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Sport student left partially paralysed by meningitis wins prestigious award

A college learner who was left partially paralysed down his left-hand side after contracting meningitis as a baby has been given a prestigious award by the Mayor of Walsall, writes Paul Offord.

alsall College student Daniel Eden lives by the maxim “you don’t know what you are capable of until you try”.

The 25-year-old has had a lot to contend with since contracting meningitis when he was six months old.

Doctors told Daniel’s parents, Lindsey and Chris, to prepare for the worst during the three weeks that he spent in intensive care. He eventually pulled through but was left with partial paralysis in his left arm and leg and learning difficulties caused by brain damage. He also has cerebral palsy.

But Daniel has never let his disabilities hold him back and the lifelong fan of Premier League club Aston Villa decided two years ago to pursue his dream of becoming a professional football coach.

He enrolled on a level one certificate in sport and active leisure at Walsall College in September last year and became involved with coaching local youngsters.

Daniel, who moved on to level two in September, was given the college sport department’s student of the year award last June and has now accepted a High Sherriff’s Medal of Excellence recognising academic and coaching success against the odds.

He said: “It is really nice to be recognised.

“I love helping other people and can do that through coaching.

“My current level two course is more about developing my organisation and communication skills.

“I want to go on to level three next year which will be more about skills coaching.

“My advice to other disabled people is just ‘give it your best shot and try your best. You don’t know what you are capable of until you try’.”

Alongside his studies, Daniel is supporting the college’s Team 19 football programme which, in partnership with Birmingham County Football Association, delivers free coaching sessions to 14 to 16-year-olds.

The idea is to encourage more local youngsters to play football on the pitch instead of on computer games.

Daniel coaches the youngsters two mornings a week on a voluntary basis.

He said: “I know that I am a good at communicating and can see that the young people respond to me on the training pitch.

“I started having botox injections in my bad arm and leg six years ago which stopped them from spasming and helped me do a lot more physically.

“I am so grateful to Walsall College for everything they have done to help fulfil my ambition to become a professional football coach.”

Daniel was chosen for the High Sherriff’s Medal of Excellence ahead of nominations from seven mayoral regions across the West Midlands.

He collected his medal, a framed certificate and a cheque for £250 at a ceremony in Walsall Council House attended by the Mayor of Walsall Pete Smith, college staff and Daniel’s father, Chris.

Mark Howard, college sports development co-ordinator, said: “Daniel is a credit to Walsall College and proof that struggles and perceived weaknesses can actually be transformed into strengths.”

Chris said: “We have always taken it one day at a time with Daniel since he had meningitis.

“His attitude ever since has always been that he wanted to achieve as much as he possibly could.

“I’m very proud of him and would like to think that he will be able to go into professional disabled football coaching and maybe even refereeing one day.

“He’s very determined. You don’t say ‘no’ to him. He will always find a way of getting to where he wants to be.”

Picture Caption: From left: Daniel Eden, High Sheriff of the West Midlands Dr Tim Watts and Mayor of Walsall Pete Smith

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Half number of under-performing FE providers by 2020, social mobility body demands

The number of under-performing colleges and apprenticeship training providers should be halved by 2020, the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission has said.

In its second State of the Nation report, the Commission, which is chaired by former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn (above), set out its “2020 challenge”, in which it sets out a list of goals to be met by the end of the next Parliament.

The report calls for efforts to raise the percentage of employers providing apprenticeships from 15 to 50 per cent, a move which the report says would lead to 3.5m starts in the next Parliament.

Part of the report focuses on the role of FE Commissioner Dr David Collins (right) and calls for failing colleges and providers to be closed if they fail to improve.

The report says: “We also look to the FE Commissioner to intervene to secure the closure of further education and apprenticeship providers who cannot improve their standards.

“By 2020, we believe the government, educational institutions and Ofsted should have halved the number of under-performing colleges and apprenticeship training providers.

“Finally, we propose that early in the next Parliament responsibility for growing youth employment is devolved to local areas, each of which should put in place a day one intervention system to get young people who drop out of education or work immediately back on track.”

The report acknowledges that FE inspection outcomes had recorded “some improvement over the last year” – a seven percentage point increase in providers judged good or outstanding – but adds that “there remains a high level of provision that is not good enough”.

It continues: “The numbers of providers judged inadequate increased from 34 to 41, up by a fifth, and more than 1m young people in vocational education were let down by the quarter of further education colleges in England whose inspections concluded the institution required improvement or was inadequate.

“Similarly, apprenticeship training inspections found just under half required improvement or were inadequate.

“Four inadequate further education colleges alone are failing more than 40,000 pupils. For vocational reforms to positively impact social mobility a step change in quality is needed. The commission agrees with Ofsted that this should be a matter of priority for the FE Commissioner.”

