Walsall College was again selected to train the second intake of budding interior designers from the Homebase Design and Decorating Academy, and help them brush up on their painting and decorating skills. Homebase’s pioneering programme sees design enthusiasts from across the UK join the home improvement store for a year of training where they learn tricks of the trade from industry experts, including Homebase suppliers - Dulux, Harris, and Graham & Brown.

Government Minister, Justine Greening MP, chose Walsall College as her first port of call following her recent appointment as Secretary of State for Education. Justine, who was only appointed last week, visited the Ofsted outstanding college on Thursday 21^st July where she met with members of the college’s executive team including Principal and Chief Executive, Jatinder Sharma OBE, to discuss the college’s key strengths and best practice lessons that could be implemented by other colleges.

A creative schoolchild has put his artistic skills to good use by designing a sign to warn motorists of the need to slow down in Kings Heath High Street. Harry James Lee, a Year 1 pupil at Colmore Infant and Nursery School, in Kings Heath, designed the winning sign in a competition for schoolchildren organised by Birmingham City Council. His design now adorns a ‘Welcome to Kings Heath – SLOW DOWN’ sign in the High Street which will warn motorists to reduce their speed when 20mph limits come into force in various locations across the city.

A Wolverhampton school has scooped a top award after making "outstanding progress" over the last 12 months. St Matthias School won the Secondary School Outstanding Progress category at this year's Education Business Awards, held in London. The award, sponsored by School Business Services, is given to the school which has made outstanding progress in the management of its facilities, finances and human resources and can demonstrate an increase in the educational performance of the school.

City of Wolverhampton Council has teamed up with Tettenhall Wood School to launch a new project to encourage and support employability skills for people with learning disabilities. Pupils have established their own coffee shop called ‘The Tree Room’, and were also very involved in developing and designing the logo.   The project will provide real life work experience to help shape the futures of young people who have the desire and drive to work.

Walsall College has launched a new Supported Learning Sport and Football Academy, the first of its kind in the UK. Designed especially for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, the Academy has been set up to provide supported learning students with opportunities to gain accredited qualifications and progression routes to the higher level sport courses at college or employment.