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Autumn 2022
Ofsted Inspection, 16 and 17 November
The community learning team would like to thank all the learners, providers, tutors and support staff for their fantastic contribution and support during our recent Ofsted inspection.
With your help, we were able to give the inspectors a real understanding of the diverse range of provision and life changing outcomes that community learning provides to adults and families across West Berkshire.
The results of the inspection will be published within 8 to 10 weeks. If you have any questions, contact the community learning team - aclteam@westberks.gov.uk
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The Learner Achievement Awards ceremony was held on 11 November at Shaw House. These annual awards celebrate the success of adult learning in West Berkshire covering a wide range of learning including apprenticeships, professional, academic and vocational courses and learning programmes to support families, communities and health and wellbeing.
This year’s ceremony featured Toni Kent as keynote speaker and award presenter. Toni was born into a working class family in Basingstoke and overcame a number of challenges to achieve success in the IT industry. She has gone on to become a renowned speaker, stand-up and writer on social mobility often using comedy to reflect on her own experience.
The Learner Achievement Awards are part of Lifelong Learning Week, an annual national celebration of adult learning. They are organised by West Berkshire Council on behalf of the West Berkshire Community Learning Partnership and sponsored by Newbury College, West Berkshire Training Consortium, and the Newbury Community Resource Centre.
Further information is available at https://www.westberks.gov.uk/laa2022
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Launched this year across the UK, Multiply is a new government-funded 3 year programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills, which can unlock huge opportunities for individuals, families and employers.
Participants should be aged 19 and over without a maths GCSE at grade 4 (or equivalent). All courses and activities are free of charge and can include confidence building, numeracy life skills, household budgeting and maths qualifications.
Good numeracy skills are important in all aspects of our everyday lives, especially at this current time when the cost of living is so challenging. They can help when working through fuel bills, selecting new energy providers, planning menus in addition to supporting children with homework and developing work skills. Multiply provision is flexible around the learner with both on-line and classroom based courses, to enable participants to learn at a pace that is right for them.
For more information and to apply for Multiply funding go to https://www.westberks.gov.uk/multiply
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The 2021/22 academic year was another successful year for the West Berkshire Community Learning service with many exciting projects and new initiatives.
It continued to work with local learning providers and specialist community organisations to engage communities and support the agendas around Employment and Further Learning, Supporting Families, Developing Communities and Health and Wellbeing as outlined in the Community Learning and Skills strategy
With around 1,340 adults enrolled on 225 courses in 35 different venues the service worked with 20 education providers across West Berkshire.
The 2021/22 statistics demonstrate the scope, reach and success the service has had in the last year.
The Department for Education saw changes in October with the announcement of 3 new appointments. All adult and community learning services continue to be part of the further education sector which falls within the skills remit.
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Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education
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Nick Gibb, Minister of State for Schools
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Robert Halford, Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education
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Dr Michelle Sancho was appointed as Interim Head of Education (People Directorate) from the middle of October following Ian Pearson’s retirement on the 31 October.
Michelle has been at the Council for the past 19 years and was previously the Principal Educational Psychologist and Service Manager for Mental Health & Wellbeing. She is passionate about the value of education and lifelong learning. Her hobbies include reading, swimming and walking her dog.
Contact: Michelle.Sancho@westberks.gov.uk
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Nell has worked with West Berkshire Council for over 14 years; her previous role being the Young Carers Project Coordinator.
Nell also worked within the Quality Assurance and Safeguarding Team (QAAS) and was a Family Support Worker with The Children in Care Team.
Outside of work, Nell enjoys spending time with her family, walking her two dogs and reading. Nell greatest hobby is interior design and researching new trends. She is also a great fan of British Superbikes and enjoys visiting different tracks around the country to support the riders.
Contact: Nell.Knight@westberks.gov.uk
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Connecting Communities in Berkshire: Helping village halls meet the needs of their communities for the next 100 years.
With Community Learning support the charity Connecting Communities in Berkshire (CCB) delivers a range of online and face to face training opportunities for trustees and management committees of West Berkshire’s community buildings.
In October CCB also secured two new funding streams from The National Lottery Community Fund and The Princes Countryside Fund. This will enable them to support village halls across Berkshire through a process of transformation which will enable halls to meet the needs of their communities for the next 100 years.
