In 2009 the College won a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for its work with students with Asperger's Syndrome. The College's RUGroom provides 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, a member of parliament at the time.