Richmond upon Thames College recently held a very successful Work and Training Fair for students nearing the end of their first year at college.
Local employers, training providers and volunteering organisations were represented, including John Lewis (Kingston branch), Way to Work and the Richmond upon Thames Volunteer Centre. The Fair was organised by the college’s careers staff to give students a flavour of the employment and training opportunities available to them when they leave college. In addition to this, volunteering organisations were represented to promote the value of volunteering in terms of personal development and future employment.
All those involved in the event felt it was a very valuable day. The Principal of the College, David Ansell, said “the fair is an excellent means of putting our students in touch with the world of work. I am most grateful to employers and others for giving up their time to come to the college, and was delighted to see the large number of students taking advantage of a great opportunity to inform themselves about their next steps into the future.”
On Wednesday 2nd March RuTC hosted a girl’s 5-a-side football tournament at Heatham House. Teams were invited from across South West London and included St Charles, Merton and Carshalton. The tournament was played as a round robin with every team playing each other once. RuTC played superbly and won all of their games, beating Carshalton 4 - 0, Merton 4 - 1 and St Charles 1 - 0. Carshalton finished in fourth place with Merton in third. St Charles ended up second in the table after winning two matches and losing one and played RuTC in the grand final. The match was very even with both sides playing some great football. RuTC ended the match victorious with a cracking goal in the final few minutes, scored by Becky Rainford, which left her hobbling off the pitch with a twisted ankle. It was a great afternoon with the sun shining and all the players enjoyed themselves. The tournament was finished off with a mass friendly involving staff and students from Merton and RuTC.
This week Richmond upon Thames College hosted the launch of ‘Take a Stand’ an exhibition run by The Anne Frank Trust.
The launch was attended by Governors, staff and students from the college, as well as representatives from the Anne Frank Trust. After an opening speech from Richmond upon Thames College Principal, David Ansell, students entertained the crowd by reading poetry, singing and playing music.
The exhibition will look at inspirational historical figures such as Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, each of whom embody the positive message that each of us can change the world, or in Anne Frank’s words, “Nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world”.
Richmond upon Thames College students will be submitting material such as poems to be included as part of the exhibition and will also be acting as peer guides, providing detailed tours of the exhibition to fellow students and staff. The exhibition will also look at contemporary inspirational young people, including winners of the prestigious Philip Lawrence Awards. The aim is to inspire and empower young people to stand up for their beliefs and make positive changes through active citizenship. The content has been designed by the young volunteers who work with The Anne Frank Trust and the exhibition will tour the UK following its launch at Richmond upon Thames College.
Members of the Anne Frank Trust with RuTC student guides
RuTC students enjoying the exhibition
Ilana Winterstein, an ex RuTC student who now works at the Anne Frank Trust, and Lucy Glennon, Head of Education at the trust, welcome guests to the event
Two students from RuTC, Tukiya Mutupa and Frankie Shrieves, were invited by the London Assembly to City Hall for a reception to celebrate Grass Root Volunteers. The event was at the top of the building with spectacular views of London. Guest speaker Rowley Douglas, who won a Sliver Medal at the Sydney Olympics, entertained the attendees.
16 students attended the annual ‘Dare2Dance’ event at South Thames College. The day is designed to empower the students and to try out different hip hop dance styles. The instructors are all professional dancers and dance from companies such as Unity (who competed on Got to Dance) and Boy Blue. One of the teachers is also currently in Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ in the west end. The students spent the afternoon participating in workshops including popping, hip hop and hype. They then watched the professionals perform, had a presentation on the history of hip hop and finished with a Q and A session.
Dare2Dance offers free dance classes for students aged 14 – 19 and holds a yearly competition in the summer.
The college has also appointed a 2012 ambassador to be part of the 2012 Committee which is run from Twickenham Academy. The committee, made up of students from all the secondary schools in Richmond, meet regularly and are tasked with raising awareness and excitement of the Olympic Games within their school or college. Molly Riglin was chosen to be the college’s ambassador. She has already met with a number of the college’s gifted and talented athletes, who compete internationally in their chosen sport and interviewed them for a series of articles for the college magazine in March.
Three Richmond upon Thames College athletes attended the last Richmond 2012 meeting at Twickenham Academy to talk to the committee about their experiences, career highlights and training. The students, Ainsley Campbell (sprinting – 400m), Felix Samuels (swimming) and Bianca Williams (sprinting – 100 and 200m), all compete internationally in their sport and hope to be a part of Rio 2016.
Felix with members of the committee
Ainsley, Felix and Bianca with Grey Court students
Last week three students from Richmond upon Thames College took part in the Middlesex Schools U19 Cross Country Championships, which were held at Harrow School.
Molly Riglin, who came to the college from Orleans Park School to study A Levels, was the first student from the college to win a race at the event. The girls’ race was over 3430m and she won by 1 minute, beating 27 other girls which is an amazing achievement. The first six finishers in the race automatically qualify to represent Middlesex Schools in the English Schools Championships in Nottingham on 19th March.
Ross Franks and Adam Villard entered the boys’ race, running 5420m. Ross came 4th and Adam 11th. Ross, an ex Orleans Park School student, also qualifies to represent Middlesex Schools at the Championships in Nottingham. Adam, who came to the college from Hampton Academy, may go to the Championships as a reserve.
All three students were part of a Richmond team that finished 2nd overall out of 8 boroughs.
Earlier this month Richmond upon Thames College celebrated Apprenticeship Week with a variety of events designed to promote apprenticeships to prospective students and employers.
The Training Solutions team at Richmond upon Thames College held a “Skills Summit”, where local stakeholders were invited to discuss future skills needs for both employers and apprentices. They also attended an event at Brentford Community Sports Trust with Mary McLeod, Conservative MP for Brentford and Isleworth. College staff also attended a pan London recruitment fair at Wembley Stadium for 16-19 year olds. The event aimed to make young people aware of the opportunities available to them either through further study or through training and apprenticeships.
Amanda Brade and Julie Davies, two members of the Training Solutions team, also dressed up as trades people to promote the college’s apprenticeships and handed out information in Twickenham High Street.
Richmond upon Thames College currently has over 100 apprentices studying sport, IT, customer service and construction crafts. In 2010 the success rate for students studying apprenticeships was 92%.
Oscar Singh, an ex Twickenham Academy student who is a customer service apprentice working as a sales administrator at an IT company, Northern Star, says “I chose an Apprenticeship because I wanted to get qualifications and work at the same time to gain experience. I would recommend it because it improves your CV and you gain new skills and qualifications in the sector you want to work in.”
Apprenticeships not only benefit students, they are also invaluable to the companies they join. Sarah Cleland-Smith, Director of fitness training consultancy, motive8, said “Our last apprentice exceeded all expectations, including going on to win an award for his achievements whilst at motive8”.
