Bracknell & Wokingham College students spent two weeks in Kenya helping to renovate two primary schools.

The 19 learners, who study a range of A-level and vocational subjects including construction, health and social care, travel and tourism, childcare and uniformed public services, built a security fence and painted classrooms at one school, and rebuilt classroom walls and helped local students with their lessons at the other.

Uniformed public services student Esmee Sturges, 18, said: “At the end of the trip the look on all the children’s and teachers’ faces is something that I will never forget, they were so grateful for what we had done in their school. I am so glad I had the chance to take part in this experience.”

But it wasn’t all work: the students also saw Kenya’s beauty up close when they went on safari.

Featured image caption: Access to nursing and health professions student Kirsty Morton, 27, and travel and tourism student Susannah Jones, 17, put the local mud-based building techniques into action at the Jubilee Academy, Kenya

A Warrington Collegiate performing arts student impressed judges at a contemporary arts evening with a piece inspired by Australian dancer Lloyd Newson.

Zac Hancock, 17, from Orford, directed and performed Who? in the  main reception area — including the lift — of the town’s Pyramid centre.

Rachael Nelson, tutor and course leader for dance at Warrington Collegiate, said: “This set of pieces, delivered in unusual settings, rather than a conventional stage, is diverse, challenging and innovative. It demonstrates the creative talents of the students.

“The work was of university level . . .  the students surpassed what can be expected at advanced level.”

The mini-performances were judged by Janey Moran and Derek Dick, representing Warrington Culture, a charitable trust. The judges said they were impressed by Zac’s piece and his “clever use of movement and word”. They said it worked “extremely well” in the chosen setting.

Featured image caption: Performing arts students Joseph Connolly, 19 (back), and Zac Hancock, 17

A Holocaust survivor’s tale of how his family escaped Nazi Germany was at the heart of the build-up to Diversity Week at Canterbury College.

John Izbicki, 82, told about 50 students of his family’s survival through Kristallnacht (the night of broken glass) when Jewish premises throughout Germany, including his parents’ haberdashery shop, were attacked.

His family hid in the ruins of a torched synagogue and had a close call with a Gestapo officer who caught John’s father but decided to let him go. Eventually all the family members made it to the UK.

The former Telegraph journalist said the message he wanted to put across was “don’t let it happen again”.

A-level student Nikki Welch, 17, said: “It was really moving to hear stories about the war from somebody who was there.”

Classmate Tasha Sleeman, 18, said: “He encouraged us to think about the horrors of yesterday in order to make tomorrow better.”

Featured image caption: John Izbicki (centre) with Canterbury College students, from left: Steph Bailes, 17, Tasha Sleeman, 18, Ben Gardiner, 16, and Nikki Welch, 17

Yorkshire painting and decorating students brushed up their skills to give a hotel ballroom a makeover.

The level one, two and three learners from Doncaster College had four weeks to transform the Danum Hotel’s “old lady” to meet the deadline for prebooked wedding receptions.

Lecturer Neil Preskey said students got site experience and practised specialist skills. “Plus, we want to build relationships with the community and help local businesses so it was an excellent project to do,” he said.

The learners carried out all the work, from risk assessments, health and safety, through basic preparation to high level skills such as gold leafing.

They chose a ‘classic modern’ colour scheme of browns and off-whites.

Danum general manager Dawn McCabe said: “It looks wonderful and it’s given the ‘old lady’ extra life… so a massive thank you.”

Featured image caption: The Danum Hotel ballroom after its month-long makeover

Souks, snow and the Sahara were all part of a six-day Moroccan adventure for geography students from Hampshire.

The 23 A-level students from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College went camel trekking, slept in a nomad’s tent, ate a traditional feast under the stars, and visited the snow-capped Atlas mountains and  movie-location town of Ouarzazate.

Student Alex Ross, 17, said: “You’re in the desert on Tuesday and by Thursday you’re high in the Atlas mountains with snow around you.  The variety in the landscape is incredible and getting to see so much of it was awesome.”

The trip started and ended in Marrakesh, allowing students to explore the city.

Natalie Horsfall, 16, said:  “It was unbelievable to experience a new culture and country the way that we did. Not many people can say they rode a camel in the Sahara Desert and slept there. It was mind-blowing.”

Featured image caption: Barton Peveril A-level geography students in Marrakesh

Young designers in Cheshire raised eyebrows and money for charity when their work was shown at their college’s annual catwalk show.

Volunteer models wore creations by A-level textile and BTec art and design students at Priestley College, with all entry fees donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the college’s education fund.

Tutor Emma Lingard said: “All the pieces were experimental, but we encourage that at this stage because it is a good time for the students to be learning about materials and different techniques.”

Inspired by themes such as memories, organic structures, the urban environment, architecture and recycling, students used traditional methods and materials alongside some more unusual ones such as plastic, wood, wire and paper.

At the end of the show, Sian Day of the Teenage Cancer Trust talked about its work to build specialist hospital units for young people with cancer.

Featured image caption: Volunteer models, back row, from left: Hannah Broadbent, 16, Gemma Irvine, 18, Natalie Hassall, Lauren Muir, both 17 and Alicia Blackwell Edwards, 19. Front row: Alan Dodd, Lloyd Jones, both 17 , Dominic Saulte, Joe Thomas, both 18

Weston College music goes live next month when concerts, instrument lessons and music-mixing software tutorials are available for streaming between 4 and 4.30pm on Wednesdays.

Music curriculum manager Paul Raymond said: “Anyone can watch these free via www.musiccollege.tv, and, through Facebook and Twitter, they can make the whole experience interactive, ask questions, make comments and give feedback.”

He added: “We really believe that this is a step forward in educational opportunities and puts Weston at the cutting edge.”

The live lessons follow a performance last month at St George’s concert hall, Bristol, in which Weston students Bozanne Bozie, 16, Patrick Lim, 17, and Rosie Southern , 18, performed their own songs, accompanied by a professional string quartet.  The concert was filmed and streamed live last month by students from the college’s film and media departments.

Featured image caption: Weston College student Bozanne Bozie will be performing her own songs during live web broadcasts

A Newham College men’s football team beat 15 schools, universities and colleges to get to the national final of a student  competition.

Newham beat Hertswood Academy 4-3 to win the Southern England Student Sports Association football plate final at Essex’s Ford Sports and Social Club.

The college’s FE sports co-ordinator, Liana Mathurin-Brown, said the team’s success was due to Erskine Smith, a coach from the Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy, and a former college worker.

“Since moving on from the college, Erskine has continued to give up his time for training and matches,” she said.

“He’s always on hand when players need advice.”

Featured image caption: Newham College footballers and coach celebrate their after their knock-out competition win

Textiles students in Somerset learned high-level techniques in a master class on pattern cutting from designer Julian Roberts.

The 85 learners on Strode College A-level textiles, art foundation and BTec art and design courses heard about Julian’s pioneering, no-waste pattern cutting technique, and then had a chance to try the method out for themselves.

College textiles course leader Sue Green, who organised the event, said: “It’s important to challenge our students to think creatively and to develop their own work in new and innovative directions.

“Working with a professional designer like Julian Roberts gave them a great opportunity to build on their skills, knowledge and confidence.”

Some of the students’ dresses made using Julian’s techniques will be on display at an end-of-year catwalk show in June.

Featured image caption: Molly Clark, 17, from Martock,  in the dress she made in Julian Robert’s workshop