Camden NEws: Working Mens College

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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 5 February 2009

Foreground (left to right): Frank Dobson MP with Satnam Gill, and Professor Tom Schuller, chairman of the WMC governors; behind: assistant director Kanwar Pattar, student rep Aurora McKay, deputy principal Theresa Hoenig, student Ligia Doherty and teacher Rose Mureithi

Beacon of education: Working Men’s College awarded top honour by Whitehall

THE Working Men’s College has been awarded Beacon Status by Whitehall – marking the remarkable achievements of one of the borough’s premier further education colleges.
The award, which comes after a rigorous process of Ofsted inspections, means the college has been found to be “outstanding” and will now be used as a model for other further education colleges in London to follow.
The award, for a Skills For Life programme which offers English, literacy, numeracy and IT courses, comes as its principal Satnam Gill marks his 10th year in charge at the Crowndale Road college.
Since Mr Gill stepped through the doors on his first day, the Working Men’s College (WMC) has witnessed massive change from the courses on offer, the numbers of pupils attending and the grades they have received.
Mr Gill said: “We only ran evening classes and we needed to comprehensively look at what we were offering and be more responsive to what local people needed.”
As well as the Skills For Life programme, vocational courses and direct training such as teaching assistant schemes, the college also offers access courses into University.
But Mr Gill and his staff are not resting on their laurels. He said: “We have a new library and learning centre, and a new canteen – and we hope to start a second phase of £3.5m-worth of modernising works at the college.”
Mr Gill was congratulated on behalf of his staff at a meeting with education minister Sion Simon at Whitehall two weeks ago – and was joined by Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson.
Mr Dobson said: “The Working Men’s College has always been a beacon, so I’m delighted it has now been awarded Beacon Status – a clear case of official recognition for the achievement a decade of good work and continuing commitment for the future.”

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