Category Archives: Education

Education, News

St Davids adventure company calls for #SaveOutdoorEd support

Pioneering St Davids-based outdoor education company TYF is urging people to support the #SaveOutdoorEd campaign, which aims to get the government to take action to save the outdoor education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The campaign has led to a number of petitions and calls from MPs for the government to address the damage being done to the outdoor education sector by Covid-19, as well as the lost opportunities for people to get outdoors, boost their mental and physical health, learn about the natural world and gain skills and confidence.

Supporters of #SaveOutdoorEd are calling for a clear roadmap for resuming school trips, along with financial support for the sector, where Covid-19 restrictions have endangered livelihoods.

Some progress is being made. A new all-party parliamentary group for Outdoor Learning was recently formed, led by Aberconwy MP Robin Millar and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, who recently urged the government to review its ban on residential trips.

TYF was founded in 1986 and was the first company to introduce coasteering as a commercial activity. It welcomes around 40 schools each season – approximately 200 children a week, and employs over 30 people each year, including seasonal instructors and year-round staff in its office and its St Davids shop.

Its activities are not only about boosting physical and mental fitness: the company also has a strong environmental focus and builds education about the environment and the natural world into its activities. Its high adrenaline activities are preceded by a “mindful minute” in which participants tune into their surroundings.

In 2014 TYF became one of the first certified B Corps in the UK in recognition of its social and environmental performance. The company is also ocean literate and carbon literate, meaning it promotes an understanding of the oceans and our influence on them, and an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, working to motivate people to reduce emissions.

Bonnie Middleton, marketing manager, TYF, says the loss of outdoor education during 2020 has had multiple effects.

“We are not only concerned about protecting jobs in the sector; we’re also aware of the lost opportunities to raise awareness of environmental issues at a time when the climate is in crisis,” she said. “We cannot miss another opportunity to engage the younger generation with nature as this could have a detrimental effect on their commitment to making positive changes in their lives. On top of that, people have lost valuable opportunities to boost their resilience, optimism and mental health through time spent outdoors. Outdoor activities have been shown to have multiple benefits, including lowering blood pressure, boosting self-esteem and relieving stress and anxiety. People need these now more than ever, and we’re eager to be able to welcome people back and resume our activities in a safe and supportive environment.”

With this in mind, TYF has revised its procedures to ensure all equipment is disinfected between uses, and that social distancing it built into its travel arrangements and activities.

“We’re confident we can keep people safe on our trips,” said Bonnie. “We now hope people will get behind the #SaveOutdoorEd campaign and urge the government to review its rules about overnight trips and to take action to protect jobs in outdoor education. Outdoor education staff and the activities they provide have a hugely positive impact on people and the environment, and we want that to continue.”

Anyone wanting to support the campaign can sign the petition urging a revision of Department for Education guidance at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/330559

Awards, Education, News

Innovation and Adaptability Go Virtual at the ESCP Business School Entrepreneurship Festival 2020

On 19th November 2020, ESCP Business School hosted its annual Entrepreneurship Festival. The event, which gathers numerous students, professors, alumni and external guests, was previously organised at five of the School’s European campuses as a local initiative. This time around, in a truly entrepreneurial spirit, ESCP adapted to the challenges of the Covid-19 era and offered a new formula, connecting simultaneous events by the whole ESCP community online and allowing anyone in the world to join.

The Festival was organised thanks to co-creative efforts by the School, current Option-E students from the Master in Management programme (ranked 6th worldwide by the Financial Times), the ESCP Blue Factory and the Jean-Baptiste Say Institute.

23 teams of Option E students from the Berlin (6), Madrid (6) and Paris (11) campuses presented and tested their prototypes and received valuable feedback from the community during 53 short sessions. Students were asked to reach out to investors, external guests, potential customers and early adopters to test their ideas, prototypes and MVPs. This would serve to further improve their concepts, which would be presented as final pitches during the Demo Day on 11th December. The main subjects included health and wellbeing, sustainability, gender equality, circular economy, smart cities and organisations, education, food and financial inclusion.

