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ACHIEVEMENTS CEREMONIES Bedford College (page 4)
Tresham College (page 11)
FORESTERS OF THE FUTURE
students attend National Forestry and Arboriculture Student Conference (page 8)
MURDER MYSTERY
students arrange Murder Mystery at The Bedford Sixth Form (page 10)
BACK TO THE FUTURE with Lewis Hamilton’s car (page 11)
BCS BEDFORD COLLEGE SERVICES
D I A RY DAT E S
EDITOR’S NOTE Hello everyone, Welcome to the December issue of Connect magazine! November was a busy month for everybody: celebrating both our student and staff achievements at the annual achievements ceremonies; our Principal, Ian Pryce, emulating Dolly Parton in a rather tongue-in-cheek plea for funding; and Bedford College and Ian were recognised at the Bedfordshire Business Awards winning ‘Best Largest Employer’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ respectively. Meanwhile, the big brands have been competing for our attention with their Christmas adverts – did you hear the sound gaff in the M&S one? I’ll let you Google that… I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and thank you again for all the contributions to the magazine. See you in 2018!
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY DECEMBER 2017 FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER 2017 - Last day of Autumn term (Bedford) THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER 2017 - Last day of Autumn term (Tresham) FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER 2017 - Christmas Closure
STAFF SOCIALS FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER 2017 - Bedford College Staff Social FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER 2017 - Tresham College Staff Social
T: 01234 291026 E: dcranfield@bedford.ac.uk
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WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY 2018 - The Bedford Sixth Form Open Day TUESDAY 23 JANUARY 2018 - Bedford College Open Day SATURDAY 27 JANUARY 2018 - Shuttleworth College Open Day TUESDAY 30 JANUARY 2018 - Kettering Campus Open Day WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2018 - Corby Campus Open Day
TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018 - Return to work (Bedford)
FEBRUARY 2018
THURSDAY 4 JANUARY 2018 - Staff development day (Bedford)
THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2018 - Wellingborough Campus Open Day
CORPORATION NEWS THE CORPORATION HAS HAD A BUSY AUTUMN TERM. In addition to their formal meeting cycle the governors have attended a number of College events celebrating students and staff.
Four governors, including both student governors, Janis and Manisha, joined members of the Executive Team in attending the Bedfordshire Business Awards on 21 November 2017. The College received the Large Business of the Year Award and Ian received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Chair Roger Marriott said;
Corporate Communications Executive
TUESDAY 9 JANUARY 2018 - Bedford Learning Centre Open Day
JANUARY 2018
The Chair, Roger Marriott, was delighted to be joined by no fewer than three local Mayors on his table at the Tresham Annual Awards ceremony held on 10 November 2017. As well as celebrating the prize winners there were some fantastic performances both by individuals and groups of students.
DAISY CRANFIELD
MONDAY 8 JANUARY 2018 - First day of Spring term - Return to work (Tresham) - Staff development day (Tresham)
“Many congratulations to the College and staff on the achievement of the award for the "Large Business of the Year”. This is a tremendous recognition by the local community of the difference the College makes to people’s lives and the value it adds to the community”. The Bedford Achievements Ceremony took place at the Corn Exchange on 28 November
celebrating a significant number of students. The Performing Arts students entertained the audience with a professional performance and looked fantastic in their Bedford College Group t-shirts. The Corporation appreciate the significant time and effort involved in organising these events and congratulate all students and staff involved. If you have any questions about the Corporation or any of the opportunities it provides please feel free to contact the Clerk to the Corporation; Rachel Nicol rnicol@bedford.ac.uk (tel. 01234 291003) or one of your staff governors, Jane Dudeney and Shaun Wilson.
Attendees at the Bedfordshire Business Awards
Did you know you can follow Ian on Twitter? @ipryce
PRINCIPAL’S UPDATE ENDING THE YEAR IN STYLE At the end of a long, exciting year we get the pay off of celebrating the success of our students at two very different, but equally wonderful, Achievements Evenings. At the Tresham event in Kettering we welcomed, as our guest dancer and theatrical agent, Adelle Young, and at Bedford was Paralympic gold medallist and World Number 1 Boccia player David Smith MBE, to present the awards. Overall student of the year was Rajbir Dhot from The Bedford Sixth Form.
