Bradford College selected as finalist in prestigious national education awards
Bradford College is a finalist in two categories of the highly sought-after Beacon Awards 2024/2025. Run by the Association of Colleges (AoC), the Beacon Awards celebrate exemplary practice in further education.
Announced at the AoC Annual conference yesterday, Bradford College achieved the first shortlisting in ‘The Edge Award for Excellence in Real World Learning’ category for its Ambition HUB enhancement programme. The award is given to an FE college for its outstanding work with employers in delivering teaching and learning that is embedded in the real world.
The Ambition HUB initiative gives students a career edge as well as a vocational qualification, using an extraordinary layer of additional learning to enhance Level 3 programmes. Cross-curriculum integration brings diverse subjects and professionals together to collaborate on engaging employer-led projects. From hairdressers working with Yorkshire Building Society to the RSC performing Shakespeare with construction students, the unique Ambition HUB model leads to a Level 3 qualification but also invaluable life experiences.
Bradford College also achieved finalist status in ‘The Bell Foundation Award for Excellence in ESOL’ category. ESOL provision has been developed at Bradford College in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Learning and development is structured around Shakespeare’s works, and around 235 learners engaged with the project last year.
ESOL students learn about plays, performance, and language, which underpins English development. As well as language skills, students learn about themselves, their new community, and English heritage in a positive and engaging way that instils pride. They develop confidence, improve their mental health (sometimes after significant trauma), and become empowered by their newfound skills.
Sarah Towan, Bradford College Vice Principal – Recruitment & Communications, said:
“We are so excited for our staff and students’ hard work to be recognised by these awards, for their outstanding innovation in learning. The Beacon awards showcase the very best further education has to offer in the UK, so these awards are a testament of our college’s collective fierce ambition to do the very best for our community. It’s incredible that not one but two Bradford College initiatives have been recognised as being at the forefront of education excellence. Well done to everyone involved.”
Successful colleges will be visited between December 2024 – January 2025 before winners are announced at a special AoC celebration event on 3rd March 2025. Case studies from all colleges that achieved commended status are available on the AoC website here.