Rural communities rely on their village halls for many things: social events, fitness classes, pre-schools, clubs, polling booths and much more. They are at the heart of the community and tend to be run by unpaid, dedicated local people. It can be really hard work complying with legislation and red tape while running and maintaining often ageing buildings that do not meet the needs of the 21st Century.
In 2022-23 CCB will be delivering training in the following topics to support the trustees of halls and the many hundreds and thousands of people that use them.
- Environmental Audit and Policy for Village Halls and Community Buildings
- Become a Trustee of your Village Hall – everything you need to know.
- Energy Saving in your Community Building; Reduce energy waste and save money
- Dementia Friendly Village Halls and Community Buildings
- Social Media for your Community Building - How to Maximise your Impact
- Fundraising for Village Halls and Community Buildings
For more information go to: www.ccberks.org.uk
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This year Creative Communities has been running Art for Wellbeing courses at Whitelands School, Central Family Hub and Alice Bye Court in Thatcham aimed at local community residents. All learners were either signposted from other courses or referred by social prescribers, school family liaison officers and some self referrals.
The majority of participants are living with some kind of mental health challenge and the course provides an opportunity to come together with people who are understanding and supportive of each other. It also enabled them to have 2 hours a week to concentrate on their own needs in a creative environment - to either express their mental health issues in their work or just escape their everyday life, which for some of the learners, is very hard.
The course is designed to meet individual needs and to be learner specific. Feedback so far has been really positive. One participant said, "I've not felt this happy in a really long time" another stated, "Art has saved my life" and another said simply " Without these sessions I would be very lonely. I have no-one"
Click here for more information on Creative Communities.
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Educafe are kicking off this year's festive season with a bazaar at The Globe indoor garden on Friday, 2nd December.
It is a day where you can come and find out what Educafe does, whilst supporting them to raise some funds to continue their community cohesion work across West Berkshire community.
Educafe will have their usual free activities plus a few added festive specials. Between 12-2pm a chilli and rice lunch will be served and all other activities will be on from 11am until 4pm.
For more information please contact: 01635 936211 or email info@educafeuk.co.uk. You can also find more information on their website: https://www.educafeuk.co.uk/community-cafe/
Other events and activities include:
Educafe’s Festive Bazaar on Friday 3rd December at the Globe indoor Garden. Everyone is welcome from 11.am – 4.pm. Lots of family friendly activities and, of course, great food.
The Educafe Community Café Christmas break. The last café for 2022 will be on Wednesday, 7th December when Educafe will be revealing their contribution to the Living Advent Calendar in partnership with Newbury Library.
Educafe returns to Newbury library on Wednesday, 11th January.
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Invitation to PACT’s Christmas Carol Concert
PACT will be hosting a Carol Concert at Reading Minster on Friday 16th December. Join the team at 6.30pm for a fun-filled, family-friendly concert of music, readings, performances and Christmas reflections to celebrate family life and raise money for PACT’s work with children, families and the local community.
Children are invited to dress up and there will be a chance to meet Elsa and Olaf and have your photo taken! Everyone is welcome and PACT invites you to stay for refreshments after the concert (7.45pm).
Tickets can be purchased here. Prices are £10 for adults and £5 for children, or you can purchase a £20 family ticket for two adults and two children.
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The Community Learning Partnership brings together West Berkshire based learning providers and community organisations to provide a high quality, accessible, safe and varied community learning programme for adults and families across the district.
Members include adult and family learning providers, local apprenticeship and training organisations, funding bodies and local communities groups and services. The Community Learning Partnership is open to any organisation involved in the delivery of post 19 education and training within West Berkshire.
If you would like to become a member please complete the online registration form.
The next Partnership meeting will take place on Wednesday, 15th March 2023 - Venue tbc
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This year’s Tutor Forum will be held at Shaw House on Friday, 9th December from 9:00am to 1:30pm. There will also be an opportunity in the afternoon to complete any on-line safe-guarding or PREVENT training if required.
The Tutor Forum is an annual CPD event which provides relevant training for providers involved in the delivery of West Berkshire Council funded community learning provision.
To register for this year’s Tutor forum please contact: aclteam@westberks.gov.uk
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Contact us
Community Learning Team | West Berkshire Council | Market Street | Newbury| Berkshire | RG14 5LD - Tel: 01635 519060 - e-mail: aclteam@westberks.gov.uk
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