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14 May 2026

One head is better than two for Midland colleges

Two Midland colleges have decided it’s better to share after they appointed a joint principal to tackle funding challenges. Marion Plant OBE took over from interim principal Jim Aleander at South Leicester College from Monday February 4, but will remain in her role as principal of North Warwickshire and Hinckley College. Bobby Upple, chair of […]

Free training ‘getting people into jobs’

Trainee bodyguards in London were able to keep a close eye on an MP when she dropped in to find out more about their classes. The learners studying close protection at Free2Learn in Hackney were visited by local Labour MP and shadow minister Diane Abbott. Free2Learn offers training in security, retail and hospitality free to […]

History lesson for musical theatre students

Young performers in Bristol had the chance to audition for a new show exploring a different side of the city’s history. The first year HND and level three musical theatre students from South Gloucestershire and Stroud College participated in a workshop audition to be paid members of the chorus in a new play, The Dugout […]

Hair-raisingly talented learners at catwalk show

A young hairdresser from Cornwall took judges through the looking glass at the Cornish Skills Challenge 2013 competition and catwalk show, adding a twist to the ‘Best of British’ theme. The competition was hosted by Truro and Penwith College and gave 154 competitors from colleges, salons and other training providers the chance to demonstrate their […]

Learners get on board for competition

It was lift off in Norwich when youngsters rose to the challenge of a paper aeroplane competition at an FE college. Schoolchildren jetted in to City College Norwich to compete for prizes for the design and accuracy of their planes, which had to be made from A4 paper and thrown at a target from six […]

Olympic inspiration for successful learners

An Olympic medallist offered some golden inspiration at a North Somerset college’s annual student awards ceremony. Amy Williams MBE, who won gold in skeleton bob racing at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, joined Weston College students to celebrate their success. She said: “Nothing is impossible. You can dream about something or you can go out […]

Students tackle radio advert competition

A team of creative media production students from Cheshire are set to take the airwaves by storm after winning a competition to produce a radio advert for a local rugby team. Final year Macclesfield College students Matt Turner, Adam Holmes, Luke Crawforth, all 17 and Mark Taylor, 19, took first place in the ‘U-Create’ competition […]

Young diver wins big down under

A young diver from London made a splash in Sydney winning three bronze medals with team GB in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. Georgia Ward, 17 and from Perivale, claimed medals in individual 10m platform, 10m synchronised platform and 3m synchronised springboard. Georgia, who studies BTec National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science at Uxbridge […]

Drawing support for epilepsy charity

Oodles of doodles were created by learners in Wales who put pen to paper to raise money for epilepsy sufferers. Students at Coleg Gwent raised £70 for Epilepsy Action by taking part in national Doodle Day. Doodlers donated a pound and produced a range of imaginative designs, from patterns and cartoon characters to animal sketches […]