Well, what a hectic but exciting first week it’s been.

After finishing my final a-level exam last Wednesday, the very next morning I started my handover with the outgoing VP-FE, Ellie Russell.

I won’t bore you with the ins and outs of everything of the past week (as thrilling as learning about how the filing cabinets are organised is, this is not the time or place to discuss it) so I will give a brief overview of what I’ve done this past week:

28^th June:

My handover began, met with Tom Wright, the chair of the National Learner Panel and Jamie-Stuart Smith.

29^th June:

Attended UCU’s ESOL Conference  

2^nd July:

Gave a talk on how to involve students in safety policies at NIACE’s Safeguarding Seminar

3^rd July:

Meetings all day in HQ

4^th July:

Attended CEL Learner Voice Awards

5^th July:

Spoke at LSN’s Learner Voice seminar on ways of engaging students in student voice participation

Returning back to July 4^th, I want to talk about the CEL Learner Voice awards as it was a fantastic event which celebrated “the best of learner leadership and representation across the FE system.”

Below are the winners of all the categories:

Student Governor: Shane Griffin, Worcester College of Technology

(Highly commended going to Bukky Wahab, Redbridge College). 

SSLO of the year: Jay Moore, Leicester College

Most Improved Provider of the year: Cornwall College

(Highly commended going to The East Lancaster Institute of Higher Education at Blackburn College).

Principal of the year: Richard Parker, Chichester College

Representative of the year: Student Council, Bridge College

(Highly commended going to Student Council, College of North East London)

Provider of the year: City and Islington College

Leading Learner: Kathryn Dodgson, The Blackpool Sixth Form College 

Outstanding Contribution: Ellie Russell

Special a special mention goes to Kathryn Dodson, who managed to get her elections turn-out for her college to over 80% of all students with the use of innovative campaigning tools to increase participation in elections. 

Next week I shall be on NEC training residential which I am very much looking forward to.

I hope you all are enjoying the start of your summer holidays, regardless of the very un-summer-like weather…

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