We invite you to visit us, meet the staff and see the facilities we have to offer students.
Our next open days are:
BedZED Centre Friday 3rd February 2012 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Lomond House Friday 11th May 2012 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Please confirm your attendance by contacting us on 020 8254 7820 or email: enquiries@orchardhill.ac.uk We look forward to meeting you.
Students were pleased to welcome Niall Bolger to the College.
The Chief Executive participated in the morning greeting where students interact through alternative communication using ICT through switches and a Smartboard.
Left to Right: Mayor of Sutton, Cllr Gerry Jerome; Santa, Simon Vines, Vice Principal; Student Emma; Mayoress of Sutton, Cllr Kirsty Jerome; and Santa’s helpers, Chloe and Harry.
On Saturday 10th December The Friends of Orchard Hill College hosted a Christmas Fair which was officially opened by the Mayor and Mayoress of Sutton, Cllrs Gerry and Kirsty Jerome.
Held on the same day as the Wallington Farmers Market, the fair attracted a good attendance. Visitors browsed around the stalls selling home made cakes, cards, crafts, candles, toys and books. There was a Grand prize raffle with fabulous prizes and a separate Farmers Market Hamper raffle. Children participated in activities and face painting and visited the Secret Santa room where they could choose a gift to have wrapped for their parents.
Students from Orchard Hill College sold handcrafted cards and other items to raise funds for the PIA project. Promoting Independence Abroad is a charity which students support using their own enterprises to raise funds for peers with learning disabilities abroad.
The event raised over £2,000 which will be used to fund specialist equipment for students at a new centre and go towards the minibus appeal.
John Holmes, Chairman of the Friends of Orchard Hill College said: “ Thank you to all those involved for their marvellous effort and thank you to the Farmers Market for the support they gave us”
Orchard Hill College students were invited to the launch of the newly refurbished Barclays in Wallington. They were shown around the new branch layout and informed how the functions of the bank have changed. Students were delighted to have a photo taken with the Premiership Trophy and were given a copy of the photo to take home.
Welcome to a new academic year. During the past 7 years, we have gradually increased the number of places for learners. We have also developed more centres so that we can be as close as possible to local communities. We are working with Local Authorities to continue to make more places available closer to home and to increase the range of options available locally after College. Our new centre in Southwark will open in early 2012. We will be able to update you with more details in the Spring term newsletter. We have also set up a new class at the Leonard Cheshire centre in Southwark, which will give our learners a chance to use their fantastic media resources. The BedZED centre in Hackbridge has been altered over the summer so that we have one extra classroom there now. This is so that we can offer more places.
Thank you so much for taking the time to return our feedback surveys. It is enormously helpful to hear everyone’s views. Lots of your feedback relates to wanting more provision and longer time at College. We continue to work closely with funding agencies but, of course, statutory resources are restricted. So, we have launched our new leisure courses which take place in holiday periods and also in 10 week term-time blocks to give an option to buy into courses when statutory funded places are not available.
We are always looking for additional funding for equipment, so if you have any sponsorship contacts, please let me know or contact John Holmes, Friends of Orchard Hill College on 0208 668 2619. It all helps to improve the facilities for our learners and we are very grateful for all help large or small!
Dr Caroline Allen OBE, Principal