Julie Davies and Amanda Brade promoting apprenticeships
Oscar Singh, who is studying an Apprenticeship in Customer Service
Craig Brown, a Sport and Recreation apprentice, with Mary McLeod, MP for Brentford and Isleworth
As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2011, Diana Holden, Skills Development Advisor and Craig Brown, who is studying a Sport and Recreation Apprenticeship at RuTC, went to Brentford Football Club to meet with Mary McLeod, the MP for Brentford to promote apprenticeships. Also there were Martyn Hall, Quality Assurance and Community Development Manager and Fiesel Bacchus from the National Skills Academy.
IB students organised a cake sale at the end of autumn term. The fundraising event raised £327.19 for Medecins Sans Frontieres, an international medical and humanitarian aid organisation. Well done!
Some of the students at the cake sale
With the cheque to send to Medecins Sans Frontieres
International Baccalaureate students have continued to volunteer in Crane Park for FORCE (Friends of the River Crane Environment) and the Richmond Environment Trust, helping them improve the park for the community. More volunteering takes place this term.
In January the supported learning department received an eminent visitor from Hong Kong who came to see their provision through a recommendation from the University of Cambridge. Miss Kuk is a Curriculum Development Officer for students with intellectual disabilities under the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Government. They had a tour of the department and lunch in the Apple Tree Café with David Ansell and Ivan Pryce, Head of Strathmore School.
RuTC Principal David Ansell pictured with our visitors and Ivan Pryce, Head of Strathmore School
Earlier this week students from Richmond upon Thames College attended a talk on applying to Oxford and Cambridge by Mark Damazer, Master of St Peter’s College, Oxford.
The idea was to encourage students to apply to Oxbridge colleges and for them not to be put off by the thought that they could never be accepted, for reasons of wealth, ethnicity or social class. Over 200 eager first year students attended and the talk was followed by a series of questions ranging from subject combinations to extra curricular activities.
Mark Damazer graduated from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge after gaining a Double Starred First in 1977. He then studied at Harvard University before training at ITN. He became the Controller of Radio 4 and BBC 7 in 2004 and is a Fellow of The Radio Academy. He was awarded a CBE in the New Years Honours List in January 2011 for services to broadcasting.
Peter Jones, multi media lecturer at the college who organised the talk, said “I met Mark at an event last October at St Peter’s College, Oxford, of which he is the recently appointed Master. When I told him many of my students felt Oxford wasn’t for them, and wouldn’t even bother applying, he immediately offered to come and talk to them. So I was very pleased there was a full house today.” Peter added, “Mark told me afterwards that he was hugely impressed by the quality of the questions he was asked, and felt it had been a very worthwhile visit.”
10 AS and A Level Italian students visited Royal Holloway, University of London in January for their annual ‘Italian Day’. The study day was organised especially for the RuTC students by the Italian Department as an exchange between the two institutions. Students took part in Advanced Italian classes and a workshop with the university students, as well as going on a tour.
At the end of January 2011, as part of their enrichment activity, Richmond upon Thames College students put on their own production in the college’s theatre of Anthony Horowitz’s thought provoking play ‘A Handbag’.
The play is a haunting comedy about a group of young people rehearsing a performance of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ exploring crime and punishment and whether there is a group of society beyond redemption.
The play was directed by Laurie Crean, an ex Orleans Park student who is studying A Levels at the college and was produced by Sarah Bodenham, who is also studying A Levels. In addition to her role as producer, Sarah played Rose, a confused, sensitive and highly dysfunctional character. Students from across the college came together to put on the performance; ranging from those studying production arts courses who helped with the sound and lighting to A Level students and BTEC Diploma Acting students who acted and helped with the wardrobe. All their performances were highly entertaining and heartbreakingly convincing.
The play opened for two nights only to an appreciative audience. On the night of the second performance there was a curtain raiser by another enrichment group, the Youth Dance Company, who performed an impressive urban dance routine.
At the end of last term students from Richmond upon Thames College’s Youth Dance Company were selected to be part of the ROAR event at Sadler’s Wells.
The event, held in Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis studio, involved eight emerging youth dance companies from across London. It was a selective event, each company had to complete an application and the final eight were decided by the Sadler's Wells Youth Committee and Team. The Youth Dance Company, made up of cross college students, was the first company from the Richmond area to ever be chosen in the history of the event.
ROAR provided the students with an opportunity to spend the day at Sadler's Wells, taking part in workshops before performing in the evening. The students arrived in the morning and were pleased to discover that they had a dressing room for the day with lights around the mirrors! One of the workshops that the girls took part in was with a dancer from Matthew Bourne’s company, New Adventures, who led a session on the Cinderella production, which is on for the Christmas period at Sadler's Wells.
The performance was attended by family members from all the companies. The groups taking part performed varying styles from contemporary to street. Ella Donaldson, an ex Waldegrave School for Girls student who is studying A Levels at the College, said “I found it to be a very unique experience, being able to perform our own work at such a prestigious and well known centre for dance. For all of us the final performance was an exhilarating, exciting experience, in which everyone performed with great energy, character and skill.”
Eve Kekeh, another ex Waldegrave student, commented "dancing at Sadler's Wells was an amazing experience. The workshops helped us bond as a team as well as giving us the opportunity to collaborate with other dance groups and learn from experienced professional dancers. The performance was definitely the highlight of the day. We'd worked so hard on choreographing the piece and it was great to be able to showcase it at such a prestigious venue."
Hannah Ross-Tatam, Further Education Sports Co-ordinator at the college, said “the students were great, brilliant ambassadors for the college. They really stepped up their game and performed fantastically on the night despite having quite a short time for them to learn the dance. They choreographed the whole dance themselves which they should be extremely proud of as they were the only group who did.”
Former Richmond upon Thames College student and ex Waldegrave School for Girls student, Emily Antoniades, has been awarded a prestigious Founder’s Scholarship for undergraduate study at Royal Holloway University.
Founder’s scholarships are worth £3,500 a year and are offered to outstanding students who achieve 360 UCAS points and over (equivalent to 3 grade As at A Level). Students have to apply in order to be considered and it is highly competitive, with a maximum of 10 being given a year. The selection is made by a panel and the scholarships are awarded to the top ranked applicants according to a series of measures of academic excellence.
Emily left Richmond upon Thames College in the summer of 2010 with 540 UCAS points to study Music at Royal Holloway and was the top scoring student from Waldegrave School for Girls in her year. She gained an A* in A Level English Language and Literature, A grades in A Level Mathematics and Music along with a B grade in A Level Further Mathematics. She also gained an A grade in Psychology AS Level. Whilst at college, Emily also took part in Chamber Music Group and Choir. Emily would like to become a teacher.