At the London Campus, where the Festival hosts both Summer and Winter editions, the event was organised by Prof. Davide Sola and revolved around the theme of ‘Developing New Opportunities in the New Normal’. During the Winter Edition, there were seven start-up teams – Go Guru, WHOUT, Stop scrolling, DARU Cocktail Cubes, Bike Around, ScanMe, SmartSole – all comprised of international students. The teams commenced by showcasing their ventures at a virtual simulation trade fair, where customers, investors and other guests were able to discuss projects one-to-one and the students could test the first prototypes (MVP) of each business. Later, the teams pitched them to a panel of entrepreneurs and executives.

The Summer Edition of the Entrepreneurship Festival is run exclusively by the London Campus as part of the MBA in International Management, MSc in Marketing & Creativity and MSc in Marketing & Digital Media programmes.

This year, it took place on 26th May and saw more than 600 attendees during the all-virtual event. 76 students from 31 nationalities worked remotely from more than 20 locations across the world. 15 innovative teams showed how entrepreneurial thinking and problem solving could be applied to the “new normal” that will emerge from the pandemic, building customer-centric and sustainable value propositions.

The Alumni Start-Up Award

As part of the Festival, the Alumni Start Up Awards were organised with Blue Factory Start. Dedicated to student and alumni entrepreneurs who are launching projects, the START programme offers workshops, co-development and a workspace each semester to make concrete progress. During the event, the five best start-up companies of this year’s START (nutriHUNT, Quiet, S.W.A.G., Clap and Edu Enhancement) pitched their business ideas to the audience, who later voted on which would win the prize worth €5,000.

After the Awards, the participants were able to meet some of the competing teams for a less formal chat, offer feedback on their pitches, or even become their mentor or investor in their business ideas. The meeting offered more senior alumni an opportunity to reengage with the School, give back to their community and meet with former classmates.

Keynote Speech by Guido Meardi

The Festival’s final act was an inspiring speech by Guido Meardi, CEO and Co-founder of V-Nova, placed 24th in the ‘Tech Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2020’ in the UK by The Telegraph. V-Nova is one of the most promising high-tech start-ups in data compression and Artificial Intelligence in the UK and the world. Guido is a keen innovator, entrepreneur and investor, with relevant business-building experience and half a dozen exits. He masterfully presented the key challenges that an entrepreneur faces, in particular in ventures that require significant upfront investment. He also candidly shared the good, bad and the ugly of moving from a career in consulting (a former Partner at McKinsey & Company) to a career as an entrepreneur.

The Winners of the 9th ESCP Entrepreneurship Festival

Alumni Start-up Award

Quiet

The London Campus Winter Edition

Overall Winner Prize: STOP SCROLLING
Elias Orphelin, Sahil Rawat and Hugo Fuentes
Panellists Winner: WHOUT
Riccardo Castelli, Lauren Fatalot and Joannes Forun
Virtual Stands Winner: DARU COCKTAIL CUBE
Aditya Menon, Shashank Kumar and Yuzhe Zhao

The ESCP Campus Summer Edition

Overall Winner Prize: HOBBIZ
Loomba Kanika, Mariela Mortola Viteri, Neila Rebrab, Ciara Scannel and Giulio Tucci
MMK PRIZE: KIDSPACE
Isabella Andre Espinoza, Ana Pamela Aridjis Munoz, Chiedozie Onwuzulike, Aasit Thakkar and Leonie Wahl
MDM PRIZE: SOCIALIZE FROM HOME (SFH)
Diane Beeharry, Swayam Doshi, Emma Leucci, Aditya Mirani and Anouk Peynsaert
MBA PRIZE: BARTEZ
Hamza Bennani, Wajih Daou, Shakuntala Malakapalli, Jaya Oswal and Deepak Yadav

Testimonials

Davide Sola, Jean-Baptiste Say Institute Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at ESCP London Campus, shared: “2020 has been a very difficult year for the world as a whole. We believe that the only way out of this hardship is through innovation and entrepreneurship. This is exactly what the students of the Creative Entrepreneurship course showcased at the JB SAY Entrepreneurship Festival. The panel was enthusiastic about the quality and depth of the work by the student teams, and they all agreed that these students have learned valuable skills which will help them in their careers, regardless of whether they become entrepreneurs.”

Martin Kupp, Jean-Baptiste Say Institute Professor for Entrepreneurship and Strategy at ESCP Paris Campus, commented: “The Entrepreneurship Festival 2020 was the biggest and most European festival that we’ve had so far. The COVID-19 crisis forced us to deliver the festival online, but we were able to turn this into an advantage and conducted a truly European entrepreneurship festival. The students tested their projects with potential customers (which the students had invited themselves) in parallel tracks for two hours. Students received valuable feedback from their potential customers, while testing the most critical hypothesis of their business models.”

