Best in Leeds scores for Luminate Education Group’s higher education providers

Written by Jim Jack on July 8, 2022. Posted in News, Teaching and Learning

University Centre Leeds and Leeds Conservatoire are celebrating achieving the highest student satisfaction scores, in their respective categories, of all the higher education providers in the city.

In the newly published 2022 National Student Survey (NSS) Leeds Conservatoire achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 80%, significantly higher than the sector average of 70.79%. The 85% satisfaction rating achieved by the University Centre (UC Leeds), meanwhile, made it the highest performing institution of its kind in Leeds – and one of the highest in Yorkshire. 

Both institutions scored highly, and above the sector average, in many of the individual categories in the survey, too. In the conservatoire’s case, particular highlights were in teaching (82%), academic support (78%), learning opportunities (80%), assessment and feedback (78%), and learning community (77%).

Students also rated UC Leeds, which was registered under Luminate Education Group for the survey, very highly in specific areas. Those included: teaching (90.4%), learning opportunities (88.6%), academic support (87%), learning community (83.7%), assessment and feedback (83.5%), student voice (81.1%), and organisation and management (80.5%).

A testament to the dedication of our staff

The results delighted Janet Faulkner, Dean of Higher Education at UC Leeds, and Leeds Conservatoire Principal, Professor Joe Wilson.

Janet said: “These tremendous results are a testament to the continuing, and improving quality of our teaching and curriculum.

“Our staff are continuously looking at ways to enhance our courses and give students exceptional opportunities, so they leave here with the confidence and skills to aim high.

“Over the past year, we have welcomed a string of influential guest speakers and taken a group of learners to London for some invaluable experience at the Department for Transport. Other students have benefitted from an Erasmus+ trip to Greece, where their work in a hotel gave them an insight into the tourism, hospitality and food and drink sectors.

“Our students, as these impressive survey results indicate, clearly appreciate such efforts which is wonderful to see.”

Joe said: “We are very proud of the excellent NSS results for Leeds Conservatoire. This is testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, and we would like to thank our students for recognising the conservatoire with this fantastic feedback.

“Our programmes are characterised by inspirational training with experts in a huge variety of specialisms, supported by bespoke workshops and masterclasses by visiting practitioners. Our facilities are industry-standard, our curriculum is designed around industry practice, and students have access to a wealth of professional partners and expert knowledge both within and outside our curriculum. 

“We value excellence and elite training in all forms of music and performance making, and so offer the broadest range of genres of any conservatoire in Europe, giving our students unrivalled opportunities for collaboration. We are the only UK conservatoire to offer degrees combining two performance/production disciplines, reflecting the increasing focus on multidisciplinary practice in the music industry and offering even greater opportunity for students to expand their creative vision.”  

Managed by the Office for Students, the NSS is one of the largest surveys of its kind and had almost 325,000 responses across the UK this year.

The survey gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their courses. That data is then used by prospective students to guide their choices, and by the education providers to shape and improve their offerings.

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Inspectors praise group’s outstanding commitment to personal development 

Written by Tidi Kwidini on June 20, 2022. Posted in News

That is how Luminate Education Group’s Director of Student Life, Andrea Cowans, described the group’s retention of its ‘Good’ Ofsted rating following a recent inspection.

Ofsted inspectors visited all of the group’s FE campuses to evaluate the quality of provision between April 26 and 29.

The inspection team concluded that our provision was ‘Good’ with some ‘Outstanding’ features – including in Personal Development and Adult provision.

Andrea, who leads on personal development, behaviour and attitudes across Luminate’s FE colleges, said: “For our colleges to achieve an overall ‘Good’ grade from Ofsted in a period when our students  have been recovering from the pandemic is a fantastic result.

“We have talented and focused staff teams who regularly demonstrate outstanding practice, exceptional insight and a heartfelt commitment to our students and colleagues.

“The work of staff was highlighted on a daily basis by inspectors, one of whom described the leadership of culture and emotional well-being as ‘exemplary practice’.”

Recognition of the pride we take in our work

Inspectors noted ‘widespread and exceptional personal development’, ‘wellbeing and mental health support that went beyond the expected’, and ‘well planned work experience and close relationships with industry’.

Andrea added: “The colleges’ vision and commitment to social justice and mobility were also highlighted, and barriers to learning were described as ‘well met with support’ in areas including vulnerability. 

“There was much more – some of it implicit in the description of aspirational environments, our focus on health, effective safeguarding, and that our staff describe themselves as ‘proud to work for the college’.

“That pride in our work, our students, and our purpose in communities in Leeds, Harrogate and Keighley shines through and we are delighted this was recognised by inspectors.”

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Leeds West MP Alex Sobel visits Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus

Written by Tidi Kwidini on July 5, 2022. Posted in News

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel has visited Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus as part of a wider campaign to promote digital arts.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Video Games and Esports Chair, visited the Creative Arts School, which is home to 1200 students and has an ESports lab, dance and music studios, TV and media studio and the 200-seat Chroma Q theatre.

