National Award for BSix

Staff and students at BSix are celebrating their achievement in winning a national award. The sixth form college has been named ‘Representative Organisation of the Year’ by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS). LSIS is the government’s agency for developing and supporting excellence in the college sector of education.

BSix won its award because of its Learning Advocate programme. Learning Advocates are students who are trained to observe lessons, to gather student opinion, to undertake research and to present their findings to college managers, governors and leaders in other schools and colleges. This scheme, which is unique and innovative, has attracted a lot of national attention and BSix’s Learning Advocates have made presentations to three national conferences. The award was presented by Dame Ruth Silver, Chair of LSIS, at Kensington Roof Gardens. It was collected, on behalf of BSix, by Faith Layachi, a student Learning Advocate at the College; Philip Elliott, Deputy Principal, and Bernice Gummer, Assistant Director: Student Experience. “We are thrilled to receive this national recognition”, says Philip Elliott, the Deputy Principal who himself was runner-up in the ‘outstanding contribution to the leadership of learners’ category.

The awards are intended to highlight the need for schools and colleges to listen to the opinions and views of their students to involve them in the running of the colleges they attend. Dame Ruth Silver told the audience: “it is not always easy, but always, worthwhile to hear what our learners have to say to us. These awards honour and recognise the leading edge of this work”

LSIS says:
"The winner was BSix Brooke House Sixth Form College. The judges were highly impressed by BSix's innovative and extensive approach to learner voice. The college involves students in every stage of their learning and at every level of the organisation through g group of learning advocates who are trained and then participate in all levels of decision making in the college. BSix also has set up a student experience centre under which houses a 7 strong team of support staff including a SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) Co-ordinator. Students have also been responsible for producing their own self assessment report which is reported in full to the college Senior Management Team, which students also sit in on. BSix received praise from Ofsted who described, "highly responsive arrangements to consult with clients". "

Joe Martin of LSIS comments:
"BSix were richly deserving of this award. The investment they have made coupled with the whole organisation approach they have to representation and the learner voice are a great example for other organisations to follow".