The Keith Fletcher Memorial Access to HE Learner Prize 2015 Following the success of last year’s awards, the 13 Access Validating Agencies (AVAs) across England and Wales came together once again to sponsor and support the fourth national award presentation. The Keith Fletcher Memorial Access to HE Learner Prize was hosted on Thursday 5th March, 2015 at the Palace of Westminster, and is held in memory of a well-loved colleague, Keith Fletcher who dedicated his career to promoting and endorsing Access to HE, before sadly passing away in Nov 2010. Special thanks to Janet Gardiner and Kingsley Fletcher for their attendance and continued support over the last four years. The purpose of the prize is to recognise and celebrate the achievement of learners and tribute the amazing journey undertaken by Access students. Nominators of both winners and runners-up spoke passionately of their nominee’s passage through Access and expressed why they had chosen them with fervour and warmth. Nic Dakin, MP presented each of the winners with a framed certificate and a cheque (£800 for each winner and £500 for each runner-up) before congratulating them personally. Nic is an avid supporter of adult education following his previous career as Principal of John Leggott College, Scunthorpe, and believes that the Access to HE pathway provides a vital second chance for those that may have missed out on further education in the past. Julie Farmer - Acting Head of Access, QAA – opened the presentation with a talk outlining the challenges faced by Access students:  “Many of us involved in the management of Access to HE know from our own experience that these students are committed, determined and, very often, courageous. They rise to the challenge of returning to study while frequently also having to work to continue to support themselves and raise a family.  The students who are being awarded prizes here today are outstanding examples of those qualities, and it is entirely fitting that they receive an award that is a memorial to Keith Fletcher, who dedicated his career to the cause of adult education.” Chris Kassam and Access to Medicine student from the College of West Anglia was awarded Runner-Up in the Outstanding Academic Achievement category He was nominated by Jim Knowles, science lecturer at CWA.  Jim described Chris as “performing at Distinction level on every assessment on the Access to Medicine Course. He barely made any errors at all and it was always a challenge for us as teachers, either to find a constructive comment for improvement on assessments or to answer very challenging academic questions in lessons, from a student who always endeavoured to develop his learning beyond that of the course”. One of the judges commented: “In terms of award of grades this achievement is outstanding particularly on a demanding Access to Medicine course”. Chris Kassam performed at Distinction level on every assessment on the Access to Medicine Course.  He barely made any errors at all and it was always a challenge for us as teachers, either to find a constructive comment for improvement on assessments, or to answer very challenging academic questions in lessons, from a student who always endeavoured to develop his learning beyond that of the course Chris is now studying Medicine at Cambridge University.