State of the Nation 2014: Social Mobility and Child Poverty in Great Britain

The report (left) also highlights a need for the number of employers providing apprenticeships, currently at 15 per cent, to rise.

It says: “Proposals to expand apprenticeship in the future are welcome but there is a need to move further and faster. The Commission recommends therefore that half of workplaces with ten or more staff should employ apprentices by 2020.

“We would also like to see workplaces of over ten employees that currently offer apprenticeships expanding their numbers. This would lead to around 100,000 more workplaces offering apprenticeships and more than 3.5m apprentice starts between 2015 and 2020, based on current trends.

“We hope that at least ten percent of new starts could be at the higher apprenticeship level, providing more routes to top jobs. Companies have said they want to increase numbers. Now is the time to make good this enthusiasm. Costs will partly be borne by employers, in line with current pilots. Costs to government for 16 to 18-year-old apprentices should be met through funds that otherwise would have been spent on further education.

“The adult apprenticeship budget, around £700m should be focused on rigorous and high quality apprenticeships for those under 24, as many older people would receive training even if the government did not fund apprenticeships. The need to expand good apprenticeships must remain at the forefront of reforms of vocational education in the next parliament. Employers are key in making this a reality.”

The report also suggests that transferring FE funding to councils could “better enable local authorities to identify local skills gaps and respond accordingly”.

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal (right) has welcomed the report’s recommendations on apprenticeships.

He said: “We believe that this will require more investment by the government in the programme and a modification of the currently proposed reforms that may place artificial barriers in the way of greater SME engagement such as mandatory cash contributions by employers.

“A more responsive and flexible contracting system between the government and providers would make a big difference in terms of the Commission’s proposed target of half of all workplaces with more than ten employees to be offering high quality apprenticeships by 2020.

“AELP has made a number of recommendations to change the apprenticeship reforms which will ensure that providers can work with employers to drive up the quality of the current apprenticeship systems.”

Leah’s painting helps to launch Crewe Poppy Appeal

A South Cheshire College art student has donated a painting inspired by the Poppy Appeal to Crewe Royal British Legion (RBL).

The work by level three art and design BTec learner Leah Parker, aged 16, depicts a lone soldier walking through a field of poppies.

She donated £30 to this year’s Poppy Appeal along with the painting which will go on permanent display in the Crewe RBL headquarters.

Leah said: “I’m really please the people at the Royal British Legion liked my work and that I was able to give them a good start for this year’s Poppy Appeal.”

David Ballantyne, art and design lecturer, said: “Leah’s artwork really set the scene for this year’s fundraising. It is fantastic that her work is held in such high esteem by the Royal British Legion and her work will now take pride of place on display in the Crewe office.”
Picture Caption: South Cheshire College student Leah Parker

Inset Picture Caption: From left: Charlie Crouch, Poppy Appeal supporter, Stuart Kay, chairman of Crewe Royal British Legion, student Leah Parker, who donated the painting, and Paul Fox, local Poppy Appeal coordinator

Dame awarded by Clegg for work with AoC in India

Principal of West Nottinghamshire College Group Dame Asha Khemka has been awarded by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg for helping to improve FE links between Britain and India.

Dame Khemka was presented with the inaugural Dadabhai Naoroji Award for Education at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in London.

It recognised her efforts to boost links between the British and Indian FE sectors through her role as chair of the Association of Colleges (AoC) in India.

She said: “I am hugely privileged to receive this award and immensely grateful for the recognition this brings to the work of the AoC in India.”

Presenting her award, Mr Clegg said Dame Khemka had “worked tirelessly to strengthen the bond between the UK and India”.

Mr Naoroji lived from 1825 to 1917 and was the first Asian to sit as a British MP between 1892 and 1895.

Picture Caption: From left: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Priti Patel, exchequer secretary to the Treasury and Britain’s India Diaspora champion, Sushma Swaraj, Indian Minister of External Affairs, and Dame Asha Khemka, principal of West Nottinghamshire College Group

‘Stealth bomber’ hopes to impress Lord Sugar

Former New College Durham sport student Katie Bulmer-Cooke is hoping to be the “stealth bomber” on this year’s series of The Apprentice.

The 27-year-old fitness entrepreneur completed a two-year sport and exercise foundation degree at New College Durham seven years ago and returned to advise students about launching their own businesses last March.

She is a candidate on the new series of BBC show The Apprentice and hopes to impress Lord Sugar with her quiet but efficient approach to tasks.

She said: “In business, I’m like a little stealth bomber that flies under the radar and smashes the competition before they’ve realised I’m here.”

She added: “Studying the foundation degree definitely helped my career.

