Around 20 veterans attended the Armed Forces breakfast at Milton Keynes College’s The Brasserie, where they were joined by some of our staff who are part of the Armed Forces community. Celebrating Armed Forces Day and Reserves Day – and topping off Armed Forces Week – the breakfast provided an opportunity for Forces staff and veterans to network and share their experiences.

For the event on Friday 27th June, The Brasserie was decorated with bunting, banners and flags. Level 3 Catering students prepared the breakfast for the event with Hospitality students helping in the restaurant. The guests enjoyed a selection of breakfast foods, including sausage and bacon rolls, yoghurt, fruit and granola pots, fresh fruit platters, and ham and cheese croissants. The students received positive feedback from the guests.

The College Group supports colleagues who are part of the Armed Forces community and their families by offering additional leave for training for cadet volunteers and reservists, hosting discussions and training to encourage better understanding to support Armed Forces colleagues and advertising vacancies on specialist Armed Forces job boards for leavers and veterans.

Milton Keynes College Group received the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award in September 2023, recognising the Group’s promise that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.

Richie Carter, Workplace Trainer for Commis Chefs at Milton Keynes College Group, said: “As an ex-serviceman myself, these occasions are extraordinary. They provide a fantastic opportunity to help and support the Armed Forces community, where we can ‘pull up a sandbag’, and talk. It was wonderful observing people get together, introduce each other and make new acquaintances.

“It is important we remember – sharing is caring. Standing together, we are stronger together.”

Ben Burton, Recruitment Resourcer at Milton Keynes College Group, said: “Richie and his team at The Brasserie knocked it out the park again! Also thank you to my colleagues Pez Ryan, Peter Goodwin and Tina Leigh McDonald who are always championing our Armed Forces network and the Armed Forces Covenant. They remind us of what it’s about and why we have days for Reservists, Remembrance, VE and VJ days and weeks celebrating the work and sacrifice by all in our Armed Forces Family.

“This Armed Forces Day we thank all for their service; we thank all for their support, and we remember those who have served, and show support to those who still serve.”

You can learn more about MK College’Group’s Armed Forces Covenant here.

Milton Keynes College hosted a White Ribbon event earlier this month for local organisations that stand in support of White Ribbon and its cause of working towards ending violence against women and girls. 

Some of the organisations who attended the event on Friday 13th of June included Milton Keynes City Council, Q:alliance, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue, YMCA Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes University Hospital, Thames Valley Police, Sir Herbert Leon Academy, MK-Act and Mears Group. 

In November 2024, Milton Keynes College Group formalised its commitment to working towards ending men’s violence against women by becoming White Ribbon Accredited – aligning with White Ribbon UK, the leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls. 

In practice, the College Group will deliver a comprehensive multi-year plan to transform our staff culture, systems and the wider community we operate in.  

The theme of the event was the promotion of White Ribbon without alienating men and boys. Speakers included Paul Oxley, the Founder of St Mark’s Meals MK, Jay Virgo from Q:alliance, and Milton Keynes Central MP Emily Darlington via remote video message. The event marked the beginning of a local network dedicated to driving progress and working together to end violence against women and girls. 

Food was provided by the Brasserie; Catering students were involved in the preparation and the set-up of the buffet, which offered a comprehensive selection of breakfast foods. 

Amy Langford, Group Director for Inclusion and Strategic Lead for White Ribbon at Milton Keynes College Group, said: “The event brought together a range of colleagues from across Milton Keynes organisations committed to the White Ribbon commitment to eradicating violence against women and girls. This was a vibrant and thought-provoking session and the beginning of a wider conversation around how we, as a city, can play our own unique part in advancing this agenda.”

Anne-Marie Smith, Domestic Abuse Coordinator at Milton Keynes City Council, said: “Having a local network in support of the White Ribbon campaign is crucial because it fosters a community of accountability and solidarity. It ensures that the message against male violence is consistently reinforced at the grassroots level, empowering individuals to take collective action. This local support amplifies the campaign’s impact, creating safer environments for women and promoting lasting cultural change.”

To learn more about Milton Keynes College Group’s White Ribbon accreditation and what it means, read more here.

People from across Milton Keynes came together at Campbell Park to celebrate themes of culture, art and belonging at the annual all-day festival, Art in the Park. Organised by the charity Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture (MKIAC), the event on Saturday 21st June focussed on the resilience of refugees and their artistry, celebrating Milton Keynes’ wealth of cultural diversity and artistic expression. 

