Latest News

New crop of preserves for British Food Fortnight

18th September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Jake shows off the new Pear and Walnut Chutney

Derwen College, near Oswestry, marks British Food Fortnight from 19th September to 4th October by launching a new range of [email protected] seasonal jams and chutneys.

Using British produce, some of it grown on site, students at the college, in Gobowen, have been busy helping to produce a new range of [email protected] chutneys and jams. These are inspired by the college’s autumnal crops.

Because of Derwen’s own harvest of plums, pears and apples, the college is proud to produce British fare using local ingredients.

Hospitality & Housekeeping students at the college for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have supported Derwen Food Centre cook Tracey Southern. So, between them, they have peeled, chopped, boiled and stirred to create new recipes. These include Pear and Walnut Chutney, Cinnamon Scented Plum Jam, Beer Mustard and Deluxe Mincemeat.

The range will be added to current [email protected] favourites which include the college’s Great Taste Award-winning Raspberry Jam and Spiced Apple Chutney.

Cook Tracey Southern said: “We were keen to use the abundance of fruit we have growing in our orchard which included pears, plums and apples. So, I came up with some seasonal recipes which are perfect for autumn, and will make lovely Christmas presents.”

Derwen College supports Love British Food

Derwen College jams and chutneys are sold in the college’s Garden Centre Shop alongside home-made cakes and bread. The shop also stocks cards and gifts, as well as seasonal plants to brighten up an autumn garden.

Derwen College Made@Derwen chutneys and jam — Sam with the new [email protected] Beer Mustard and Deluxe Mincemeat

Derwen’s Garden Café serves up a traditional British menu seven days a week. The menu offers English breakfasts, scones with butter and jam, home-made cakes and light lunches.

Derwen College gives students the opportunity to learn new skills in real work environments. They learn life skills which will enable them to live as independently as possible. Students learn skills in Hospitality & Housekeeping, Horticulture, Retail or Performing Arts.

For more information regarding Derwen College’s Garden Centre and Shop click here.. To find out more about learning at the college click here.

New Derwen site opens at Telford

16th September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College welcomes the first students to its new satellite provision in Telford this term, in a partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council.

The leading specialist further education college, which has its main campus near Oswestry, has opened a new Telford site to support young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Derwen College has opened the campus for day students at Stafford Park industrial estate, Telford. The launch comes in response to a need for more options in expert vocational training and independence skills learning for young people with SEND in the local authority.

Derwen College, which is has an Ofsted rating of Outstanding, has converted the former business premises into a new site. From here, a team of expert staff will offer day students with SEND the specialist learning and work placement provision that they would expect from a college with an outstanding reputation.

Zoe Wood, Head of Curriculum, said: “We are over the moon to welcome our first day students to the new Telford site this month.

“We have worked with the local authority, the families and young people who will be joining us in September to make the transition a positive experience.

“Our work in providing successful smaller satellite provision at Craven Arms and Baschurch has proved what young adults with SEND can achieve given the right teaching, work experience and independence learning. We look forward to getting to know our new Derwen students over the coming months and supporting them towards achieving their aspirations.”

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Children, Young People, Education and Lifelong Learning, said:

“We have worked with Derwen College to launch this new satellite which will support young people with SEND in developing work and independence skills and work placements which will prepare them for employment and a more independent future.

“Along with the college, we have identified a suitable location, and alongside families been able to select students who we think would benefit most from the experience.

“Our SEND team share Derwen College’s mission to educate, inspire and empower young adults to lead the lives they choose.”

[email protected] Satellite Lead Lucy Harrison welcomes new students.

Newly appointed [email protected] Satelllite Lead Lucy Harrison has been liaising with the students who will be starting at the Telford site this month, and is eager for the new term to begin.

She said: “It has already been an amazing journey! I’ve been working closely with Derwen’s head of curriculum Zoe Wood, and we have 11 students ready to go. I have been keeping in contact with them and their families whilst we were getting ready at Telford.

“What we are offering in Telford is not only outstanding, it’s also unique to Telford. This is going to be an amazing opportunity for the area. Within the first year, we will be building on students’ business support skills and preparing them for the world of work.”

Derwen College offers vocational pathways and independence skills for 16-25 year olds with SEND. The college has a main site for residential and day students in Gobowen, and satellite sites for day students at Baschurch, near Shrewsbury, and Craven Arms.