DOING THE BUSINESS As well as celebrating the success of our students, the College itself ends the year with a string of awards, most notably the Best Large Business award at the Bedfordshire Business Awards and the Event Management Gold Award at the national FE Marketing Oscars. It was particularly good that our two student governors, Janis and Manisha, were able to be with us to pick up the Business award, and staff member Karen Rabjohn was able to pick up the marketing award which we won on the back of the excellent fundraising
event we held during the year at the Cardington hangars with the company behind the world’s biggest aircraft, Airlander. There is so much talk at the moment about the need for colleges to get closer to business so these awards show we are ahead of the game in Bedfordshire.
THANK YOU I hope everyone is able to enjoy a good break over the Christmas period. Please take a (very small) amount of time to reflect on all you have achieved in 2017. Our reputation has never been higher, the progress we have made on our merger has been remarkable, and we are well placed to provide an even better service to our community in 2018, as a direct result of your hard work.
Tresham Annual Awards ceremony
Bedford Achievements Ceremony
Thank you for playing your part in another very successful year for our College.
Marketing Gold award at the FE First awards
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BEDFORD COLLEGE NEWS
Jamie Heywood
CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN EDUCATION During the October half term, Psychology lecturer Jamie Heywood presented his research at the British Psychological Society Psychology of Education section at the annual conference in Edinburgh. Jamie's research was investigating Circadian Rhythms in Education and the impact the time of day has on a student’s cognitive performance. If you have any questions about the research or would like to receive a copy, please email jheywood@bedford.ac.uk
FOUNDATION STUDENTS RAISING MONEY The Foundation Department’s Steps 1 group raised £350 for the homeless in our community with an auction held in the Stansfeld building. Organised as part of the Community and Travel session, and taught by Sandra Waterfield, the event followed on from some of the students taking part in a National Community Service (NCS) project. “My special needs students worked so hard to raise donations and made it an amazing event,” said Sandra Waterfield, Associate Lecturer, Foundation Department, Bedford College. A big well done to all the students who took part in this activity. They are going to be raising more money hosting an event open to the public. 4
December 2017
From L to R, David Smith MBE, Anne-Marie Hamilton and Ian Pryce
ACHIEVEMENTS CEREMONY Our annual Achievements Ceremony took place on Tuesday 28 November at the Bedford Corn Exchange. The evening was a chance to celebrate the highlights of the most successful year in our 125 year history with students, staff and special guests. Guest speaker for the evening was Paralympian David Smith MBE, Olympic medal winning Boccia player who is coached by Tresham’s Sarah Nolan. Read more on page 12. There were performances from our Music students to open the show and a fantastic rendition of Queen’s ‘One Vision’ by our Performing Arts students. Principal Ian Pryce told the audience at the Bedford Corn Exchange: “Our success is built upon the energy and commitment of our community employers, our staff, our governors, our students and their parents and families. I should like to thank them all.” New Chair of Governors Roger Marriott added his thanks to all those who had contributed to the success of the College. Three students were short-listed as the Outstanding Student of the Year with Rajbir Dhot of The Bedford Sixth Form taking the prize. Runnersup were Niamh Duncan who finished at Shuttleworth College with a Triple Distinction and is now studying to be a PE teacher and Heather Young who is now in the RAF having completed
a Public Services course at Bedford College. The Customer Focus Award was given for the first year to Anne-Marie Hamilton of Shuttleworth College for her excellent work supporting students, staff and employers. Anne-Marie manages the working farm at Shuttleworth College where students gain real-life experience of best practice in modern day farming. Anne-Marie is well equipped for this role coming from a beef farming family and working as a consultant in the industry after studying Biology at university. Her greatest achievement to date has been securing Marks & Spencer accreditation for the College farm’s Red Poll Cattle beef. The farm has an “elite” health status rating. In addition Anne-Marie has set up groups and activities to share good practice of livestock management, including involvement in cattle shows in the summer. It was a fantastic evening, well done to everyone involved in the running of the event and thank you to all the attendees.
Bedford College Music students performing at the ceremony
BEDFORD COLLEGE NEWS
Ian Pryce and Baroness Young
WESTMINSTER OUTREACH Collette White
MEDAL AT WORLD SKILLS IT Technician Collette White took Bronze in the annual World Skills event. Collette said: “It’s been great to get some real work experience under my belt at Bedford College as part of the extra curricula opportunities offered by the team here.” Head of Computing Paula Hobday said: “We have a great track record of our Computing students getting through to the final competitive stages of the World Skills events and have high hopes for 2017.” Colette was one of three talented young people who represented The Bedford College Group in the World Skills Show event at the NEC Birmingham in November. Uways Eid, had been ranked second in the regional competitions for the Network Infrastructure Technicians. He is now studying at university.
