About the College

Bridgend College has over 16,000 students and employs over 800 members of staff over its five campuses. It offers over 500 courses from Pre-Entry to Diploma and Higher Diploma and Degree level in over twenty vocational areas.

Students

BTEC National Diploma in Public Services - 43 students
BTEC First Diploma in Travel and Tourism-six students
BTEC National Diploma in Sports Science - 40 students
BTEC First Diploma in Animal Care - 27 students

BTEC National Diploma in Public Services
This is a two-year programme at L3. Students are divided into  two groups.They had one week of working with employers/community participation  December 2005; placements include local primary schools, care homes and charity shops.The target is to complete WEW/PSE by Easter 2006; planning and delivery seem well organised with a scheme of work displayed on a staff-room notice board.

Extensive use is made of visits and visiting speakers, including representatives of the Electoral Commission (politics WEW), NSPCC (PSE) and Drugs Council (PSE).  Visits have included the Millennium Centre, Welsh Assembly Government, Cardiff Bay and Big Pit. WBQ activities, wherever possible, fit naturally around the activities planned for the vocational programme; team enterprise will feature as a Year Two activity.

The college has a good track record in the delivery of Key Skills. Five of the KS are timetabled for one hour per week. The Individual Investigation is being used to deliver Communication at Level 3. An approach to AoN includes an assignment on housing and homelessness.

Most aspects of KS are expected to be completed during this first year of the two-year diploma.

Language Module:  German is the language being studied by all students on a one hour per week basis.  Student motivation is enhanced with the prospect of a visit to Germany during the summer term.  The language module is being strongly linked to the Key Skill IOLP.

BTEC First Diploma in Travel and Tourism
This is a one-year programme at L2. Twelve students enrolled in September of whom six remain. Students spend four days in college with a wide variety of visits planned for the fifth day. An hour is set aside for a weekly group tutorial and students are seen on a 1:1 basis every half-term; tutorial forms have been produced to record all tutoring/mentoring activities. A scheme of work is openly displayed on a wallboard in the staff room.

Pencoed Campus: BTEC National Diploma in Sports Science
This is a two-year programme at L3. 40 students enrolled on the programme in September and there has been little drop-out. Thursday p.m. is formally timetabled for WBQ activities and used for visits and visiting speakers; an hour each is set aside for WEW, PSE and a tutorial.  Sometimes WEW/PSE combined on the principle of 'working smarter'.

Language Module - Sign-language is being studied, enthusiastically, by all students.  This will enable sports coaching activities to include the coaching of 'hearing-impaired' students.

The Individual Investigation is to be used to deliver Communication as a Key Skill at L3.

BTEC First Diploma in Animal Care
This is a one-year programme offered at L2. 27 students have enrolled and are split into two groups of 13/14 students. The WBQ curriculum has been skilfully embedded in the vocational course programme.

Language Module:  Welsh is the chosen language with a one-hour per week taught session; arrangements have been made for the students to act as stewards showing visiting Welsh speakers around the small animal care centre.

Work placement:  a two-week placement is being arranged during March 2006.

Community Participation:  all students will spend a period of time at the Dog Animal Trust.

Good progress is being made by students in building Key Skills evidence portfolios.