Supported by MK College Group, Milton Keynes City Council and Arts Council England – including student volunteers from MK College – among others, the event took place at Campbell Park Events Plateau. Marking the end of the UN International Refugee Week, it focussed on the theme of “Belonging.”

The free, family-friendly day of celebrations featured a funfair, a series of local and international performances, a world food bazaar offering a culinary tour of the world, and an art marquee featuring tote bag decoration, calligraphy and Turkish marbling (Ebru) workshops. The celebrations culminated in a Parade of Colours – a vibrant procession through Milton Keynes, demonstrating unity and visual storytelling. 

Anouar Kassim, Founding Director of Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture, said: “This year, as we reflect on the safe corridors created by the UN for refugee communities worldwide, we are reminded that hope is not just a word – it is a path walked together. Our ESOL students continue to inspire – they volunteer, grow, and gain real-world experience, all while feeling seen and safe. Their stories are woven into the fabric of Art in the Park – a celebration where creativity meets courage, and diversity becomes strength. 

“Together, we turn challenge into celebration, and difference into shared humanity. This year’s Art in the Park is not just an event — it’s a testament to what we can become, when we rise together.” 

Sally Alexander, CEO and Principal of Milton Keynes College Group, said: “Art in the Park gives us an excellent opportunity to get together and celebrate the diversity of Milton Keynes. To listen to stories about the resilience of refugees, to see their artistry, traditions and contributions given centre stage that evening was very special. 

“The theme of belonging particularly chimes with us at Milton Keynes College Group because this is one of our core values. Our ambition to foster a genuine sense of belonging for our learners, colleagues and wider communities is central to everything we do.” 

The next event in MKIAC’s programme is the City of Codes & Light on Saturday 4th August.

To learn more about the work that Milton Keynes College does in the community, visit Community – MK College.

20 Level 1 Painting & Decorating students from Milton Keynes College recently took part in a bench refurbishment project at MK University Hospital. 

The students were inspired to take on the refurbishment project after finding out about the opportunity during the College in the Community Day on 2nd April. Given the substantial workload of the project, it was agreed that the collaboration would take place as an end-of-term activity. The project was planned and supported by Adrian Bujorean, Course Team Leader for Construction at Milton Keynes College. 

For their project, the students refurbished a total of five wooden benches on the hospital grounds. Successfully sanding off old paint and applying three coats of exterior wood stain to protect and preserve the wood for outdoor use, the students transformed the benches while putting their learning to practice. 

For many of the students, this was the first time using oil-based paint and exterior varnish, making this a valuable hands-on learning experience beyond the classroom. With a mix of ability-levels, the students were keen to help one another and took pride in their work. While working, they received thanks from hospital staff and positive feedback from passers-by and patients. 

Kelly Errington, Community Fundraiser at Milton Keynes Hospital Charity, said: “I just wanted to say a huge thank you and well done to Adrian and the students – they all worked so hard during the hottest week of the year!  The benches look absolutely great and will make such a difference to the patients and their families who use the garden areas.” 

Issac, a Level 1 Painting & Decorating student who participated in the project, said: “Despite the hot weather, I really enjoyed the work experience and project being outside of college. I was able to improve my skills and had a great time working with my group throughout the week. I’m hoping for more work experiences like this in the future.” 

Jamie-Bradley, another participating Level 1 Painting & Decorating student, said: “I think it was a fun week where we did something good for people. It was also a good opportunity to experience working on something new.” 

Adrian Bujorean, Course Team Leader for Construction at Milton Keynes College, said: “After a fun, sunny week, our students have done a fantastic job bringing several old benches back to life – ready to serve for many more years to come. 

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone involved: students, staff, and the Hospital Charity team. Your support, hard work, and positivity made this project truly special. I’m incredibly proud of the students for their effort, teamwork, and commitment.” 

To learn more about Painting & Decorating at Milton Keynes College, read more here.

On Thursday 12th June, Milton Keynes College Group’s Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy, Maria Bowness, won a Women Leaders Award in the “Skills, Education and Training” category. The ceremony took place at Hilton DoubleTree at Stadium MK, with over 40 finalists in attendance.

Women Leaders is a registered charity established to recognise outstanding women, promote and strengthen women’s leadership, and support gender equality and diversity. Its awards celebrate women leaders around Milton Keynes, recognising their work in their respective sectors as well as their work on gender advocacy.

With over 30 years of experience in Skills, Education and Training, Maria currently serves as the Group Director for Curriculum and Pedagogy at Milton Keynes College Group.

