College Has A Lot To Offer - East Anglian Daily Times Education Page, 15 June 2004

If the applications received to date are anything to go by, there is an increase this year in the number of school leavers planning to start their further education at Suffolk College.

We welcome this development - and with the widest range of courses within the county are well placed to respond. Between them, the College’s 9 Further Education Curriculum centres and 2 Higher Education faculties offer more than 200 courses to choose from.

These programmes are regularly reviewed and updated to maintain their relevance to individuals, employers and the wider needs of our diverse community. Critical Thinking and Use of Maths are, for example, two new courses that will be joining the AS portfolio this September.

The breadth of the learning opportunities available offers a seamless progression right from AS level through A2 to Foundation Degrees, Honours Degrees and all the way to a Masters Degree. With a structured tutorial programme and a personal tutor for every student the support is there for everyone to develop in the way they want and to realise their potential.

It’s not just in the courses that the student comes first. Suffolk College is committed to, and justly renowned for, strong support with the broader aspects of student life. There is plenty of help available with advice about careers, money, health and even legal matters. There are additional optional programmes to enrich students’ time at the College – there’s even a ‘Girls Football Development Centre’ squad. Plus, of course there’s a vibrant Student Union, which among others things offers sports facilities, special interest clubs and some very useful discounts at local shops.

Enrolment for part-time courses started at the beginning of this week, so why not take a look at what Suffolk College has to offer. The friendly team in the Information Centre are happy to send you course details, or you can take a look at the website, www.suffolk.ac.uk. Specialist advice on full-time courses is also readily available

This September the new Education Maintenance Allowance comes into effect in to enabling a greater number of 16 year-olds to be more ambitious in their education and personal development planning. This new Government scheme offers eligible students a weekly payment of up to £30, plus bonus payments worth up to £500 in total, and is available for both academic and vocational courses. If you would like to find out more about the Education Maintenance Allowance, get in touch with the Student Support team on 01473 296552. They can explain how it works, advise you about eligibility and talk you through the paperwork needed to make an application.