Education, Education News, News

Students expect future employers to value their credentials, not what they learned at university

Students expect future employers to value their credentials, not necessarily, what they learned at university, according to new research by the University of Cologne.

The study, conducted by Professor Pia Pinger, found that the main motivation for people to go to university in terms of later labour market rewards is to obtain credentials, rather than learn new skills, concepts and material.

Students expect substantial labour market returns from finishing their studies, which is largely driven by a graduation premium of 24.5%, which corresponds to 7,400 Euros a year extra salary.

“This might explain the common complaint among professors regarding their students’ limited willingness to study material beyond what is on the exam. Our findings further indicate that students believe that a university diploma helps them to get a foot-in-the-door at high paying jobs, to obtain more valuable work experience, and to follow an entirely different career trajectory.”

The data was collected by emailing students on a popular nationwide job board, asking them to complete a questionnaire with items related to future labour market expectations, current study experiences, university dropout, and a broad range of background characteristics.

The study also found that since the return of investment (ROI) of higher education was perceived as substantial, the introduction or increase of tuition fees are unlikely to have an impact on student numbers. This suggests why the temporary introduction of tuition fees in Germany, and the increase of fees in the UK in 2012, has had, and is likely to have, very little impact on enrolment – despite the political protests.

Professor Pinger suggests that governments should introduce policies focussed on measures aimed at reducing the considerable psychological costs of studying, in order to combat dropout rates.

The study titled ‘The Expected (Signalling) Value of Higher Education’ had 6,306 students participate.

Business, Education, Training

Popular conference to go online and welcome top names from TV, business and industry

ONE of the highlights of the North Wales business calendar is to be held virtually this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organisers of the popular North Wales Means Business Conference unveiled a series of star speakers and interactive sessions for the event on Thursday December 10.

Showcasing the ION Leadership, 20Twenty Business Growth and NWBA programmes – delivered by Bangor University – the line-up includes journalist and TV presenter Kate Hardcastle MBE; Penderyn Whisky’s Managing Director Stephen Davies; Asentiv New York boss Graham Dobbin; Sophie Morris, Managing Director of Worldspan, and LIMB-art founder, Mark Williams.

The University’s Vice Chancellor Iwan Davies is also set to open the Conference, alongside representatives from the ION Leadership, 20Twenty Business Growth and NWBA courses.

Senior Programme Manager Gwenllian Owen said the response to the Power of Positive Change theme has been heartening after what has been a challenging year for all sectors.

“Of course, it is a huge shame we are all unable to be together in person for the conference and trade show as in past years we have had a brilliant turnout,” said Gwenllian.

“But by taking the event online those watching will be able to enjoy presentations and interactive Q&A sessions with top speakers from the comfort of their own homes.

“The health and safety of our many partners in business and industry is paramount, and I’m sure those joining us will not be disappointed when they see the names we have lined-up to take part.”

The day also features MC Gary Johnson – aka Front Guy Gary – Mark Bryant from Mochdre-based Fast Way to Fitness, Radar PR director Martin Williams and representatives from North Wales Business Academy (NWBA), ION leadership and 20Twenty Business Growth, as well as delegates and companies who have benefited from joining these programmes.

“The conference is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the companies and individuals who have taken part over the years, and the impact they have had on so many different businesses across the region,” said Jackie Whittaker, 20Twenty Business Development Manager.

“There will be a ‘take away’ for everyone who attends the event and an opportunity for companies that have attended our programmes to share their experiences as well as a discussion panel.”

She added: “We are again excited to host this event and thrilled to be joined by so many fantastic speakers and delegates – we hope to see a great turnout and thank everyone so much for their support.”

The 20Twenty Business Growth Programme, ION leadership and the North Wales Business Academy are delivering fully funded courses supported by the European Social Fund through Welsh Government for a limited period to help support local North Wales businesses.

You can join online from 9.30am. The virtual event runs from 9.55am-3pm.

To register, visit:  https://t.co/2GbZT2EnBi?amp=1

For further information, visit: www.20TwentyBusinessGrowth.com, www.ionleadership.co.uk and www.NWBA.ac.uk. Alternatively, call 01248 382497 or email leadingbusinessgrowth@bangor.ac.uk

Education, Sport

Cardiff Blues partnership comes to Pencoedtre High School to inspire and motivate pupils

A joint initiative between Bouygues UK and Cardiff Blues Community Foundation to engage secondary school pupils in career discussions was launched this week at Pencoedtre High School in Barry.