Her role spans a wide range of responsibilities across the College Group. From ensuring that our curricula are both comprehensive and exciting to being the driving force behind most of our biggest employer partnerships, Maria’s work has been essential in transforming the Group’s goals into actions, partnerships and success stories.

Some examples of her work at Milton Keynes College Group include: the strategic development of the College’s Skills Academy, which has improved student retention and enrolment; the strategic design of our A Level programme, launched in September 2024; maintaining a strong partnership with Silverstone to enable our Catering and Hospitality students to gain valuable on-site work experience; facilitating the ‘Cut It Out’ campaign for Hairdressing and Beauty students in partnership with Thames Valley Police; and securing £105,000 in funding from the British Council’s Turing Scheme, which enabled 36 Beauty and Catering students to travel to Thailand on a learning trip in February 2025.

Sally Alexander, CEO and Principal of Milton Keynes College, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news – this award is a testament to Maria’s vision, dedication and the incredibly positive influence she’s had on our colleagues and students alike. Maria has always gone above and beyond to create meaningful and life-changing learning experiences for our students, whether in the classroom, with our employer partners or beyond.

“I am delighted that she has been recognised as an influential woman leader because this is truly what she is.”

Maria Bowness said: “I am proud and humbled to have won the category for Skills, Education and Training. To be nominated was an honour, to become a finalist was a wonderful surprise, to win was absolutely unbelievable.

“A truly inspirational evening spent with so many amazing Women Leaders, who work tirelessly to make a difference. I am blessed to have worked with amazing Women Leaders who have driven my passion to transform lives through learning.”

To learn more about Women Leaders Awards, read more here.

Mechanic and graphic design students from Milton Keynes College had the trip of a lifetime around Aston Martin’s Aramco Formula® One Team’s AMR Technology Campus at Silverstone.  The visit was made possible by a collaboration between the College, the racing team, and global leader in automotive and industrial solutions, Valvoline Global Operations. 

The connection with the College began last year, when the companies supported mechanic students in refurbishing a Formula Renault racing car, with the intention of getting it back to full working order.  That work has continued this year, again with the companies’ sponsorship as part of Valvoline Global’s Mechanics Month, an annual global event celebrating those either with a career in the field or who aspire to have one.  Meanwhile, graphic design students were given the challenge of creating advertising for Valvoline Global that could be featured on the racing car’s body panels. 

Another element of the collaboration was to send a group of eighteen students to take part in an International Women’s Day event at Aston Martin Aramco Formula® One AMR Technology Campus.  Alongside 200 other young women, the students heard from inspirational speakers including Jessica Hawkins, Aston Martin Aramco Formula® One Team’s driver ambassador. 

Both Aston Martin Aramco Formula® One and Valvoline Global aim to encourage more women to enter the automotive profession, and ran a half-day event for ninety girls from local schools at the College’s South Central Institute of Technology at Bletchley, where they heard from two current Milton Keynes College students, Lucy and Georgie, as well as Rebecca Moroney from Aston Martin and Kara Dunmore and Evangelia Boumpouli, both mechanics at Steven Eagell Group’s Cambridge branch. 

The graphics students who’ve been involved in the work on the Formula Renault car went to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula® One Team Technology Campus at Silverstone to present their designs to judges from the racing and lubricant companies, with the winning team looking forward to seeing their design on the Milton Keynes College car.  

At the final event, the motor vehicle mechanic students presented their team’s work to a panel of judges, including Jamal Muashsher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Valvoline Global, who selected the best three. The winning team will have the fantastic prize of a four-day work experience placement at the AMR Technology Campus, while the second and third placed teams received professional mechanics’ tool kits. 

One of the winning student mechanics, Sam Mitchell, said, “The challenge was really enjoyable and tougher than I thought it might be.  It’s taught me an improved understanding of electrical theory and application, as well as helping with my teamwork and communication skills, not just between me and Joe but with the other teams, as well a wider understanding of race car mechanics.   It was great to have the chance to talk to the Valvoline CEO and other officials and amazing to see the final car, the livery and seeing what we had done.” 

Sam’s teammate, Joe Rose, said, “We’d never worked on motorsport vehicles before so this gave us an incredible insight into how it works. It’s given me some really valuable skills and knowledge which could help start my career in the sport, which really is my ambition.” 

