Department Newsletter
wakefield.ac.uk
Welcome
Hello from Wakefield College’s Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies, and Health, Social Care & Wellbeing departments.
My name is Carla Cantrell and I am thrilled to welcome you to read our departmental newsletter. This newsletter gives you a taste of the exciting college life at Wakefield College as well as a glimpse into the dynamic and supportive environment of the department.
In this newsletter, you can find out what our current students have been up to over the past year, from hosting community events to going on enrichment trips and learning vital skills to prepare them for employment.
As the Head of the department, I am continually proud of our students, their hard work and commitment to both their studies and work placements. The department is full of friendly faces who all have something in common – a passion for caring for others.
I hope you enjoy reading through the newsletter and finding out about all the exciting things we have been up to lately.
Good luck in your exams and we look forward to welcoming you in September.
CHILDCARE, EARLY YEARS & CHILDHOOD STUDIES
NHS Induction Training
Our T Level Health students have been taking part in their NHS Induction Training to prepare them for their placements and future jobs.
The students learnt all about bed bathing and mouth care of patients. The training team demonstrated the correct procedure that the students would follow when carrying out personal care and then the students were able to give it a go themselves.
Carla Cantrell Head of Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies and Health, Social Care & Wellbeing
HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE & WELLBEING
They were able to practice bed bathing on the mannequins, hand washing on each other and mouth care using the oral hygiene equipment. This activity also supported them with developing their communication skills as they learnt all about the importance of communicating with the patients, gaining consent before carrying out care procedure and making patients feel comfortable throughout.
Hear from our Students
Childcare & Early Years
Emily
T Level Education & Childcare
Destination: Sheffield Hallam University
“After leaving College, I am going on to study Primary Education at Sheffield Hallam University.
I really liked how hands-on my classes were, for example, we learnt in the College’s nursery classroom where we created lesson resources and planned activities for children’s learning. My teaching placement has also given me the skills for behaviour management and working with children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities which is beneficial as I want to be a primary school teacher with a focus on SEND.”
Students Enjoy Early Years Fest at Pontefract
Health & Social Care
Chloe
Level 3 Health & Social Care
“I chose to study this course because I want to go to a university in London to study a nursing degree so I can become a paediatric nurse in the future. My favourite part of the course so far is doing a work placement in a nursery because all the staff were friendly and I gained experience working with children.”
Our Level 2 Early Years students had a fantastic time at Early Years Fest at Pontefract Park, where they immersed themselves in a day of hands-on workshops, interactive activities and inspiring talks from sector professionals.
The event gave students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of child development, explore creative learning environments and gain valuable insights into careers within Early Years education.
Experiences like these help our learners build confidence, develop practical skills and connect what they study in the classroom to real-world practice. A brilliant day of learning, fun and future career inspiration!
Care & Early Years department hosts Storytelling event for children
As part of its efforts to enrich the learning experiences of local children, Wakefield College’s Care & Early Years Department welcomed over 50 children and their parents to a storytelling event at the College during half-term.
Hosted by its Childcare students and tutors, children aged four to eight and their families attended the event where they enjoyed a morning of fun activities, storytelling and dressing-up - all to enrich children’s learning experiences. The theme was Great British writers, including authors Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, A. A Milne and Michael Wayne Rosen to name a few.
Besides the storytelling sessions, the morning was full of varied activities such as arts and crafts, biscuit decorating, sandpit play and face painting, meaning there was something for everyone.
Claire Deering, Lecturer in Care & Early Years and lead organiser of the event told us: “This initiative has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and employability skills within the education and early years sector. As part of this project, students have honed their digital media skills by creating an advertising campaign, planned activities for young children with careful consideration of their developmental needs, and nurtured a love for stories. They have also undertaken critical tasks such as writing risk assessments, budgeting for resources, effectively communicating with staff, families and young children, and leading various activities. This initiative not only provided valuable learning opportunities for our students but also emphasised the significance of community involvement.”
Health & Social Care Work Placements
The Health and Social Care Department offers a variety of placement opportunities that allow students to gain valuable experience while contributing to the community.
We currently have fantastic placement opportunities within care homes for residents with learning difficulties where students can engage in day-to-day activities with the residents such as a game of bingo, daily visits to the local cafes and even helping them bake cakes and prepare parties for special events such as Valentine’s Day and birthdays.
Students can carry out placements with various home care services where they get to travel around the local area visiting residents in their home and provide them with the support and care they require.
We also offer some excellent placement opportunities within childcare settings such as SEN schools, nurseries and primary schools where students are able to engage with children within an education environment, supporting them to thrive and progress with their learning development.
