TEAM GAMBIA 2014

In December 2013, a group of students joined forces with students from Hamstead Hall School in Handsworth Wood to go on a week-long volunteering trip to The Gambia. This was all part of a long-standing project being run by Peter Evans at Hamstead Hall School, who built the school from scratch!

As you can see from the photos above, this is an incredibly valuable volunteering trip. The students got to work with the kids at the Jemus Jungkung Jammeh Memorial Nursery School in Abuko and also experience a totally different culture in this developing country.

With a year's experience under our belt, we are doing the trip again in 2014, but this time we're on our own! 24 students have signed up to embark on this exciting expedition, which takes place in December 2014. We have already started with our plans.

Students are being set a challenge to raise £400 each for this school. With it costing just £375 to pay a teacher there for one year, this fundraising target will do real good for the school in The Gambia. There is currently a large waiting list of children who want to attend the school, but they do not have room for them, despite class sizes of 50-60 children in a class. The money we raise will help fund the construction of two new classrooms to fill that demand. Staff and students will work together over the 10 months leading up to the trip itself to raise as much money as we can for the school.

We will add more information about this exciting trip and our fundraising plans as they are confirmed!

STUDENT BLOG - Law Masterclass

A level Law student Ammar Saeed went to the University of Birmingham with his classmates recently for a masterclass and wrote about his experiences.

The law masterclass at the University of Birmingham was a truly great experience; it gave a real insight into what studying law at a top University like Birmingham was really like, and it answered a lot of questions and doubts I had regarding the course.

Topics covered during the masterclass included the death penalty, case reading and identifying crime, training to be a solicitor/barrister, ‘men’s rea’ and ‘actus reus’ in criminal law. LNATS/LLB/LLB 2nd /3rd year courses and the requirements and topics covered were also explained.

As this masterclass was given by successful law students at the university itself, you were really given a feel for what it’s like from the student’s perspective.

A challenging and competitive course it may be, but I concluded that you get much more out of studying law than you put in, and after all a career in law or even a degree is highly respected by anyone. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.

Ofsted & Open Evening

Posting by Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator

It’s been a very busy Autumn term at The Sixth Form College, Solihull and there’s still 4 weeks left until the Christmas holidays. As well as October’s Open Day, we have been inspected by Ofsted and held a November Open Evening too.

Let me start by focusing on the Ofsted inspection. No school or college looks forward to an inspection; the pressure is on when teachers are under the spotlight. However, this inspection proved to be a very positive experience for the College. Staff and students alike pulled together to show why we are so proud of what we offer young people at this College and Ofsted agreed. Here are just a few of the lovely things that Ofsted inspectors said about the College:

“The drive to secure improvement has developed a harmonious learning culture and there is a strong emphasis on high expectations and aspirations.”

“Students’ attendance and behaviour is very good.”

“A high proportion of students on advanced programmes achieve A*-B grades.”

“Teaching learning and assessment are good with some outstanding features.”

“The proportion of students successfully completing their studies in 2012/13 was above the recent average for sixth form colleges.”

“Teachers and managers create a culture of high expectations and commitment to study right from the start of each year.”

“A very high proportion of students progress on to high education, further training or employment each year.”

“Teachers are enthusiastic, well qualified and expert in their subjects.”

“Teachers recognise the importance of giving praise wherever possible and they motivate students to learn.”

“An increasing proportion of lessons are judged to be good or better.”

“Teachers and academic coaches provide effective academic and pastoral support.”

“Students enjoy their studies.”

“Students feel safe in the College.”

“Students speak enthusiastically about their progress and work conscientiously on their own in private study or in groups in lessons.”

“The diversity of the student population is celebrated.”

We have been celebrating our Ofsted report with a brand new postcard, which has recently been posted out to many in the local community. The artwork on the postcard works with our augmented reality mobile phone app and allows users to link to a Celebration video, the Full Ofsted Report and to our Online Application Form.

