principal Frank McLoughlin collected the runners up prize
for the College's Partnership for Excellence with UCL, which aims
to support college students on progression from further to higher
education. Since 2002 the number of students from the college going
on to UCL has more than tripled. Applications to other universities
have also risen. A substantial number of the students, including
many from ethnic minority communities, are first-generation
entrants to higher education.
Oona King, the former Labour MP who compered the event, said:
“Partnerships are transforming the aspirations and achievements of
young people in the Capital.”