“I always knew I wanted to help people feel better about themselves.”

Katie specialises in personal training for mums who want to get their figures back after giving birth, through her business The Little Black Dress Club.

Peter Morrison, college head of sport, said: “We wish Katie all the best and are sure that Lord Sugar will be as impressed as we were with her knowledge and skills.”

Picture Caption: Katie Bulmer-Cooke a former New College Durham learner (courtesy of BBC)

Bumper crop of grapes at ‘forgotten’ vineyard

A lecturer with no previous horticultural experience grew and harvested half a tonne of grapes on a previously neglected vineyard at Chichester College.

Associate lecturer in engineering Dave Nott took control of the vines at the college’s working farm at its Brinsbury campus, which had not been tended to or harvested for a number of years, in 2012.

He has since spent two hours a-day working alone on the vines and reading-up on the art of grape cultivation.

Mr Nott gave this year’s bumper crop to Highdown vineyard in Ferring, West Sussex, which will use the grapes to make wine.

He said: “I was startled to discover the forgotten vines during a tour of the farm.

“I managed to revitalise them through considerable pruning which resulted in a 50 per cent increase in grapes.”

Mr Nott, who has worked at the college for 15 years, now hopes to expand the one-acre plot and train students to help him grow even more grapes.

Picture Caption: Lecturer Dave Nott at the vineyard

Inset Caption: Pinot Noir grapes at the vineyard

SFA to close OLDC as planned despite hub woes

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) is to continue with plans to close its old funding system next week, despite ongoing problems with its replacement.

Providers have until tomorrow (Friday) to submit data for the individualised learner record (ILR) R14 returns period, but once again the SFA has admitted having technical problems with the hub, which is due to fully replace the online data collection (OLDC) from November.

As reported by FE Week, the hub has broken down at a critical time at least twice since it started being used in July. The SFA previously acknowledged problems in August for R12 returns and in September, when the hub broke down on the deadline day for R13.

The SFA had kept the OLDC running alongside the hub and encouraged providers to submit returns through both systems, but has confirmed it will now close as planned.

A spokesperson said: “We are currently experiencing technical issues with the Hub. This will not impact on the returns deadline for R14. For each of the 2013 to 2014 funding year collections, we have asked all providers to submit the same data to both the Hub and to the OLDC system.”

“As planned, we will switch off OLDC at the end of October 2014, after the close of R14 of 2013/14. If you need to keep reports for audit purposes from the funding year 2013 to 2014 or earlier, please download and save them to a safe location. You will not be able to access any unsaved reports once OLDC is switched off.”

New shadow education minister ‘excited’ about FE and skills role

New shadow education minister Yvonne Fovargue has spoken of her “excitement” about the FE and skills element of her new role.

Ms Fovargue, pictured, who has replaced Rushanara Ali after her resignation at the end of September, told FE Week that although she was yet to sit down with shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt and discuss her role, she was looking forward to working on FE policy.

She said she had seen the importance of FE first-hand in her constituency, in Wigan, Greater Manchester, and was keen to help “raise aspiration”.

She said: “I am very excited.

“A lot of the young people in my area have left school without qualifications but they want to move on to a job and they want the skills to be able to do that.

“I think it’s about raising aspiration and making people see that you don’t have to go to university to succeed. We need to make sure everyone can achieve their potential.”

Ms Forvague has been the Labour MP for Makerfield since the 2010 general election and has served in three government positions on the opposition benches, with two years as shadow transport minister between 2011 and 2013 and a brief spell as opposition whip under her belt.

She was appointed as shadow defence secretary last year and her move to the education brief was announced last night.

Picture: John Stilwell/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Yvonne Fovargue gets shadow education post in Labour’s mini-reshuffle

The new shadow education minister responsible for FE and skills has been named as Yvonne Fovargue.

Yvonna Fovargue. Picture: John Stilwell/PA Archive/Press Association Images — Yvonne Fovargue. Picture: John Stilwell/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Ms Fovargue’s appointment comes as part of what is being described as a “mini-reshuffle” to replace former shadow minister Rushanara Ali, who resigned at the end of last month after refusing to support her party’s stance on military action in Iraq.

Ms Forvague has been the Labour MP for Makerfield, Greater Manchester, since the 2010 general election and has served in three government positions on the opposition benches, with two years as shadow transport minister between 2011 and 2013 and a brief spell as opposition whip under her belt.

She was appointed as shadow defence secretary last year and her move to the education brief was announced last night.

Also in the reshuffle, Pat McFadden became shadow Europe minister, replacing Gareth Thomas who moved within the shadow foreign and commonwealth team to become shadow minister for North Africa and the Middle East, and Ian Lucas moved from foreign affairs to defence.