All the student winners said they had an amazing time at the celebratory event.  Chiamaka Ahaneku, one of the graphics students involved said, “The experience provided by Aston Martin during the presentation of the Valvoline livery was truly inspirational to my teammates and me.  All the members of my design team felt included and heard.  The opportunity we were given will stay with us forever, and we thoroughly enjoyed our day.” 

Caroline Indge, Head of Partnerships and Innovation at Milton Keynes College Group, says, “We’re so grateful to Aston Martin F1 and Valvoline for taking such an interest in the students, and for giving them the most amazing window into a world which not only excites them but which is there for them to join if they work hard.  We’re always looking out for local businesses with which to create these kinds of partnerships.  They’re great for the students, and they also give companies an insight into the calibre of skilled young people we’re training.” 

Mark Gray, Head of Build & Car Assembly at Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, stated: “We are proud to continue supporting Valvoline’s Mechanics Month initiative. Mechanics play a crucial role in our sport – without them, racing wouldn’t be possible. It was a pleasure to welcome students from Milton Keynes College, give them a behind-the-scenes look at our work, and hopefully inspire the next generation of mechanics, whether in Formula 1 or the broader mobility industry.” 

Speaking at the event, Jamal Muashsher, CEO and President of Valvoline Global said, “By providing students with mentorship and resources, we help bridge the global skills gap and support the next generation in building successful careers.  These young mechanics will drive the future of the industry, tackle evolving challenges, and may even become elite engineers behind Aston Martin Aramco Formula One’s success.” 

To find out more about studying Motor Vehicle at MK College, visit Motor Vehicle Advanced – MK College

To find out more about studying Graphic Design at MK College, visit Graphic Design Advanced – MK College

Milton Keynes College has teamed up with Home Instead, a home healthcare services company who work with Age UK, to offer our Access to Higher Education (HE) learners insight into the domestic care industry. This collaboration has already produced two events, which have allowed our students to connect with care professionals and clients to learn more about the people and practices within the sector.

On 1st April, our Access to HE students met with staff from Home Instead at the Chaffron Way campus to create crafts while learning more about careers in domestic care. The crafts were inspired by conversations and themes around care, memory, and personal stories. On 29th April, Home Instead hosted an afternoon tea party at their Milton Keynes office, bringing together learners and clients for a relaxed afternoon of food and conversation. During the event, learners also had the opportunity to share their crafts with the clients.

Bringing together learners exploring careers in health and social care and the clients of Home Instead, the event was well-attended, and the learners enjoyed meeting the clients. As part of the event programme, some of the learners performed live music for the clients.

Feedback from Home Instead praised the event as a blend of joy, connection, creativity and care, and commended our students on their sociability and cheer. The collaboration between Home Instead and Milton Keynes College builds bridges between members of local community through shared experiences and deeper understanding of the issues of the clients of domestic care services.

Tess Gazeley, Deputy Head of School for Access to HE at Milton Keynes College, said: “”It was a fantastic opportunity to work with Home Instead. Our learners thoroughly enjoyed both events. They had the chance to learn about how the company supports its clients, interact with the company’s staff, and meet some of the clients themselves. Additionally, our learners received valuable advice on job opportunities to help them with their future career.

“We are really grateful for the opportunity and look forward to working with Home Instead again in the future.”

Zahra Kassim, Community Engagement Lead at Home Instead, said: “We hope the event inspired some of these bright young people to consider a career path in health and social care, where they can truly make a difference. A heartfelt thank you to Milton Keynes College for your continued partnership, and to every student, client, and team member who made the day so special.

“These moments of connection are what community is all about – and we’re already excited to see where the next phase of this collaboration takes us.”

To learn more about Milton Keynes College’s work with the community, read more here.

More than 60 students from Milton Keynes College have been helping out at a local primary school as part of its annual day of community support across the city. 

The College’s Care Professions students ran a range of sessions at Moorland Primary School for children from nursery to Year 5, with a range of fun activities including Easter crafts, Easter baking, gardening and woodworking. The school’s Year 6 pupils didn’t miss out – they spent the day at MK College’s workshop, making bird boxes to be distributed by Woughton Community Council across the area, as well as hearing from the Parks Trust about the importance of protecting our local wildlife.  

Angela Garner, Head teacher at Moorland Primary School said, “All the students are so engaged and getting on so well with the children, and of course the children aren’t phased at all by having these strangers come in to interact with them.  They’re having so much fun getting all this attention, and it means they can be talking one-to-one which is something they don’t normally get.  They’re meeting all these fabulous role models, and they’re cooking, painting, woodwork and so on, all in a day, and it’s only possible because the students are here.  Students and staff are all getting so much from it.” 

