We have been awarded the first Bronze as part of a pilot project to develop a pathway for the Race Equality Charter (REC) to small and specialist institutions and research institutes.
The award comes as the pilot programme concludes its initial two-year phase and the Race Equality Charter celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025. The achievement represents a significant milestone in efforts to support these groups of higher education providers and research institutes with their ambitions to advance equality in their contexts.
Anne Mwangi, Head of the Race Equality Charter at Advance HE, said: “We are thrilled to be ending this pilot phase with our group’s first Bronze award.
“REC Bronze is recognition of an institution’s robust foundation for eliminating racial inequalities, developing inclusive cultures and moving from commitment to sustainable and integrated bold and ambitious action.
“Advance HE looks forward to supporting Luminate Education Group as it progresses its action plans to advance race equality and celebrating all members of this cohort submitting in November 2025 and March 2026 as they receive their outcomes.”
An empowering chance to reflect – and act
Dr Jo Tyssen, our Group Director of HE Quality and Standards – Leeds Conservatoire and University Centre Leeds, added: “This Race Equality Charter application has been an ambition for a number of years and follows University Centre Leeds’ engagement with Advance HE as part of the REC SSRI Design Group in 2023. This then expanded to include Leeds Conservatoire with University Centre Leeds in the Race Equality Charter for small and specialist institutions and research institutes pilot.
“It has been a collaborative and empowering journey with Advance HE. We viewed it as a real opportunity for an honest self-assessment and a bold commitment to action, addressing the root causes of race inequality to drive meaningful change.
“We are incredibly honoured by this achievement, and to be the first from the pilot (including college-based HE provider) to achieve REC Bronze is something we are so proud of.
“I cannot thank Advance HE enough for their support in working with members to provide this opportunity and for the recognition of the work that providers such as us contribute to race equity and the HE sector as a whole.”
The Race Equality Charter’s mission is to improve the representation, experience, progression and success of racially minoritised staff and students within higher education. It provides a rigorous framework through which institutions work to critically reflect and act on institutional and cultural barriers.
Harrogate College’s hospitality students played a key supporting role in a high-pressure cook-off that saw four of the town’s most promising chefs compete for the prestigious Chef of the Year title.
Part of the 2025 Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards (HHTA), the event was held in the college’s professional-standard training kitchens and gave Harrogate College’s hospitality students the opportunity to support the event through logistics and food preparation.
They worked closely with the competitors – observing, assisting, and learning from the region’s culinary elite – gaining valuable insight into real world culinary environments.
The finalists were challenged to create two standout dishes – a refined amuse-bouche and an impressive main course – under the watchful eyes of industry judges and with just 90 minutes on the clock.
Adding to the challenge, the chefs had to work from a mystery box of ingredients revealed on the day, using only equipment provided on-site, with the exception of one personal item. To ensure a fair judging process, the competition was carried out blind, with dishes delivered to the judging panel anonymously.
Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College, said: “We were absolutely delighted to host this year’s Chef of the Year cook-off. Not only was it a fantastic showcase of local culinary talent, but it also gave our students the chance to see the very best of the industry in action – right here on campus. Supporting the next generation of chefs and helping to raise the profile of hospitality in Harrogate is something we’re very proud to be part of.”
The event, designed to shine a spotlight on the exceptional hospitality talent in the region, forms part of the lead-up to the main awards evening on Monday 2 June, where the overall winner will be announced.
Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and an advocate for the town’s famous hospitality and tourism sector, said:“Events like these provide a brilliant way to celebrate and champion the vital role hospitality plays in our local economy. The culinary skill and creativity on show is truly inspiring, and it’s great to see Harrogate College playing a central role in nurturing future talent.”
Harrogate’s Hospitality and Tourism Awards have been running now for 17 years to celebrate the best of the best that the town has to offer. With hospitality representing a central feature within Harrogate’s economy, these awards capture the imagination of all who work directly or indirectly in hospitality and tourism, as well as many of the general public who use the many bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes and other supporting attractions.
Simon Cotton, Organiser of Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards, said: “The Chef of the Year is one of the most prestigious of the 12 categories in the awards and is a very much sought-after accolade. Several years ago, with the help of Harrogate College, the competition stepped up a significant level, with the introduction of a blind cook-off in the college’s catering kitchens.
“Working with Harrogate College is an absolute pleasure and it is fantastic that their young student chefs work alongside the competitor chefs helping develop their own skills and hopefully inspiring the next generation.”
The cook-off highlighted the creativity, technical skill and passion that exist within Harrogate’s hospitality scene – offering a taste of what’s to come at the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards in June.
We are delighted to announce that Luminate Education Group has been appointed as a Centre for Excellence in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF)
This recognition reflects our long-standing commitment to inclusive education. Hosting one of the largest post-16 cohorts of SEND students in the country, Luminate places inclusive practice at the very heart of teaching and learning across Yorkshire.
