The education sector has been particularly challenged as we adapt to the ways of living, working, and learning during the pandemic. This year, we will celebrate and name the top 10 finalists because everyone deserves recognition for helping learners to the end of their diploma.
Gateway Qualifications
Gateway Qualifications announced the winner of the Access to Higher Education Tutor of the Year Awards 2021. We are delighted to have received tutor nominations for our centres and so incredibly proud of Clare, Access to HE tutor, who came 4th in these awards.

I was (and am) blown away to have been nominated by the learners and surprised to have made the top ten by gateway. A special thanks must also go to my co-tutors without whom the science learners would not have received such a well-rounded and supportive experience, despite restrictions and the on-going Covid situation.
Clare Kirby, Access to HE
Clare has done an amazing job at keeping me focused since the start of the course whether it is her delivery in lessons or her kind emails that kept me going. It has been tough for me to keep on top of things especially when it is through a computer screen but with Clare’s brilliant assistance for assignment structure and content, I have handed them in on time and got brilliant grades. Without the power-points, the sources and the knowledge Clare has passed on I certainly would not have been getting the marks and feedback I have since the course started.
Ben, ACL Essex Access to HE Learner – 2021
During the nomination process, all students were asked to advise in 3 words what their tutor meant to them. Gateway has produced a word cloud (please see the website article) which includes all the words used to describe their tutors.
Congratulations to Clare and the other nominees, you have such an inspiring positive impact on people’s lives.
We offer a range of Access to Higher Education courses starting in September, with assessment days running over the next month. You can book an assessment online here – https://aclessex.com/access-to-he/
Courses include:
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Science)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Science)
- Certificate in Preparing for Further Study in Science
- Certificate in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work
- Pre-Access Social Science Level 2 Online
We would like to hear about your experiences at ACL Essex and how our tutors have inspired you succeed in education or your career. Please get in touch – lifelong.learning@essex.gov.uk.