SA Surgery Hours: Monday to Friday 08:45-16:30 SA SA

Student Newsletter December 2019 Student Newsletter February 2020

We’re delighted to announce that performance indicators, published by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) on 28 January 2020, show that South Lanarkshire College has the best overall results in the sector, with attainment rates at a record five-year high and well above national averages in all key categories. The College has also provided opportunities for learning to more students than ever before, exceeding government targets for enrolments.

Students on full-time, Higher Education courses, such as Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, have performed particularly well – with attainment rates of 75% – the highest in of any of the 26 colleges in Scotland, considerably higher than the national average of 69.8%, making us the only college to exceed the Scottish Funding Council’s national target of 74.4% success.

At 72%, the attainment rates for students studying on Further Education, full-time courses are also at record-high levels and significantly higher than the national average of 65.2%.

One of the College priorities is to provide equality of opportunity and equity of outcomes. Attainment rates for students from the most deprived postcode areas (SIMD10 and SIMD20) and from minority ethnic backgrounds are the highest of any college in Scotland. Students from SIMD10 areas have attainment rates of 74.6% and students from SIMD20 areas have attainment rates of 73.7%. Learners from minority ethnic backgrounds have attainment rates of 80.2%.

Similarly, care-experienced students have the second-highest attainment rates in the country, at 67.3% and students with a disability have the third-highest attainment rates in the country, at 72.5%.

Farewell to our amazing Principal—Stewart McKillop Sadly, our Principal, Stewart McKillop is retiring on Friday, 28 February 2020. He has been

an outstanding Principal, and has been an amazing support to the Students’ Association

over the last 18 years. Student success, a positive student experience and the College

being in a healthy financial position has been the main driving force of his leadership, all

of which he has successfully delivered on. I know you will share with me and the rest of

the Executive team to wish him every happiness in his retirement.

Enjoy, you absolutely deserve it!!

Elizabeth Newlands—President of the Students’ Association

Our Student Results are the BEST in Scotland

Purple Friday— Friday 28 February

Please wear something purple to show your support for LGBT Equality. We’ll have specialist support organisations

setting up stalls on the ground floor atrium, and a photobooth with props will be set up opposite the Main Reception

with our Photography students taking pictures. On the second floor atrium, Beauty Therapy students will be offering

Purple Nails, Make-up Artistry students will provide Make-Up for All and Brows for All and our Hairdressing students

will be offering Purple Hair Designs in room 216/218 on a drop-in basis. Inspire Catering will be providing the

rainbow cupcakes for the event with all monies raised going to charity.

LBGT History Month – Purple Friday/LBGT Bronze Charter Mark February is LGBT History month and we’ve planned lots of fun activities to highlight awareness of LGBT Equality.

The Students’ Association is proud to be working towards the LGBT Bronze Charter Mark Award. With this in mind, we

have lots of exciting activities planned for the upcoming year.

The College hosted a Volunteering event on the 28-30 January to offer

and highlight volunteering opportunities for you to get involved in and

support your community. A variety of organisations were on hand to

chat to students and staff about volunteering. A huge thank you to the

following organisations who attended: Girl Guiding, Older & Active East

Kilbride, Larkhall and District Volunteer Group, Lanarkshire Rape Crisis,

St Andrew’s Hospice, HIPY, Regen FX: Youth Trust, Cosgrove Care,

The Machan Trust, Samaritans, East Kilbride & district Dementia Carers Group, The Haven, The Machan Trust,

Samaritans, East Kilbride District Dementia Carers Group, The Haven, Street Connect, Agape Wellbeing and Juvenile

Diabetes Research Fund.

Volunteering Event - 28-30 January 2020

Pride Stride Thursday 27 February

Join us at the Student Association Office on the ground floor atrium for a walk around the campus. Free rainbow laces

will be provided to all students and staff to show our support for LGBT Equality.

Welcome to our new Principal - Aileen McKechnie Aileen, who takes up her role on 2nd March 2020, joins SLC from the Scottish Government

where, as Director of Advanced Learning and Science, she has had a leading role in developing

national policy in relation to the tertiary education and student support system.

Aileen brings with her a wealth of experience in both national and local government and has

a proven track record of improving public services and of driving systems reform across

education, access and student support to enable sustainable and inclusive economic

growth.

We warmly welcome Aileen to the College and look forward to working with her in the future.

Our Love your Planet event was a great success with over 80 pledges from students and staff telling us one thing they would change that could help save the planet . A huge thank you to K-Woodlands, Home Energy Scotland, Inspire Catering, our SLC Sustainable Travel Officer and our Horticulture Students for coming along and offering some great ideas to help us take care of our planet.

Caring for our Student Carers We’re happy to report that our evidence portfolio for the Going Further for Student

Carers: Recognition Award has now been submitted. The Students’ Association and

the College have worked together to review and highlight all the fantastic support that

is available for students with caring responsibilities. We expect our submission to be reviewed at the start of March

and we’ll provide an update to you in the next SA Newsletter.

Additionally, we have been invited by the Carers Trust to attend the forthcoming Student Carers Learning Exchange.

Taking place on Friday 12 June, the Learning Exchange will provide an excellent opportunity to share information

about the student carer experience at SLC and to celebrate the work that is being carried out across Scotland to

support students with caring responsibilities.

Armed Forces Covenant 27 November 2019 We were delighted that the College signed up to the Armed Forces

Covenant on the 27 November 2019.

The College is committed to ensuring those who serve or have served in

the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. This provides a

clear message to the Armed Forces Community that the College cares. It

is not about creating advantage but removing disadvantage.

Love your Plant - Sustainability Event

14 February 2020

The Students’ Association and Quality Unit were

delighted to host Student Question Time on the

21 January. The aim of this event was to allow

students the opportunity to present questions

directly to the college senior management team

and hear their responses. There were many

opportunities identified to improve the student

experience at the College. All the agreed actions

will be now be communicated across the College

through the “You said …together we did”

campaign, Class Rep Focus Groups and the

Students’ Association.

Student Question Time

21 January 2020

SAVE THE DATE!

LGBT

Purple Friday

No Smoking

Day

11 March

Supporting

your next

step

11 March

Equality &

Choices

24-26 Mar

LGBT

Pride Stride

Mental Health

Awareness

Week

16-22 May

Student Carers Support - On the first Tuesday of the month there will be a

table on the ground floor atrium for the SLC Carers Network.

Stop Smoking - YOUR WAY The College is hosting an initiative to help staff and

students who want to stop smoking. The weekly Stop

Smoking classes “GO with FLO” started in January and

continue to run every Thursday during lunch hour.

NHS professionals are on hand providing free

products and professional support to give you the

best chance of being successful.

Refreshers’ - 14-15 January 2020

The SA welcomed a wide range of

organisations to our Refreshers’

event in January. They provided

students with guidance and advice

on everything from fitness and

health and wellbeing to personal

finances. There were loads of great

freebies on offer and DJ Martin

played some beats to keep the

energy moving.

New Look for SA Office & Student Entrance

Look out for the new window signage at the Student Association Office on the ground floor atrium and at the student

entrance. We are absolutely thrilled with the changes, both of which will help raise the visibility of the College and

Students’ Association.

Anti-Bullying Day was highlighted

across the College with the SA

visiting classrooms to talk about the

College ethos of inclusiveness

through consideration and

respecting others.

#BEKIND

Anti-Bullying Day

How to avoid

Vishing