South Cheshire College’s first ever teaching assistant apprentice impressed St Oswald’s Worleston Church of England Primary School so much that she landed a permanent job.

Charlotte Barber completed the supporting teaching and learning level three apprenticeship in September, after spending an academic year working four days a-week at the school and studying at the college for a day each week.

The school has now taken her on as a full-time teaching assistant.

Charlotte said: “After finishing my A-levels, I decided that I didn’t want to go to university and I saw this apprenticeship which appealed to me. I definitely made the right choice. The apprenticeship has given me so many new skills. I’ve provided maths support to the children and I’ve been involved with lots of different classroom activities.”

St Oswald’s acting deputy head teacher Tamsyn Bradley said: “We are delighted to be able to offer her a teaching assistant post. We have also recommended the apprenticeship to other primary schools because it has been so successful for us.”

Charlotte was the college’s first and only teaching assistant apprentice last academic year and 10 more have enrolled on the course since September.

 

Picture caption: from left: Annabelle Wilkinson, aged 5, Charlotte Barber, and Amy Best, 4

Poster designs created by Hartlepool College of FE learner Andrew Gibson will be used for a national campaign to promote the new Mini Cooper five-door.

A number of of foundation degree design for creative industry students were challenged by Mini UK to come up with poster ideas and Mini-themed gifts to promote the new model. Their gift ideas comprised of Mini adventure smart phone apps, treasure hunts and interactive posters.

Posters designed by learner Andrew Gibson, aged 20, which featured slogans such as ‘More adventurous than that guy with the hat and the whip’ and ‘More space inside than a time travelling police box’, impressed the car manufacturer’s bosses so much that they will be used as part of a national advertising campaign.

Andrew said: “I’m humbled and honoured to have been selected as the winning designer and can’t wait to see my artwork in a live digital and printed campaign.”

Project leader and design lecturer Michael Thompson said: “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for students, working with such a high profile client like Mini UK, an opportunity which most commercial creative agencies would envy.

“Andrew followed a more quirky concept with his campaign ideas, which work well with the Mini brand.”

 

Picture caption: Hartlepool College principal Darren Hankey and Mini brand manager Billy Upton (front row left and right) with students by a new Mini Cooper five-door

More than 250 learners received certificates at the South Essex-based Central Training Group awards night.

The independent learning provider, which teaches hairdressing, graphic design and business courses, held the ceremony at the Arlington Function Suite and Ballroom, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Certificates were handed to high achieving learners — including 95 on level two and three National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ) courses and 169 level two and three apprentices.

Chair Martin Kolton MBE said: “We are thrilled by the success of all our students. Their achievements are the result of the hard work and commitments they have shown during their time as leaners. Their qualifications will allow them to enjoy a wealth of opportunities and go on to fulfil their aspirations.”

Picture Caption: Central Training Group learners with their certificates

Multi-million record-selling band Scouting For Girls opened South Essex College’s new £45m Thurrock campus.

The college, which already had campuses in Southend and Basildon, put on a concert on Tuesday (November 4) to celebrate the launch.

The concert also featured student bands Different People, Twenty One and Such Strange Arts.

Tickets to the free event were snapped up by students, staff and members of the local community who were also treated to a hog roast and barbecue by hospitality learners.

As well performing a gig, members of Scouting for Girls pushed a plunger to start a spectacular light show at the end of the evening.

Level three performing arts student Mica Pengelly, aged 17, said: “We’ve had a great night.

“The food was delicious and I was so excited to see Scouting for Girls perform.”

The new campus features specialist engineering and construction workshops, hair and beauty salons and classrooms for technology, media and creative arts courses. There is also a restaurant and coffee shop.

Principal Angela O’Donoghue said: “The event was a great way of getting the local community involved. The bands were fantastic and the hospitality students surpassed themselves.”

Scouting For Girls have sold more than two million records and hit number one in the UK charts in 2010 with their single This Ain’t a love Song.

 

Picture caption: Scouting for Girls performing at South Essex College’s new Thurrock campus

A run-down village primary school in the Peak District was redecorated by hard-working painting and decorating students from Buxton & Leek College, writes Paul Offord.

Tiny St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School was looking well past its best, but budgets wouldn’t stretch to hiring a professional decorator.