Hydrotherapy pool is building awards finalist

11th September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College’s state-of-the-art Bradbury Hydrotherapy Pool was a finalist in the LABC West Midlands Building Excellence Awards.

The specialist further education college, in Gobowen, Shropshire, was shortlisted in the Best Public Service or Educational Building category. It was alongside some strong competition including eventual awards category winner Keele University’s Central Science Laboratories. The team behind Derwen’s bespoke hydrotherapy centre were thrilled to be recognised alongside other cutting-edge projects.

LABC chief executive Lorna Stimpson introduced the virtual awards ceremony. She congratulated all the short-listed building teams for going the extra mile to create innovative new building projects.

Events co-ordinator Jodie Nash said: “We run the LABC Awards because we want to recognise good technical work and good people within the building industry. Being part of the awards is a fantastic achievement. So, congratulations once again to all our winners, highly commended and shortlisted finalists.”

The hydrotherapy pool building was designed by Gavin Porritt of Oswestry architectural practice DPA Design in collaboration with the college’s therapies team. It was constructed by builders Jones Brothers of Weston Rhyn. The building opened to students in September 2019.

Setting the standards for the future

Derwen College estates and facilities manager, Paul Lindop said: “Although we weren’t the winners on the day, we are all very proud that the Bradbury Hydrotherapy Pool was shortlisted in such a strong awards category. The Bradbury pool was built to support students in their physiotherapy and sensory needs. Everyone involved went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the building project met the needs of students, therapists and the Derwen community.”

“Thank you to architectural designer Gavin Porritt and Jones Brothers builders for all their hard work. Thank you also to the generous donations from many community groups and leading grant makers that made the project possible.”

DPA Director Gavin Porritt said: “Through good collaboration between The Derwen College’s Estate Team led by Paul Lindop, the contractors Jones Bros of Weston Rhyn, together with the quantity surveyors SPProjects, we at DPA were delighted to see this project completed to a high standard, on time and on budget. The Bradbury Centre will serve the pupils of The Derwen College well into the future. It will provide them with a fantastic facility which I believe will set the standards for future hydrotherapy pools around the country.”

Derwen College students stride to success

4th September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College Charity LEJOG challenge — Student Tom and his family covered 874 miles in August.

Students and staff at Derwen College, in Shropshire, have been celebrating the success of their first ever virtual Derwen fundraising challenge, which has raised more than £5,000 for the college.

The specialist further education college, near Oswestry, saw teams of six take on the challenge of walking or running 874 miles during the month of August in the college’s Land’s End to John O’ Groats (LEJOG) Virtual Charity Challenge.

Each Derwen team had to complete the miles by working together. With each person walking at least five miles every day throughout August to stand a chance of completing the virtual challenge.

Derwen College Fundraiser Anna Evans said: “Walking five miles every day, for 30 days was a real challenge for many of us. It meant you had to keep up the pace continuously otherwise you were dangerously behind.

“I, for one, missed a few days of walking due to rain and bad weather. Before I knew it, I had 20 miles of walking to catch up on. It was quite a challenge in the end to complete the mileage. But because you are part of a team, you don’t want to let anyone down. On the last day of the challenge, I walked over 18 miles. I still have the blisters to prove it!”

Two students and their families also took part raising more than £3,000 between them. Tom Alexander and William Chapple took to walking, running and cycling around their local areas. Tom from Hanwell, London, discovered many new walks and pathways in London. He kept everyone at college updated with lots of photos and descriptions of his outings.

William and his mother, from Stowmarket, Suffolk, did lots of walking, running and cycling. They have said they really enjoyed getting fitter.

Importance of fundraising

In all, five teams signed up to this new event which was organised to recoup some of the fundraising losses faced by the college because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fundraising events such as Derwen College annual sponsored walk were cancelled. This resulted in fundraising losses of about £50,000.

All donations from this event will go towards the Agnes Hunt Village project to refurbish and renovate the Agnes Hunt Village bungalows. These are used by students to learn and develop their independent living skills. Both Tom and William live in the Agnes Hunt Village when they are at Derwen College.

Tom said: “Thank you to everyone who took part in the LEJOG Challenge throughout August. Well done, job done and dusted! Thank you to everyone who took part and got involved in this amazing incredible journey throughout August.”

There is still time to support the students and staff fundraising efforts in completing Derwen LEJOG. Every single penny helps, so please sponsor them here.

