North Hertfordshire College Shortlisted For TES Further Education Awards 2020
North Hertfordshire College has been shortlisted in two categories for the prestigious Tes FE Awards: Teacher of the Year and Specialist Provider of the Year.
Cheryl Hall, who teaches Health and Social Care, has been shortlisted for Teacher of the Year and NHC’s Supported Studies department has been shortlisted for Specialist Provider of The Year.
The Tes FE awards celebrate and reward the dedication and expertise of people and teams who continue to make a significant contribution to improving the skill levels of young people and adult learners.
Cheryl, who has worked at the college for over four years, has reached impressive achievement rates for her students. In her first year of delivering the new health and social care specification, she achieved a 97% pass rate for the exam units – all the students who sat the exam passed. For 18/19 the overall achievement rate for health and social care was 98%
Cheryl has also been the driving force behind Skype Global Connect, an initiative which connects NHC students to other young people around the world to share knowledge around health and care. Cheryl has arranged link-ups with international students and teachers from Asia, America, Europe and Africa to share different approaches and perspectives on healthcare issues.
NHC’s Supported Studies department is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The highly committed and experienced staff provided tailored support to each student and arrange high-quality work experience placements. They run innovative programmes including Springboard centres in Letchworth and Watford for students diagnosed with high-functioning autism. Staff provide the students with the support they need to become more resilient and progress into further study or work.
Despite the challenges faced by students, the retention and achievement results are consistently well above the national average and the vast majority of students progress to further study or into employment.
Kit Davies, Principal of North Hertfordshire College, said: “The Tes awards are the ones that every Further Education college in the country wants to win. I am therefore delighted that we are in the running for two top awards. Year in year out our supported studies team go over and above. They provide young people who have learning difficulties with the confidence and resilience to advance in education or start their careers. To see so many of these students flourish at NHC is down to their hard work and commitment.”
On Cheryl Hall, Kit said: “Cheryl embodies the very best qualities in a teacher. She is incredibly dedicated to her students and is always challenging herself to do things differently and better.”
Cheryl Hall, Health and Social Care tutor, said: “It means so much to have been nominated by my colleagues for Teacher of the Year and I am so excited to have been shortlisted. I love teaching and get huge satisfaction from seeing students’ progress and go on to have successful careers. I particularly enjoy the variety. One week we’ll be discussing different approaches to health care with students from around the world and the next I’ll be supporting our students in their important work in the community and in various care homes.”
Tes FE editor Stephen Exley said: “Excellent practice exists right across the Further Education sector, and those shortlisted for the Tes FE Awards are the cream of the crop. Our judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entries. To be shortlisted is an extraordinary achievement.”
The winners will be revealed at a gala awards evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Friday 20 March 2020.
