Yeovil College gains quality award

YEOVIL College has been awarded the prestigious Buttle UK Quality Mark in recognition of its commitment to young people in and leaving care.

Created by Buttle UK - the largest grant-giving organisation in the country directly supporting children and families living in poverty - the charity awards the Quality Mark to colleges and universities which commit to support a young person who has been in care, to access further and higher education and successfully complete their studies and achieve their ambitions. 

The challenges facing young people leaving care are enormous.  They are one of the most under-represented groups in education in the UK.  Often lacking family support, suffering financial disadvantage and struggling to find somewhere to live, applying for and being accepted for further and higher education is a real achievement.

PHOTO: Faculty director for Preparation for Work and Life, Lorraine Burchell, and head of Learner Support Services, Angela Coward.

To receive its Quality Mark, Yeovil College had to demonstrate that it has a robust strategy in place to ensure that students from a care background can access a package of support – financial, pastoral and educational.

To date, more than half the universities in the UK hold the Buttle UK Quality Mark, together with a rising number of colleges.

Susan Mueller, Buttle UK Quality Mark Manager, says: “We are very pleased with the success of this award and are delighted to extend it to Yeovil College.

"The college has amply displayed its dedication and initiative to helping young people leaving care to receive an education and have the opportunity to succeed and move on to the next stage of their lives."

The college's head of learner support services, Angela Coward, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this accreditation.  It really highlights the quality of the support staff offer at Yeovil College."

To find out more about the Buttle UK Quality Mark for Care Leavers visit www.buttleuk.org . 

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