Archive for category: Reaseheath News

Reaseheath College in Cheshire and North Shropshire College have announced that they are to form a federation which will benefit students, communities and businesses.

Both colleges specialise in land-based subjects and technical and vocational qualifications, are in a strong phase of continuous growth and improvement and share a long history of delivering quality education. It is felt that, by working together to combine resources, expertise and reputation, the colleges will build on their strengths and will offer an even wider and better educational experience to further and higher education students and to apprentices. It is also envisaged that the closer collaboration will have a positive impact on the local economies of both counties by providing enhanced links with industry partners and local communities.

The federation, which comes into operation this month, follows extensive research by governing bodies from both colleges. The results showed that a federation would best secure the future of quality, land based education and general technical and vocational education in Shropshire, Cheshire and the wider region.

Although both colleges are committed to working together, they will remain independent and retain their own names and campuses within the federation. With support from the Skills Funding Agency, and where it is considered to be in the best interests of the students, the governing bodies will explore closer ties in the future. This could include the possibility of a merger at a later date if the interests and circumstances of both colleges are in alignment. In the meantime, senior managers will facilitate the sharing of good practice, support and staff development across the colleges.

The new partnership is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Area Review of Post 16 Education, which is committed to a move towards fewer and larger colleges which will be more resilient and efficient in the future.

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David said: “This fantastic opportunity will allow both colleges to move forward and to respond together to the challenges and opportunities facing the Further and Higher Education sector. Across the country, all colleges are tasked with ‘doing more with less’. We have a more important role than ever in supporting young people, local businesses and those seeking employment.

“There are great benefits to two institutions with very similar values, ambitious vision and national reputation for quality, working together. This can only benefit stakeholders, staff and students and offers an extremely exciting prospect for the region.”

North Shropshire College Principal Jackie Doodson said: “Our governing body has carried out extensive research and appraised its options rigorously. As a result, it has concluded that a partnership with Reaseheath College will best secure the long term future of high quality land based provision for Shropshire along with high quality vocational education and training for Oswestry and rural North Shropshire.

“We will share best practice to improve the quality of provision and facilities, and our strengthened financial sustainability and resilience will enable us to grow the number and range of HE and FE courses we offer.”

Header image caption: Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David and Chair of Governors Richard Ratcliffe celebrate the new federation with North Shropshire College’s Principal Jackie Doodson and Chair of Governors Gillian Richards

Leading agricultural engineering companies are supporting Reaseheath College’s efforts to raise the bar for training within the industry.

Construction of a £7million Advanced Agricultural Engineering Academy will begin shortly at the Nantwich, Cheshire, college which, when completed, will be one of the most sophisticated education centres of its type in Britain. Partners in the initiative include CLAAS, CaseIH, New Holland, JCB, Amazone and Kuhn, many of which have donated advanced engineering machinery and equipment.

The new specialist facility will enable Reaseheath lecturers to deliver training in the latest crop production systems, including technical training in precision farming, to agricultural engineering students and science subjects such as agronomy and data mapping to agricultural students.

Features will include workshops and a technology suite equipped for the teaching of computer controlled automation and high end precision engineering. Equipment will include robotics, tractor simulation, GPS and other advanced agricultural engineering systems. New designated driving areas will be provided for practical training.

Undergraduates on the college’s current agricultural engineering degrees and Level 3 Diploma programmes will be the first to benefit. Once the centre is fully operational, which will be during the 2016 -2017 academic year, Reaseheath will look to expand its agricultural engineering courses to include Level 4 and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for those already working in the industry.

Additionally, the college plans to cater for Advanced Apprenticeships in agricultural and construction plant engineering through the teaching of advanced farming techniques and management. There are also hopes that the centre may ultimately become the GPS training school for the UK.

Said Head of Agricultural Engineering Peter Creagh: “The new centre will combine all aspects of agricultural innovation, mechanisation and advanced engineering under one roof. It will allow us to teach and develop efficient modern farming techniques including precision land management and precision farming. This will enable us to meet increased demand for specialist training from our industry partners, and to equip our students with the skills they will need for their future careers.”

Reaseheath’s proactive horticulture department is the latest further education provider to join Marshalls Educational Partnership.

Marshalls, the UK’s leading hard landscaping manufacturer, has launched its educational initiative to answer increasing demand for trained professionals within the industry, and to join land-based colleges in promoting garden landscaping as an attractive career choice.

Marshalls will help us to deliver landscaping courses to an even higher standard by providing materials, delivering skills workshops and by linking our students with Marshalls Register members so they can gain top class work experience in the industry.

Reaseheath is the latest college to sign up to the scheme and joins Askham Bryan College, York,  and Capel Manor College, London.

Dave Jessop, Operations Manager of the Marshalls Register explained: “Promoting landscaping as an attractive career choice by working in partnership with colleges felt like a natural progression. There is a lack of skilled professionals in the landscaping sector, while demand for their services is higher than ever before.

“We want to encourage students to pursue a career in this wonderful industry, and to instil best practice from the outset. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Reasehath and look forward to working together to provide landscaping students with the best possible start to their careers.”

