Early Years Centre of Excellence launched at Banbury and Bicester College

Activate Learning officially launched its new Early Years Centre of Excellence at Banbury and Bicester College on Monday 13 January.

The facilities were opened by Neil Brookes, Executive Director of Faculties and Colleges (North) at Activate Learning, in front of guests including local employers, Early Years and Teaching Assistant course alumni and current students’ families.

Designed in partnership with local employers and community groups, the centre will offer a comprehensive range of courses, including a Level 1 in Children and Young People, Level 2 in Early Years and an Early Years T Level.

The new facilities are located at the Colin Sanders Business Innovation Centre on Mewburn Road.

What does the new Early Years Centre of Excellence offer to learners?

The outstanding facilities within the Early Years Centre of Excellence include:

• Interactive boards enabling more engaging and interactive learning.
• Two individual offices which provide space for meetings and reflection.
• A sensory room which particularly benefits students with special educational needs.
• A forest school which equips students with the knowledge to implement this learning approach.
• A reading corner with books and toys to encourage literacy, language skills and quiet time.
• A play area with toys to encourage role play and motor skills.

VR headsets will also be used to enhance students’ understanding of safeguarding and communicable diseases.

Activate Learning was awarded £10,000 in T Level funding from the Department for Education to kit out and resource the facility for the Early Years T Level course running at Banbury and Bicester College.

This funding has been supported by £70,000 in college investment, paid for by Activate Learning.

The centre brings a fantastic opportunity for students to practise real-life scenarios and collaborate with one another. It is hoped it will become a hub for the local community.

Refreshments were served and speeches were given by Andy Slater, Group Director of Lifestyles Faculty and Banbury and Bicester College at Activate Learning, and Neil Brookes, Executive Director of Faculties and Colleges (North) at Activate Learning.

Gemma Barker, Curriculum Manager for Lifestyles Faculty at Activate Learning, said:

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our immersive Early Years Centre of Excellence, a facility that marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing high-quality education and training.

“Our collaboration with a variety of local employers and community groups has been instrumental in creating real working environments that mirror the professional settings our students will encounter.

“This hands-on experience is invaluable, providing our learners with the skills and confidence they need to excel in the early years sector.

“We are proud to continue our tradition of excellence in education, and we look forward to seeing our students thrive in these new, innovative learning spaces.”

Lucy Thorne, 18, from Banbury, is studying an Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Diploma at Banbury and Bicester College.

She said: “I really enjoy the new facilities. When we have children come over, the facilities give me lots of knowledge and experience.

“We have lots of toys and when the children come over, we make activities for them, so I get experience here for when I have a job in an Early Years setting.”

Fiona Baughan, Manager and Childminder at Little Sparrows Childcare, said: “I think the new centre is brilliant! They’ve done a lot of work to it. I have students come to me and I can see the difference that learning in these facilities is making and the students are really enthusiastic.

“We bring our children from Little Sparrows Childcare here, they love going in the sensory room. The students get all the activities out and sit with our children. Our children are from six months to four years old, so it’s a good age range for the students.

“It’s nice, there’s not many colleges or further education places that you go into where it would be set up like this, it’s like a nursery!”

“In this type of career, you need to be able to do the practical, and the more practical experience you can have the better. It’s about the interaction with the children and knowing how to play with them because not everyone knows that and it’s really important for a child’s development.”