He was welcomed by Bill Jones, Deputy CEO of Luminate Education Group, Quarry Hill Campus Principal Suzy Gallagher, Rob Reed, Programme Manager for Digital Arts and Maya Jermy, Curriculum Leader for Animation and Esports.

Rob, Bill and Suzy outlined their vision for the department and future plans for expansion. They also told the Labour MP that a lack of government funding within the sector was having a direct impact on recruiting staff with subject-specific skills.

Rob said: “We are happy to have hosted Alex Sobel and to have shared our vision for the department. We run a number of courses that include computer games, animation and esports and our curriculum is responsive to the needs of the games and animation industries.

“Alex is an advocate of education, particularly the digital arts, and getting the opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues and challenges we are facing as a department and sector was encouraging.”

Other key topics covered during the tour included the importance of making connections with industry bodies and SMEs across the region, to encourage more work experience for students. There was also an in-depth discussion about the under-representation of female students in the games industry.

Rob added: “It is not only important for us to encourage girls, who in some cases, feel unseen in an industry perceived as ‘male’. It is also our duty to educate boys and help them understand how they can help combat the negative stereotypes.”

After the tour Alex spent time with the second year level 3 games development students, who were exhibiting their final work at Mabgate studios, as part of the Creative Arts Fragments exhibition.

He spoke to several learners about their experience of the course and had a tour of their 3D virtual gallery space, using a VR kit.

Alex said: “What an inspiring group of young people, with so much talent. It was great to see their work and talk about opportunities within the video games Industry.”

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Luminate’s Adult provision gains outstanding grade from Ofsted

Written by Tidi Kwidini on June 20, 2022. Posted in News

Luminate Education Group’s provision for adults has been graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. 

The rating follows a meticulous and thorough inspection of all of the group’s further education (FE) campuses, to evaluate the quality of their provision, at the end of April.

The inspectors, working under the Education Inspection Framework , assessed the group as a whole as Good for overall effectiveness, while finding both Adult Learning programmes and Personal Development to be ‘Outstanding’.

Luminate Education Group is the largest education provider in Yorkshire and has over 7,000 learners on adult programmes. The group’s members include Leeds City College, which operates across a number of campuses, Keighley College and Harrogate College.

Ann Marie Spry, Group Vice Principal Adults, said: “We have rapidly changed our curriculum offer and delivery methodology in response to the changing needs of the individuals and industries we serve, working collaboratively with our stakeholders. We are passionate about continually improving student outcomes in the broadest sense, and committed to providing high quality education. 

“The Ofsted result is fantastic and it really reflects how we have adapted our curriculum through the pandemic. It also showcases how we have developed the offer so that it best meets the needs of our communities and businesses, and this includes creating a provision to address the digital skills gap in the region.

“We are more flexible now and the range of courses we offer is different because it is designed to meet the needs of employers, now and in the future.”

Successfully meeting the needs and aspirations of adult learners

Inspectors praised leaders across the group for successfully providing education and training that meets the aspirations of adults, provides access for a range of entry levels, and reduces barriers.

The group’s work  to identify the support needs of adult learners who are refugees or asylum seekers, and develop a wraparound support service to help them access education, was also highlighted.

Ann-Marie added: “We have fully embraced a holistic approach so that we are meeting as many of the everyday needs of adults as we can, including consideration of wider health and wellbeing needs.

“The pandemic was challenging for everyone, but particularly for adults who had to deal with work, childcare, changing jobs and the changing nature of work.

“We are committed to providing learners with an inclusive and open environment where they are not just coming to learn, but to have an opportunity to reconnect with and meet new people.

“It is also about helping to tackle the isolation that people felt during lockdown periods, and at the same time helping them develop the skills they need now and to attain further qualifications for the future.”

Consistent learning outcomes

Ann-Marie praised the team for the work they are doing to give learners ‘consistent learning experiences’ adding, “adults now consistently have a great experience with us and have access to great teaching and learning”.

Future of adult education and a new adult learning space in Morley

Leeds City College is currently exploring further ways it can promote adult learning in the region, including through the creation of a new learning and skills centre in Morley.

“Adult education is central to the rebuilding of our economy in a post-Covid environment. The vision is to deliver a curriculum that makes the biggest contribution to improving and changing the lives of people both in work or unemployed, and contributing to thriving communities”

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Luminate Education Group colleges awarded ‘Good’ by Ofsted

Written by Tidi Kwidini on June 20, 2022. Posted in News

Colleges within Luminate Education Group are celebrating after achieving a grade ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ features by Ofsted, following an inspection last month.

Harrogate, Keighley, Leeds Sixth Form and Leeds City colleges were recognised for their passionate and expert staff, and their work with regional stakeholders to implement education programmes that best fit local employment opportunities.