Cardiff Blues Tackle scheme is a sport engagement programme linked with essential and life skills workshops aimed to engage, inspire and motivate young people through an alternative curriculum experience.

The eight-week course aims to engage pupils from years 8 to 10 initially, through workshops and practical sessions geared towards career aspirations and higher education avenues. It aims to give children the chance to develop their employability skills and develop prospects by learning through rugby values such as teamwork, respect, discipline and passion.

Pupils will also work towards gaining an Agored Cymru award delivered through Cardiff and Vale College and, if Covid-19 rules allow, will be able visit to Cardiff Arms Park, where they will learn about jobs at Bouygues UK and Cardiff Blues.

Bouygues UK is currently building the new Pencoedtre High School. Pupils can look forward to new sporting facilities including a four-court sports hall, an all-weather hockey floodlit pitch and grass rugby and football pitches.

Alison Howe, Social Value Advisor at Bouygues UK who is working at the Pencoedtre High School site, said: “Bouygues UK is really pleased to be joining forces with the Cardiff Blues Community Foundation. It’s a very exciting initiative for us and one that we are really pleased to be bringing to Pencoedtre High school. 

“The programme of fun-filled events and workshops provided by Cardiff Blues has a solid track record and we look forward to working together to help enhance the prospects of children in Pencoedtre High.”

Nadine Griffiths, Cardiff Blues Community Foundation Director, said: “We are both thrilled and excited to kick off this new programme in partnership with Bouygues UK in Pencoedtre High School, which will have a really positive impact on pupils. Now more than ever with the Covid-19 pandemic, physical activity and mental health are significant concerns for young people but we can all work together to inspire, engage and improve opportunities for all within our communities.

“The TACKLE programme has been designed to help young people become more active, to build confidence and learn new skills while gaining qualifications to help build a positive future. As part of the programme former Cardiff Blues professional player and Junior All Black Nick Williams, will act as a mentor to the pupils. Nick is a fantastic role model and is very much looking forward to meeting and working with the pupils, listening to what they have to say and what they want to achieve, so we can all make a positive difference together. We cannot wait to get this programme up and running.”

Mike Baker, assistant head at Pencoedtre High School said: “We are delighted to be working with Cardiff Blues again, given the success of their Raising Aspirations programme that we participated in last year.

“The Tackle programme is a considerate and well thought out means of driving achievement in schools and our pupils can’t wait to get started. We are very grateful to Bouygues UK for facilitating and sponsoring this opportunity.”

Education, Education News

Discovery Education Acquires Mystery Science

Discovery Education—the global leader in curriculum-aligned digital resources and professional learning for primary and secondary schools—today announced the acquisition of the popular US-based science and STEM provider Mystery Science. Created in San Francisco, California, Mystery Science is used in more than 50% of United States’ elementary schools each month. Terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Mystery Science supports Discovery Education’s ongoing effort to keep students and teachers connected to curiosity. Mystery Science will complement Discovery Education’s other successful digital services supporting science education.

“The extraordinary team developing and delivering Mystery Science share Discovery Education’s dedication to helping students understand and make sense of the natural world around them,” said Discovery Education President of K-12 Education, Scott Kinney.  “Like educators and students nationwide, we deeply admire Mystery Science, and we look forward to adding it to our existing suite of award-winning digital resources currently supporting instruction in classrooms everywhere.  Together, we are better positioned to deepen our impact by providing all learners endless opportunities to investigate real-world problems, uncover understanding, inspire innovation and pursue unlimited possibilities.”

Mystery Science features ready-to-teach multimedia science and STEM lessons for primary students. Each lesson begins by posing a question commonly asked by young students, which is followed by a series of brief videos and prompts used to guide class discussion. The lesson concludes with an activity incorporating basic supplies commonly found in a classroom or at home.

Mystery Science lessons cover a wide range of questions children wonder about, including:  Where do rivers flow? Could a volcano pop up where you live? Why do the stars come out at night? and How far can a whisper travel?