SPORTS STUDENT PRESENTATION
The third student at Birmingham was plumber Jonathan Archer, aged 24, of St Neots. Jonathan works for Wintle Heating in Northampton and, having qualified at the Bedford College Gas & Plumbing Technology Centre in Kempston, is now undertaking a Foundation Degree in Building Services & Sustainability - with a view to moving up the management ladder. Jonathan is a third generation plumber who recognises the advantages that Higher Education via Bedford College can offer. “I enjoy my work but may not want to be working hands-on when I am older.” Bedford College has appeared regularly at the World Skills event, being a past sponsor and having students taking part in computing and construction categories.
Quality last week. This gave them an opportunity to gather information and present it back through a professional presentation.
Level One Sport students were set the task of assessing their learning environment recently, including the health and safety of the environment and the range of facilities. The students enjoyed presenting the findings of their report on the Sports Department to the Head of
Level 1 Sport students
Bedford College hosted a talk from a member of the House of Lords to encourage students to become more engaged with the political and parliamentary process. Baroness Young of Scone met students who are active in the life of the college, met with student class representatives and those studying politics to explain the role of the House of Lords and her own work. This was followed by a question and answer session on various aspects of the parliamentary process and life at the Houses of Parliament generally. Rosalind Birtwistle, Student Participation Adviser, said: “We arranged this visit to give our students the opportunity to interact with someone who knows the parliamentary system inside out, as it can sometimes seem far removed from their daily lives. Now they understand more clearly how Westminster works. The Baroness is very much in tune with the concerns of our young people who asked some perceptive questions and she gave straightforward replies, with examples of matters with which she had been personally involved.” The visit was arranged through the Lord Speaker’s “Peers in Schools” outreach programme, which was established across the UK in 2007 and has so far involved around 90,000 young people. Members of the House of Lords visit schools, academies and colleges to give talks in support of the citizenship curriculum. If you’re interested in applying for your students, see the Lord Speaker’s web page at www.parliament.uk/lordspeaker December 2017
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BEDFORD COLLEGE NEWS
The Duke of York presenting award
DUKE OF YORK AWARD Public Services students
SUPPORTING GREEN AIDERS Ex-service personnel can get their garden spruced up with a visit from “Green Aiders” and student volunteers. The Green Aiders is a free, oneoff garden clearance service run in Bedford by community charity Groundwork Luton & Bedfordshire and helped by our very own Public Services students. There is funding for a limited number of gardens, thanks to a grant from The Royal British Legion through its External Grants programme. Visits are available to ex-Service personnel or their spouses, partners, widows/widowers, children or dependants aged 65 plus. Through a one-off visit, dedicated volunteers from Bedford College, led by Groundwork staff make gardens more manageable, safer and more pleasant to spend time in. At the same time, clearing overgrown gardens makes it harder for criminals or fraudsters to identify occupants as potential targets. The Public Services course helps young people understand the requirements and challenges of life in uniformed emergency and related services, and the students really enjoy getting stuck into helping out the local community.’ 6
December 2017
Groundwork’s project officer James Bonner said: “If you cannot physically do the work yourself, it can be a troubling sight to see your garden get out of control, but we take that problem away for veterans, so they can enjoy their gardens once again.” Head of Social Policy & Grant Giving at the Legion, Steven Baynes, said: “We’re pleased to have awarded funding to Groundwork. The grant demonstrates the Legion’s continued commitment to working with other organisations to provide the best support possible to our beneficiaries. It will also enable the Groundwork to use its expertise to make a real difference to those veterans struggling with the upkeep of their gardens, as well as provide others with a chance to learn new skills and support the Armed Forces community in a unique way as a volunteer.” If you or someone you know could benefit from a Green Aiders visit, contact James on 01582 720147 or james.bonner@groundwork.org.uk
The Duke of York Award for Technical Education acknowledges the success of young people choosing technical education and encourages wider support from parents, businesses and other stakeholders. Open to students at UTCs, the Duke of York Award recognises a combination of qualifications, work experience placements and the development of wider competencies required in the workplace, such as communication skills and problem solving. The Award has three levels; Bronze, Silver and Gold. Bronze and Silver Awards are based on achievements in GCSEs and Level 1 or 2 technical qualifications. The Gold Award is based on A-Levels and/or Level 3 technical qualifications. The Gold Award is based on A-Levels and/or Level 3 technical qualifications. As they completed the majority of their course whilst at a UTC, students from Bedford College Engineering Technology Centre in Houghton Regis were eligible to be entered for this award. Staff chose to put forward students who had achieved D*D*D* in their Extended Diploma in either Engineering or IT. After a round of interviews by external assessors, we were delighted that 13 were awarded the Gold Award of which 12 were able to attend St.James’ Palace on 6 November to accept their awards in person from the Duke of York, Prince Andrew.