Last week Richmond upon Thames College held its annual ‘Health Week’ to encourage students to think about their health and welfare, with the message ‘Your safety, your health’.
A series of events were held across the week, including a Health Fair and a stall to promote World Aids Day. Lots of companies had stalls at the Fair, including St John's Ambulance, Anthony Nolan Trust, SHAKA (a sexual health organisation), Amnesty International and the blood and dental services.
For World Aids Day the Student Union set up a stall to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. They also made hats from empty condom packets and ran a campaign called 'whatever your style, put one on'. Students who visited the stall had the chance to pose with the hats and have their photo taken as well as finding out information on the disease. These photos are displayed in Skylights, a recreational area of the college, to continue to raise awareness. The students were raising money for the National AIDS Trust. This was run in conjunction with the launch of the C-Card scheme, which allows students to exchange a key fob for free condoms, encouraging safe sex.
Donna Nicholas, RuTC College Nurse, said “the activities we put on were well received with good student attendance at the Health Fair and participation on World Aids Day.”
The annual school uniform day, facilitated by the Youth Team and the Student Union (SU) took place in September. Students come to college dressed up in school uniform, usually with a funky twist! All participating students had their photos taken and a winner was announced a few days later, judged by the SU. This year's winners were Hanna Merzouk in 1st place, Nadine Nwandu in 2nd, and Ahkeem McCoy-Neil in 3rd who are all studying A Levels at the college.
Anti Bullying Week
As part of Anti Bullying Week 2010, the SU set up an information stand to create awareness on who students should contact in college if they felt they were being bullied. The students also donated £55.71 to Kidscape, a children’s charity whose aim is to keep children safe from abuse. Students also took part in ‘Dress as a Superhero Day’ in order to highlight the issue of 'bystanders' in bullying. There was a prize for the best dressed, and this year’s winners were Frankie Shrieves, in his second year of studying A Levels and Nana Adomah, a first year A Level student.
Members of the Student Union on the information stand
A total of £55.71 was donated by RuTC students and staff to Kidscape
Some of the 'Superhero for a Day' entrants
The winners!
Spirituality Week
The college held its annual ‘Spirituality Week’ in November. The Spirituality Fair consisted of representatives from college clubs and societies as well as several external organisations representing their faiths, and views on faith-based issues. Stands included the Islamic Society, Hari Krishna, Humanists, Amnesty International, Christian Union, Christian Aid, The Metropolitan Police and the Student Union. Debates and talks were also organised which all students could attend. As part of Spirituality Week, Songololo Feet, an African arts company who aims to develop cultural and environmental awareness through art, came in to run a fabric painting and printing workshop. It was well attended and students produced some great art that reflected their identities.
Earlier this month nine International Baccalaureate Diploma students from Richmond upon Thames College gave up a Sunday to help FORCE (Friends of River Crane Environment) with the upkeep of Crane Park on their monthly volunteering day.
The students' voluntary work is part of their International Baccalaureate CAS programme (Creativity, Action and Service), which includes voluntary work and service to the Community. Richmond upon Thames College is keen to establish a link with local Environmental groups and see students involved in local projects, especially in Crane Park, which is located next to the College. Last year the International Baccalaureate students held a charity walk through Crane Park which raised £717 for FORCE and the Uganda Schools Trust.
The nine students worked on the hedges, planting, filling in gaps and mulching the base. Elle McGlynn, an ex Waldegrave School for Girls pupil who is a second year International Baccalaureate student, said “Despite the miserable November weather we were all in good spirits and ready to help work on the wetland scrapes in Crane Park. We scraped back the hedgerows and helped wheelbarrow materials back and forth. There was a great team spirit and everyone got stuck in. We also got an insight into the work that is done in Crane Park and the progress that has been made on the new wetland scrapes. It was a fantastic morning filled with hard work and giggles.”
Two other second year students, Thomas Connolly from Teddington School and Michael Dryja from Cardinal Vaughan School, also volunteered with the Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames this month to clean up rubbish from the river bed on the Twickenham Embankment.
The students get stuck in at Crane Park
The IB students who took part
Thomas Connelly and Michael Dryja cleaning the river bank
Richmond college students help to inspire young business minds
Posted: 25/11/2010
Earlier this month students from Richmond upon Thames College became business ‘mentors’ for one of the borough’s local primary schools as part of the global campaign ‘Global Entrepreneurship Week’.
The six students, who are all studying Applied Business A level courses at the college, went into St Mary’s Primary School, Twickenham to set their year 5s an ‘Enterprise Challenge’ in partnership with Covent Garden London and the South West London Enterprise Learning Partnership.
The school pupils were split into teams of 6 and asked to design a new stall for Covent Garden to attract new and high spending customers, bearing in mind their market, budget and the space available to them. They had to produce, with the help of the business mentors, a 5 minute presentation on their idea along with advertising for London buses, a picture of their stall and suggested prices.
The presentations were judged by their teachers and the Richmond upon Thames College business mentors and the winning team will go on to represent Richmond borough at the event in Covent Garden on the 30th November. There were a variety of ideas, from Christmas goods to joke tourist gifts but the winning team was ‘Step into the Box’ whose stall was based around selling collectible sand ornaments.
John White, Employer Liaison Assistant at RuTC, said “Everyone at St Mary’s School was extremely welcoming and helpful and the pupils were a joy to work with due to their enthusiasm, ideas and humour. It was a great experience for the college’s students to be involved in this challenge and get involved with a local school.”
As part of their mentoring the St Mary’s pupils also visited Richmond upon Thames College for a brainstorming session and a practice run of their presentation. Unfortunately, the team did not win at the event on the 30th November.
The winning team 'Step into the Box' with the RuTC students
Local student scoops big award in House of Lords ceremony
Posted: 22/11/2010
A local student, who attended Richmond upon Thames College, has been presented with a highly sought after Helena Kennedy Foundation award in a ceremony at the House of Lords. Aaron Tomkins received his award from human rights lawyer and peer Baroness Helena Kennedy QC in recognition of his achievements in reaching higher education.
The Helena Kennedy Foundation supports students who face serious disadvantage, studying at Further Education colleges, to access higher education through bursaries, mentoring and work placements to support their ongoing success in education.
He will receive a £1500 bursary to support their costs while studying at university and have access to mentoring and work shadowing opportunities.
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, President of the Foundation, said:
“I am delighted to have presented Aaron with one of our awards in recognition of his huge achievements in reaching university against the odds. Each student who receives an award has been selected because they are special and have shown real talent and determination.”
Wes Streeting, Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, said:
“Making the leap from college to university can be a big step and we know there are so many talented people out there who have the ability to succeed in higher education, but still miss out on the opportunity. Our Foundation works with colleges across the UK to support students to overcome real disadvantage to ensure that the doors of our universities are genuinely open to all with the ability. Richmond upon Thames College should be justifiably proud of the talented student they have produced and we look forward to working with Aaron to help him get the most out of studying at university.”
