A continual and ongoing focus on the educational progress and attainment of students, broad and challenging study programmes, and its large and growing role in community focussed work have all resulted in a leading college being shortlisted for the FE College of the Year award.

Truro and Penwith College has received the recognition in the prestigious Times Educational Supplement (TES) FE Awards 2017, which are now in their sixth year and among the major educational awards in the UK.

The college’s submission for the award centred on its teaching and learning excellence as verified by Ofsted’s recent outstanding judgement which described “a culture where learning and achievement flourish as a result of excellent teaching, and where learners make exceptional progress, often well above their expectations and their qualifications on entry would predict.”

The college’s shortlisting for TES College of the Year is also based on its significant and distinctive contribution to the local economy and wider community. This has recently included, for example, setting up a Teaching School to support other educational providers in Cornwall, forming a collaborative Multi Academy Trust for secondary and primary schools, and partnership working on ITT (Initial Teacher Training) across Cornwall; with most recently developing the new Callywith Bodmin campus to meet employer and learner demand North and East Cornwall.

The college is also a regional Mathematics Hub, and its expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) have led to partnerships with the Royal Society of Chemistry, The Institute of Physics and the DfE Science Learning Partnership for Cornwall to support Science and mathematics development in schools.

Its contribution to the local economy has been recognised in praise for a vocational and work-based curriculum offer tailored to local employer need which was supported by testimony from numerous employers.

News of the shortlisting in the TES FE College of the Year Award has been welcomed at by senior staff at the College.

The college’s principal, David Walrond, said: “Receiving this nomination is great recognition at national level for all who work and learn at Truro and Penwith College, and for all our partners and stakeholders across Cornwall. A great deal depends on colleges at the moment.

"The socio-economic prospects, or in a current phrase the life chances, of individuals and their communities, really will depend on getting our post-16 education and training right. In that context it is incredibly heartening and encouraging to have such high level support and endorsement of our work.”

Head of senior team development, Andy Stittle, added: “It’s been a great year for the college. Staff work relentlessly to maintain the quality of their teaching and learning and most importantly the achievements and progress of their students. We relished the opportunity earlier in the year to showcase this to Ofsted and the college remains the only further education college to be graded outstanding under the new Ofsted framework since its introduction over a year ago.

"This shortlisting, together with another national award last month for leadership and governance, demonstrate the truly exceptional work of all our staff and students.”

Winners will be announced at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane on February 24. It was a record year for award entries this year – up by a third compared with last year.