Holly Gidman, Deputy Head of School for Care Professions at Milton Keynes College added, “We’ve got a lot of students who want to work in schools and it’s wonderful for them to come here to see what it’s like in a primary school.  They’ve really enjoyed being out in the fresh air with the children, learning to communicate with them and with the staff.  It’s such a fun day.” 

Childcare student, Amileigha, said, “The children are so full of energy and are on the go non-stop.  They all learn in different ways, and it’s been a great experience just spending some time with them.” 

MK College Group’s College in the Community Day has now been running for three years and aims to get learners and staff involved in community projects across the Milton Keynes area. This year, more than 1,100 staff and students took part in more than 50 projects, including: 

• Milton Keynes YMCA – catering and hospitality students hosted the charity’s monthly community lunch, while Hair, Beauty and Barbering learners provided free haircuts and manicures for residents. Students also raised more than £300 for YMCA through manicures at the College’s Graduate Salon and Business and Digital students holding a takeover at Volcano Falls 

• MK Act and MK Foodbank – staff and students donated over 350 items which were sorted and delivered by the College’s students and staff 

• Canal Society – a group of staff from the College supported with canal restoration activities 

• White Ribbon campaign – art learners worked with Community Action:MK to design artworks for display across Milton Keynes in support of the White Ribbon campaign to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. 

Chief Executive and Group Principal at MK College Group, Sally Alexander, said, “I look forward to our College in the Community Day every year, and this year didn’t disappoint. I visited lots of the projects and I’m very proud of how committed our colleagues and learners are to doing the best they can for charities and community groups. Some of the projects this year have continued or even expanded from last year, while others are brand new to us for 2025; it’s great to have such a diverse mix of projects.” 

“Our local communities are at the heart of our Fairer Futures strategy, so I’m very proud that the College helps those that make a huge difference to the people in our amazing city. Well done and thank you to everyone involved.”  

To find out more about the work the College Group does in our local communities, visit https://mkcollege.ac.uk/community/working-with-the-community/ 

On Thursday 13^th February, Milton Keynes College staff and students joined the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire’s Justice Dinner. Hosted in the Mansion Ball Room at Bletchley Park, the guests were welcomed to the event by Iain Standen, the CEO of Bletchley Park Trust. The dinner was attended by around 50 guests from several local organisations, including Thames Valley Police, Open University, and The Parks Trust.

Kurshida Mirza, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, has worked closely with MK College and Buckinghamshire College Group in her Shrieval year, bringing in the new addition of High Sheriff College Champions. The High Sheriff College Champions, selected from both colleges, have collaborated with Kurshida on various projects aimed at tackling crime and supporting young people.

Kurshida asked MK College Catering and Hospitality students to provide catering services for her High Sheriff’s Justice Dinner. Catering students prepared, cooked and served the food to the guests, fulfilling the High Sheriff’s requirement to ensure that all food was halal. Alongside various canapes, the guests were served chicken “kiev” ballotine and curried cauliflower steak, with pannacotta and ginger biscuit crumble for dessert.

The theme of the Justice Dinner was the importance of investing in young people and enabling their voices to be heard. With this aligning well with MK College Group’s mission and daily work, MK College Group CEO and Principal Sally Alexander said: “Young people are our future, and at Milton Keynes College Group, we see it as our responsibility to equip them with the skills they need to navigate their lives, find their passions and use their voices to make a difference. We work hard to create opportunities for them, empowering them to identify where they can and want to make an impact.

“I am particularly delighted that Kurshida’s Shrieval year as High Sheriff aligns so closely with the values we hold dear. Working with communities across Milton Keynes to combat social exclusion, strengthening communities and creating thriving partnerships – these are all goals we champion at MK College.”

Over the course of the evening, the guests heard from a few interesting speakers. This included a conversation with YMCA, where two YMCA residents, Faith and Jacob, shared their stories. This concluded in a chat with Jack Davy-Dupris, a Community Development Worker at MK YMCA. Other speakers included HHJ Jonathan Cooper and HHJ Patrick Peruško, who spoke to their fellow guests about how the crown and family courts have evolved over the years to better empower young people and involve them more in the justice process.

