The AoC Beacon Awards are regarded as one of the highest accolades in further education, celebrating outstanding practice and innovation across the UK. Achieving finalist status in both categories highlights the College’s continued commitment to excellence following its recent Ofsted Outstanding grading, one of only three further education colleges in the North West to hold the rating.

Hugh Baird College has been shortlisted for The RCU Award for Support for Students in recognition of its ‘Education for All’ initiative, a wide-ranging suite of programmes developed to ensure young people across the Liverpool City Region can access high-quality, inclusive and personalised education.

Since 2021, the College has expanded and redesigned its Foundation Learning provision to respond to local needs, creating innovative programmes that remove barriers to learning and support young people who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), have high needs, experience social, emotional, or mental health needs challenges or require a more specialist pathway. This includes highly impactful programmes such as Turn Around, Engage, Thornton College, Learning for Life, and the new Transitions Hub, all developed in partnership with local authorities, NHS services, Career Connect and specialist agencies.

These programmes provide tailored intervention, strengthened transitions, personalised learning, and restorative approaches that help learners rebuild confidence, re-engage in education and progress to positive destinations.

The College has also been named a finalist in The Edge Award for Excellence in Real World Learning for its pioneering ‘WorkReady with eduScrum’ programme. This agile, employer-led model brings real industry challenges into the classroom, with learners working in self-managed teams to tackle live briefs co-designed with employers. The approach mirrors modern workplace practice and develops in-demand skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and resilience.

The programme demonstrates strong employer collaboration, inclusive design and measurable impact, with many learners progressing into employment or further study following their project experience.

Rachael Hennigan, Principal and Chief Executive at Hugh Baird College, said:

“Being named a double national finalist in the AoC Beacon Awards is a tremendous achievement and speaks volumes about the dedication, care and innovation shown by our staff every single day.

“These nominations showcase the strength of our curriculum, our commitment to inclusion, and the powerful role employers play in shaping our students’ futures. Our support teams work tirelessly to ensure every learner feels valued and able to succeed, and our employer-led approach provides students with real-world experiences and the confidence they need for their future careers. We are incredibly proud to see this work recognised on a national stage.”

The winners of the 2025/26 AoC Beacon Awards will be announced early in 2026.