Rycotewood Furniture Centre student selected to represent the UK at the global ‘Skills Olympics’ in Shanghai  

A skilled apprentice from Rycotewood Furniture Centre based at City of Oxford College and University Centre has been selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, known as the ‘Skills…

Activate Rugby Academy hosts successful inaugural 7s tournament in Oxford

Activate Rugby Academy today welcomed schools and colleges from across the country to Oxford for the inaugural Activate Rugby Academy 7s Tournament.  The tournament, hosted…

Reading College holds its first Community Iftar Meal

Reading College and University Centre held its first Community Iftar Meal on Tuesday 3 March. Iftar is the meal Muslims eat at sunset to break…

Thai celebrity chef visits Reading College and University Centre to teach students Thai cuisine

Professional Culinary Arts students welcomed a chef from Thailand to Reading College and University Centre on Wednesday 10 December. Chef Jareuk Sriaroon, also known as…

City of Oxford College public service students gather with veterans and service personnel for Afternoon Tea to celebrate the importance of community 

Military veterans and serving members of the emergency services were guests of honour at a special Afternoon Tea held at City of Oxford College and…

Activate Learning strengthens support for service leavers through its Activate Business School and CTP partnership

Activate Learning is deepening its support for those leaving the Armed Forces by offering tailored leadership and management programmes via Activate Business School.  As an…

Rycotewood student in the running for international vocational skills competition, WorldSkills   

A Level 3 Furniture Apprentice from City of Oxford College and University Centre, Stanley Mackintosh, has competed in vocational and skills excellence event, Euroskills Herning 2025, and is now in the running…

Activate Apprenticeships onboards first cohort of Senior Production Chefs with Hall & Woodhouse 

Activate Apprenticeships are delighted to onboard their first cohort of Senior Production Chef Level 3 Apprentices from Hall & Woodhouse. Hall & Woodhouse, a family-run…

Skeleton Squad unveiled in The Lexicon

Today, Friday 24 October 2025, saw the unveiling in The Lexicon, of Skeleton Squad, an art and fashion exhibition by students at Bracknell and Wokingham…

Activate Learning holds first HE and Higher Apprentice Graduation Ceremony 

Activate Learning held their first graduation ceremony at Reading Minster for their Higher Education students and Activate Business School higher apprentices on Thursday 23 October.…

Reading Professional Cookery students create dessert for Pride of Reading Awards

Professional Culinary Arts students from Reading College and University Centre created and prepared the dessert for the Pride of Reading Awards on Friday 17 October…

Bracknell art students get spooky with The Lexicon

Art and Design students from Bracknell and Wokingham College are taking part in a spooktastic project with The Lexicon. The Lexicon asked students studying the…

City of Oxford College and University Centre students celebrate T Level success

City of Oxford College and University Centre would like to congratulate the 36 students who passed their T Level qualifications today. In September 2021, Activate…

City of Oxford College and University Centre students celebrate A Level success

City of Oxford College and University Centre is celebrating a 98% pass rate for A Level qualifications today, up 1% on last year. While 70%…

Reading College students highly commended in national poetry competition

Two Reading College and University Centre students have received highly commended awards in a national poetry speaking competition, Poetry By Heart. Poetry By Heart is…

Exceptional students celebrated at Rycotewood Furniture Awards ceremony

The next generation of furniture designers and makers were celebrated at the Rycotewood Furniture Awards, held at City of Oxford College and University Centre on…

Reading Art students showcase their creativity at their Private View

Art and Design students from Reading College and University Centre welcomed friends and families to their Art Exhibition Private View on Thursday 26 June. The…

Activate Learning signs Memorandum of Understanding with Puy du Fou

Activate Learning and Puy du Fou have signed a Memorandum of Understanding marking the formation of a working partnership aiming to provide new training and…

Students celebrate their artistic achievements at end of year show

Creative Arts students from Bracknell and Wokingham College celebrated their successes with friends, family and special guests at their Art and Photography Exhibition Private View…

Local church unveils murals designed and painted by Reading art students

Three church murals designed and painted by art students from Reading College and University Centre have been put on display outside a local church. The…

Reading College student wins the college’s first Barber Battle

A young barbering student from Reading has won a barbering competition held at Reading College and University Centre on Thursday 12 June. Barbering students from…

Reading students cook up a storm at Royal Ascot

Students from Reading College and University Centre got a taste for their future careers by doing work experience at Royal Ascot. Royal Ascot is an…

Reading SEND students win Agricultural Challenge competition 

A team of High Needs and Special Educational Needs students from Reading College and University Centre are celebrating after winning an agricultural competition. The students…

Care Home residents get pampered for Mental Health Awareness Week at Reading College and University Centre  

Students welcomed 15 guests from local care homes and elderly support charities to Reading College and University Centre on Wednesday 14 May.  Inspired by this…

Oxford Professional Cookery student celebrates double win at Oxford Junior Chef of the Year 2025

