What the schools have to say....
 

Fyndoune Community College is a small 11-16 year old school based within Sacriston, County Durham. In 2006 the school was federated with Durham Community Business College to form the Durham Federation.

Over the last two years, the federation have worked with Oak Training to deliver the Wider Key Skills level 2 course with all Key Stage 4 students. The rationale was that it is a valuable qualification for all students, especially the less able and for more able it develops invaluable study skills.

The Oak Training staff are hardworking and very thorough in planning, preparation and delivery. Indeed the company pride themselves on a very high pass rate, returning to the school to work with the small number of students who were absent or on holiday during the course. 

During these two years the Federation has experienced dramatically improving performance within Key Stage 4 and in 2010 Fyndoune achieved 64.3% including Maths and English, DCBC 58%, overall the figures were 99% and 97%. The CVA for both schools is in excess of 1050. 

Oak Training have played a key role within this by not only leading the students through the qualification but also by instilling a sense of “we can do this” into the students.

Whenever Oak Training staff return to the Federation, students are always pleased to see them and the staff always endeavour to recall names, something the students value.

I hope to see the partnership between the Federation and Oak training continue for many years.

Graham Davey, Director 


Mark and his team have worked with Cramlington Learning Village and myself now for four years and throughout this time we have a 100% pass rate with students achieving the equivalent to two and ¼ GCSE grades. The staff at Oak Training are very professional and monitor the students progress closely whilst giving regular feedback to the School – a truly inspirational company.

Paul Wardle – Head of Year 8 and Alternative Curriculum Provision at Cramlington Learning Village.


As a school we found that the course was well organised and resourced, having maximum impact with minimum disruption to school life and the curriculum. Students were well motivated by the course providers so attendance and punctuality were excellent throughout the course. Word got
around amongst the students so that another group petitioned the head to run the course again for them.

Lynn (assistant head) Netherhall School
 

What the students have to say....
 

"I really enjoyed working with Oak Training as we were treat like adults and Mark and Carl took time to get to know us. It was a more relax environment to normal school and the tasks we did we really good."

 

"The course was mint and it was good that you could have a laugh and a joke with the instructors. I liked all the tasks but the rocket was the best."


"I really liked the way things were explained easily and how the Oak Training staff helped us when we needed it. Thank you it was really good and I would recommend it to anyone."


"The staff at Oak Training were really good and gave me a lot of help as I was off sick and they helped by working with me at lunch so I could complete to course."

 

"The Key Skills course was really good fun as it was nice to do something different to normal lessons. John and Adrian were really funny and made the course. I would have never of done this amount of work in normal lessons."


“The programme was brilliant and Carl and Adrian were very helpful. They were supportive and made sure we completed our work to the best standard possible. I would gladly do the course again anytime. They also had a good attitude towards us.


“I found the course imaginative and fun and the instructors were constantly motivated and helpful.”


I thought that both training instructors were excellent and they were very supportive and encouraging.”


“I thought Adrian was great, he focussed me and explained the work so clearly that there was no way I would not understand it. I really enjoyed the course and the results I have now got are going to help me massively in the future.” 
 

What the residential students have to say....
 

“I enjoyed going Surfing and all the other trips. The instructors were really kind and funny and if I had the chance to do this again I would defiantly do it again, plus I felt very welcomed by the instructors too.”
Ayesha
 

“I think the programme has been excellent and the instructors are good to everyone.”
Bhekama

“Most of the work helped me.”
Usman

“The programme has been 10/10 for me. I liked every minute of it. It has been mint and the staff are funny and make sure your safe. They know how to have a laugh and don’t look at you different they make sure everyone is treat the same.”
Joanne

“The people who run the course are really nice and kind they help you through things and when you didn’t want to do something they put confidence in you and push you to do it.”
Annie 

“I think the course has been excellent also the instructors have been very supportive in the work and tasks and the trips.”
Connor 

“Every second gets better and better and better and so on. I think you should get an award from the queen because your excellent.”
Sarah