BEDFORD COLLEGE SERVICES NEWS
CHRISTMAS LUNCH Christmas Lunch will be served 12.00 noon to 2.00pm on:
munch & M O C H A
Monday 4, Wednesday 6, Friday 8, Tuesday 12 & Thursday 14 December Sliced turkey & stuffing served with roasted parsnip, roasted potatoes, pigs in blankets & vegetables Vegetarian option: Goats cheese tart with caramelised red onion & all the trimmings Dessert: Christmas pudding & cream
2 cou rse for on s ly
£5.00
If you would like just the main meal £4.50 If you would like just the dessert £1.00
WEDDING SHOW On 7 January 2018 The Grand Hall will be hosting the next Wedding Fayre by Beckie Melvin Weddings & Events. There will be a huge selection of local wedding professionals. Wedding industries in attendance will include bridal-wear, wedding rings, photography, flowers, wedding decor... everything you need for your perfect day. The event is FREE, with shows and demonstrations throughout the day, along with the venue staff on hand to provide you with a tour of the facilities, and information on what to expect if you book the venue for your wedding.
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SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE NEWS
The 11 students ready to take on the challenge
HE STUDENTS CANOE CALEDONIAN CANAL As part of the induction to the new Higher Education (HE) course in Outdoor Adventure at Shuttleworth College our 11 HE students had the opportunity to plan and undertake the challenge of a canoe expedition from Fort William to Inverness along the Caledonian Canal in Scotland. In total the team canoed 97km and went through 20 locks. The aim of the expedition was to introduce the students to a level of expedition which required advanced planning and execution. They also then had the task of developing an understanding of each other’s different ways of working. This in turn developed team dynamics which will come into play in their course over the two years. There were so many challenges that the students had to overcome, but all showed the aptitude of resilience and determination required to progress their careers in the outdoor adventure industry.
Students at the RFS technology day
FORESTERS OF THE FUTURE Level 3 Countryside and Horticulture students recently attended the Royal Forestry Society’s Future Foresters Technology Day - the first National Forestry and Arboriculture Student Conference. It was a great opportunity for students to attend a professional conference and get hands on with some of the latest technology and field equipment. There were speakers from across the UK and Sweden who are experts in their fields followed by a live demo of the DP II Computer Caliper system – to help understand advances in timber measuring. And there’s more great news from this Department with Andrew Simpkins, Tom Bowen and Robin McMichael all passing their initial assessor verification – a well-deserved personal achievement and great step for the department as an assessment centre. Plus Countryside Level 3 students Cameron Clare and Tom Williams were awarded the Royal Forestry Society ‘Silky Fox’ award for demonstrating excellence in practical Forestry skills.
Tom Bowen receiving his certificate
Well done to all the students who took part and the tutors Dan Playford and Charlie Whewell. Follow the Outdoor Adventure Blog to read more about the team 8
December 2017
Robin McMichael receiving his certificate
Andrew Simpkins receiving his certificate
SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE NEWS NEW ANIMAL SCIENCES CENTRE FOR 2019 A new centre to accommodate a wide range of species and maintain professional standards, has a very unique twist!
Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue at Shuttleworth College
POLICE COMMISSION ROAD SAFETY EVENT Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Kathryn Holloway, welcomed students from across the county to an event to promote road safety as part of National Road Safety Week, in a bid to cut deaths on the county’s roads amongst the young. The event, held in collaboration with Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, took place at Shuttleworth College on Wednesday 22 November where around 500 students took part in activities, received advice from various road safety organisations and met with police and fire teams including motorcycle officers. “I’m absolutely delighted to be able to support Road Safety Week in this really practical way. I am appalled that deaths in car accidents for the under-25s are at comparable levels with serious illnesses such as cancer,” said Commissioner Holloway.
