Queen Presents Royal Prize for College’s Work with Students with Aspergers Syndrome

City College Norwich was today proud to be presented with a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education by Her Majesty the Queen.  The College was awarded the prestigious biennial Prize for the innovative and student-centred work of its RUGroom for students with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

The prize giving ceremony took place this morning at Buckingham Palace, following a special celebratory banquet at The Guildhall on Thursday evening.  City College Norwich Principal Dick Palmer was presented with a Prize Medal by Her Majesty the Queen.  This was followed by a royal reception, during which the Principal, Chair of Governors Bryony Falkus, and students and staff from the RUGroom had the opportunity to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and to talk to them about the College’s work with students with AS.

City College Norwich Principal, Dick Palmer said: “Receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize is a huge honour for City College Norwich and everyone associated with the RUGroom.  This Prize is fitting recognition for the dedication and vision of all of the staff involved with the RUGroom who, in partnership with our students, have undertaken such pioneering work for students with Aspergers Syndrome.  It has been a fantastic day for the staff and students who have had the privilege of coming to Buckingham Palace to collect the award and to have had the opportunity to meet the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne”.          

The RUGRoom students who had the honour of attending the royal prize giving ceremony had a day they will never forget. Katie D’Avila, 19, from Lowestoft, said: “It was amazing to meet the Queen. Buckingham Palace was really spectacular and it was really exciting to be there. I have really enjoyed it and my parents are proud that I have got to meet the Queen”.  Norman Stillwell, 20, from Attleborough, said: “The Duke of Edinburgh was marvellous and the Queen and Princess Anne were also really nice. They were really interested and friendly”.   Lewis Wise, 17, from Beccles said, simply: “It’s been the best day of my life!”.   

City College Norwich’s RUGroom offers a safe haven and a social and study space for students with AS and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders.  The unique ingredient has been the involvement of the College’s AS learners – who named themselves “The Really Useful Group” - in the design of an AS friendly physical environment which developed into the RUGroom.  The RUGroom was opened in February 2008 by Charles Clarke MP and has since won a string of awards in recognition of the excellence of its leading edge work.

The 21 winners of the Eighth Round of Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education were announced on the 18th of November 2009.  These national honours are awarded every two years to institutions of higher and further education across the UK for work of outstanding excellence. They celebrate world-class achievement in any aspect of an institution’s work which demonstrates originality, innovation and benefit for the wider community.