College of West Anglia receives �5,000 for innovative internet TV channel

Innovative staff and students at a King's Lynn college are celebrating scooping a national award for their internet TV channel.

The College of West Anglia's (CWA) Springboard TV won the award for leadership in innovation and curriculum development and yesterday received the �5,000 cheque which accompanied the title.

Springboard TV has seen the college develop its own broadcast production company,launched in September 2009, which has gone from strength-to-strength and offers students the chance to taste life in the professional world of film.

'I am extremely proud of the media team for this achievement.' said principal David Pomfret.

Ben Jackson, channel manager for Springboard, said the online channel had 300 registered users and was continuing to grow.

'It is recognition for all the hard work over the last two years and to be recognised in this way is quite an accolade,' he said.

Mr Jackson added that media students had the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art technology as part of their studies while developing commercial awareness by working with outside organisations which utilise the service.

The project won the award from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service in association with the Association of Colleges and representative Keith Middleton presented the �5,000 to the collge.

'Our new internet TV channel has radically changed the teaching and learning on ur full-time media course. Students are involved in the creation, production and broadcast of a wide range of programmes,' said Jayne Walpole, head of creative arts.

She said that Springboard had made a 'significant difference' in student achievement, with a 40pc increase in the number progressing to university in one year.