Demonstrating that hard work leads to reward, Kurshida also presented an award to MK College’s Head of Community and Engagement and Staff Governor Rebecca Myrie in recognition of their great and valuable services to the community. Rebecca Myrie said: “I was thrilled and very surprised to receive a High Sheriff’s award. Kurshida is someone who brings people together and makes a positive difference to the community – she’s used her role as High Sheriff to amplify this work and we’re so proud to have played a small part in it.”

Kurshida said: “It has been a privilege to work with MK College and to have the MK College Catering and Hospitality students provide the dinner which I know everyone enjoyed very much. The students produced the menu and prepared the food, delivering a top-quality chef experience.

“I believe it is important to enable young people’s voices to be heard and an imperative for us to work together to empower and nurture their development. This means encouraging them to take charge of their lives and develop their best skills, potential and aspirations. Afterall, they are our future!  I am also very grateful to Bletchley Park for providing the setting of the Mansion which added to the experience – thank you!”

To find out more about MK College Group’s work in the community, visit here.

By Sally Alexander, CEO and Group Principal of MK College Group

In my second full year as CEO of MK College Group, the wider world has seen extraordinary turmoil, from natural disasters to political upheavals, from social revolutions to unimagined technological leaps.  It’s striking how things that have happened here at Milton Keynes College Group have reflected those dramatic events, but in a positive, calm and constructive way.

The current way in which Ofsted inspections happen, and that ratings are shown, came in for a lot of criticism last year following the death of a head teacher at a Reading Primary School last year.  Our report, which came out in February, once more rated us as Good, with some areas declared Outstanding, and everyone should take pride in that label, potentially the last one-word assessment we shall ever receive.

2024 saw more than a hundred elections in democratic (and not-so democratic) countries, more than ever before.  Almost everywhere, governing parties lost or had their power reduced as half the world’s electors cast their ballots.  Here, we held exciting, polite and informative hustings involving the main parties’ candidates standing in our city seats, and the overwhelming concern that came through from our students was the climate.  In the year that saw the most worrying rises in land and sea temperatures around the planet, a team from Milton Keynes were joint winners of the inaugural Green Future Challenge, an inter-college competition where learners put forward ideas to make Further Education more sustainable.  We also saw the opening of the new Green Skills Centre at Chaffron Way, which will teach vital techniques for installing solar panels, heat source pumps and electric car charging points.

The need for science-based skills in the modern world is also being addressed by STEMx, a project from Oracle Red Bull Racing supported by Milton Keynes College Group to inspire the next generation of engineers.  The appetite is certainly there among younger children, as an event explaining the initiative a few days ago saw representatives from thirteen schools come along to find out more.

The rights of women and girls to live lives free from violence and misogyny have been very much in the spotlight, with controversy surrounding the likes of Andrew Tate, Gregg Wallace and others.  With that in mind, I’m proud to say MK College Group is now White Ribbon Accredited, committing to working towards ending violence against women and girls.  White Ribbon UK is the leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women.  As a White Ribbon Accredited organisation, MK College Group will deliver a comprehensive multi-year plan to transform its staff culture, systems, and the wider community in which we operate.  

For if a college is not fully a part of its community, it is nothing, and it was great to see the second College in the Community Day being bigger than ever, with so many staff and students taking part in activities aimed at improving the lives and opportunities of others.  That continuing commitment contributed to our winning the MK Business Achievement Award for Business Impact in the Community, something of which we can all feel a part.

Growth has been the political buzzword of 2024, and the College Group saw an increase in student numbers of almost ten per cent, with more to come next year.  Two contributory factors have been increased awareness and reputation of the South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT) and the launch of our A Level courses; their popularity has been most gratifying – so popular that a group of students has even begun working with our Marketing team to let other local young people know how great an experience it is for them.

Continued growth and reach are promised by the impending arrival of the full East-West Rail service joining Cambridge and Oxford with Milton Keynes slap-bang in the middle.  This will be crucial for our plans to continue developing digital skills at the SCIoT and beyond.

Sport is never far from the headlines and, as ever, teams and individuals too many to mention have represented our College Group with distinction.  One particularly shining example is that of Connie Medri and Zara Labastide, two of our women footballers selected for the England College’s Squad – the first time we’ve had two players in the same national team.

As we get ready to greet 2025, it’s worth reflecting that while the world around us may be in turmoil, we can still, between us, maintain a stillness and calm within our own college community.  We can look after each other, support each other, and do whatever we can to serve as an example to the world outside, that different people of countless backgrounds and experiences, can co-exist in a way that benefits everyone. 

The world may indeed be turned upside down, but here, by and large, we’re right side up, and I’m proud of us all for that.