Jane Weake, Divisional Director of Progression and Liaison at Richmond upon Thames College, said, “The College supports students from a wide range of backgrounds with their applications to higher education. With the variety of courses on offer at the College, students are able to progress to a range of universities across the country. The College Careers Service and Personal Tutors work closely to provide students with the necessary support they need in order to make a smooth and successful transition to higher education.”
Richmond upon Thames College celebrates business success with “Training for Growth” event Local employer highlights value of College training to support business development
Posted: 11/11/2010
On Wednesday 10th November 2010 Richmond upon Thames College celebrated the vital role that colleges play in helping businesses to survive and grow despite the recession by investing in staff training by sponsoring an event for local businesses.
The ‘Apprenticeship Skills Surgery’ event was held at Richmond upon Thames College’s Merits Training Restaurant and all the catering for the event was provided by the college’s catering students who are studying for their vocational qualifications.
The event, which was organised through the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, aimed to give local businesses free consultative advice on apprenticeships and skills and training opportunities.It was part of a national “Training for Business Growth” campaign held during Colleges Week 2010 to demonstrate the value that College training provides to UK companies – in particular training that happens on-site and is delivered to small to medium sized businesses.It offered help and advice on taking on apprentices – local training providers were on hand to advise employers and the National Apprenticeship Service held workshops on apprentices for small businesses.
Welcoming guests to the event, Richmond upon Thames College Enterprise and Skills Manager David Warnes, said: “This event is an excellent opportunity to showcase the wealth of high quality, cost effective and flexible courses available to employers and demonstrate that Colleges are uniquely placed to offer affordable, effective training which fits around the needs of businesses.”
“While most big businesses are already turning to Colleges as the best place to train their staff, uptake among SMEs is low. Research indicates that Colleges suffer from out-of-date, negative perceptions that training is neither work-based nor SME-friendly, but the success of apprenticeships demonstrates that this is far from the reality.”
Anna Byers, Employer Services Manager from the National Apprenticeship Service, who was the guest speaker, commented, “Colleges play a vital role in building Britain’s future, providing a huge range of opportunities for individuals and businesses to build world class skills to strengthen our economy and remain competitive.”
She added, “This event has been an excellent way of highlighting how Apprenticeships can work in practice for companies in this area, and I hope it will inspire other local employers to make use of the resources provided by Richmond upon Thames College to drive their businesses forward.”
RuTC Enterprise and Skills Manager David Warnes with Anna Byers and Fiesel Bacchus from the National Apprenticeship Service and Amanda Brade, an ex RuTC Apprentice who is a full time member of staff
High scoring student at Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 12/10/2010
Richmond upon Thames College student Phoebe Lindsley has been confirmed as one of the top scoring students in her A Level History of Art exam by the Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment, awarding body.
Phoebe achieved an A* in her A Level and was ranked 2nd in the summer 2010 examinations, which is a phenomenal achievement.Phoebe came to Richmond upon Thames College from Coombe School and studied AS/A2 levels in History, Classical Civilisations, History of Art and Mathematics.She achieved two A* grades and two A grades.
Phoebe is currently on a gap year working at the Victoria and Albert Museum in their Prints and Drawings Department and is applying to read history of art at university for next year.She also plans to travel and study history of art for three months at the University of Florence, Italy.
Phoebe said “I genuinely loved doing history of art at Richmond upon Thames College, in such a small department with really limited resources the teachers were passionate about the subject, dedicated to their students, prepared us well for the exam but also I believe instilled in me a new appreciation and understanding of art.”She added, “They helped me not only to get good grades but to think outside the syllabus, discover things for myself and make connections with ideas, movements and disciplines far beyond what was called for! I believe Richmond excels at providing these courses!”
The Training Solutions Team at Richmond upon Thames College held a Coffee Morning on Friday 24th September in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning Appeal. It was well attended by members of staff from different departments of the college who enjoyed homemade cakes and biscuits. Amanda Brade commented "after the success of last year’s Big Coffee Morning, Llinos Morris once again encouraged us to put on our pinnys and get baking! This year was an even greater success." The total amount raised was £245.03, more than double what was raised last year, all of which has been gift aided.
The Training Solutions team with some of the home made cakes on offer
As the new academic year gets underway, students at Richmond upon Thames College enjoyed visiting the College’s annual Freshers Fair.This event took place on Tuesday 21st September and students were able to sign up for a variety of enrichments, from languages to philosophy and sport to TV production. The event was a huge success with record levels of interest. Over 200 students signed up for the Duke of Edinburgh Award and 100 students want to participate in Young Enterprise, a business scheme run by the College. There were also new courses on offer, such as art courses and Pod casting.
For the second year running, Richmond upon Thames College hosted an Awards Evening to celebrate the successes and achievements of its students over the past 12 months.
The event took place on Tuesday 14 September at the RFU Twickenham Stadium and around 250 people enjoyed the celebrations.Guests included governors, staff and students from Richmond upon Thames College along with representatives from local secondary schools, South West Trains, Metropolitan Police and local businesses.The Vice-Chair of College Governors, Gillian Allen and the College Principal, David Ansell welcomed the guests to this very special event and the awards were presented to the students by Vince Cable MP, who has always taken a keen interest in the College.
During the evening Vince Cable presented over 40 awards to students representing each department of the College.Additional awards were given to Stephen Wan, who received the award for the ‘Greatest Contribution to College Life’ and to Jake Cottrell, Emelia Korley, Frankie Shrieves and Caroline Nowicka-Dylage who were all acknowledged for their commitment to the Richmond Sports Volunteer Programme which offers students various volunteering opportunities and helps develop confidence and leadership skills. During their time at Richmond upon Thames College, these four students have given a total of over 1,000 hours of their spare time to various community and college activities.
Principal, David Ansell said, “Our students are with us in most cases for only two years, but the distance they travel in that time is an inspiration to us all – their achievements are truly impressive.”
Local students, Saskia Bridge and Stephen Wan, who both achieved 4 A levels at grade A*, received ‘Best Academic Achievement’ awards.Saskia came to the College from Teddington School and has a place at Newcastle University to study Medicine and Stephen, who previously attended Orleans Park School in Twickenham, has accepted a place at St Catherine’s College, Oxford University to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Chair of College Governors, Michael Lumley commented, “Whilst the Awards Evening is about the achievement of our students, we must also recognise the great effort put in by the teachers and the support staff.We are all very proud of what Richmond upon ThamesCollege stands for and what it achieves.”