“Mystery Science was created to help educators turn the conventional approach of answering children’s questions on its head,” said Doug Peltz, Co-Founder of Mystery Science. “Keith Schacht and I wanted to unlock student curiosity by helping students explore the world around them through a unique inquiry method. Our core goal, also shared by Discovery Education, is to help as many educators as possible nurture students’ natural curiosity through the Mystery Science resources, and we look forward to expanding our impact together.”

“Mystery Science has always been dedicated to helping children stay curious,” said Keith Schacht, Mystery Science Co-Founder. “We’re incredibly excited by the opportunity to reach even more children in classrooms with Discovery Education.”

K&L Gates LLP served as counsel to Discovery Education in connection with the transaction, and Fenwick & West LLP served as counsel to Mystery Science.

Mystery Science is Discovery Education’s latest acquisition. In August of 2019, Discovery Education announced the purchase of Inspyro and in July of 2020, Discovery Education acquired Spiral.

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk

Education, News, Tech Education

Birmingham law firm teams up with award winning game developers to help schools with compliance during pandemic

Birmingham law firm Browne Jacobson has teamed up with award winning game developers to help school and academy trust staff comply with the legal and regulatory environment during the current pandemic.

The firm, which is a National Powerhouse in the education sector, has spent months working with a team at E3 Compliance Training (E3CT), led by co-founders Steve Brett, Nicolas, Pylypiuk and BAFTA award winner Dave Allsopp on developing the content and app for EduCompli.

EduCompli will deliver a series of bespoke fun and engaging staff training modules covering topics such as data protection, including GDPR, child protection, online safety, health & safety and equality & diversity.

Accessible on a range of mobile devices including laptops, tablets and smart phones, each module delivers gamified bite sized learning that incorporates techniques widely used in the mobile games industry such as high score tables and avatars which have proven to enhance user engagement and learning levels in e-Learning programs.

Dai Durbridge, education partner, said:
“The impact Covid-19 has had on the school community means it is more important than ever for school leaders to make sure they comply with the legal and regulatory environment.
“The added pressures facing school staff during these unprecedented times means the training needs to be as flexible as possible, allowing participants to engage at a pace that suits them. We have also embedded enhanced data and analytics into each module so that school leaders can assess overall compliance levels and identify development needs very easily.
“The first two modules focus on GDPR and child protection – two of the areas from our experience which pose the biggest challenges to schools, with others to come on stream later in the year.
“It is really important schools get and stay on top of their regulatory responsibilities as the sanctions, fines and reputational damage for breach can be significant.”

E3CT has been working in partnership with Browne Jacobson since 2017 when it was asked to develop an anti-money laundering e-Learning module for the law firm’s 1000-plus employees.

Its success led to the co-development of a comprehensive risk and compliance training programme for the firm which culminated in them jointly winning the ‘Best Law Firm and Provider Collaboration’ award at the Legal Education & Training Group (LETG) Awards 2019.”

Steve Brett, co-founder of E3CT, added:
“It’s great to see training using the E3 unique suite of tools to deliver effective training to staff at schools and academies using the widely recognised expertise of Browne Jacobson in the market. Compliance training is at the forefront of many organisations, yet the training itself hasn’t really changed in more than 20 years.
“At E3 we have a different approach. We use our gaming industry experience to leverage the same ideas and insights that keep players engaged with many popular games and apply them to compliance training, and the results speak for themselves. In our experience less than 30 percent of employees participate when traditional passive compliance training methods are used. This rises to over 90 percent with more than 70 percent redoing their training at least once voluntarily when you successfully incorporate gamification into e-Learning.
“Our training is supported by robust analytics that allows managers and compliance officers to easily interpret learning results into meaningful data to ensure their compliance obligations are being met.”

Russell Dalton, Chief Operating Officer of the Diocese of Worcester Multi-Academy Trust, said:
“We see EduCompli as a one stop shop for all our compliance training needs. The content is relevant, and the modules are structured into bite size units. The emphasis on reinforced learning will reassure school leaders. The leaderboard and timer features make it fun and competitive which gives it an edge over many other similar products in the market.”

 

Education, Environment News, News

MIP Politecnico di Milano, the only Business School in Europe to gain certification in sustainability and inclusiveness

MIP Politecnico di Milano in Milan is the only Business School in Europe to join an international community of companies that stand out for their commitment to combining profit with the well-being of society and care for the environment.

