By Ian Revell, Governor at Milton Keynes College Group and CEO of Milton Keynes Community Foundation

Milton Keynes’ most famous son, the wartime codebreaker and computer pioneer, Alan Turing, was told in his school reports that he was “wasting his time,” in education and that his work was “dirty and vague.” 

School doesn’t work for everyone, but if my time as a governor at Milton Keynes College has taught me anything, it’s that if you can find out what works for an individual, how to engage them, how to help them find direction, they can become enthusiastic, dedicated learners and they can thrive. 

The College has such an impact on how our city is developing economically, and how the young people coming through can find jobs and live fulfilling lives.  Yes, College is about learning, but not necessarily learning to “pass the exam.”  It’s learning to live life and to flourish.  

For the past three years I’ve been the governor with responsibility for safeguarding, and that has shown me the extraordinary lengths people here go to to support individuals to achieve their dreams and become the person that they can become.  People come from challenging and difficult backgrounds that many of us more fortunate would struggle to survive.  What our safeguarding team proves over and over again, is barriers can be overcome with the right support.  They have such a positive outlook on the potential of every young person, no matter their burden, and our outcomes are incredible as a result.  

Like Alan Turing, we see many people who were told at school they couldn’t succeed, often because they didn’t fit into the rules and processes under which schools have to operate.  Very often, it’s not because they don’t want to, but they don’t have the tools.  What they discover at College with the right support is that learning isn’t something that has to be painful and difficult to do, it’s actually very enjoyable, and part of becoming an active citizen.  When they realise it’s not a chore, they fly, and that is an incredible transition. 

The reason the College is so good in this area is because, absolutely without exception, the young person is put at the centre of everything.  They are given the tools to overcome the barriers they face to learning, and then we work with other partners across the city to get behind the individual and support them together.  Some people think of safeguarding as something soft and a bit theoretical, but it’s a tough area to work in and the people who do it have their feet firmly on the ground.  That’s why, as the governor with responsibility for supporting them, I am always asking what they need.  Resources are scarce in Further Education, but the return on investment is there for all to see. 

Alan Turning was wired differently.  Many of his teachers struggled to understand his needs or his strengths, but he went on to become one of nation’s greatest ever minds.  What a waste it would have been if he hadn’t found the pathway to achieving such incredible things.  Finding the right pathways for those who come through the doors at Milton Keynes College, is one of our greatest challenges and proudest achievements. 

To find out more about Governance at Milton Keynes College Group, visit Governance – MK College