At Wakefield College, we also work closely with a group of Family Hubs. This is where students can sit in on support groups aimed at supporting domestic abuse survivors and young parent support groups. Students can even sit in on meetings with outside agencies such as social workers to give them an insight into this important area of the sector.
+ Care homes
+ Home care services
+ SEN schools
+ Nurseries
+ Primary schools
+ Family Hubs
Opening Doors to Bright Futures in Health & Social Care
Childcare & Early Years Work Placements
The Care & Early Years Department offers a variety of placement opportunities that allow students to gain hands-on experience while making a positive impact on young children’s lives. Work placements are a chance for students to see what it is like to work within Childcare settings and gain real-life experiences.
Students observe and shadow staff members to gain knowledge and understanding of how to support children’s learning and development within these settings. Students will support staff with the daily routine, build relationships with colleagues and children as well as implement exciting new activities which could support a child’s learning and development and build their own experience and confidence. An example of an activity could be making mathematical resources at College and then carrying the activity out at placement with a small group of children.
Some more examples of what a student’s job role may entail in a Childcare work placement include:
+ Supporting with phonics, story time, carpet time and leading small group work
+ Being involved in school assemblies, school performances and trips
+ Supporting with care routines
Each day can vary in Childcare – it can be unpredictable but is a very rewarding job!
+ Registered childminders
+ Day nurseries
+ Local schools
+ Breakfast & after-school clubs
We recently hosted our Health & Social Care Careers Event at Wakefield College, organised by our dedicated department team and supported by an excellent range of employers from across the sector. Students had the opportunity to meet representatives from Family Hubs, Early Help, Adult Social Care, the NHS, local care services, aesthetics providers and the Ambulance Service, gaining first-hand insight into the wide variety of career pathways available.
The event provided learners with a valuable chance to explore future roles, ask questions, build confidence and make meaningful industry connections to support their next steps—whether that be work experience, apprenticeships or future employment. It was a fantastic day that inspired and empowered the next generation of Health & Social Care professionals.
Group Secures Number One Spot for FE College Achievement Rates in the Region
The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group has ranked first in Yorkshire & the Humber for student achievement amongst General Further Education Colleges, also securing fifth place nationally.
This highly impressive result follows a strong performance across the Group’s 16–18 provision, with the latest Department for Education National Achievement Rate Tables (NARTs) for 2024/2025 confirming the Group as the region’s highest-performing FE college for learners aged under 19.
In addition to this success, the Group also achieved fourth place regionally for Apprenticeship achievement rates, further highlighting its strength across further education and skills training.
The results position the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group and its three colleges – Castleford College, Selby College and Wakefield College - as having the best achievement results of all further education colleges in Yorkshire & the Humber region and being the fifth top-performing further education college in England, reflecting the quality of teaching, support and student outcomes delivered across its campuses and programmes.
The NARTs are key summary indicators of performance in education and training and apprenticeships and demonstrate the percentage of students that were awarded their qualifications. Published annually, the national tables rank over 150 colleges.
I am so proud of this phenomenal accolade. Being ranked first in the region for our 16-18 achievement rates and fifth nationally is something we are incredibly proud of and reflects both the ambition of our students and the quality of education and support across the Group. These results are a true reflection of the dedication and care shown by our staff, who go above and beyond every day to help our learners succeed academically, grow as individuals and move forward with confidence into their next steps.”
Sam Wright Principal and Chief Executive at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
OPEN EVENTS
OCTOBER 2026
MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER: 5PM-7PM
Castleford College
WEDNESDAY 21ST OCTOBER: 5PM-7PM
Wakefield College
NOVEMBER 2026
SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER: 10AM-12PM
Wakefield College and Castleford College
FEBRUARY 2027
WEDNESDAY 10TH FEBRUARY: 5PM-7PM
Wakefield College and Castleford College
Combining Castleford College, Selby College and Wakefield College, the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group saw outstanding pass rates in 2024/2025, with Selby College securing a 99% pass rate across its A Level programmes and Wakefield College a 98%. Castleford College and Wakefield College also achieved an impressive 100% pass rate for their T Level courses.
A significant number of its learners also progressed onto employment or higher education, including Russell Group universities such as the University of Oxford, University of Sheffield, University of Nottingham and many more.
Across its colleges, the Group offers a broad range of 16–18 study programmes, including A Levels, T Levels and vocational and technical courses. It also delivers a wide variety of apprenticeships, designed to reflect local labour market needs and support learners into meaningful careers.
