New Bridge College Blog - 15.11.24

Samuel Laycock Careers Event

Digit4ll and Pathways

Happy Friday!

Students from the Digit4ll team at College and Pathways took part in the Dragons Den event at Samuel Laycock.

The event was inspiring, and all students participated in recognising the skills they had for each business, using a red and green card (red – not for me and Green – interested) 6 x various business sectors faced the grilling of student questions. These questions focused on the different challenges each business face, how they would support students with additional needs, how technology is involved etc.

After an introduction to the businesses students split up into teams but first and foremost were treated to a scrumptious breakfast sandwich and cakes made by students and staff.

Thank you.

Back to the drawing board after a belly full. Speed dating began where all students had a more in-depth brief of each business and how they could see themselves working in this industry. To close the morning off all students where given gifts of their choice as a thank you.

Overall, our students did themselves proud and represented the College and Pathway with good manners and respect even though Liam asked why they were given a particular name at birth and how old their parents are .

Thank you Samuel Laycock and Mr Cox for inviting us and organising this event.

Enjoy your Weekend.

Pre-Internship Blog

Happy Friday everyone!

Over the past week, we have been working with the Pre-Internship group, gathering student voice on how the Pre-Internship could be improved to create a better experience for them all.

From a college perspective, we have started with a strong focus on improving both individual and group attendance, which we are pleased to say has increased by 5% this week – This is amazing news and something that all staff, students and parents/carers should be proud of. Keep it up!!! We have also highlighted those students who on an individual basis. We will be introducing ‘Attendance Recognition’ to the group from next week; This will not necessarily be those students that have 100% attendance but those that have tried and made improvements to their attendance no matter how small.

We also focused on professionalism that is shown both in college and out on placement; Be Prepared, Be Ready, Be Respectful – all aspects that link to New Bridge MAT’s overarching ethos of promoting behaviour.

Students spoke to us about placements and wanting to engage in work placements and employer encounters in industries which meet their own aspirations. This is something as a college we are working to try and facilitate this, but this is something that won’t happen overnight, but we are working on it.

The students wanted to implement a more structured routine to their morning. So facilitated by the wonderful team of Job Coaches, but ran by the students, we have looked at this and introduced activities to registration that link to various aspects from Maths, English, Social Skills, Problem solving, with strong links to their college day. Which leads us nicely into the problem that the students spent trying to solve this week:

“A man must get a fox, chicken and a sack of corn across the river”

He has a rowboat, but it can only carry him and one other thing at a time

If the fox and the chicken are left together, the fox will eat the chicken

If the chicken is left with the corn, the chicken will eat all the corn.

How will you get them across the river?

The students have also asked to have ‘Worker of the Week’ reinstated, this is where the staff team, look at the successes of the students over the week, however small they may be, and shine a light on the work they do; This weeks ‘Work of the Week’ is Jawad, for excellent customer service skills, progressing in his role and being a fantastic role model for those that he works with – Well done, Jawad!!!!

We have also introduced ‘In the Spotlight’, where each week, a student is chosen and they will talk about what they have been up to that week, areas they have struggled with, how they have overcome these barriers and their own personal highlights from the week.

Here is our ‘In the Spotlight’ student ‘Jawad’ who is going to tell you all about his week at David Lloyd...

"Hi my name is Jawad and I am an ex Digi4all student here at New Bridge College, now I am completing the Pre-Internship pathway.

My first placement was at the Atrium Cafe at First Choice Homes in Oldham. It was a big and clean placement, and I worked with Sophie, Olivia G and Megan. I learned to clean tables and chairs and serve customers their meals. Then I changed placement because I was so good!

That I was up for the challenge to work at David Lloyds. At first, I didn’t like it because i missed the Atrium, but now i really like and enjoy working here at David Lloyd and I am proud of myself. I am really enjoying learning work skills in the Clubroom restaurant. I think it is good, I am learning new things such as working as part of a team. The staff here are friendly and nice.

Here I am at the start of placement. Here I am with Ollie… he helped me, and Tish find a prayer room today, this is good as I can now pray privately. This was kind and generous of him… I like him.

This is the room where I can pray, its big and nice and posh and clean!!

In this picture I am on my way to check tables for any used plates or cups. To help keep the restaurant clean and tidy.

My favourite is serving and talking to customers.

Another one of my jobs is to check canteen stock that have been delivered, me and Ethan worked together. A good way to practice our reading skills.

That’s David the manager who is working at David Lloyds who helped me out and he is very friendly. I would like to thank all of the David Lloyds staffs for helping me out and serving the food for the customer.

I am more confident, learning good manners and communication skills by saying hello to the staff on reception, then I put my belongings away in the staff room before I begin my day of work experience which starts at 10 am and finishes at 2 pm. I get my break and do my weekly diary entry to reflect on my targets and what I need to improve on and think about my strength and weaknesses.

But most of all I am becoming more social and I love working with the staff team. This is my group photo so I can thank the staff who are working at David Lloyds cafe!

We have also been discussing aspects of accessing the community and becoming independent their lives moving forward and for each student this independence looks different, from wanting to learn to travel independently, to going out at lunch with their friends and doing some shopping.

Initially, this will be supported by a member of staff, where the group will be accessing the community at dinner times (at a day to be chosen by the group) and further developing this during our ‘Learning for Life’ sessions on a Friday, were we will be accessing more of the community, public transport, food shopping, which started this week, with some of the students accessing the local community, supported by a Job Coach, who spent time with their friends and doing some shopping.

And if that wasn’t enough, this week our very own Kurt, has spent time supporting other students in the groups Maths lessons – Well done Kurt! Keep up the good work.

It has been a busy week here on the Pre-Internship pathway, implementing new aspects to our group, were we focus on ‘Being Better’, and that is exactly what they have done. They have taken all the new improved aspects and embraced them, be proud of yourselves.

Next week we will be continuing to work on our new morning structure, with a key focus on building on our independence, professionalism, improving attendance and our behaviours.

To finish off, with a key date New Bridge College Parents Evening is Thursday 28th November, please remember to book your appointments, the team are looking forward to meeting with you and updating you on the progress that the students are making.

Have a restful and enjoyable weekend!

See you all on Monday!