Tel: 01582 477776
enquiries@dunstable.ac.uk

Dunstable College - Setting The Scene

Dunstable is a medium sized General Further Education College. It is situated in the heart of Dunstable (pop. 34,000) and serves South Bedfordshire and also draws students from Luton.

The College has over 8,000 enrolments and operates from 6 sites in Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard and Luton. The College operates in a relatively competitive climate and with some strong local 6th forms in South Bedfordshire and a large FE college and a 6th form college operating on the other side of Luton which has a tertiary system.

The College sees itself as having a distinct role as a vocational provider for Dunstable and South Bedfordshire and relationships with schools are developing well. This, to some extent, is as a result of our successful work in providing support for schools through our 14-16 enhanced vocational curriculum. We are proud of the support and care which we provide for all our students, 60% of whom are adults. Our outreach provision is particularly important to us enabling us to provide differentiated provision for the various college communities. This includes:

• Working with ethnic minority communities to deliver provision where they live
• Learning Shops in Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable shopping centres enabling adults to obtain IT qualifications
• NOAH Enterprises in Luton’s High Town, a centre for those recovering from substance abuse. Providing award winning qualifications in carpentry and joinery and furniture restoration.
• The Learning Warehouse in Leighton Buzzard providing vocational skills
• The Kingsland Skills and Enterprise Centre in Houghton Regis providing Construction skills for local people and schools.

The curriculum is organised into the following areas.

Centre for Professional Development
Teacher Training, Business and Management Studies and our Trades Union Studies Centre.

Art, Design & Media
Fine Art, Graphics, Fashion, 3D and Media Studies including a BA Hons in Graphic Design Business Practice.

Health & Social Care
Delivering a range of qualifications in Care, Childcare and Public Services.

Hair, Beauty & Sport
Our newest department created to meet the growing local interest in health, beauty, sport and holistic therapies.

External Developments
Operating as Chiltern Business Training this area provides Work Based Learning, tailored courses for business and NVQ assessment.

Technology
Computing, Information Technology, Engineering and Construction courses including Foundation Degrees and HNCs.

Skills for Life
Numeracy, literacy and ESOL provision, Additional Learning Support and the Pathways programme for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Dunstable College has over the last 3 years shown evidence of significant improvement following a period of financial uncertainty. Our main focus is on improving the quality of what we do in both Teaching and Learning and our services to both staff and students. Staff joining the College at this juncture will be helping us to continue to make significant progress in achieving our aims. This requires cheerfulness and commitment especially to our equal opportunities framework.

Chris Vesey
September 2005