Writtle College is surrounded by Essex countryside. The small campus promotes a warm, close community, with friendly staff and students working in strong and positive relationships. The College specialises in land-based qualifications, teaching 1000 HE and 1800 FE students.

We’re led by 10 enthusiastic volunteers, one Sabbatical Officer and one staff member. Our executive and supporting officers support all aspects of student life and strive to improve students’ experience at Writtle College and to make sure it’s a lasting one.

Several years ago we had no Sabbatical, no strategic plan, little impact and no future ambitions. Since then, we’ve undergone significant development and change. We’ve solidified and stabilised our finances, invested in student leadership, engaged with our students and made a difference at Writtle College.

• Engaging with our members is important so we can represent them well institutionally, locally and nationally. We evidence this by:
• Speaking to students every term. GOATing (Go Out And Talking) is part of our culture. We’re out in social and learning areas on campus, and we reach a variety of students; regularly obtaining 200 responses - roughly 10% of our members.
• Meeting monthly. We discuss student views and prepare agendas for our Students’ Union Liaison Group. These meetings make sure our actions and initiatives are live with the College’s Senior Management Team.
• Being active in the student movement. We benchmark, recognise where we are in terms of activity and structure and gain information for proposals, carry out initiatives and share ideas.
• Leading within NUS. We endeavour to make Writtle students’ views heard nationally, including: Writing the motion to National Conference 2012 which shaped NUS’s approach to small and specialist students’ unions; delivering student-led teaching awards and working with our institution on an ambitious bid into the NUS/HEFCE Green Fund.
• Engaging in high-level policy debates. We’ve led a student response into our College’s application for Taught-Degree Awarding Powers, contributing to the Critical Self Analysis document. We’re partners in creating the College’s response to QAA’s code for student engagement. We’re constructively challenging the College’s financial plans in a tough situation.
• Representing our students’ on committees. We provide strong representation on a huge number of meetings institutionally. We provide a potent and effective student voice on the Board of Governors and Academic Board down to working groups covering topics from assignment feedback times to hidden costs.

We’re proud our students agree we’re a successful students’ union. We’re joint 10th in Question 23 of NSS; 74% of students agree we have a positive impact on their Writtle experience.

We have such high satisfaction because we’re a small but serious Union and can demonstrate tangible wins for students including:

A response from our new Principal, to our proposal to work in partnership with him to make Writtle College better. Using NUS’s Manifesto for Partnership, we had direct input and influence into his recruitment and induction. We met the recruitment agents, met the candidates and contributed our opinions to the interview panel. Our induction pack for the new Principal is a great example of our partnership approach and is attached to this nomination.

• Last year, we GOATed, consulted course reps and developed, in partnership, Writtle College’s first Student Charter. This outlines the agreement between the institution and students and is reviewed annually.
• Our first ever Freshers’ Week. Unusually, we’d never run a Freshers’ Week distinct from the College’s first teaching week. Following GOATing in Autumn 2011, when students were unhappy, we campaigned hard to introduce the first ever designated Freshers’ Week in Autumn 2012. We brought in £2215 of new income and, most importantly, happy, prepared students.
• Our support for student activities fitting with the culture of College. Our RAG events consistently engage over 500 students (25% of our members) annually, including a large single event which raises £4000. Our sports teams compete at the top of BUCS including making the national Equine finals since 2010, winning the 2009 regional SESSA football league and the 2013 regional SESSA plate in mixed hockey.
• Using data to make change. We’ve worked with NUS to plan a coherent campaign using the Learner Voice Survey and National Student Survey. We’ve worked with College to drive participation to nationally high levels; we were the first small and specialist institution to pass 70% turnout this year!
• Using survey data to improve access to advice for our students. We’ve persuaded a sexual health nurse and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau to come on campus one day a week each. We’re also very proud that we’re winning for our FE students by re-introducing specialist careers guidance.
• Introducing student-led teaching awards. This initiative has been hugely popular with both the College and students, with a total of 75 nominations submitted. We have greatly enjoyed the process and are awarding the staff at graduation ceremonies.
• Improvements in halls. Through GOATing, resident students raised issues about the lack of full kitchen facilities. Following direct lobbying to management, we successfully negotiated provision of combi-ovens in all halls of residence.
• Re-launching our website. Working with NUS, we successfully re-launched an effective way of disseminating information to members whilst promoting the Union online.

We’re ambitious about our future, already working with our Principal and NUS on these areas:

• Outreach to FE students – continuing our work to engage on a number of issues. Including; encouraging them to join our teams, representing FE students on important meetings and providing better progression advice.
• Increasing our stability and future - we aim to become independent of the institution; with a trustee board and charity status we’ll solidify our future strategy and increase income opportunities.
• Our partnership with the College – investment into our Union is crucial to improve our effectiveness. Through partnership, we’ll extend our current sabbatical officer’s contract; negotiate a higher block grant and, more ambitiously, a sabbatical president. We will become an integral part of College-wide decision making and a beacon across the sector and student movement.