WQE College has received numerous praises after hosting its first in-person Open Day since the pandemic began.
The event welcomed over 4,000 prospective students and their parents/carers.
With health and safety measures in place, the event was divided into two halves to allow attendees to comfortably explore both campuses, with enough room for personal space, time to speak to staff and students and view examples of student work. Visiting partner universities were also present to chat about further education and how students might progress from WQE to university. Virtual Q&A sessions also ran simultaneously online for those who were unable to attend the in-person event.
To mark the return of in-person college events, WQE also had the honour of welcoming members from its Board of Governors and alumni from its class of 1974 who belonged to the Old Wyggestonian Association (OWA). The members mingled with staff and students then interacted with attendees.
Impressed with one of the college’s most successful Open Days, Members of the Board of Governors commented:
“The event was organised really well and it was very busy on both [University Road and Regent Road] sites. I spoke to many students and they all said that they really enjoyed attending the college because the teachers were excellent. Introductory sessions such as those by Jack from the Chemistry department received high praises. All the students were really glad that online learning was over and they could attend in-person again. I also saw some amazing student artwork, science experiments and a fantastic drama solo performance. The students were really proud of coming to WQE. Students that were volunteering were also helpful and those in classes had excellent work to present. The teachers were excellent at answering a constant flow of parent questions. They were inspirational and I could tell they had a real passion for their subjects. I spoke to other non-teaching staff, including Library staff, who gave good feedback. I was impressed by the sports hall, the gym and managed to pop into almost every subject class. The parents I spoke to felt confident that WQE could provide an excellent education for their child and highlighted that ‘the facilities are very good as is the reputation’. We had a large turnout and the parents really appreciated the bus service provided between the two sites. I was really impressed by the whole occasion and enjoyed every bit. Well done to everyone involved, it was amazing!”
Nisar Navsariwala, Parent Governor
“The Open Day was a great experience. It was helpful [as a Governor] to hear different reasons from parents about why they were coming to look at our college; they seemed to like the idea that we had chosen to enrich our offer to students. As a businessperson, I was very happy to see that Product Design was still being taught and practical skills were evident everywhere particularly in J Building. Both sites were well organised and there was an atmosphere of excitement around the place. I did manage to chat with several of the teaching and support staff. The Biology lab was ‘antiseptically’ impressive, and the staff were enthusiastic about the facilities. The Business department were also happy to have a centre at Regent Road. Thank you for the opportunity to be at the event and hopefully we see a great uptake of places next year!”
Neil McGhee, External Governor
“This was a very positive day with lots of smiles and very welcoming staff. I would like to give a special mention to Karen who was stationed at the gate at the Regent Road and made sure I knew where to go. The booking system worked very well ensuring a steady flow of students throughout the day and not overcrowding rooms. The University of Leicester holding their open day next door at the same time enhanced a feeling of collaboration, with them even having a stand at our event. The live music sessions in J block were really good. Staff I spoke to felt the college’s Executive Leadership Team had overall provided a safe environment for teaching, so overall, an excellent day.”
Amrik Singh, External Governor
“I had such an enjoyable morning at the Open Day. I thought it was exceptionally well organised, and the volunteers were always smiling and happy to help from what I observed. I visited a wide range of subject areas. It was excellent to see students’ project work and portfolios on display which visitors were able to flick through, and questions were answered honestly and transparently with a focus on independent learning, and guiding students to fulfil their learner journey and realise their ambitions such as university, etc. There was an emphasis on hard work which reflected on what was on display, which resonated with parents. I observed questions asked about GCSE English requirements and the answers provided were both open and knowledgeable. There was a real emphasis on supporting students to achieve but with a strong work ethos behind it. Purely by chance I bumped into a former colleague who was accompanying his daughter. He said he was impressed by what he had seen and his daughter commented on the welcoming environment at both campuses.”
Al Lockhart Smith, External Governor
Those who were unable to attend the WQE Open Day can catch-up with the virtual sessions by visiting wqe.ac.uk/open-day or register their interest for one-to-one college tours by clicking here.