The B Corp Certification is a prestigious recognition that is awarded to companies for their commitment to sustainable development and building a more inclusive society. MIP Politecnico di Milano is the first Italian and only European business school to have been accredited, and is just one of a few worldwide.

During the accreditation process, MIP was helped by Nativa, designer of sustainable and regenerative evolution models, the first B Corp in Europe and B Lab’s Italian partner.

B Corp companies form an international community of companies with the common goal of combining profit with a search for the collective well-being, and care for the environment and society as a whole. Around 3,400 companies have been awarded this certification, one hundred or so being in Italy. The required certification process involves a rigorous assessment to examine the organisation’s model of governance, its care for human capital, its relationship with its partners and social context, and respect for the environment. The procedure, therefore, analyses and measures the results achieved by the company in question in this area.

This recognition certifies MIP’s consolidated commitment and, more generally, that of the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano to which MIP belongs, for years actively involved in research, training and joint projects with companies on topics concerning social responsibility.

One of the essential elements that led MIP to undergo this certification is its full understanding of the role that every company will play in building a better tomorrow for everyone. The purpose of every business will increasingly be re-thought, to give centrality to the role that it wishes to hold in society. As well as encouraging growing interest in its training programmes on the topics of purpose, sustainability and inclusivity, MIP intends to use its status as a Certified B Corporation to accelerate the virtuous process by which it will become itself a sustainable organisation.

Vittorio Chiesa and Federico Frattini, President and Dean of MIP Politecnico di Milano respectively said:

“All of us at MIP are intensely proud to have received this significant certification”. We are, above all, delighted to say that we are the only European business school to be a Certified B Corporation. Furthermore, in the current unprecedented health emergency, when we are querying the development models that allowed it to happen, seeing our contribution for a more sustainable future being recognised in this way takes on an even deeper meaning. Business schools are increasingly underlining their strong role as agents for change committed to building a better and more inclusive society”

Raffaella Cagliano, Deputy Director of the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano added:

“This acknowledgement is a major milestone and rewards the hard work carried out with passion and commitment in recent years. B Corp Certification fits into a strategy of sustainable growth that the School of Management has been carrying forward for a long time, and we are convinced that this is the principle responsibility for an institute like us that operates in research and trains young professionals and managers”

Eric Ezechieli, co-founder of Nativa  concluded:

“Our collaboration with MIP Politecnico di Milano has been highly beneficial and we are happy to have helped MIP, as a representative of Italian excellence, in accelerating its progress towards B Corp Certification. MIP’s commitment towards people, society and the environment is a clear signal to all business schools: parameters linked to sustainability must be included in the organisation’s mission, as a core competence for tomorrows’ decision-makers”.

MIP’s status as a B Corp certified company will direct its actions in the field of sustainability over the upcoming years. Its plans include expanding initiatives that can produce an impact in the areas of accessibility, inclusion, the well-being of people and environmental sustainability.

coleg cambria, Education, Food and Drink

Sweet partnership between leading college and pudding firm serves up success

A SWEET partnership between Coleg Cambria and a pioneering bakery business is serving up success for its staff.

The college has been working with The Pudding Compartment in Flint to upskill team members through the Skills for Employers and Employees (SEE) project.

Managing Director Steve West says the collaboration boosted morale and has given individuals the confidence to progress within the company.

It has been a challenging year for the business – as it has for all sectors due to the Covid-19 pandemic – but Steve says they have adapted to strengthen their position.

He himself has been nominated for an SME National Business Award in the Business Hero category, and during the first Coronavirus lockdown was lauded for launching the A Million Thanks campaign, a social enterprise which delivered ingredients to home bakers across the country who were unable to access them due to panic buying and the initial shortage of supermarket supplies.

A former learner at Coleg Cambria in Connah’s Quay – previously Deeside College – he is honoured to have been selected for the prizegiving at Wembley Arena next Spring and thanked the college for its support over past years.

“I was nominated by the college for the award, so it’s a huge source of pride for me and I’m very grateful,” said Steve.

“My connection with Deeside goes back almost 30 years to when I was a student there, so to be working in partnership with them to help my team develop their skills has been fantastic.

“As a result, we have taken several on as permanent staff, welcomed apprentices and work experience placements and together the relationship has developed. It’s been great.”

Having started his academic journey on a HNC in Mechanical Engineering, Steve entered the baking sector 13 years ago.

