Southwark College welcomed Munira Wilson, Member of Parliament for Twickenham, to meet young people taking part in the Get Further programme, an initiative which supports young people to secure gateway English and maths qualifications and unlock educational opportunities.
During the visit at the College, which took place at its modern campus on The Cut this week, Munira met with students, tutors, and staff to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they face and the work of Southwark College and Get Further to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their English and maths qualifications.
An advocate for state-funded tutoring, including the 16-19 Tuition Fund, Munira commended the College's dedication to supporting students from underprivileged backgrounds during a tour of the campus, having the opportunity to see the transformative impact having a tutor can have and the importance of making tutoring accessible to all, regardless of background to help them achieve the qualifications they need to progress onto Level 3 and higher education courses.
Southwark College's Principal, Jane Button, met with Munira to discuss the tuition programme and other initiatives in careers, which can provide young people from across the Borough to access more opportunities to pursue higher education and achieve their full potential. During the day, Jane shared her experience of attending an FE college and post-16 education and its transformative impact on her professional life.
Jane Button said: "Further Education colleges make a difference in their local communities by transforming the lives of young people and adults. English and maths is a career defining qualification for their futures and for many, not achieving them in school means that they do not start their journey in college on a level playing field. Without additional tutorial and consistent teaching, students are far less likely to achieve the qualifications they need and to lead an economically prosperous life and fulfilling career.
“Bringing in talent in staffing remains a big challenge in further education due to the shortage of funding, which highlights the need for the tuition fund to support the diverse college community and help them achieve their full potential. I join Get Further in calling on the Government to extend the National Tutoring Programme and 16-19 Fund in the Spring Statement to ensure that more students benefit from this valuable service."
Find out more about English and Maths courses at Southwark College by visiting southwark.ac.uk.
