First Ukrainian refugees enrol at Bournemouth & Poole College after fleeing Russian invasion

Bournemouth & Poole College has welcomed its first intake of Ukrainian refugees onto a free, five-day English course to help them integrate into the wider community.

Taking place at The College’s Lansdowne campus in Bournemouth, the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses are aimed at beginners with minimal English skills. The College endeavours to make it easier for refugees who have found themselves displaced to the local area feel more at ease and less isolated.

Vanessa McMullen, ESOL Learning Manager at Bournemouth & Poole College, said: “We are aiming to provide as much support as possible for those who have been forced to leave Ukraine and who want to make the most of the educational opportunities on offer here. We’re pleased to welcome our first group of Ukrainian refugees onto our free ESOL course, and it is vitally important to our whole team that we do what we can.”

The ESOL courses focus on essential communication skills including reading, writing, listening, and spelling to help with conversations, form filling and an introduction to life in the UK. Vanessa added: “It is hoped that learning these skills will make it easier for non-native English speakers to fully integrate and settle in the UK. We can guarantee a warm welcome for the students, and we’re delighted that students are saying our application and enrolment process is helpful and friendly.”

Aside from the ESOL course available, Ukrainian students over the age of 16 have the opportunity to study at the College from this September. Courses on offer include The College’s wide range of full-time vocational courses in areas from construction to digital skills, and the autumn term starts on 5 September, and of course students could also study on one of The College’s apprenticeships. To apply, simply go to thecollege.co.uk.

People interested in the ESOL course can email esol@bpc.ac.uk for more information and to enrol.