A level results at Richmond upon Thames College were a cause for great celebration for both students and staff. Principal David Ansell was understandably pleased with the results praising both the hard work and talent of the students and the commitment and expertise of the staff. “With 3,000 entries across some 58 subjects these results represent achievement on a grand scale. We expect once again that in excess of 1,000 students will be going on to university, one of the biggest cohorts from any single institution in the country, including to Oxford and Cambridge, other Russell group universities and various medical schools.”
The overall pass rate was 97% with over 43% of students gaining the top A*, A and B grades. 36 subjects examined achieved a 100% pass rate across the Arts, Media, Humanities, Languages, Sciences, Mathematics and Social Sciences. Former pupils of borough secondary schools achieved 100% pass rates in 43 of their subjects with an A* pass rate of 8.5%, above the national average.
The results for those students who came to the College with at least five GCSES at grades A* - C with an average of B or better were massively impressive with a pass rate of 98.3% and an A* - B rate of over 72%, with an A* pass rate of 13.6%.
Local students were amongst those who swept the board in gaining A*/A grades in all of their three or four subjects. Of those who had previously attended Grey Court, Orleans Park, Hampton Community College, Shene, Teddington, Waldegrave and Whitton schools, 16 students gained all A grades in their chosen subjects.
Other advanced results already confirmed include those from the International Baccalaureate, a programme unique in this area to Richmond upon Thames College. Here the 88% pass rate is well ahead of the global pass rate of 78%.
Chairman of Governors, Michael Lumley, was also delighted with the results, adding, “The College aims to widen opportunity and at the same time to promote excellence. This commendable set of results demonstrates that both the community of Richmond and the wider area are well served by this outstanding tertiary college.”
Top state college achieves outstanding results for the fifth year running
Posted: 21/07/2010
Students completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma at Richmond upon ThamesCollege this May have once again demonstrated the extraordinary level of success that has now come to be expected of the top state provider of this qualification in the UK. For the past two years, the College has enjoyed official recognition in the national press as leading state provider, easily outstripping its rivals, but it has been performing spectacularly since running its first exams in 2005.
88% of students received the full Diploma in 2010 compared to a global pass rate of 78%, and in 18 of the 25 academic courses of the College’s Diploma Programme, ranging from arts and languages to humanities and sciences, the pass rate is 100%.
Eight top scoring students gained 40 to 42 out of a maximum of 45 points and are enrolling at Oxford, Edinburgh, King’s College and Queen Mary University London, Durham, Bristol and Royal Holloway, with others destined for numerous universities across the UK and in the US, including Birmingham, Glasgow, Sussex, UCL and North Carolina.
Student Minerva Vanni, who scored the top mark of 42 in this year’s cohort which is worth 654 UCAS points (equivalent to over 4 A Levels at the new A* grade), said “Deciding to move to London from Milan and study the IB Diploma at Richmond upon Thames College could not have helped me more to develop an intercultural consciousness. What I enjoyed the most is that teachers encourage students to develop their own opinions and style. Thanks to very successful teaching methods I achieved 42 points in my exams and I will start studying English Law and European Law at Queen Mary University this September.”
Emily Iredale, an ex Teddington School student, achieved 41 points and is going to study English at Oxford University. She said, “the IB was a wonderful experience, with a fantastic community feeling and sense of social cohesion. It was also incredibly challenging, but definitely worth all the hard work.”
“This year’s results are particularly satisfying”, added Chris Perkins, Richmond upon Thames College’s Head of International Baccalaureate, “because they show that we can expand our annual intake of students – in fact they have tripled in number since 2006 – while maintaining the highest standards of teaching. We were one of the two state colleges to first introduce the IB Diploma to the London area in 2004, and we have built up a formidable professional team which attracts the very best, most committed and ambitious students”.
The official Get Set launch took place on Friday 9th July at the 2010 Future Stars International Basketball Tournament which is organised by RuTC in partnership with Kingston College. Gareth Smith from Podium presented the Get Set plaque to members of the College basketball academy and student volunteers. The tournament featured the national U18 basketball teams from France, Croatia, Sweden, Poland, England alongside a Richmond upon Thames College select team. The Luol Deng Foundation also ran a basketball clinic before the main tournament for young people to participate in. Sixteen students from Kingston College and RuTC gave up their time to volunteer at the 3 day tournament (9th, 10th and 11th July).
RuTC students are invited to join the Get Set action group and work on their own Olympic inspired projects to be delivered in college. Projects need to be linked to one or more of the Olympic values and within a minimum budget. The projects don’t have to be sport related and can be as big or small as students want, for example they could be linked to art, music, performance, business, enterprise, catering, hospitality, languages or history, as long as it connects to the values. The project could also be an expansion of a current project but with an emphasis on the Olympic values.
Volunteers with Gareth Smith at the official launch
RuTC Student is part of the Olympic training squad
Posted: 06/07/2010
Last month Shadan Waziri, an ex Waldegrave School for Girls student studying a BTEC National Certificate in Business at Richmond upon Thames College, competed in the Windmills Taekwondo Open Championship in Holland.She came second in her age group which means she has qualified to join the training squad for the British Olympics team, and is also entitled to two years’ funding to cover her coaching.
Shadan has competed in Taekwondo competitions for the last two years and was British Champion in 2009.She also won a gold medal at the 12th International Open in November 2008.Shadan is a member of the Taekwondo Tigers.
Richmond upon Thames College held its annual Enterprise Week in June. The week provides an opportunity for students to enjoy a range of activities and work in partnership with local employers and universities.The Harlequins Exhibition Challenge, a joint venture with Richmond Education Business Partnership, Harlequins Rugby Club and Richmond upon Thames College was a particular triumph.
Forty students, who are all studying academic and vocational business subjects, took part in the Harlequins Marketing Challenge and visited Harlequins Rugby Club to meet staff and find out more about their activities in the local community. The challenge asked them to present ideas on how to market Harlequins to young people and attract more supporters and customers.In their teams, students designed an exhibition of ideas displaying how they would promote and market the club as well as designing original merchandising material for their supporters.Dressed in their best business suits, students showed off their stands and discussed their proposals with visitors and judges to the exhibition.
The exhibition was judged by the Vice Chairman of Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Zarina Naqvi and Marketing Manager for Harlequins, Gerard Kelly.The judges agreed that the winning team showed off a “simple yet clever” Loyalty Scheme, although this was closely followed by Harlequins Homely Collectibles merchandise and Strictly Joker casual clothing ranges.
The Principal of Richmond upon Thames College, David Ansell told the students that he was extremely impressed by the ideas and quality of work presented in such a short space of time.
Meanwhile, forty other students enjoyed an Enterprise Day at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, as part of a widening participation scheme, to find out about what it would be like to an undergraduate for a day studying business or law.They enjoyed a series of “taster” sessions of lectures and ways of learning, found out about this local university’s resources and talked to current undergraduates about their experiences.