We also highlighted the many lovely things that Ofsted had to say about the College at Open Evening last week. This event was even busier than our October Open Day and means that this term we have had more prospective students and their families visit us than ever before. Huge thanks must go to all the staff and current students who worked so diligently at both events to highlight to visitors what this College can offer to young people.

Applications are coming in thick and fast now and we have already had one Interview Day, when we got through hundreds of interviews and made more than 420 offers! Our next interview event takes place in January and we already have more than 350 more applications that have come in just the last week, so there are lots of interviews to schedule and references to request from schools.

Prospective students have until 31 March 2014 to apply. Read about our Application process on our website.

New Classrooms

Posting by Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator

What makes a good college?

Good teachers? Definitely! Good pastoral support? For sure! What about the environment that students learn in? We think that's important too, which is why we have been refurbishing some of the classrooms at college.

The Sixth Form College, Solihull opened in 1974 and the building that we now call Hampton building was part of the College then. Refurbishments and developments have happened over the years, but not for a while, which is why we are doing this work now. Hampton is a large building, so the work is being done in stages to reduce the disruption to teaching.

Phase 1 has just come to an end and one end of the building has been refurbished. This means that the classrooms have new windows, new ceilings, new lighting, new carpets, new furniture and it's been repainted too. In putting in new windows, the building also has new insulation, which will improve energy efficiency and make the rooms warmer in the summer and cooler in the summer.

Below are some photos of the new classrooms. They are minus display boards, of course, but once the teachers and students get in there, they will start to look more "lived in".
We're pleased with how the work has gone so far. The environment we provide for our students is important and conducive to positive learning.

We are into phase 2 of the project now and another section of the building will be refurbished soon (hopefully by January), with the final section getting its turn in the Spring. All this means that for those students applying to start their studies with us in September 2014, they will be able to benefit from new and comfortable facilities.

Look out for more news about the building work as it progresses during this academic year.

Open Day 2013

Posting by Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator

The College opened its doors to prospective students and parents on Saturday as we staged our annual Open Day and it was great to see so many people there.

We had students from more than 90 different schools visit us on Saturday! Hard to believe there are that many schools in the region! They were all present to see what we can offer to young people in the way of post-16 education.

We had teachers available in all curriculum areas and they all reported a busy day, answering questions from our visitors. Thank goodness for our current students, who helped out on the day. Not only were they dotted around the campus to help people find their way around, but they were also in subject areas to help teachers answer questions when there were more visitors than teachers available to speak to them! We are so grateful to our wonderful students. They tell us how much they enjoy their studies at the College and it’s that enthusiasm which encourages the next cohort of students to apply to the College.

We’re also very grateful to Centro and to the four universities who attended Open Day. Representatives from Aston, Birmingham, Leicester and Warwick were all there and they were kept busy all day talking to parents and students. In particular, they were able to advise young people what subjects they need to study at A level with a particular career or university course in mind, which makes it easier for them to know what courses they should apply for at college too.

Thankfully, the rain held off for most of the day and it was quite warm for October. Nevertheless, special thanks must go to the hardy students and staff who worked outside on Open Day. One of the biggest challenges we face on a day such as this is to avoid traffic and parking problems, but thanks to the dedication and hard work of our staff and students traffic kept flowing and parking was managed well.

We know that not everyone who is considering applying to the College was able to make it to Open Day on Saturday and that’s why we have more events coming up:

Open Evening
Thursday 14 November
5.00-8.00pm (last entry at 7.30pm)

Information Evening
Thursday 14 November
5.00-8.00pm (last entry at 7.30pm)

Open Evening in November is much like this recent Open Day, in that the whole campus is open. However, the Information Evening in February is a smaller scale event.

Pre-registration for the November event is open now at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/87538UWJDV.