The group was also praised for successfully providing education and training that meets the aspirations of learners and apprentices and widens participation in education and training.

The colleges’ provision for both adults and student personal development were awarded ‘Outstanding’.

The group is among the first large educational establishments to have been inspected under Ofsted’s new framework, which puts a greater focus on work with stakeholders, student and apprentices’ safety and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Bill Jones, Deputy CEO at Luminate Education Group, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the FE colleges that make up our *group, which has grown exponentially since our last inspection in 2018. Our campus portfolio has grown by 35%, with the additions of Harrogate College and Leeds City College’s Mabgate campus. This increase reflects the number of our students, which has doubled in some areas in the last four years.

“Our skillful and influential leaders are committed to collaborating and working with key stakeholders and partners to not only provide invaluable opportunities for our students, but also meet the economic needs of the region.

“Our governors also play a key role in the quality of education provided to our students across the FE colleges. They are actively involved in determining the group’s strategic direction, making many of the key decisions in relation to each college and ensuring continuous and sustainable improvement.”

Andrea Cowans, Director of Student Life at Luminate, added: “This grade is testament to the hard work of our staff who make our college environments welcoming and safe places for our students every single day.

“Our learners’ wellbeing, personal development and safety are our top priorities which are embedded in our cultures, cementing our Outstanding grade in this area. This is pertinent as we recover from the impact of Covid-19, and its effects on our adult learners in particular, so it’s an incredible feat to be strongly recognised in this area too.”

For more information about Luminate Education Group, visit Luminate Education Group

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Spreading the skills message – with a little help from a fortune teller

Written by Tidi Kwidini on June 6, 2022. Posted in News

Hundreds of shoppers in Leeds have been discovering more about adult education – thanks to a mysterious-looking visitor.

Zoltar, a mechanised fortune teller (best known for his appearance in the hit movie Big), was a star attraction at the White Rose Shopping Centre on Tuesday, May 31, and then Trinity Leeds the following day.

At both venues shoppers who approached the ‘genie machine’ were rewarded with a card bearing a message about their future – and how skills training could boost their prospects.

Zoltar’s appearances were in support of the Festival of Learning, a national campaign which promotes and celebrates the benefits of adult education and reskilling.

Leeds City College and University Centre Leeds – members of Luminate Education Group – teamed up with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, University of Leeds’ Lifelong Learning Centre, Leeds City Council, the National Careers Service and Leeds College of Building to stage the events.

A fun way to highlight the benefits of lifelong learning

Vice Principal of Adults at Leeds City College, Ann-Marie Spry, said: “We were delighted to talk to so many enthusiastic people over the two days about the many advantages of learning a new skill, or upgrading an existing one, as an adult.

“Adults who reskill or upskill can gain new career opportunities, increased salaries and boosts to their wellbeing.  

“Zoltar was a big hit and certainly provided shoppers with plenty of food for thought, in terms of their future training and education options, through the cards he dispensed.

“The Festival of Learning is all about raising the profile of lifelong learning, and the benefits of upskilling, and these events certainly did that.

“We are grateful to Leeds Trinity and the White Rose Shopping Centre for providing us with such great locations, and hope that lots of the shoppers we had the pleasure of meeting will get in touch to take their next exciting step.”

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, also applauded the events. She said: “I am delighted to support the Festival of Learning, as improving skills for adults is one of the most powerful and effective ways we can make a real difference to people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

“One of my main priorities as mayor is prioritising skills and training, to ensure everyone in West Yorkshire has the skills they need to secure work, by creating and supporting inclusive opportunities like the Festival of Learning.”

Zoltar delighted hundreds of people over the two days while the organisers handed out 2,000 Festival of Learning branded tote bags, each packed with information about local adult learning opportunities.

Collaborative effort creates a buzz
Careers advisers from the National Careers Service also spoke to shoppers about their potential next steps. A spokesperson said: “We were so pleased to team up with Luminate Education Group to support adults with impartial careers advice.

“Supporting adults to access education and learning is at the heart of what the National Careers Service does, and it was fantastic to see such a buzz around the Festival of Learning event.

“It was also such a positive experience to see local education providers working together – many thanks to those involved, and to Luminate for organising it.”

Fiona Chapel, from the Lifelong Learning Centre at the University of Leeds, said: “We were delighted to be a part of the Festival of Learning information events! As a member of the Festival of Learning partnership, the Lifelong Learning Centre is committed to helping support the promotion and celebration of adult learning in West Yorkshire.”

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education at Leeds City Council, added: “We were delighted to attend the Festival of Learning celebrations and to speak to so many potential learners from across the city.

“Leeds City Council has delivered adult learning for a number of years and our teams are passionate about teaching quality courses in partnership with a wide range of organisations, including Luminate Education Group. This event was an opportunity to celebrate learning and talk to residents about the great opportunities and benefits that adult learning can bring!”

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