Newcastle College

Newcastle College have been offering Signature Qualifications for over 20 Years.

Their teachers are all members of the Institute for Learning. They are offered Matrix training throughout the year and regularly attend Signature teacher training days. Newcastle College organises regular, mandatory team meetings to bring together resources, new activities, learning development plans and opportunities for lessons to be developed in a way that will benefit the learners. A Sign Language Co-ordinator is also on hand every day for any issues that might arise enabling teachers to concentrate on their classes.

The Assistive Technology Resource base, within the college, were recently given the Regional Support Centre Northern Accessibility and Inclusion through Technology Award for the work they had carried out to promote the inclusion of visually impaired students through technology. The college is also in the process of setting up a series of signed stories on the college website for students studying towards the Signature Level 1 Award in British Sign Language (BSL), these can also be transferred to their mobile phones.

The college has recently engaged in a partnership with the Percy Hedley Foundation with an aim to provide a specialist environment for deaf students, who may have additional disabilities, who can benefit from specialist support and education locally. If they are successful they will be the only General Further Education College in their region to hold this prestigious charter mark.

The college has delivered classes in BSL and Deaf Awareness to many outside agencies in their region, including the BALTIC Art Centre and Care UK. They are also liaising with the local Civic Centre to have all taxi drivers, bus drivers and metro staff trained in basic BSL.

Read about the other Centre of the Year shortlisted nominees.