29 November 2011 - Internet & Email 'Getting Started' classes

Recently the Principal, Saboohi Famili, visited Pam Coleman-Smith's Internet & Email 'Getting Started' class at SCOLA's North Cheam Centre. Each student were set up with their own emaill address and the Principal sent them each an email saying that she had enjoyed meeting them and that she hoped that they continued to enjoy their studies at SCOLA. She invited the students to take the time to share their views on how their learning experience at SCOLA could be improved. A good way for sharing views would be to join the Student Focus Group and the students were encouraged to join if they were interested in doing so. One of the students responded to the Principal's email as follows: "Thanks for the interest taken. I have benefited from the course, thanks to the good tutor. I have enrolled on the 'Getting More Involved' course".

The students were wished the best of luck with their studies.

29 November 2011 - Blog that Book! Article published in RaPAL

An article, written by Susan Aldridge, Senior Lecturer for Skills for Life English & Maths at Sutton College of Learning for Adults (SCOLA), has been published in RaPAL (Research & Practice in Adult Literacy) Volume 75. The article entitled 'Blog that Book! - An exciting new literacy project at SCOLA' explains the concept of 'Blog that Book' as a simple idea based on the national 'Six Book Challenge' run through local libraries. Students were able to develop their digital literacy by sharing their book reviews on a blog. To view 'Blog that Book' blots please visit the SCOLA website where you will find a link to the site. http://www.scola.ac.uk or visit www.scolabookbloog.blogspot.com

29 November 2011 - SCOLA represented at the BQF Winners Conference

SCOLA’s Principal and Deputy Principal attended the 2011”Winning with Excellence” Award Winners Conference on 29th November at IET Savoy Place London – the conference featured many of the Winners of the BQF National Awards.
This unique event featured speakers from the following 2011 BQF Award Winners:
• Bishop Burton College - winner of the UK Excellence Award
• Co-operative Banking Group - winner of the BQF Achievement Award for Process Improvement
• CooperVision - winner of the Lean Six Sigma Award
• Phoenix Futures - winner of the BQF Achievement Award for Leadership
• The Probation Service - winner of the BQF Gold Medal for Excellence
• Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies - winner of the UK Excellence Award
• Skanska UK - winner of the BQF Achievement Award for Sustainable Future
• St Anne's Primary School - winner of the UK Excellence Award
• Virgin Trains - winner of the BQF Achievement Award for Customer Satisfaction
All of these organisations have demonstrated exceptional performance and this event brought them all together to share the secrets of their success for the first and only time.

23 November 2011 - SCOLA Principal attends HOLEX event in London

SCOLA’s Principal, Saboohi Famili, is attending the Holex Event today, which is including a presentation from OFSTED on the HMCI Annual Report on 2010/11: this will primarily focus on "ACL" inspection findings, but will also include reference to wider OFSTED judgements on the FE/learning and skills sector's performance over the last year. Discussion will also take place around key issues that have been raised by the “strategic dialogues” that have been held with adult learning providers. A summary will be given of the key announcements made by Ministers at the recent AoC Conference, as well as input from the SFA Funding Policy Team. This event is customarily a significant highlight in the HOLEX year: an opportunity both to look back and take stock on past performance, and to begin to get to grips with future government priorities and SFA strategic intentions.

15 - 17 November 2011 - Principal and Deputy Principal attend the AoC Annual Conference 2011

The Principal and Deputy Principal of SCOLA are attending the Association of College’s Annual Conference where they will participate in a dynamic programme that will address the key issues facing the sector. They will enjoy a three-day revamped programme with unbeatable access to key sector speakers; participate in high quality breakout sessions with variable delivery styles; network and share best practice with over 1700 sector colleagues; celebrate the sector's achievements and relax with friends at the Gala Dinner. They will also have the opportunity to visit a variety of student showcases demonstrating some of the best skills that our sector has to offer and hear from Beacon Colleges about their award winning practices.

10 November 2011 - LSIS Regional Policy Seminar

The Principal and Deputy Principal attended an LSIS Regional Policy Seminar entitled Shaping and realising the vision for the future of FE and skills, the purpose of the seminar was to provide a forum for sector leaders in their regions to:

• consider emerging perspectives about the role and purpose of FE and skills in the evolving context of greater freedom and devolution;
• explore the implications of different visions and purposes within the regional and local context;
• discuss the implications for LSIS services and consider how LSIS might support sector leaders in realising these future roles and purposes; and
• inform LSIS’s strategic planning, including identifying further development, prototyping, research and evidence needed to support the sector into 2012 and beyond.