“I am indebted to Shuttleworth College for enabling us to host the event and schools across the county for facilitating the participation of their students and pupils in today’s event to learn about the ways in which they could be safer on our roads,” added the PCC. Organisations and partners from around the county including Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, The British Horse Society, Speed Watch, RAC, Kwik-Fit and Bedford Autodrome volunteered their time to help support the day and provide information to young and prospective drivers.
The animal centre situated on the Shuttleworth Estate, Old Warden, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, has been established for 17 years and is in need of replacement. The new centre will allow the department to meet modern requirements of care for sound zoological standards. The new centre, due to open in 2019 is the first of its kind within the state education system. It will accommodate a biosphere, allowing for an immersive experience hence connecting with the natural world. A wide variety of species of taxa from Avian, Amphibia, Reptilian and Mammalian will be housed in naturalistic enclosures enhancing experiences for trainees and visitors to the centre. The development is planned to provide many years of educational service, to enhance students understanding and ability to really make a difference with the natural world. Take a look at the plans online
Image of the new Animal Science Centre
Discussing equine road safety at the event
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THE BEDFORD SIXTH FORM NEWS MURDER MYSTERY EXPERIENCE Drama students at The Bedford Sixth Form organised a Murder Mystery Experience on 31 October and 1 November. Staff, students and public were invited to attend the event which included a fish and chip supper. The event was well attended and as you can see, a great time was had by all!
Students playing the part
SUPPORTING THE HOMELESS Staff and students at The Bedford Sixth Form are supporting the Kings Arms Project – the charity in Bedford that supports local homeless people. They are collecting over the next couple of weeks and there is a box in the Hub for donations such as: • Tinned food • Confectionery
Stalls at the Christmas Fayre
• Socks
CHRISTMAS FAYRE FOR AUTISM BEDFORD The Bedford Sixth Form kindly hosted Autism Bedfordshire’s second Christmas Fayre on Saturday 18 November. There were 15 different stalls selling a variety of crafts and gifts, including Christmas wreaths, candles, jewellery, skincare products, hand-made cakes, hand-made wooden gifts, pet gifts, and henna designs. Autism Bedfordshire also had their own fun activities with prizes for the children, including a teddy tombola, tinsel tug, hook a bauble and paper plate decorating. To top it off, Santa was in attendance to meet some of the children. The event was a huge success and raised £546.90 for Autism Bedfordshire, which will be match-funded by The Act Foundation to bring the total to £1,093.80. 10
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Grateful thanks go to The Bedford Sixth Form Head, Paul Clarkson, for agreeing to provide the venue once again; Deputy Head, Paul Christmas, for helping to promote the event; the Sixth Form students who helped run the stalls: Abida Jannath, Aliyah Sharif, Sabrina Frezza, Sofia Haroon, Sophie Hewitt and Zulaikha Tariq Menaz; and last but not least Site Manager, Paul Butcher, for all his help leading up to the event and on the day itself.
• Men’s underwear Donations will be delivered to the project on Tuesday 12 December. You can find out more about the cause here: www.kingsarmsproject.org
TRESHAM COLLEGE NEWS
Students with Hamilton’s car
Attendees at the Annual Awards
ANNUAL AWARDS Outstanding students from the 7,000 who are part of Tresham College at Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and The National College for Motorsport were recognised at a special ceremony on Friday 10 November. Group Principal and CEO Ian Pryce CBE joined Group Vice Principal, Corrie Harris, in congratulating the assembled at the Kettering Conference Centre. Guest speaker for the evening was Adelle Moss a star of stage and screen and a course manager with Bedford College’s Performing Arts department. Ian said these awards marked the end of a remarkable year in which all the main Government bodies, which monitor FE colleges, had recognised improvements in the Northants education provider. GCSE re-sit results, for those who failed them at school, showed the best improvement in the UK.
Well done to the team who put the awards together. Performing Arts students performed a wonderful rendition of ‘Oh What A Lovely War’ as well as delivering solo performances throughout the evening. Awards were introduced by students’ Heads of Department with inspiring insights into why each student had been nominated.