Chance to dance for everyone

2nd September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College is excited to support a dedicated teacher who is launching her own dance school after successfully coaching college students to competition success.

Shrewsbury dance teacher Opal-Jade Trevor is opening a new dance school. It is dedicated to bringing the joy of dance to children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

She was inspired by her experiences as a Performing Arts and Sports teacher at specialist Derwen College, in Gobowen, near Oswestry.

The seed was sown when 25-year-old Opal started an evening dance class for students with SEND at Derwen College last January. She formed street dance crew DDC (Derwen Dance Crew), who went on to perform at a street dance competition in March, just before lockdown. The results were phenomenal with DCC winning a first place as well as individual successes in solo competitions.

Derwen College special needs street dance teacher Opal Trevor — Performing Arts and Sports teacher Opal.

“Our students had the time of their lives and won awards in mainstream as well as SEND categories. The reaction from audience and judges was overwhelming,” says Opal.

“Everyone was blown away by what these students had achieved. We received standing ovations, there were even tears! Judges described the performance as beautiful, moving and a demonstration of the diversity of dance.”

Opal, who has been teaching dance since 2015, realised there was a need for more dance opportunities for people with SEND.

“I have taught in all sectors of education primary, secondary and FE, but SEND is something so special. I just cannot describe it. When you see the students’ faces after a performance then it’s all worth it. I say to anyone, come and watch our shows, dance performances and you will see how much it means to them. Their smiles and happy tears will remain with me forever.

Everyone deserves to follow their passion and dreams

“I think it is so important for any individual to progress and follow their dreams no matter what their ability, age, race or gender. The dance industry is so diverse. Everyone deserves to follow their passion and dreams. Yet there is just nothing out there for SEND.”

The Covid-19 pandemic allowed Opal some time to take a step back from her busy life. She decided to take her career to the next step and create ‘Identity’ school of dance. Her knowledge of teaching in the SEND sector, and training in Makaton sign language, made her the ideal candidate to share her passion for dance.

Identity will offer weekly dance classes for children and young adults from four years to 18 plus, at Shrewsbury’s Elite Dance Studios at Sundorne Youth Centre. Opal aims to start with a focus on street dance, progressing into other styles such as contemporary, lyrical and commercial.

Students will learn choreography, develop their performance skills and social skills. The number one rule, Opal says, is to have fun!

Opal’s love of dance

Opal’s own love of dance started at a young age. She says she knew that she wanted to be a dance teacher from the age of 13. She studied performing arts at college, then university, before taking a break from education to embark on a job as character and parade dancer at Disneyland Paris. Once she returned from Disney she decided to pursue her teaching career further.

Opal continues teaching full time at Derwen, running Identity at evenings and weekends. She hopes that Identity will inspire a love of dance in a new generation of youngsters with learning difficulties and disabilities.

“It took me ages to come up with the name Identity, but it has a special meaning to me. Our identity is what makes each one of us unique in this world. We all deserve a chance in life to fulfil our dreams and talents.”

For more details visit Identity’s Facebook page or email.

A message from Derwen College’s Principal

2nd September 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College Principal Meryl Green welcomes students back to College:

“Welcome to the Autumn term and the start of a new academic year 2020-21.

We have all had quite a year, with everyone adapting to new circumstances on a constant basis throughout 2020. Now though, we are all looking forward to seeing returning students back in college and welcoming our new learners beginning their college life at Derwen. As always, our students continue to inspire and amaze us with their ability to adapt and their resilience to change. We have witnessed some fantastic learning at home, and the link between college and families has been strengthened.

Things will look a bit different at college for the foreseeable future. Student and staff safety is paramount, and measures have been put in place to support our learners in understanding and adhering to government guidelines around Covid-19.

We hope that this new ‘normal’ can be achieved with as little disruption as possible.

Derwen College Admissions team are pleased to be back fielding enquiries from potential new students and their families, and we are gradually reintroducing tours of our college site (albeit slightly differently to usual).

Our online prospectus can be viewed here.

You can also revisit our recent Virtual Open Day.

And finally, some exciting news to share – back in July we were absolutely thrilled to win the Natspec Award for Innovative Use of Technology. This was for our continuing work around developing apps to support students in the workplace. You can find out more on our latest news section.

Yours sincerely,

Meryl Green

Principal