NEWS
WM College has achieved the prestigious matrix Standard accreditation for the quality of its information, advice and guidance service (IAG). The Standard, which is an international quality mark, was awarded to the specialist adult learning college in recognition of its IAG service which is proving to make a difference to student achievement, progression and the fulfilling of dreams.
The mechanics of the review itself received high praise from the inspectors who commented: “The speed at which staff responded to their accreditation review while prioritising remote learning delivery is testament to the agility and resilience of the organisation and to the resilience and dedication of its workforce.”
In their report the matrix inspectors said: “Taken as a whole, this accreditation review saw WM College showcase an IAG service that is professionally managed and delivered by a skilled workforce that is having a transformative impact upon its learners. The IAG service is ever evolving and it celebrates the college values in being: learner centred; committed to continuous improvement; respectful to its heritage and community groups and collaborative in its implementation. The assessment, in taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrated that WM College is a highly adaptive organisation that has much relevancy and currency to modern Britain.”
WM College provides a diverse and enriching range of flexible courses and qualifications for adults looking to upskill, retrain or expand their interests. At the hub of the College’s course offer is a suite of information, advice and guidance provision known as ‘WM Plus’ which provides the underpinning support for curriculum areas seeking to enable all learners to achieve their individuals goals.
Led by Deputy Principal Maria Rosenthal who said: “At WM College we have an overarching strategic theme of achieving ‘Excellence for All’ which provides the framework for us to deliver our IAG provision. The review recognised that this is not a stand-alone service but something which is intrinsically embedded into each of our student’s learning journey in a highly personalised way. From the first touch-point about course and finance enquiry, to the partnership students have with their tutors through to the learning support team all collectively providing wrap around IAG. This framework enables the College to set learners up to achieve and succeed. We were particularly pleased with feedback from partners which highlighted our learning support provision which they credit with ‘instilling belief, raising aspirations and creating second and third chances to adults with multiple barriers to learning and that the WM College way is one of dignity and respect.”
Feedback from learners to the inspectors was overwhelmingly positive with comments including: ”This experience is changing my life. Thanks to WM College, I have more responsibility at work and had a wage increase”; “My tutor has taken time to help me explore my space in the crowded world of contemporary art. He is inspiring” and “WM College is pushing me to be the best that I possibly can be.”
Roger Chapman, Head of the Matrix Service for The Growth Company said: “This is a fantastic achievement for WM College and I would like to congratulate the team on their success. We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available. The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, WM College is working to provide the best possible support to their learners.”
For more information about the WM College learning experience go to www.wmcollege.ac.uk and more information regarding the Matrix Standard can be found at www.matrixstandard.com.
