Derwen College

{{Short description|Further education college in Shropshire, England}} {{more citations needed|date=October 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox university | name = Derwen College | image = | mottoeng = A Place of Possibility | established = 1927 | founder = Dame Agnes Hunt | type = Specialist College | principal = Meryl Green | address = Whittington Road, Gobowen | city = [[Oswestry]] | state = [[Shropshire]] | postalcode = SY11 3JA | country = [[United Kingdom|UK]] | location = | campus = Residential and Day Provision | free_label = Patron | free = HRH The Duchess of Kent | logo = | website = https://www.derwen.ac.uk/ }}

'''Derwen College''' is a [[specialist college]] situated in Gobowen near [[Oswestry]] in [[Shropshire]] in the [[United Kingdom]].

Derwen College offers residential and day placements to students aged 16–25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including:

* Learning and physical disabilities * Autism * Behaviours of concern * Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities <ref>{{Cite web |title=Information about Derwen College for Parents & Professionals. |url=https://www.derwen.ac.uk/parents-professionals/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Derwen College |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Students at Derwen College are supported to develop employability, social, and independence skills, preparing them for adulthood.

Derwen College's main campus in [[Gobowen]], near Oswestry, and also three smaller campuses across Shropshire at: [[Ludlow]], [[Telford]] and Walford (near [[Shrewsbury]]).

The College is rated as 'Good' by Ofsted.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Ofsted Communications Team |date=2021-05-19 |title=Find an inspection report and registered childcare |url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/39/133173 |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=reports.ofsted.gov.uk}}</ref> Derwen College is also rated as 'Good<ref>{{Cite web |title=Derwen College - Care Quality Commission |url=https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-1368053249 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=www.cqc.org.uk}}</ref>' by CQC.

== Derwen College's History == Derwen College was established in 1927 by [[Agnes Hunt|Dame Agnes Hunt]].

The training College was initially set up in '<nowiki/>''a couple of vacant huts in the grounds''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hunt |first=Dame Agnes |title=This is My Life |publisher=St Edmundsbury Press Ltd |year=1938 |location=Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk |publication-date=2000 |pages=181–187 |language=English}}</ref>''<nowiki/>''' of the Orthopaedic Hospital. Here physically disabled young people could learn a trade, suitable to their disability, and become either partially or wholly self-supporting.

A year later, in 1928, the College moved to the property next door to the hospital, The Derwen ''–'' a Georgian farmhouse.

The College remains at the site in Gobowen, and opened three other campuses at: Walford, near Shrewsbury in 2014, Telford in 2020, and Ludlow in south Shropshire, in 2021.

Derwen College will be celebrating its [[Centennial|centenary]] in 2027.

== Visiting Derwen College's Marketplace == Derwen College Marketplace in Gobowen is a unique setting where Derwen College students undertake work placements in a range of customer facing outlets to gain vocational work skills.

By undertaking work placements (in the restaurant, cafes, charity shop, hotel and garden centre), students learn key skills through real-life experience.

Work placements enable students to learn essential vocational skills for life including customer service, retail and hospitality skills.

In the latest inspection report, Ofsted said:

Leaders prepare realistic work placements for learners within the college campuses. For example, learners will work in the Garden Café, The Vintage Advantage charity shop, Hotel 751 and the extensive gardens. Learners develop industry-standard skills, which help them to find employment on leaving the college.<ref name=":0" />

This is only possible through your support of Derwen Marketplace.

==Awards==

Derwen College has received a number of awards including:

=== 2024 === Career Development Institute’s award – Best ‘Careers Programme in Post-16 Education’.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UKCDA 2024 |url=https://www.thecdi.net/training-and-events/uk-career-development-awards/awards-shortlist-2024}}</ref>

=== 2023 === Lawn Tennis Association Awards 2023 – Shropshire School of the Year

Skills Competitions Advocate Award in the World Skills UK Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Heroes Awards<ref>{{Cite web |title=Equity diversity and inclusion EDI heroes awards 2023 |url=https://www.worldskillsuk.org/about-us/diversity-and-inclusion/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-heroes-awards-2023/}}</ref>

Natspec Innovation Award 2023 for Partnerships Working – for partnership with Rocking Horse Media<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcing the winners of the natspec innovation awards 2023 |url=https://natspec.org.uk/announcing-the-winners-of-the-natspec-innovation-awards-2023/}}</ref>

NASEN Award 2023 – FE Provision of the Year<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nasen Awards 2023 winners |url=https://nasen.org.uk/nasen-awards-2023-winners}}</ref>

Oswestry in Bloom Chairs Award for Exceptional Work<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating the community at the Oswestry in Bloom Awards |url=https://www.oswestry.life/article/celebrating-the-community-at-the-oswestry-in-bloom-awards/}}</ref>

===2022===

The Innovation Award – Charity Retail Awards<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-24 |title=The charity retail awards winners 2022 |url=https://www.charityretail.org.uk/the-charity-retail-awards-winners-2022/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Charity Retail Association}}</ref>

Queen’s Award for Enterprise – Promoting Opportunity<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2022 |title=Queens Award Enterprise 2022 Official Press Book |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/content/pdf/queens-award-enterprise-2022-official-press-book.pdf |website=The Gazette}}</ref>

Natspec Award 2022 – Pathways into Employment<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-23 |title=Natspec Awards 2022: Winners |url=https://natspec.org.uk/natspec-awards-2022-winners/ |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=Natspec |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Aico Awards 2022 – College Initiative of the Year (for the Vintage Advantage launch)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aico host the Community Awards 2022 |url=https://www.aico.co.uk/news/aico-host-the-community-awards-2022/ |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=Aico |language=en}}</ref>

===2021===

NASEN (National Association for Special Educational Needs) Award – Best aged 16–25 provision in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-20 |title=nasen Awards 2021 winners announced – Transforming the lives of children and young people with SEND and learning differences |url=https://nasen.org.uk/news/nasen-award-2021-winners-announced |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=Nasen |language=en}}</ref>

Awarded TES FE Awards Specialist provider of the year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TES |title=TES FE Awards 2021 - Winners |url=https://tesfeawards.co.uk/tesfeawards2021/en/page/winners |access-date=2021-06-17 |website=tesfeawards.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

Pearson Teaching Awards 2021 – Gold award for Steve Evans in Specialist Teacher of the Year category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Gold Award Winners Archives |url=https://www.teachingawards.com/award-category/2021goldwinners/ |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=The Pearson National Teaching Awards |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == *[https://www.derwen.ac.uk Derwen College] site *[https://www.visitderwen.co.uk Derwen Marketplace] - Garden Centre & Gift Shop, The Vintage Advantage Charity Shop and Walled Garden Cafe *[https://archive.today/20130420012100/http://www.derwencollege.co.uk/ Archive site] *[https://natspec.org.uk/colleges/specialist-colleges/derwen-college/ Natspec] site *[https://www.rjah.nhs.uk/RJAHNHS/files/c8/c8cc1414-cd9c-46ad-ab89-08a7bd5d98fe.pdf Dame Agnes Hunt], who also founded the [https://www.rjah.nhs.uk/ Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopeadic Hospital, in Gobowen, Oswestry].

[[Category:Further education colleges in Shropshire]] [[Category:Learning and Skills Beacons]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1927]] [[Category:1927 establishments in England]]