But its fortunes took a turn for the better following a chance conversation between Buxton & Leek College construction co-ordinator Jo McKechnie and bus driver Sam Garlick.

Mr Garlick drives college staff and learners from its Leek campus, in Staffordshire, to the Skillsbase Centre in Buxton, Derbyshire, where practical training takes place.

He told Mrs McKechnie during one of the journeys about the sorry appearance of the interior at the school in Longnor, Staffordshire, where his wife, Janet, works as receptionist.

She contacted the school, which was established in 1872 and only has nine pupils, to offer the services of level one painting and decorating students.

A team of four learners spent three days during the October half-term break painting all the school’s interior doors in St Bartholomew’s uniform burgundy colour and the walls of the corridors and head teacher Anne Collins’s office magnolia.

“They also painted skirting throughout the school and office ceiling white.

Liam Bonsall, aged 16, said: “It was all dusty and pretty scruffy looking when we started and definitely needed repainting.

“We enjoyed doing it.

“I thought the school looked really good when we finished, which made me proud.”

Destiny Tatton, 18, said: “I was a bit nervous when I first saw all the work that needed doing there.

“It was hard work and we worked 9am to 4pm every day. It was the first time I have worked full-time like that. I like decorating and find painting very relaxing.

“We had to fill the cracks in the walls in with filler and sand it down before painting over the top.

“We spoke to the school receptionist while we were working and she thanked us at the end.”

Fellow students Jonathon Clowes, 16, and Georgia Wakefield, 17, completed the team of student decorators.

Mrs McKechnie said: “We were very happy to help. This is only the second [academic] year that we have taught painting and decorating and the school was our first community project.

“These students had only been coming to college for seven weeks when they started the project and they have worked really hard and done exceptionally well.

“I also helped out along with their tutor, David Percival.

“It’s nice that it all came about from my chance conversation with our bus driver, who told us the school looked pretty shabby and needed redecorating.

“We plan to get some of our level two painting and decorating students to paint the school’s three classrooms later this year.”

The learners will round off the project before Christmas by creating a giant mural in the school’s entrance lobby, which will include a tree that St Bartholomew’s pupils will add to using their handprints to make leaves and by signing their name alongside it.

Mrs Collins said: “This was a wonderful opportunity for the college and school to work collaboratively.

“I am delighted that the children will have such a beautiful new learning environment and at the same time the college students are getting a real and valuable learning experience too.

“This collaboration enriches us all.”

Picture caption: from left: Student Johnathan Clowes, construction co-ordinator Jo McKechnie and student Destiny Tatton and Liam Bonsall

Art and design students from Lancashire-based Nelson and Colne College proved they were cut out for the fashion industry by creating stylish outfits that they modelled on the catwalk.

The group of 18 level two and three learners were photographed during the fashion show at Colne Golf Club by level three extended diploma art and design students studying photography and media as a part of their course.

Their hair and make-up was done by level two hairdressing and beauty therapy students.

Joanne Hadcroft, curriculum leader for art and design, introduced each student on to the catwalk with a short explanation of the techniques and inspiration behind each garment.

She said: “The show was flawless and the students performed admirably.

“We’re all very proud of everyone who took part.”

The event raised more than £800 for the Stand Up to Cancer charity.

Art and design student Amelia Ward, who created and modelled an outfit inspired by changing weather patterns, said: “I enjoyed taking part as I have lost a few people to cancer. I really liked showing the garments I have made to the public as they are very different to the clothes modelled by the fashion shops.”

 

Picture caption: Student Amelia Ward, aged 17

Barking and Dagenham College students helped produce 20,000 bottles of strawberryade for charity.

A group of 10 level two hospitality learners picked more than 20 kilos of fresh strawberries from Growing Communities Starter Farm, in Dagenham, before freezing and transporting them to drinks production firm Square Root, in Hackney, to be made into strawberryade.

The drinks are now on sale at the college. They cost £1.50 each and feature pictures of students with the strawberries on the bottles. Profits from their sale will go to the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Learner Jaye Cooney, aged 18, said: “Getting to produce our own strawberryade was such a good experience. You don’t normally get the chance to do something like this. That’s why I think Barking and Dagenham College is great — you get experiences you wouldn’t find elsewhere.”

 

Picture Caption: Jaye Cooney with a bottle strawberryade. Inset: A number of bottles of the strawberryade on display at the college