A Professional Culinary Arts student from City of Oxford College and University Centre won two preliminary categories, and was crowned the overall winner, in The…

Activate Cycle Academy delivers five-day bespoke training course to the Metropolitan Police on electric bike identification and safety

Activate Cycle Academy has delivered a five-day bespoke training course to help Metropolitan Police officers to crack down on illegal e-bikes. Six officers from the…

City of Oxford College and University Centre student wins national canapé competition 

A Professional Culinary Arts Level 2 student from City of Oxford College and University Centre, Josh Zitha, has won first prize at the British Association…

Apprentice wins Apprentice of the Year Award

Activate Apprenticeships is pleased to announce that one of its apprentices has won the Apprentice of the Year Award in the Thames Valley Business & Community Awards.  Aimee…

Activate Learning wins Gold Award for Best Use of AI in Learning at The Learning Awards 2025

Activate Learning is delighted to announce that it won Gold for the Best Use of AI in Learning at The Learning and Performance Institute’s (LPI)…

Local MP officially opens new science labs at City of Oxford College and University Centre’s city-centre campus

Staff and students welcomed Anneliese Dodds MP to City of Oxford College and University Centre’s city-centre campus on Friday 31 January for the official opening…

Early Years Centre of Excellence launched at Banbury and Bicester College

Activate Learning officially launched its new Early Years Centre of Excellence at Banbury and Bicester College on Monday 13 January. The facilities were opened by…

Oxfordshire SEND students experience theatre performances

High Needs students at Banbury and Bicester College and City of Oxford College and University Centre have participated in multi-sensory theatre shows with Make/Sense Theatre…

Students raise £4,000 for mental health by switching off social media

Psychology A Level students at City of Oxford College and University Centre raised £4,000 by giving up social media for one week in aid of…

The Kitchen at Reading College wins a local hospitality award

The Kitchen at Reading College and University Centre is pleased to announce that it has won the Pride of Reading Awards Hospitality Award. This award…

Activate Learning awarded Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award

Activate Learning is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award, a prestigious accolade awarded…

Access to HE student is a runner up for an Outstanding Academic Achievement award

An Access to Higher Education student has been selected as a runner up for an award from the awarding organisation for her qualification. Sharon Dyson,…

Guildford College Champions the Launch of Surrey's Green Construction Advisory Panel

Guildford College is pleased to announce that it is leading the launch of a Green Construction Advisory Panel in Surrey. This is part of a…

Reading College and University Centre and Bracknell and Wokingham College Champion the Launch of Berkshire's Green Construction Advisory Panel

Reading College and University Centre and Bracknell and Wokingham College are pleased to announce that they are leading the launch of a Green Construction Advisory…

Department for Education approve £21 million funding for Merrist Wood College and University Centre campus redevelopment

The multi-million-pound redevelopment of Merrist Wood College and University Centre will begin in August 2024 after the Department for Education (DfE) approved £21 million funding…

Activate Learning signs partnership with Trailfinders Women, Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club

Activate Learning has signed a partnership with Trailfinders Women to deliver an elite high performance rugby girls’ pathway at City of Oxford College and University…

Oscar-nominated visual effects professional speaks to Reading media students

Media students recently welcomed a representative from the visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to Reading College and University Centre. Since 1975, Industrial Light…

Engineering students win an Armed Forces regional college competition

A team of Engineering students from City of Oxford College and University Centre’s Technology Campus have won an Armed Forces regional college competition.  The Corps…

Activate Learning develop sector leading VR application for Early Years students to detect childhood illness and signs of abuse 

Activate Learning (@Activate_Learn) is proud to announce the launch of its latest virtual reality (VR) application to support curriculum delivery – Early Years VR: Childhood…

Sony UK Inspires Future Creatives: Masterclass in Photography Ignites Passion among Visual Arts Students at Guildford College

Guildford College’s Createch faculty were absolutely delighted to welcome the team from Sony UK to campus this week.   Visual Arts students were treated to an…

Bracknell students take part in Bracknell’s Remembrance Parade

Public Services students from Bracknell and Wokingham College took part in Bracknell’s Remembrance Parade on Sunday 12 November.  Twelve students studying Public Services at the…

Hospitality employers meet the next generation

Students at Reading College and University Centre met employers at a Hospitality Careers Event on Wednesday 6 September.  The event gave students studying our Professional…

Activate Learning’s Bracknell and Wokingham College students celebrate A Level success

Bracknell and Wokingham College would like to congratulate all of the students who passed their A Level qualifications today. The college’s English Language and Literature…

Reading Art students showcase their creativity

Art and Design students from Reading College welcomed friends and families to their Art Exhibition Private View on Thursday 29 June.  The art studio at…

<strong>Reading students cook up a storm at Royal Ascot</strong> 

Students from Reading College got a taste for their future careers by doing work experience at Royal Ascot.  Royal Ascot is an annual flat racing…