As a designated DCSF Maths and Computing and Training College, we would not be able to achieve and sustain our achievements without a wide range of partnership agreements and activities. Sawtry Community College has been able to enrich the learning experience of all our students through the excellent number and range of partnerships. The College is very grateful for the time and effort put into supporting young people getting additional resources and opportunities to prepare them for the world of work and to be responsible citizens.

 

Sawtry Leisure Centre

The excellent facilities at the Leisure Centre are made available and well used by all age groups at the College and in the community.  The main Foyer and Therapy rooms have given easier access to the facilities for people with disabilities; especially the overhead hoist which runs from the changing area to over the shallow end. 

Business Partnerships

A large number of curriculum projects would not be feasible without the additional support offered by local, regional and national companies. 

Our Education and Business links have been strongly supported by the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk .The College is involved with the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce to pilot a Youth Chamber of Commerce to link with key business partners. Currently the Youth Chamber is helping to design and print a Christmas card for Bright Vision and the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce.

The most recent innovation involving employers has been the e-mentoring scheme where business people link up via video/web conferencing to mentor students.  This scheme is being supported by Face2Face who are part of the Video Meeting Company endorsing the Meeting without Moving campaign.

The Environment and Enterprise agencies are supporting our staff and students in a wide range of Social Enterprise projects in Year 10. 

The Reverse Vending Options company have been helping the College to pioneer the use of a Reverse Vending machine.  It is the first time a school in the UK has introduced reverse vending of plastic bottles and cans.  This scheme is central to our re-cycling campaign and developing our ECO School status. 

To develop a computer network which is able to serve a whole college and offer excellent on-line administration and curriculum we have established vital partnerships with Microsoft, Dell and Promethean.  These companies offer valuable technical support and professional development training for all staff e.g. Innovative Teacher Scheme.

Our computer network and servers are managed remotely by Andy Dent who is the Managing Director of Innovit.  This company has re-designed our servers to allow the development of Sharepoint 2007.  Eventually staff and students will access a “Learning Platform” in school and at home – a virtual learning environment.  Innovit are currently training more IT technicians and ensuring computers are being serviced under agreed warranties.

Training School partnerships

The local primary schools continue to work closely with the College.  For example, Year 6 students have been attending Mathematics master classes at the College on a Wednesday 4.00pm to 5.00pm.  A special Design and Technology Challenge was organised for teams of students from local primary schools to spend the whole day at the College.  Sixth Form students undertake College support by working in the local schools supporting reading schemes etc.  The Year 10 Social Enterprise teams are helping with conservation and re-cycling schemes.  The College also offers computer training to the primary schools and allocates staff to visit the schools to encourage the use of ICT in the classroom.

The College has been supporting initiatives in Cambridgeshire,Bedfordshire, Birmingham and Northamptonshire schools as part of our Leading Edge Partnership status.  There is also the Huntingdonshire Secondary Education Partnership which enables all seven secondary schools in the region to share professional development and manage school improvement.

Huntingdonshire Learning Partnership

The Learning Skills Council continues to review the allocation of funding to 14-19 sector and adult education.  The majority of funding is being targeted at addressing the shortage of key skills in the region.  Sawtry Community College and Huntingdonshire College are members of the Huntingdonshire Learning Partnership which enables joint community projects to be submitted for additional funding e.g. Family e-learning and computer skills.

The Sawtry Youth programme now includes lunch time youth activities, evening events and a School Action Project for Year 9 (includes work at Mepal Outdoor Activity centre).

Cambridge Consortium

A formal partnership agreement has been made between a number of high performing schools in the eastern region in order to offer school led in-service courses in partnership with the Eastern Leadership Centre.

The following schools will be offering a Professional Development programme for schools for September 2009-10:

• Comberton Village College.
• Saffron Walden High School.
• Bishop Stortford High School.
• Parkside College.
• Sawtry Community College.
• Swavesey Village College

Charity Partnership activities

The College has been involved in a unique project to give young people a voice in the Commission for Africa debate.  Our partner school in Uganda, Maranatha School and ourselves have been working on the Gemini Project where 25 schools in the UK and 25 schools in Africa have been sharing ideas and information on-line.The website is called - www.ypcfa.net

The College students continue to sponsor students in the Gabba community of Kampala, Uganda.  We also continue to support local, national and international charities and encourage students to volunteer their time as well as raise money. Through our Citizenship and Social Enterprise programmes all students support a charity. This is in addition to supporting the annual Children in Need and Comic Relief Appeals. Students have also responded to major disasters e.g. the Phillipine Appeal.