Surrey University also offered Richmond upon Thames College students an interesting business enterprise experience. By running a Share Trading Simulation game, where they were able to give students a realistic idea of what it would be like to be a real life city trader and how to make crucial decisions about buying and selling shares on the stock market.Winning team, Andre Gibbs and Tobi Ogunnaike won a substantial amount as a result of their trading.
Two members of the winning team, Ebenezer Asmah and Rachel Hare
Art students at Richmond upon ThamesCollege got the chance to exhibit in the colleges annual Art Exhibition. Students from all the college’s art courses, both vocational and A Level, exhibited work they have completed whilst studying at the college.
Before the exhibition opened to the public, students and their parents attended a private view on Thursday 24th June and were joined by the Mayor, Councillor David Marlow, and the college Principal, David Ansell.
Ex Waldegrave student, Sharnie McCourt, who has just finished studying the BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design, was presented with a £25 voucher for winning the competition to design the exhibition flyers and poster.
Ashleigh Adabra, who is about to finish her International Baccalaureate Diploma at the college, was awarded a Wave watch and Daler Rowney acrylic paints for her contribution to the African Revival Art and Literary Festival, which is held at King’s College School, Wimbledon.Her artwork, ‘The Deepest Root’ was placed in a silent auction which in total raised £3892, with Ashleigh’s work being sold for £100. She also received a commendation from the judges. The money supports African Revival’s education projects in Uganda and Zambia.
Certificates were also presented to three other art students, Sophie Shickle, Alexander Paveley and Phoebe Gatehouse.Sophie and Alexander have each had one of their art works included in the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts A Level Summer Online Exhibition.They were chosen from over 1300 entries for the exhibition titled ‘Future Perfect’ and received a gold certificate. Phoebe Gatehouse, who was short listed and also appears on the website, www.royalacademy.org.uk/alevel was awarded a silver certificate.
Sophie came to Richmond from Elthorne Park School in Ealing and is studying AS Levels in history, philosophy, geography and fine art at the college. Alexander came from Christ’s School in Richmond and is in his second year, studying for his A Levels in fine art, maths and geography.
The prize winning students: Ashleigh Adabra, Alexander Paveley, Sophie Shickle and Phoebe Gatehouse
Special Olympics Richmond unveils its new football kit
Posted: 25/06/2010
Thanks to the generosity of the Lensbury Club in Teddington, the Special Olympics Richmond football team now has its own kit.
Earlier this month at Richmond upon Thames College (home to the football team), Lacy Curtis-Ward, CEO of the Lensbury Club, presented Professor Dick Fisher, Chair of Special Olympics Richmond, with a cheque for £500 to use for a new kit. The Mayor of Richmond and the Mayoress were also present, together with David Ansell, Principal of Richmond upon Thames College.They were joined by several members of the football team, but there was one noticeable exception – Alec Barry, who was successfully nominated by Nuala Orton, Special Olympics Richmond Secretary, to be an England flag-bearer at the England vs Algeria World Cup match in South Africa.
Special Olympics Richmond is a branch of Special Olympics Great Britain and also of the worldwide Special Olympics movement. The Special Olympics are the third Olympics organisation and exists to provide sporting opportunities, training and competition for people who have intellectual disabilities and are age 8 or over.The Special Olympics summer games are always held the year before The Olympics – the last was in Shanghai in 2007 and Athens will be the host city in 2011.
Members of the team in their new kit
Members of the team with the Mayor of Richmond, Councillor David Marlow and Lacy Curtis Ward, CEO of the Lensbury Club.
Members of the team with the Mayor and RuTC Principal, David Ansell
Richmond upon Thames College students’ part of prestigious online exhibition
Posted: 21/06/2010
Two Richmond upon Thames College art students, Sophie Shickle and Alexander Paveley, have had one of their art works included in the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts A Level Summer Online Exhibition. They were chosen from over 1300 entries for the exhibition titled ‘Future Perfect’. Another student, Phoebe Gatehouse, was short listed and also appears on the website, www.royalacademy.org.uk/alevel.
Sophie came to Richmond from Elthorne Park School in Ealing and is studying AS Levels in history, philosophy, geography and fine art at the college. Alexander came from Christ’s School in Richmond and is in his second year, studying for his A Levels in fine art, maths and geography.
Alexander’s piece, ‘Closing Down’ was a response to the current economic crisis.He said, “I am an artist who deals with social issues such as the recession and the over surveillance of modern society. I see art as a way of conveying my views on subjects in a visually interesting way. I use a wide variety of media and draw inspiration from my surroundings and other artists."
Local comedian Milton Jones paid a visit to Richmond upon Thames College last week to speak to students on the BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts course.
This year the students have studied comedians and variety acts from different eras and have also looked at classical comedic forms such as commedia dell’arte, originating in Renaissance Italy. Talking to a successful contemporary comedian gave them an insight in to the reality of the entertainment industry and provided them with food for thought and a role model for their future. Several students are interested in stand up comedy so the visit was very beneficial for them.
Milton Jones is a local resident and a favourite comedian amongst both staff and students. He appears on Mock the Week on BBC2 and has various shows on Radio 4.His style of humour is based on mainly one liners involving puns.
He gave the students a very useful insight into life as a professional comedian, telling them how originally he wanted to be an actor but got sick of waiting for the phone to ring and so decided to try stand-up. The students asked lots of relevant questions and it was really useful for them to hear his success story and to get first hand advice from a professional performer.
In May, Dave Prowse, famous as screen villain Darth Vader, visited Richmond upon Thames College to speak with students from the film making club about his career in film and TV.
Mr Prowse inspired students with anecdotes about his many screen roles which include A Clockwork Orange, Frankenstein and the highly successful Green Cross Code road safety campaign and three Star Wars movies.
The end of term treat was organised for students who have worked towards making various short films as part of their enrichment programme. These include a drama called ‘Rose’ which encouraged students with emotional problems, such as depression, to seek help.The club also produced an advert for the Young Enterprise students, who reached the regional finals of the Young Enterprise Innovation Awards this year for the very first time. Their product, the ‘Swaggabag’, is an innovative, multi-functional bag, designed by the students to organise and make whatever is placed into the bag easily accessible.
Richmond upon Thames College Enrichment Manager, Debra Callow, said, ”Clubs such as this give students the opportunity to work on projects outside their main courses. They gain valuable skills as well as having fun, and it is especially valuable and heartening when students support each others’ projects’ in this way.”
Students are already in pre-production for next year’s film club project where they will have the opportunity to write, direct, edit or act in a short film of their choice.
Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC) was one of 60 schools and colleges from across the UK to win the exclusive opportunity to visit the London 2012 Olympic Park. RuTC won the opportunity in a prize draw as a reward for joining the London 2012 Get Set network, a network of schools from across the UK which have demonstrated a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values by using the Games to add value to the life of the College. Students Rihanna Reynolds, Steffie Jimenez and Kenny Eshinlokun got the opportunity to see first-hand the work that is progressing on London’s Olympic Park. As part of the park tour they saw the major venues being constructed by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) including the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Velodrome and Handball Arena, and learn about the environmental and community programmes running on the Olympic Park. They then stopped at the Greenway, a walkway overlooking the site, to have a group photo taken. The students felt it was a real privilege to be invited to see the Olympic Park and the developments that have been made to the site and were excited to see how much had been done. They all left the site enthused and looking forward to the next couple of years. Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), said, “I’m delighted Richmond upon Thames College won the opportunity to visit the London 2012 Olympic Park after they were successful in the prize draw available to Get Set network schools and colleges. I hope they were inspired to return to Twickenham and continue their work on the great Olympic and Paralympic projects as part of the Get Set education programme.” ODA Chairman John Armitt said, “We were delighted to welcome pupils from Richmond upon Thames College onto the Olympic Park site to see the huge progress being made to transform this part of east London. This tour was a great chance to show them at first hand the lasting legacy of new sporting venues, parklands and open space we are delivering for young people and future generations.” Get Set is the official London 2012 education programme, and is the main way for schools, colleges and other learning institutions across the UK, to play their part in the London 2012 Games. Currently more than 12,000 schools from across the UK are signed up to the Get Set website, which contains lots of free resources for 3-19 year olds to find out more about the Games and explore the Olympic and Paralympic Values. Schools and colleges that demonstrate a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values by using the Games to add value to the life of the school or college can apply to join the Get Set network. Richmond upon Thames College joined the network in March 2010 after embedding the Olympic values into a number of College projects and events such as; a dedicated award for student commitment to the values at the annual college awards ceremony in September, integrating the values into the cross-college tutorial programme and the College Sports Volunteer Programme. Being part of the Get Set network enables Richmond upon Thames College to gain access to exclusive rewards and opportunities from London 2012 including a plaque and a certificate and the right to use the London 2012 Education logo on the school/college sign, headed paper, website and newsletter.
The students with Hannah Ross-Tatam, Further Education Sports Coordinator at the Olympic site
Richmond upon Thames College drama teachers put their reputation on the line this month when they performed Harold Pinter’s ‘The Lover’ at the Brighton Fringe Festival.Teachers Jane Swift, Victoria Hancock and Gavin Fowler, who have met up every Thursday evening and Saturday for a year, set up their company ‘The Magic Bones’ in September 2009.
The decision to take the show to the Brighton Festival was made to allow them ‘put their money where their mouth is’ as they teach students about the industry and need to be as up-to-date as possible. Also, having a free creative licence is essential to keep engaged in the arts which then permeate into the teaching of their acting students.
Director Jane Swift said, “We have taught Pinter to our students on many occasions so it was exciting to put one play into a full production, taking on board all we have taught. Pinter is such an important playwright with a vital legacy to the world of theatre. Vicky and Gavin found ‘The Lover’ appealing due to the nature of this dark comedy of manners.”
The show was performed at James House, in a front room of a house.The audience sat around the edge of the room within touching distance of the actors.
Staff and final year students got the chance to bid each other farewell at the college’s annual Participation Awards.
Richmond upon Thames College Principal, David Ansell, was on hand to give out certificates to those who have contributed to college life in some way during their time here.Over 120 certificates were given out in recognition of students’ achievements and contributions to college life, over and above their academic studies.
Entertainment was provided by the college Jazz band and ex Cranford College student Hardev Khamba, who played the Dohl Drums.
Last week, Owen Ambrose, who is studying an Advanced Apprenticeship in IT Professionals at Richmond upon Thames College, was chosen as the college’s ‘Best Learner’. The award was presented to him at a ceremony at the House of Lords.
Each college in South London had been asked to nominate a student from their college by the Committee of South London Principals (COSLP) and Owen was put forward by his teacher, Mandy Reeson. At the ceremony each student received a certificate in recognition of their achievement.
Owen came to Richmond upon Thames College from Grey Court School in 2004, having enrolled on a course that was obviously not suited to his learning style, the outcome of which reflected this.Owen then progressed onto the Gateway to Using IT, the Gateway to IT Support and then Advanced PC Support course, before starting his apprenticeship, which he is due to finish in December.
Owen has been working for a small IT Consultancy company in Putney since he started his advanced apprenticeship where he has become a valued member of the team.His manager has rewarded his work by paying for his CBT motorcycle test and his Virgin Active gym membership and he has joined the company Zip Car Club scheme.
Owen said “After leaving college I had hoped that the qualifications I had would be enough to find work in an IT support role. Unfortunately, employers wanted more experience/qualifications so I couldn’t find work as an IT technician, which is what I wanted to do.”
He went on to say, “After a long patch of having no work I reflected on what I had been doing and realised that if I didn’t do something positive soon I was going to get nowhere in life. It was then that I came back to college and applied for the apprenticeship, and thankfully I was signed up!”
Richmond upon Thames College students provide hope for Haiti
Posted: 25/05/2010
Students and staff from Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC) came together to perform in a ‘Hope for Haiti!’ event to raise money for UNICEF's Haiti relief.
The evening featured a range of talent; students from the college performed comedy, musical numbers and powerful dances which raised a total of £350 for UNICEF.
The event was organised by ex Hounslow Manor student Maaknik Chadda, who is studying A Levels in English Language and Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies and Fine Art alongside the Extended Project Qualification. Maanik was devastated by the situation that Haiti faced after the earthquake in January.The poverty ridden country was hit with a magnitude of 8.0 causing over 220,000 deaths and more than 300,000 injuries. 30% of Haiti's population have been affected and around 1.3 million people are still in emergency shelters in need of desperate help.
Maanik said, “I could not believe that the country was in such debt, poverty and corruption before the earthquake. Like many, the disaster really opened my eyes to want to help as much as I could. It was heart warming to see so many people willing to help the cause by donating, performing and attending.'
The first act of the show featured several dance performances choreographed by RuTC students. There was a variety of musical acts, featuring solos, duets and a rock band. Finishing the evening was a performance entitled 'The Manor of Farce' by students studying Drama A Level.
Several local businesses provided refreshments for the two intervals. A raffle was drawn at the beginning of the third act with prizes donated by students and local businesses up for grabs.
The night ended with great applause and appreciation from the audience and performers.
