Ofsted Chief Inspector praises York College’s role in ‘shaping futures’ at opening of student experience hub
York College welcomed Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, for the official opening of our Your Experience Hub.
The Your Experience Hub is part of a £1m investment at College, and will provide facilities through which our students can access high quality information and support services. The facility has also created 21 new Progress Coach jobs, to lead the students’ personal tutorial work.
Speaking at the opening, on November 11, Ms Spielman, said: “At Ofsted we have a very strong interest in the whole sphere of education and apprenticeships.
“Colleges take 16-year-old school leavers - some of them high-flyers and some of them not, and they take that mixed group of young people and bring them into adulthood. Colleges really shape a future for them. It’s a magical and transformative thing.
“A young person’s time in college isn’t just about a pile of qualifications – we need to see further education in its fullness, and this is a part of it. It’s a fabulous initiative and I’m very pleased to be here to open it today”
The opening ceremony included a ribbon cutting and a tour of the facility for the VIP guests, led by our Chief Executive and Principal, Lee Probert.
He said: “Opening the Your Experience Hub today cements our collective commitment to ensuring that York College students have access to the best quality student support, alongside the highest quality teaching, to achieve their qualifications and progress.
“Central to our values of success and care, this Hub provides a single location for students to access all the pastoral and professional support they might need, whilst they are studying with us.
“This investment also sees us transform our personal tutoring model to ensure that all our 16-19-year-olds students have access to a designated member of staff, whose job is to support them throughout their course and secure a positive step towards their future.”
The Your Experience Hub was constructed over the summer, with finishing touches made during the autumn term. The facility now provides face-to-face meeting areas and is a base for the team of Progress Coaches. Students now have direct access to advice on careers, funding, health and well-being support, alongside guidance on their studies.
Alongside the Your Experience Hub, the investment has overhauled the Learning and Research spaces, giving students better access to facilities for independent learning, research and group work. A new dedicated space for learning support, for students with special educational needs, has also been created. This suite of facilities includes the College’s dedicated University Centre.
The opening represents part of an ambitious five-year strategy at York College, with further investment planned to 2025. The ongoing expansion of facilities will meet new and emerging needs to support the city and to deliver its skills priorities.
To find out more on York College and the range of courses available, including GCSEs, A-levels, T levels, higher education and degrees, visit the York College website.