Glyn Ferriday, Reaseheath’s Head of Marketing and Communications, said: “This educational partnership with Marshalls will give our landscaping students a wonderful opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills and to learn from industry professionals.

“The support which our students will receive through the Marshalls Register will be invaluable, as it gives them the chance to link with practising tradespeople and to gain relevant work experience. We are looking forward to working with Marshalls and are excited about the opportunities we will have to enhance the future prospects of our students.”

See Mark Seddon and Head of Horticulture Sarah Hopkinson discuss the new partnership at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2016.

Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture student Nathan Webster was awarded a bronze medal at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park for his first ever show garden.

At 17 one of the youngest garden designers ever at the prestigious horticultural event, Nathan was supported in the garden build by Reaseheath trained apprentices and staff from Hultons Landscapes.

His striking garden ‘Sitting below the Mulberry Tree’, in the back-to-back category, is designed for young people with life limiting illnesses and will be relocated to Claire House Children’s Hospice, Wirral, to be enjoyed by families from throughout the north west.

Nathan Webster on his show garden

Nathan, who has just completed the first year of his course, is planning a design and build career with Hultons, which is owned and run by his father Lee and sponsored the show garden.
Other members of the build team included Ian Rowbottom, a current Reaseheath horticulture apprentice and Tom Roberts, who completed his apprenticeship in Plant Maintenance with us last year. Reaseheath trained former apprentice Tom Pennington and Rory Littlewood, who gained his Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture with us ten years ago, were also part of the team and Theo Wilson, one of Nathan’s current fellow students, helped with the build.

Monty Don reporting from Nathan Webster’s show garden

Designed to give families an accessible and peaceful seating area, the garden offers two serpentine shaped benches and a water cascade which falls down the retaining wall to collect in a ground level pool.

Nathan, who gained valuable experience at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park last year working alongside gold medal winning designer Pip Probert, said: “The atmosphere at RHS Tatton is amazing. I really enjoyed it last year but this year is different because I’m here with my own design and working with our own apprentices and staff. I’ve also learned a lot of technical skills during my course at Reaseheath.”

Lee Webster, who was previously Operational Director of the Landscape Group before launching Hultons, commented: “Designing and building a garden for RHS Tatton Park gives us a fantastic opportunity to show off the skills and talent of our rising stars. Apprentices and newly qualified horticulturists and designers are a fundamental resource for the horticultural industry. We’re currently facing a massive skills shortage and this show gives us a platform to remind visitors of the well paid range of careers which are available.”

See Nathan talk about his garden here>> 

Reaseheath College trained dairy technologists took five top awards at the Nantwich International Cheese Show, proving they can hold their own against world class professionals.

The students, who are studying on the Nantwich, Cheshire, college’s unique Eden programme, was awarded gold in the Specialist Cheesemakers’ class for a speciality cheddar made by Sarah Roberts, Chris Hay and Jack Parini. A cheese from the same batch also won the highly competitive Student Cheesemaker class after impressing judges with its flavour, texture and creamy after-taste.

Eden student Georgie Brighton, a trainee dairy technologist from Arla, with one of the prizewinning cheeses

Standard mature cheddar cheeses made by fellow students Mike Reid, Lynn Graham, Sarah Hinchliffe and Craig Mayhew  took silver awards in the specialist and student cheesemaker classes and another student Cheshire cheese was awarded bronze in a class for territorial hard cheese.

A total of ten cheeses made by Eden students were entered into the show, which claimed a new world record by attracting 5,000 entries from 31 countries. The Student Cheesemaker class is sponsored by Reaseheath College.

Bakery and Patisserie students Megan Jones and Lorraine Murray-Lunt with celebrity chef James Martin

The Eden programme is a unique, ground breaking, education initiative driven and supported by leading dairy companies including Arla, Muller, Dairy Crest and Glanbia, which recognise the importance of investing in talented employees.

The technicians attend Reaseheath on a block release basis to study for an internationally recognised Foundation Degree in Dairy Technology which includes practical training in the college’s industry standard dairy processing halls. They spend the rest of their time extending their experience in the workplace.

Now in its eighth year and delivered exclusively by Reaseheath, the three year course covers relevant topics ranging from dairy chemistry and microbiology to cheesemaking.

Said Course Manager Debbie Heritage-Brill: “We were delighted at the success of our students, particularly against such strong competition from within the industry at a show with exceptionally high standards.”

Apart from competing, the Eden students demonstrated the process of cheesemaking at the show, giving families the chance to see how the nation’s favourite food is produced. They also helped with stewarding at the show.

Megan Jones and Lorraine Murray-Lunt, who have just completed their Level 2 Diploma in Bakery and Patisserie, and former student Elysha Emberson supported celebrity chefs James Martin, Will Holland, Sean Wilson and Peter Sidwell as they demonstrated how to cook tasty dishes in the international cheese marquee.

The students were also busy behind the scenes helping home economist Jill Weatherburn to prepare ingredients.

Find out more about the Eden programme at www.reaseheath.ac.uk/dairy-technology-foundation-degree