Hosted at Truro Cathedral by BBC Radio Cornwall’s Daphne Skinnard, the Cornwall Teacher Awards recognise excellent educators across 13 categories, with accolades up for grabs such as the Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding Headteacher and Governor of the year.

Truro and Penwith College – judged outstanding by Ofsted in its most recent inspection – beat schools and providers to the top spot for Educational Support Worker of the Year, Special Educational Needs Teacher of the Year and Employer Engagement Initiative of the Year.

The collection of accolades was quite the contrast to the college’s entry to last year’s awards, which they left empty-handed.

Three Truro and Penwith lecturers also battled it out for Outstanding FE Lecturer of the year, with the accolade going to the college’s deputy team leader for English, Clive James. Mr James, who started working at Truro and Penwith just this year, was shortlisted alongside colleagues Dr Sue Skuse and Hannah Smith.

Explaining their choice, judges said he was “someone who makes the students feel as if they have achieved something in every lesson, someone who has made a subject that is sometimes thought of as ‘dusty’, relevant to modern life and inspired his students to study the subject at University.”

Speaking to FE Week, Mr James said “The evening was really valuable for the profession. It was nice to be there alongside primary and secondary schools, and to get a wider view of education in the area.

“I was surprised and honoured to win the award. I always want to make sure that when my students leave the room they’re still talking about the subject and thinking about it all the time. I want my subject to go beyond the walls of the classroom.

“I was really pleased that my colleagues were nominated alongside me. It was more a team thing and I’m really lucky in my department, we have a great team.”

The award for Employer Engagement Initiative was collected by the college’s public services team, in recognition of their commitment to taking students to visit local businesses, to give them a taste of how things work outside the classroom.

Special Educational Needs Teacher of the Year went to Sophie Rollason, in recognition of the impact she made to students through the Expressive Arts curriculum, both in the college and the community.

The title of Educational Support Worker of the Year was awarded to science technician Kayley-Ann Raymond, who was praised for “going the extra mile to provide amazing support to colleagues”.

Now in its second year, there were nearly 300 nominations for the awards, with 37 teachers, governors and support workers making it to the shortlist.

The college was the only FE institution to enter this year’s awards, going up against multiple schools, including Pool Academy, Treviglas Community College and Brannel School.

Keynote speaker at the event was Shane Mann, managing director of LSECT and publisher of both FE Week and FE Week newspapers who supported the event. Speaking at the awards, he praised the work of educators in the area, saying “Cornish teachers turn around children’s lives”.

Hair, beauty and media make-up students from Hugh Baird college are taking part in a scheme to help unemployed women find work.

The Dress it Forward project, launched two years ago by Sefton & Liverpool Women in Business CIC, encourages people across Merseyside to donate their unwanted work wear to help those struggling for employment make a good impression at interviews.

The college students have gone one step further than clothes donations however, and are working with ladies enrolled on the scheme to style their hair and apply make-up.

A number of the women involved with the project are ex-offenders, or those who have little or no previous work experience.

Hair, beauty and media make-up tutor Bobbie Jarvis, who initiated the link between the college and the project, said “The students have struck up a real rapport with the team who run the scheme, and the ladies who take benefit from the project.”

“Part of the work we do at the college is linked to making students better citizens. Taking part in the Dress it Forward project has demonstrated to them the rewards of giving something back to the local community.”

A group of East Durham College students have handmade and donated outdoor play equipment to a local primary school.

The team of nine created a wooden boat, car and bike for the Shotton Hall Primary schools’ early years play area, working on all elements of the project, from initial planning and preparation through to construction.

The group – who needed to work on a community project as part of their level two employability skills programme at the Houghall campus – chose to work with the local primary.

It took around three weeks to complete the equipment, which was then presented to pupils and staff at the primary school.

Lecturer John Murray, who assisted with the project, said “Outdoor play equipment is very expensive, so the school approached us to see if we could help with some equipment for their early years outdoor play area.

“They gave us a catalogue and the students chose a number of items to re-design and build.”

Cheryl McCoy, early years leader at Shotton Primary, added: “Imaginative play is a really important part of a child’s development and this fantastic new equipment is a great addition to the children’s outdoor play area.

“The children are absolutely thrilled with the new equipment and I’m sure it will provide them with hours of fun.”

Strictly Come Dancing stars AJ Pritchard and Chloe Hewitt attended the launch of Birmingham Metropolitan college’s new performing arts facility, Stage Studios.

The dancing duo – who are national and European Latin dance champions and regularly appear on the BBC show – took part in a question and answer session with performing arts students during the launch event.

The new studio is located at the college’s Sutton Coldfield campus, where Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell officially opened the venue by unveiling a commemorative plaque. 

Speaking of the college’s new facilities, dancer AJ said “The studios are fantastic.  Everyone has to start somewhere, so the more knowledge these students gain the more power they have to achieve their goals.

“I love how these students are involved in other things on top of their college courses.  Belonging to dance groups, taking part in events and appearing in productions at different theatres will help them go as far as possible in their careers.”

BMet Principal, Andrew Cleaves said “Stage Studios give our students the creative freedom and motivation to develop their skills and perform at their very best.”

Two members of National Star college staff helped a student realise her dream of completing a marathon by pushing her 26 miles in an all-terrain wheelchair.

Bethan Griffiths, a 22-year-old student at the college who has cerebral palsy, wanted to complete the Brighton marathon in memory of her mum Amanda, who died last year of motor neurone disease.

Her cause resonated with college staff, Becky Amor and Andy Woolway, who have both had close family members affected by the disease.

The team of two took turns pushing a £5,000 wheelchair loaned to them especially for the marathon – with Bethan crossing the finish line on foot.

Becky, who is a physiotherapy assistant at National Star, has run 19 marathons since 2012 but admitted running with a wheelchair made this her most challenging.

Bethan has now raised more than £900 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association through the marathon. Speaking of her experience, she said: “Being a part of a marathon is always something that I’ve dreamt of doing but never thought I’d get to do.

“I mentioned it to Becky during a physiotherapy session at National Star. Becky didn’t say I couldn’t do it. Instead she said she would figure out a way we could.”