NEW College Swindon will celebrate the work of its students in a special display to mark Colleges Week.

The initiative is part of the nationwide Love Our Colleges campaign, which sees institutions across the country showcasing the work their learners do.

An exhibition is being prepared for the main foyer and will be on show throughout next week. There will also be posts on social media voicing the views of students, explaining what makes college special to them.

Chief executive and principal Carole Kitching said: “New College has had such a positive influence and impact on the lives of so many different people in our communities.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard on stretched resources to educate and train people and to add value to all of the courses and services we deliver.

“We welcome and fully support this campaign to raise awareness of and celebrate the wonderful work that colleges and New College, in particular, undertakes.”

Helen Telling studied an access to higher education course at the college in order to progress onto degree level study.

She said: “The start of my journey as a New College access student not only gave me the academic skills, but also confidence to believe in myself. For anyone considering studying on an access course, I cannot recommend it enough.”

The campaign is a partnership between the Association of Colleges, National Union of Students, Association of College and School Leaders, University and Colleges Union, Unison, GMB, TUC and the National Education Union.

Now it is calling on the government to increase 16-19 funding by five per cent a year for five years. They’re also asking the Department for Education to provide exceptional funding, ring-fenced for teacher pay.

Whether it’s through technical education, basic skills or lifelong learning, the institutions help people of all ages and backgrounds to make the most of their talents and ambitions.

Rooted in local communities, they are crucial in driving social mobility and providing the skills to boost local and regional economies, says the campaign.

David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Every single day colleges like New College Swindon provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.”

The week was an opportunity to showcase students and staff. “It is simple, if we want a world-class education system then we need to properly invest in it.”