Celebrating student success
THEMED NIGHTS AT THE MANOR RESTAURANT
BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH HAMILTON’S CAR Students at the National College for Motorsport (NC4M) are working on World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s first ever race car. The vehicle is a throwback to Hamilton’s days competing for Manor Motorsport in the Formula Renault UK Championships in 2003. The vehicle was later donated to the NC4M at Silverstone Circuit. “The vehicle has historic appeal for some of our full-time 16 year-old students here who were tiny tots when Lewis was on the track in this car. Now they all aspire to be working in the pits with today’s Formula One racing teams,” explained Jim Harrod Motorsport Manager at NC4M, previously Chief Mechanic with Williams F1. Of the 100 full-time students aged 16+ at the NC4M, half will go on to apprenticeships after their first year and more will do the same after opting to study for a second year. Former students are now working in Formula One teams and travelling around the world. One has even joined the team behind the Fast and Furious film franchise. In addition to entry level full-time courses, Advanced Apprenticeships are run as block release to fit in classroom studies with the track season.
Thursdays 6:30pm – 10:00pm The Manor Restaurant, The Manor House, Cottingham Road, Corby NN17 1TT www.facebook.com/TheManorRestaurantCorby
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TRESHAM COLLEGE NEWS WORLD CLASS COACHING Tresham College staff member Sarah Nolan is celebrating the success of David Smith MBE in adding to his Boccia trophy shelf. Sarah, Head of Health, Care and Access at Tresham College, coaches David in her spare time, showing how far inspirational teaching and coaching can take people. “David is an example to us all of how hard work and determination can push not only your own boundaries, but move them forward for others around you too,” said Sarah. David, aged 28, is No 1 in the fast growing game of Boccia and he and Sarah recently visited Kansas City for the World Open Championships where David won Gold. Earlier he took Gold in an international championship in Seville.
a varying degree. I owe my success in the last eight years to Sarah who has taken time to understand me and push me to my potential. “I’m really excited to see whether I can complete the job in Tokyo in 2020.” David was the guest speaker at the Bedford College Achievements Ceremony on Tuesday 28 November and delivered a rousing speech to the attendees emulating the College’s mantra ‘Achieve Your Dreams’. Read more on page 4.
David was on the British Paralympics team that won a Gold medal in 2008. He also competed in the 2012 London Games. He won Gold at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, and is now the most successful British Boccia player ever. David commented: “I have evolved as a player and changed everything to
AIMING HIGH WITH TABLE TENNIS On Thursday 2 November Colin Wilson, Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist and former England National coach and current Director of Coaching and Performance Director at Corby Smash Table Tennis Club, visited Tresham College in Kettering to run an exhibition and development session for Sports students. The students have been developing their table tennis skills as part of their Tresham Academy of Sport sessions and are preparing to compete against other college players at the upcoming regional tournament. Colin, along with Adam Wilson a top upcoming player and coach in his
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David Smith MBE
own right, provided a table tennis masterclass to students as well as discussing his own experiences and pathways to success, with students also getting the chance to see and hold Colin’s Commonwealth Games Silver medals. Students then received expert coaching from Colin and Adam who worked closely with them over a two hour period to develop their skills and techniques.
David with coach, Sarah Nolan
Student experience is at the forefront for Tresham Academy of Sport and our students benefit greatly from these regular experiences. It is hoped that this is the start of a successful partnership with Colin and Corby Smash Table Tennis Club to provide players with the opportunity to develop their table tennis performance alongside their studies.”
The Association of Colleges Regional Table Tennis Competition takes place on 13 December, with Tresham College students competing in ranking tournaments to establish those that will go on to represent the College and aim for National glory. Dan Burns, Head of Tresham Academy of Sport, said; “This is just another great example of how we are looking to provide all of our Sports students with the opportunity to experience elite level coaching, meet elite performers and develop their own abilities with a view to representing the College in a competitive environment.
Colin Wilson, silver medalist
CROSS COLLEGE NEWS
Students pay their respects
Bedford Music students
Tresham charity activities
CHILDREN IN NEED There have been lots of activities across all the campuses to raise money for Children in Need this year. On Thursday 16 November Bedford College Level 3 Music Performance students organised and played an acoustic gig over their lunch hour at Munch & Mocha to raise money for the charity. This included renditions of popular hits and also their own original material, performed as both solo and musical ensembles. Volunteers from the group also took part in work experience for live sound engineering and the technical setup of the performance with help from Music Technicians Damian Clark and Lee Head. Overall the students raised £65.45 for the charity during the lunch hour which was a fantastic achievement for everyone involved and we are very proud of our students. Many thanks to the Munch & Mocha staff for hosting and supporting another great event. Staff also collected a further £45.14 whilst the students were playing.
