Education

All full-time students between the age of 16 and 18 will be loaned a free laptop as part of Northampton College’s commitment to developing digital skills. The initiative will ensure students will be able to access the internet, use digital platforms for both classroom-based and remote learning and complete assignments using the latest approved software. Each laptop or Chromebook will have Microsoft Office and antivirus software installed, and students will have access to support from the college’s dedicated IT helpdesk. A deposit of £50 will be required at enrolment and will be refunded when the equipment is returned in full working order complete with charger and lead. Principal of Northampton College, Pat Brennan-Barrett, said: “Our aim is to make sure every student receives a high-quality education experience and there are no barriers to learning. We have made a significant investment in our digital infrastructure and we are very pleased to..

In January, Stowe, Swanbourne House School and Winchester House School completed the formation of the Stowe Group    The new group will provide opportunities for sharing strategic leadership and resources for professional development and ideas, in addition to delivering economies of scale across the Group.  Most importantly, it will enable pupils to benefit from group facilities, leadership and coaching opportunities, and enhanced teaching and learning environments. Together, the schools will prepare pupils for the world they are entering, one that is changing faster than ever before, and will ensure pupils can adapt as the world evolves, as well as bringing about positive change. Anthony Wallersteiner, Head of Stowe, said: “Stowe is proud of its reputation for breaking the educational mould, and we believe we should continue to play our part in the national education debate. We believe in delivering transformative educational experiences that will shape pupils’ attitudes and behaviours and..

Barratt and David Wilson Homes Northampton is continuing its positive work to support local employment, skills and training by creating two new apprenticeship roles to develop talent across the areas in which it builds. The leading housebuilder, which is based in Northampton, aims to recruit two new trade apprentices, one specialising in bricklaying and one in carpentry and joinery, to work across its operational areas. These could include: Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.  The vacancies come ahead of the 14th annual National Apprenticeship Week, running from February 8th to 14th, which celebrates the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses and the wider economy.  National Apprenticeship Week is a celebration of apprenticeships across England and is a time to recognise and applaud apprentices across the country.  Throughout the 14 years, the awareness week has brought together apprenticeship supporters from across the country, with MPs, ambassadors, apprentices, training providers and top employers..

Northampton High School’s Deputy Head Academic Henry Rickman talks about the digital classroom and how Digacy has been long established across the school.  ‘We launched Digacy as a concept in school over two years ago, with the vision of bringing all things technological together under one banner, the aim was to ensure our students have a healthy and holistic understanding of their digital personas and are ready for the changing world of work.  Of course, the pandemic and associated lockdowns have pushed technology even further to the forefront of our thinking, and really allowed us to indulge our curiosity in all things EdTech related.  Students’ access to 1 to 1 devices both in school and in Guided Home Learning (GHL) has prompted the use of some amazing resources that can only really work electronically. For example, we have used intelligent quizzes from..

Local Charity and Telecommunications company form partnership to deliver Tech4Kids across Northamptonshire. Northamptonshire Community Foundation is working in partnership with Dallington-based telecommunications company Guru Technology to reduce digital exclusion in children and families during lockdown through the new Tech4Kids initiative.  The Foundation is the leading grant-making charity in the county, who last year delivered over £2 million in funding to support local communities across Northamptonshire. They have pledged £20,000 to support Guru Technology in their bid to support children and families whilst they are trying to access online learning during lockdown.  The Foundation is working alongside Arran Kirton, Director at Guru Technology, who earlier this week pledged £25,000 of free technology to help disadvantaged families with little or no access to laptops, iPads and the internet.  According to a report published by the Office for National Statistics in 2018, 700,000 children aged between 11 and 18 years reported having no..

A Northampton College student with a “burning ambition” to grace the airwaves has landed a Silver Award for a sports show on a local radio station at a leading national awards ceremony. Will Oelrich was recognised for his show on NLive Radio at the 2020 Community Radio Awards, the culmination of an intensive judging process to recognise those producing great quality content and engaging with their communities. The awards ceremony was held virtually for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Will said: “To get Silver in the community radio awards is a fantastic achievement for me but also for the station. I was buzzing when I won Silver as to be recognised at this level feels amazing. The future for sport is bright at NLive. “It’s a great station to be part of. There is a real community feel, and I love doing my show every week and..

Gillian Keegan, Minister for Skills & Apprenticeships today conducted a virtual visit to Moulton College in Northamptonshire to hear how the specialist landbased College has successfully responded to the challenges of the Covid pandemic. The Minister heard how, despite the lockdown earlier in the year, the College has enjoyed one of its most successful periods in recent times, increasing its student achievement rates by 19% and recruiting an additional 300 students to its varied range of courses which started in September.  Despite covering some 450 hectares, extensive college wide safety measures were put in place enabling all students to return to full-time teaching on courses including animal welfare, construction, agriculture and sport. During the virtual visit the Minister met with Principal & CEO Corrie Harris and Chair of Governors, David McVean before speaking to students at different locations across the College. She was able to see first-hand the fantastic resources..

Prospective students searching for a new start once the COVID-19 lockdown is over can experience what it’s like to study at Northampton College from the comfort of their own home, thanks to a virtual open event. Next month’s online sessions have been arranged to replace the College’s usual open event, which has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. It is the first time the College has ever staged a digital version of the event, and all those logging on will have the chance to view facilities through subject-specific video tours, watch presentations and hear from a panel of speakers, get careers advice and learn more about courses by asking questions during a Q&A session. Students will also have the chance to find out more about bursaries, travel and learning support, talk to experts using an online chat facility and apply immediately online, with the College’s Enrolment team on hand..

The building of a state-of-the-art Digital Academy at Northampton College is now underway, with the first spades going in the ground during a virtual sod-cutting ceremony carried out via a live video conference call. With current social distancing guidelines rendering it impossible for all partners in the project to be at Booth Lane for the ceremony, it was decided to embrace the digital technology the building will offer by staging it over the internet using Microsoft Teams. The £6.3million project has received 50 per cent funding from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership’s share of the Local Growth Fund. It will see a 1,300 square metre extension built onto the existing main college building at the Booth Lane campus and aims to attract more than 5,000 additional learners by 2030. Students will have access to a state-of-the-art learning environment that includes an Esports arena, a TV studio, digital workshops,..

New national league tables have revealed Northampton College is now in the top 10 best-performing colleges in the country. Data released as part of the latest 2018/19 National Achievement Rates Tables (NART) shows Northampton College is placed 7th out of almost 200 colleges for 16 to 18-year-old education and training, up from 11th in the previous year’s rankings. The rating cements Northampton College’s position as the leading provider of Further Education in the South East Midlands and among the very best in the whole country, thanks to a continuing and determined focus on ensuring each individual student reaches their full potential. The data has revealed that 96 per cent of Northampton College students pass their course, coming out as the best college in the South East Midlands region for timely achievement at level 1, 2 and 3. Performance in maths and English is also comfortably above the national average, with..