A Leading Force in Inclusive Education
Operating across West and North Yorkshire, Luminate Education Group is one of the UK’s largest providers of post-16 education. Each year, we support around 30,000 learners through our family of institutions, which includes Leeds City College, Keighley College, Harrogate College, Leeds Sixth Form College, Pudsey Sixth Form College, University Centre Leeds and Leeds Conservatoire.
As a group, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality skills training that addresses local workforce needs, drives social mobility, and strengthens the regional economy.
What It Means to Be a Centre for Excellence
The ETF’s Centres for Excellence in SEND programme provides free, expert support to leaders, managers, and practitioners across the FE and training sector.
As a newly appointed Centre for Excellence, Luminate will deliver CPD seminars, facilitate Communities of Practice, convene peer reviews, and host employer-led events. Together, these activities will enable us to share best practice, tools, and insights that help improve outcomes for learners with SEND across the country.
Championing Inclusion
Chris Thornton, Director of Inclusive Provision and SEND at Luminate Education Group, said:
“We are honoured to have been recognised as a Centre for Excellence in SEND. This enables us to extend our inclusive practice beyond our campuses, sharing tools, insights and leadership with the wider sector to improve outcomes for learners with SEND across the country.
Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We are deeply rooted in the communities we serve and are firmly committed to removing barriers, embracing diversity, and ensuring every learner, regardless of background or need, has the opportunity to thrive.”
Upcoming Events
As part of our ongoing work through the Centre for Excellence in SEND, we are hosting a series of CPD sessions and Community of Practice events designed to share inclusive approaches and practical tools for supporting SEND learners.
CPD Sessions
Session 1 – Exploring AI for Enhancing Job Skills for Neurodiverse Learners Tuesday 21 October 2025, 3.00 – 4.00pm (Online via Zoom)
Session 3 – Building a College-Wide Culture of Recording Career Development for SEND & EHCP Learners Monday 8 December 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Community of Practice: Effective Careers Guidance & Information for SEND Learners
Session 1 – Driving an Integrated Career Guidance (CEIAG) Model Tuesday 25 November 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Session 2 – Having Effective Career Information and Guidance (CIAG) Conversations Tuesday 9 December 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Session 3 – Supporting SEND Students to Achieve Positive Destinations Tuesday 20 January 2026, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Get Involved
Places for all sessions can be booked through the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) website – click here to register. You will be asked to create a free ETF account if you don’t already have one.
The Centres for Excellence in SEND initiative is part of the Universal SEND Services programme, which provides sector-led support to leaders, managers and practitioners to create a step change in inclusive teaching and learning.
To access resources and find out more about upcoming activities and other support, visit the CfESEND area of the ETF website.
Leeds City College is celebrating after an Ofsted inspection found that it has made significant progress around safeguarding since its full review.
The focus of the visit was safeguarding for 16-18-year-olds at its Printworks campus and the Skills Programme for its 14-16 learners based at Park Lane campus.
The report praised leaders for taking safeguarding very seriously and added that the college has invested in a wide range of resources to enhance how it monitors, records and reports on safeguarding.
Ofsted also noted that the college has put significant and effective arrangements in place to ensure that learners aged 14 to 16 are safe. The report also highlighted that learners with high needs work positively with peers during small-group projects and are positive about their interactions with others.
Bill Jones, Executive Principal of Leeds City College said: “This is the best possible outcome for us and shows how we have consistently grown and developed our approach to keeping our students safe across the college.
“Safeguarding is our number one priority and we are continually reviewing and putting systems in place to make sure that all learners feel safe and integrate well into the wider college.
“The report is a testament to the hard work of our staff who ensure our students get the best possible opportunities in an inclusive & safe environment.”
Carol Layall, Director of Quality of Education added: “Our learners’ safety, wellbeing and personal development are central to our culture and form part of our wider strategy to delivering quality education across the communities we serve.
“Through the work we do, we ensure that classrooms are welcoming, feel inclusive and that students have a place where they can thrive and progress.”
We’re proud to share that we have been awarded the Silver Investors in Diversity Award following our latest review in summer 2025.
This recognition reflects the progress we have made in embedding fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement (FREDIE) across our culture.
The assessment involved staff focus groups and external review. We were measured in four key areas:
Strategy and Communication
Behaviours and Data Gathering
Visibility of Senior Leaders
Recruitment
Our refreshed approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) received praise across all areas. With a new EDI Charter, committee, toolkits and policies, we have strengthened how we live our values and support our communities. Investors in Diversity highlighted:
“Luminate’s interconnected strategies embody the shared values of kindness, inclusion and collaboration to ensure all EDI work contributes directly to transforming lives through education, training and support.”
Feedback from our staff reflected this too. One participant said:
“Visibility of EDI has skyrocketed in the last 12 months.”
We are also delighted that Keighley College, Leeds Conservatoire and University Centre Leeds each received positive recognition for the increased visibility of EDI this past year.
This Silver Award is an important step in our journey. With upcoming initiatives such as our Global Majority Empowerment Programme and Women in Leadership programme, we are determined to continue building a culture where everyone can thrive.
