Bradford College wins prestigious national education award

Bradford College has won ‘The Bell Foundation Award for Excellence in ESOL’ category at the 2025 Association of College’s Beacon Awards. The College was the only winner from Yorkshire or Northeast England.

The national Beacon awards celebrate the best and most innovative practice in further education colleges and demonstrate the far-reaching impact of colleges on their students and the communities they serve.

The award is in recognition of Bradford College’s ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) provision, developed in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Learning and development is structured around Shakespeare’s works, and around 235 learners engaged with the project last year.

ESOL learners learn about plays, performance, and language, which underpins English development. As well as language skills, students learn about themselves, their new community, and English heritage in a positive and engaging way that instils pride. They develop confidence, improve their mental health (often after significant trauma), and become empowered by their newfound skills.

The College was also a finalist in ‘The Edge Award for Excellence in Real World Learning’ category for the Ambition HUB enhancement programme. Ambition HUB gives students a genuine career edge as well as a vocational qualification, as an extraordinary layer of additional learning enhances Level 3 programmes.

Cross-curriculum integration brings diverse subjects and professionals together to collaborate on engaging employer-led projects, such as hairdressers working with Yorkshire Building Society. The unique Ambition HUB model leads to a Level 3 qualification but also invaluable life experiences.

Sarah Towan, Bradford College vice principal - Recruitment & Communications, said: “We are so delighted that staff and students’ hard work and outstanding innovation in learning has been recognised. The Beacon awards showcase the very best education has to offer in the UK, so this is a testament of our college’s fierce ambition to do the very best for our community.

“It was incredible that two Bradford College initiatives were selected as finalists, but to have one win and be recognised as being at the forefront of education excellence is exceptional. Well done to everyone involved.”

The winners of this year’s Beacon Awards were announced on 3 March during Colleges Week at a special awards ceremony in Westminster. Colleges Week is an annual celebration of the incredible work colleges are doing across the country, and this year it is taking place between 3 March and 7 March.

David Hughes, chief executive, Association of Colleges said: "This year’s Beacon Awards show the profound impact colleges have on students, their communities and the economy. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to every college that put forward applications this year.

“The programmes and initiatives submitted have been nothing short of exemplary and show how vital colleges are, as anchor institutions, in delivering the growth and opportunities the government is aiming for.”

Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith added: “As a former college teacher, I have seen first-hand the transformative effect that education colleges provide to transform the lives of young people.

“They are at the heart of our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and create the skills we need to grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of this year’s Beacon Awards. From mental health support to building a sustainable future, these colleges have done incredible work to help our young people achieve and thrive.”