EXPAND YOUR PROSPECTUS

Posting by Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator

This year, the prospectus for The Sixth Form College, Solihull includes the tagline 'Expand Your Potential'. One of the ways we are asking prospective students to do this is to expand their prospectus by use of something called Augmented Reality.

So, what's augmented reality? It's an app that can be downloaded onto compatible smart phones or tablets and used to bring printed materials to life. We are using an app called Aurasma, which is available free of charge on Apple and Android smart phones and tablets. When downloaded, the app will allow the user to scan trigger icons throughout the prospectus to access videos, podcasts, photos, additional text and web links. We are using it to link to student testimony, parental testimony, information from the Principal and much more.

Why are we using augmented reality? We want to utilise new media as much as possible to deliver information in new and exciting ways. There is still a place for a printed prospectus, but there is so more information about the College available online and by using this app, we can link directly to this information, making it easier than ever to find out all that a prospective student needs to know before they make an application. It means that students can read up on all our courses, pre-register for Open Day and make an application, all from their smart phone.

Any prospective student or parent who wants to try out this app needs to get a copy of our prospectus. They will be handed out to all visitors at our Open Day on Saturday 19 October (open 9.30 am - 3.30pm, last entry at 2.30pm). They will also be available at Open Evening on Thursday 14 November (open 5.00pm - 8.00pm, last entry at 7.30pm). They are also available by post by telephoning 0121 709 7803.

Instructions of how to download the app are on page 2 of the prospectus. Users must download the app, follow the College's Aurasma channel and then it is ready to use.

For a demonstration of how the app works, check out our new YouTube video at http://youtu.be/_uqvjGovqz0.

To pre-register for Open Day to visit the College, talk to teachers, see our facilities and pick up a copy of the prospectus go to http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/87538UWJDV.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS FULFILLED!

Posting by Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator

BTEC Performing Arts students at The Sixth Form College, Solihull put on their final production at the College this week, when they staged ‘Great Expectations’. I was one of the lucky members of the audience and what I treat I had!

Most of us know the plot to this Charles Dickens’ classic. If you don’t, here it is: It’s a coming-of-age story, about an orphan named Pip, set in the 1800s. It is a graphic story, depicting poverty, prison ships and fights to the death. The plot starts with the terrifying encounter between Pip and the escaped convict, Abel Magwitch. What follows are intriguing and unexpected twists and turns, with Pip encountering a wealthy spinster called Miss Havisham and a blacksmith called Joe Gargery, not to mention the cold and beautiful Estella.

Although set such a long time ago, the students used some rather modern techniques to get the message of this production across. The dialogue was all appropriate to the time, as was costume and set, but the students also incorporated lots of physical theatre in the production. There was some song and dance, where appropriate, and while these modern twists can sometimes ruin a classic text, these did not. Case in point was the scene in which Pip fell out of a boat; through physical theatre, the students managed to show Pip’s struggle underwater to very good effect.

That’s just one example of why this production was so good. All the performances were excellent, with some outstanding acting skills on display. There were some laughs in there, with funny one-liners, which were very well delivered. In addition, the key roles of Pip and Miss Havisham were played with enormous emotion and as an audience member I empathised with both, which is what you need in all good story telling.

I personally enjoyed the production enormously and everyone else I have spoken to has praised if too, commenting how professional and slick it was in particular. However, perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that the students took on so much to make this production a success. They don’t just learn their lines and act, they take responsibility for all aspects of the production, helping to choreograph the physical theatre, involving themselves in all backstage aspects, including costume, make-up, set, lighting and sound, and taking on a central role in promoting the play and selling tickets. That is a massive amount of work! Staff in the Performing Arts department also deserve a huge amount of credit.

It’s the end of their two years on the BTEC Performing Arts course here at the College and what a way to end. We will be sorry to lose them, but they are all moving onto new challenges and we wish them well, with a confidence that they will achieve success. All we ask is that they don’t forget us when they’re famous!

 

To see photos from this production, see the album on our Facebookpage.