On Friday 17 November the students from Tresham College’s Princes Trust Team visited the Rushden Asda store to help shoppers to pack their bags as well as taking it in turns to dress up in a giant Pudsey costume! The students worked with Asda to run a Tombola with all proceeds going to the charity. The Tresham Students’ Union at Kettering had a busy week of activities. They held a “Pudsey Party” for over the lunch-time period including a best onesie competition, dancing to cheesy party and a large cake sale. Alongside this, and with thanks to Donna Grove’s Level 1 Beauty Therapy group, they were able to offer Pudsey Nail Art transfers as part of a nail makeover session.
Catch Bedford College Music students in the“Twisted Xmas” shows at the Beckett Studio Theatre at Bedford College on the 13 and 14 December.
PAY & DISPLAY UPGRADES Please be advised that the Pay and Display machines at Cauldwell campus will be upgraded during the Christmas break. The new machines will only accept card and contactless payment methods, and will be fully operational by the time the students return in January (8 January 2018). There will be no changes made to car parking tariffs. Further information will be communicated to the students via Moodle, Your Space online etc.; however could all teaching staff please ensure your students have been made aware.’ Thank you for your co-operation.
ARMISTICE DAY The Royal British Legion is asking the nation to ‘Rethink Remembrance’ by recognising the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces community, past and present. By wearing your poppy, you aren’t just remembering the fallen: you’re supporting a new generation of veterans and Service personnel that need our support. Students and staff took part in activities using their own Tutors’ experience and resources from The Royal British Legion. Shuttleworth College students past and present joined in the Old Warden Remembrance Day service this year, laying a wreath on behalf of the College. Old students travelled from Essex, Birmingham and Buckinghamshire to join current residential students in marking the Anniversary of the Armistice.
OPEN DAY RESULTS We had an excellent turn out for Open Day events in November: BEDFORD COLLEGE - 528 vs 448 in 2016 NC4M - 61 vs 67 in 2016 THE BEDFORD SIXTH FORM - 372 vs 317 in 2016 TRESHAM COLLEGE - 803 vs 621 in 2016 SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE - 133 vs 168 in 2016 December 2017
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PEOPLE NEWS WELCOME TO THE BEDFORD COLLEGE GROUP
LUCY JOHNSON Apprentice - Bedford College
CAMERON PARKES Lecturer - Bedford College
POPPY AMPHLETT Technician - Shuttleworth College
CAROL MEADOWS Head of MIS & Exams - Tresham College
ANNETTE NOAKES Learning Support Assistant Bedford College
SAMANTHA HARRIS Instructor - Bedford College
DAN HO Lecturer - Bedford College
SHAMSHIR SINGH Student Recruitment Adviser Bedford College
JONATHAN SOUTH Personal Tutor - Bedford College
BEVERLEY COSTELLO Learning Facilitator Bedford College CARMELINA GARLICK Work Placement Coordinator Bedford College GRACE HAWKINS Lecturer - Bedford College IAN MOAN Technician - Bedford College
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW POSITION MELANIE TEW Head of Human Resources The Bedford College Group
JAMES GREEN Site Maintenance Officer Bedford College
SORRY TO SEE YOU LEAVE
LEAH VECCHIO Student Recruitment Adviser Bedford College
ADAM HUGHES IT Support Analyst - Tresham College
LIZ MCWILLIAMS Customer Services Assistant Bedford College
Here are the current vacancies available across the Group. Visit the Staff Intranet to find out more information on how to apply. Lecturer in Travel & Tourism Based at Bedford College 37 hours per week/52 weeks per year Closing date: 10/12/2017 Learning Support Assistant Based at Kettering Campus 9am to 4pm x 4 days per week for 36 weeks per year (0.4737 of the FTE) Closing date: 08/01/2018
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KAREN EDWARDS Director of Human Resources Tresham College MARIA READ Learning Facilitator – Hospitality & Catering - Tresham College MICHAEL HUNTER Trainer/Assessor - Bedford College SCOTT MONTGOMERY Finance Apprentice - Tresham College
AMANDA DAY Learning Support Assistant (Personal Care) - Tresham College
CURRENT VACANCIES TEACHING VACANCIES:
JULIE TYLER Finance Co-ordinator - Tresham College
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES VACANCIES: Training Coordinator (Assessor) Carpentry & Bench Joinery Based at Corby Campus 20 hours per week over 2.5 days/ full year basis Closing date: 08/01/2018 Training Coordinator (Assessor) Carpentry & Bench Joinery Based at Bedford College 40 hours per week/52 weeks per year Closing date: 08/01/2018
