April 27, 2017 8.20 am This story is over 84 months old

Grimsby Institute celebrates winning prestigious Beacon Award

Staff and students at the Grimsby Institute celebrated after scooping the Leading Light Award at the national Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards. The college was selected from the 12 AoC Beacon Award 2016/17 winning colleges across the country as the overall Leading Light winner by Baroness Sharp of Guildford, President of the AoC Charitable…
(L-R) Paul Saunders, Gateway Qualifications, Gill Alton CEO Grimsby Institute Group, Debra Gray, Principal of the Grimsby Institute, Baroness Sharp of Guildford, Claire Foster, Vice Principal Grimsby Institute

Staff and students at the Grimsby Institute celebrated after scooping the Leading Light Award at the national Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards.

The college was selected from the 12 AoC Beacon Award 2016/17 winning colleges across the country as the overall Leading Light winner by Baroness Sharp of Guildford, President of the AoC Charitable Trust.

Grimsby Institute won the Beacon Award earlier this year for Widening Participation in Learning, sponsored by Gateway Qualifications, for its work in making higher education (HE) accessible and tailored to the employment needs of the local community.

Mayor of North East Lincolnshire and Darren Capp. Photo: Christopher Curtiss

At the celebration event on Tuesday, April 25, sponsors Gateway Qualifications awarded the institute £5,000.

Debra Gray, Principal of Grimsby Institute, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won the award. It’s all down to the hard work of our staff and students. It proves that deprivation doesn’t have to be a barrier.

“Some colleges use deprivation as a reason for failure, but it’s our reason to succeed. Those students need more support because they don’t have the start that others may have had.”

The judges praised the college particularly for the 24-hour opening of the Higher Education building and its facilities.

Students are offered the possibility of Skyping staff late in the evening, allowing them the flexibility to study when it is convenient for them.

Photo: Christopher Curtiss

The judges said: “With the further education sector looking for different approaches to attract and retain hard-to-reach HE students, this project offers many strategies that will be of interest to many colleges in the sector.”

The AoC Beacon Awards celebrate the best and most innovative practice among UK further education colleges. They reward colleges that go above and beyond in providing high-quality technical and professional education. Award winners must also offer something exceptional to students and the wider community.