He now employs up to 25 people and plans to launch a new arm of the firm – the Creative Bake Company – in the near future, supplying cakes, cookies and sweet treats to national clients in a variety of new sectors, notably independent retailers and coffee shops in addition to their regular customers in tourism and travel.

“We make everything in-house and use local produce, it is a very artisan process and that is important to me,” said Steve.

“Like many businesses we adapted and diversified this year to keep things going; it’s been tough for everyone, but I have managed to retain all of my staff and we will move forward together.”

Yvonne Evans, Assessor for Food Manufacturing at Coleg Cambria, said the alliance with The Pudding Compartment is an example of their links with leading names in industry.

“We were delighted to be able to nominate Steve for the Business Hero award because of the incredible efforts he made for the community during the lockdown, and are thrilled to see he has made it onto the final shortlist,” she said.

“We bring education together with numerous sectors through the SEE programme, providing opportunities for staff to develop their skills and work towards their future career progression.

“Our long-standing partnership with Steve and The Pudding Compartment is an example of that, and we look forward to working together for many years to come.”

For more information on the SEE project at Coleg Cambria, visit the website:

www.cambria.ac.uk/business/see-funding/

Visit www.thepuddingcompartment.co.uk/ for more on The Pudding Compartment.

Care, Education, North Wales

Specialist school unveils new sixth form and plans for future growth

AN INDEPENDENT care and education business plans for further growth after an excellent Estyn inspection.

And Bryn Tirion Hall School has unveiled a new sixth form at its Caergwrle site to meet demand and support vulnerable children with special needs as they prepare for their future careers.

Principal Paddy Prendergast revealed they have recruited six new teachers and learning assistants since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic and welcomed five new children in past months.

Having started with one pupil when the organisation was launched in 2008, they begin this academic year with 54, now covering two sites, the most recent of which opened in Bersham, Wrexham, last year.

A period of steady and sustainable growth has been welcomed by parents, carers, local authorities, partner institutions, and Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, which gave them an excellent rating earlier this year.

Paddy was delighted with the outcome and said the spirit of togetherness and strength among the workforce is what enables them to make a real difference to the lives of youngsters who hail from challenging and traumatic backgrounds.

“This is a sector which isn’t really talked about for many reasons, but over the years we have grown and grown and soaked up the issues of children with complex needs, supporting local authorities when they need it most,” he said.

“Together with our staff – who are incredibly resilient and focused – we can provide opportunities for the pupils to break down the barriers to their learning, unlocking success.”

“There are so many unbelievable kids here who have turned things around because our staff have persevered, listened and worked with them, stuck with them and believed in them – that’s when they make progress.”

The dad-of-one added: “We have invested heavily in the new Bersham Road school as it was quite run down when we took it on.

“Most of the children are referred to us by local authorities and come to us from less than an hour away, so as we grow and are held up as a beacon of best practice I can only see more joining us.

“That’s also a big part of the reason why we decided to open up a sixth form at Caergwrle. It gives them that continued support post-16 as they look to study for vocational qualifications, continue their work experience and even progress onto A Levels, preparing them for their next steps in a familiar and supportive environment.

“We don’t want them to be lost to education and the possibility of a career because they’re not ready to leave or given the help they need. We tailor the education and care to each child, it’s not one size fits all.

“It’s a privileged position to be in, doing something we love and pushing boundaries, scrutinising and changing perceptions of what is a largely forgotten section of the education landscape.”

Estyn inspectors found that staff work together effectively to promote an exceptionally caring and inclusive ethos that successfully meets the needs of the pupils.

The report added: “They share a strong commitment to improving the life chances of all pupils and work closely with the school’s therapy and psychology team to reflect carefully on their own practice and ensure that their knowledge of individual pupils’ needs is informed by an up-to-date understanding of trauma-informed practice.

“As a result of the school’s carefully co-ordinated approach to the curriculum and the high quality of care, support and guidance they receive, most pupils make strong progress in their learning, wellbeing and independence.”

Career and Work-Related Education Manager Sarah Gaffney said the findings reinforce the foundations laid by the leadership team over the last decade.

“The organisation has grown but never lost its focus and commitment to the pupils and positive outcomes for them,” she said.

“To receive such a positive response from Estyn is terrific and gives us the confidence to continue working with our partners and the community to change the lives of these amazing young people.”

For more information, visit www.qewc.co.uk or follow them on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/BrynTirionSchool/