City College Norwich
Encyclopedia
City College Norwich is a college of further and higher education which is located on Ipswich Road, in Norwich
, Norfolk
, England
. The college has a second site at St Andrews House in Norwich city centre, which is also home to the National Skills Academy for Financial Services. Founded in 1891, City College Norwich has been situated in its current location since 1953. It is one of the largest colleges in the country.
The College has one of the most developed and independent Students' Unions in the country within Further Education in terms of representation, staff, activities, active participation, finance, and services. In 2010, the Students’ Union was named a runner-up in the NUS Further Education Union of the Year award.
city centre on the Ipswich Road from where the majority of its courses are delivered. The Norwich Building was opened in 1953 and other buildings have been opened at various times since. The Ipswich Road campus is home to the Debut Restaurant, based within the College’s Hotel School, which is open to the public during term time. Members of the public can also visit the College’s Solutions Hair and Beauty Salons, and Solutions Gym — all part of the College’s learning model of giving students work experience in real working environments. A shop "Ego", staffed by the College’s retail students, opened in 2011, giving retail students the opportunity to experience the full range of roles within a real working environment.
The College also has a site at St Andrews House in the centre of Norwich. Opened by the then-Chancellor of the Exchequer
, Alastair Darling, in December 2007, St Andrews House is home to the National Skills Academy for Financial Services and is the base for the College's business and professional courses. Here students are taught in a modern environment with the latest facilities which have been modelled on those that would be found in any contemporary financial services company headquarters.
City College Norwich has a strong reputation for employer engagement. The College is unique in having 5 sector-based National Skills Academies—in Creative and Cultural skills, Financial Services, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Retail. In 2008 the College won a National Training Award for its work with Lotus Cars.
In 2009 the College won a Queen's Anniversary Prize
for Higher and Further Education for its work with students with Asperger’s Syndrome. The College’s RUGroom provides a safe haven and a social and study space for students with AS and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The unique ingredient has been the involvement of the College’s AS learners — who named themselves “The Really Useful Group” — in the design of an AS friendly physical environment which developed into the RUGroom. The RUGroom was opened in February 2008 by Charles Clarke
, a member of parliament at the time, and has since won a string of awards in recognition of the excellence of its leading edge work including two National Training Awards in 2008 and 2009.
In 2011 the college has came under critisism for making over 30 of its staff redundant and closing departments, including ICT.
. In 2010, Palmer was named “Principal of the Year” at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service
’s Leading the Learner Voice Awards.
Palmer’s teaching background is in ICT
, and he was seconded to the DfES in 2000–2001 to create the national e-Learning unit. Palmer is a significant voice on the national stage on a variety of education and training bodies. He is also actively involved with local business organisations and strategy groups including the regional CBI
council, the Norfolk Institute of Directors
, the Norwich Chamber of Commerce
’s Business Council, the Norwich Local Strategic Partnership, and the Norfolk Skills & Employment Board among many others.
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The college has a second site at St Andrews House in Norwich city centre, which is also home to the National Skills Academy for Financial Services. Founded in 1891, City College Norwich has been situated in its current location since 1953. It is one of the largest colleges in the country.
Overview
City College Norwich has over 14,000 students on a wide range of vocational, academic and professional courses. The College’s provision spans work with 14–16 year olds (around 1,000 of whom attend college one day a week whilst attending high school), full and part-time further education courses for young people and adults, higher education courses, apprenticeships and other bespoke training for employers. The college has around a thousand full and part-time staff.The College has one of the most developed and independent Students' Unions in the country within Further Education in terms of representation, staff, activities, active participation, finance, and services. In 2010, the Students’ Union was named a runner-up in the NUS Further Education Union of the Year award.
Campus
The College is based on a large campus close to NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
city centre on the Ipswich Road from where the majority of its courses are delivered. The Norwich Building was opened in 1953 and other buildings have been opened at various times since. The Ipswich Road campus is home to the Debut Restaurant, based within the College’s Hotel School, which is open to the public during term time. Members of the public can also visit the College’s Solutions Hair and Beauty Salons, and Solutions Gym — all part of the College’s learning model of giving students work experience in real working environments. A shop "Ego", staffed by the College’s retail students, opened in 2011, giving retail students the opportunity to experience the full range of roles within a real working environment.
The College also has a site at St Andrews House in the centre of Norwich. Opened by the then-Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, Alastair Darling, in December 2007, St Andrews House is home to the National Skills Academy for Financial Services and is the base for the College's business and professional courses. Here students are taught in a modern environment with the latest facilities which have been modelled on those that would be found in any contemporary financial services company headquarters.
City College Norwich has a strong reputation for employer engagement. The College is unique in having 5 sector-based National Skills Academies—in Creative and Cultural skills, Financial Services, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Retail. In 2008 the College won a National Training Award for its work with Lotus Cars.
In 2009 the College won a Queen's Anniversary Prize
Queen's Anniversary Prize
The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education is a biennially awarded series of prizes awarded to Universities and Colleges in the further and higher education sectors within the United Kingdom...
for Higher and Further Education for its work with students with Asperger’s Syndrome. The College’s RUGroom provides a safe haven and a social and study space for students with AS and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The unique ingredient has been the involvement of the College’s AS learners — who named themselves “The Really Useful Group” — in the design of an AS friendly physical environment which developed into the RUGroom. The RUGroom was opened in February 2008 by Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
, a member of parliament at the time, and has since won a string of awards in recognition of the excellence of its leading edge work including two National Training Awards in 2008 and 2009.
In 2011 the college has came under critisism for making over 30 of its staff redundant and closing departments, including ICT.
Principal
The principal of City College Norwich is Dick Palmer. Since becoming the Principal of City College Norwich in 2003, student success rates have risen by over 16%. Palmer was previously the deputy principal at Lewisham CollegeLewisham College
Lewisham College is a further education college in Lewisham, south-east London.Lewisham College is located in the London Borough of Lewisham in south-east London. The college comprise campuses in Lewisham Way, New Cross and at Deptford Church Street...
. In 2010, Palmer was named “Principal of the Year” at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service
Learning and Skills Improvement Service
The Learning and Skills Improvement Service is the sector-owned body supporting the development of excellent and sustainable Further Education provision across the learning and skills sector...
’s Leading the Learner Voice Awards.
Palmer’s teaching background is in ICT
ICT
-Science and technology:*Information and communication technologies** Information and communication technologies for development** Information and communication technologies in education** Information and communication technologies for environmental sustainability...
, and he was seconded to the DfES in 2000–2001 to create the national e-Learning unit. Palmer is a significant voice on the national stage on a variety of education and training bodies. He is also actively involved with local business organisations and strategy groups including the regional CBI
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
council, the Norfolk Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
, the Norwich Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
’s Business Council, the Norwich Local Strategic Partnership, and the Norfolk Skills & Employment Board among many others.
Notable alumni
Previous notable students of CCN include:- Tom AikensTom AikensTom Aikens is an English chef.-Early life:Aikens was born in Norwich in 1970 into a family of wine merchants. The Aikens family had a converted barn in the Auvergne region of France where the chef would spend his early summers...
— professional and Michelin starred chef - Stephen FryStephen FryStephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
— comedian and actor - Rodolfo GonzalezRodolfo GonzálezRodolfo González is a Venezuelan racing driver.- Formula Renault :After previously competing in karting, González raced in the 2003 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Winter Series, before racing in the main series in 2004 and 2005 while attending City College Norwich.- Formula Three :He won the British F3...
— GP2 driver - Maria Landon — former streetworker turned author