Click here to visit the Staff Intranet where you can keep up to date with staff vacancies and cross-college news.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS 1 DECEMBER WORLD AIDS DAY
Knowing facts from myth helps reduce HIV-related stigma - see the FAQs www.nat.org.uk/weinform/FAQs%26-Myths?gclid=CJfUgY ys5dQCFcGT7Qod_qQMTQ
3 DECEMBER INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Not enough people know or interact with disabled people. Because of that they often don't know what to do. They panic, or worse, just avoid situations for fear of doing the wrong thing. ‘End the Awkward’: Scopes's campaign with tips and guides from disabled people on how to communicate with them and avoid awkward moments. www.scope.org.uk/awkward
10 DECEMBER HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
In 1948 The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: ‘All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms.’ Watch a short video clarifying questions such as: What are my human rights? What happens if they aren’t respected? www.bihr.org.uk/ childrenyoungpeople
RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS 1 DECEMBER The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Muslim - Sunni) 6 DECEMBER The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Muslim - Shi'a)
BOOKING A MEETING? The College is committed to providing an inclusive environment. Please can you ensure that you ask any attendees to let the organiser know if they have any access requirements (e.g. materials in an alternative format, BSL interpreter, wheelchair access, accessible car parking bay etc.) to enable them to participate fully in your meeting.
8 DECEMBER Bodhi Day (Buddhist) 13-20 DECEMBER Hanukkah (Jewish) 22 DECEMBER Winter Solstice/Yule (Pagan) 25 DECEMBER Christmas Day (Christian)
Tresham Studios
Tresham Studios, the college’s hair and beauty salons on the Kettering and Corby campuses, offer an extensive range of hair, beauty and complimentary treatments at very competitive prices. Daytime and evening appointments are available throughout term-time.
December 2017
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SPOTLIGHT ON... EQUINE
Left to right; Helen Doyle, Sian Bovell, Rachel Garner, Kate Sutton and Angie Webb.
WHAT DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT DO? We teach Level 2 and 3 students all aspects of horse care and provide them with the skills to go out into all areas of the industry or on to university. We also have a commercial side to the Equine unit as the majority of the horses are privately owned and we have them here on a working livery basis. We hire the indoor school out and regularly have carriage driving, dressage events, dog agility and hundreds of Shetland ponies competing here.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED? We are based at Shuttleworth College in Old Warden but the Mount Pleasant Equine unit is off site.
WHAT CHALLENGES WILL YOU BE FACING THIS YEAR? To keep the horses happy and healthy as they are one of our biggest resources. We are running under City & Guilds as an awarding body this year instead of BTEC, so we are facing a whole new structure with exams and assignments instead of assignment only (although the second years are obviously still running under BTEC). We will be using social media to help promote our courses and always trying to raise our numbers through open day activities.
WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS DID THE TEAM ACCOMPLISH LAST YEAR? We had another great year for Level 3 Equine Management enrolments. 16
December 2017
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? It is rewarding being able to teach about a subject so close to our hearts. We all have a mutual interest, although come from different experiences within the industry, which gives a balanced set of expertise, skills and knowledge within our team. We get to work with animals and students! Shuttleworth is such a beautiful place to work and the view we have every day from the Equine unit which is up on the hill across the road from the main site makes the current cold, bitter weather so very worth it.
ANY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOUR DEPARTMENT? Three of the staff members bizarrely all come from Norfolk. Kate Sutton is a qualified veterinary Physiotherapist.
Social media is a great way to raise awareness about our courses and student successes. Help us to help you by keeping your marketing team up to date with everything going on in your area. TOP CONTRIBUTOR THIS MONTH TO SOCIAL MEDIA SIAN BOVELL
WHAT ROLE DOES EACH TEAM MEMBER HAVE? ANGIE WEBB Lecturer, Shuttleworth College HELEN DOYLE Practical Instructor, Shuttleworth College KATE SUTTON Yard Manager and Lecturer, Shuttleworth College POPPY AMPHLETT Technician, Shuttleworth College RACHEL GARNER Course Manager, Shuttleworth College SIAN BOVELL Practical Instructor, Shuttleworth College