Damson Idris, Isabella Shaw, Alice Boulton, Kezia Newson, Stevi Bourke and Maanik Chadda
Roury Hinds, Isabella Shaw, Jess Pentney, Maanik Chadda Daniel Moir and Katie Bickford-Sawkings
This year’s Richmond upon Thames College’s Young Enterprise students became the first group in the College’s history to reach the regional finals of the Young Enterprise Innovation Awards 2010 with their exciting new product, the ‘Swaggabag’. The ‘Swaggabag’ is a bag which goes over a chair with two separate pockets on either side, allowing the user easy access to their stationery, books or other equipment, leaving them with more room on the desk.The bag comes in a variety of colours including red, brown and black and the students have successfully sold them for £20 to staff and other students.
The 8 students who took part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme worked hard to get their product produced to a standard that was both viable and of a good marketable quality.The students had their work cut out to find a manufacturer and then negotiate a deal that would allow for profit as well as a product that met their exacting standards.
After a series of interim competitions for the Richmond and Kingston area, the students were one of only ten groups to reach the regional finals which were held on 29th April at Surbiton Assembly Rooms.Richmond upon Thames College was the only state college in the final; the other 9 places were taken up by teams from Kingston Grammar, St Pauls’ School, Hampton School, Surbiton High School, Tiffin Boy’s School and Tiffin Girl’s School.The students had to give a presentation and set up a trade stand. The winners were decided by a board of independent judges who came from a range of local businesses including John Lewis, Bentalls and the National Physics Laboratory.
The Richmond team lost out to Tiffin Girl’s School, who went on to win the South London Area Finals.
Precious Chenjerai, who is studying AS Levels at the College, said; “I realised I should grab every opportunity because the Young Enterprise Company Programme has enabled me to learn I have a passion for business that I want to pursue.The programme really opens doors for aspiring young entrepreneurs.”
The presentation team: Aloka Chowdhury, Precious Chenjerai, Chandni Patel and Meera Patel
Students at Richmond upon Thames College have benefited from two events aimed at helping students into work or higher education.
With university applications at an all time high, the College’s annual Higher Education Fair attracted 70 universities from across the UK and gave students the opportunity to find out about the vast range of undergraduate degree courses available to them after they leave college. University representatives were delighted by the interest shown by the students, and the afternoon was a busy and productive one. The College supports more than 1200 students into Higher Education each year, and this year 17 students have gained conditional offers to study at Oxford and Cambridge, with 8 being offered places at Medical School.
For students nearing the end of one year courses at the College, a very successful Work and Training Fair was also held at the College. Employers and training providers, including among others John Lewis, the Richmond Hill Hotel, Nuffield Health and London Underground were represented. Anne De-Rios, Human Resources Manager at the Richmond Hill Hotel, described the event as “a great opportunity for a local employer to talk to students directly about the career opportunities in the hospitality industry, and to attract applicants with a passion for the industry.” Volunteering organisations, including the local Richmond upon Thames Volunteer Centre, were also invited to promote the value of volunteering in developing a range of skills for future employment.
Jane Weake, Progression Manager at Richmond upon Thames College, emphasised the value of these events to students; “These Fairs open doors to further study and the workplace, and are great way of engaging students in making choices about their futures”.
RuTC students shine at the Achilles School’s Relays
Posted: 10/05/2010
Thursday 6 May witnessed the 47th staging of the Achilles Schools’ Relays, held at Radley College Track near Oxford.
Richmond upon Thames College fielded the same boys’ team as last year to contest both the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 200m.William de Torvy Ballou, Ainsley Campbell, Jordan Smith-Bent and Oweka Wanogho won the final of the 4 x 200m in 1 minute 28.8 seconds – some 1.5 seconds in front of Millfield who finished 2nd.This outstanding time was just 0.1 of a second short of the 1 minute 28.7 time set by Richmond upon Thames College last year, where the boys smashed the previous record.
Earlier, over the 4 x 100m distance, the same four boys qualified easily through the heats and lined up in lane three for the final.They crossed the line over one second in front in a new meeting record performance of 42.4 seconds beating Millfield, Eton, Harrow and Rugby respectively.
The boys’ team ended the day with the Harold Abrahams Trophy (4 x 100m), the Douglas Lowe Cup (4 x 200m) and were also awarded the Roger Bannister Performance of the Meeting Cup for the 4 x 100m victory.
This year Richmond upon Thames College was able to select a girls’ 4 x 100m team which comprised of Teishel Joefield, ex Orleans Park student, Isabella Juriansz, Latoya Alexander and Eniola Odebunmi.They performed admirably to qualify for the final and then finished third in 53.5 seconds only later to find themselves disqualified for making the 2nd changeover just outside the relay box.This team demonstrates great promise for next year as three of these girls have another year at Richmond upon Thames College.
A great performance by the boys’ team to beat such established public schools opposition.
Richmond upon Thames College recently took part in ‘The Big College Health Check’, a confidential survey that assesses the health and wellbeing needs of staff and learners in Further Education. The survey was conducted in association with the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Both students and staff were invited to fill in the survey which featured questions on the general welfare at college and the support available. The answers remain confidential but the college will be able to use them in the future to improve the health and wellbeing of staff and students.
Prizes were up for grabs for those who filled in the survey, one of which was won by student Abisola Ogunkeye. Abisola, who won the runners up prize of an ipod shuffle, is studying AS Levels in Government and Politics, Law, Sociology and Media Studies. She said “I am really happy to win the prize, as I do not have an ipod and will enjoy using it”.
Richmond upon Thames College welcomed to London 2012’s Get Set network
Posted: 19/04/2010
Richmond upon Thames College has been officially welcomed in to London 2012’s Get Set network, in recognition of the college’s commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values.
Get Set is the official London 2012 Education programme that encourages and supports students to work on and run their own projects inspired by the Games and the Olympic and Paralympic values of friendship, courage, determination, excellence, equality, respect and inspiration. Students will be invited to join the college’s Get Set action group and work on their own Olympic inspired projects to deliver at the college. The projects do not have to be sport related and can be as big or small and could be linked to art, performance, business, catering, languages or history, as long as it connects to the values. Project ideas so far from students include ‘students teach day’, ‘face your fear day’ and a talent show.
The official Get Set launch will take place on Friday 9th July at the Future Stars Basketball Conference, which is organised by Richmond upon Thames College in partnership with Kingston College, when The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will award Richmond upon Thames College with a plaque and certificate to acknowledge their involvement in the London 2012 education programme. The college then joins schools and colleges across the UK as members of a special London 2012 community, the Get Set network, and will receive access to exclusive competitions and 2012 Games related opportunities over the next two years. Richmond upon Thames College is the 11th college to join the Get Set network and the 3rd in London.
Sebastian Coe, chairman of LOCOG, said: “When London won the right to host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, we made a clear promise to use the power of the 2012 Games to inspire young people. I am proud to welcome Richmond upon Thames College into the Get Set network for their exciting work around the Olympic Values of friendship, excellence and respect and the Paralympic Values of inspiration, courage, determination and equality.”
David Warnes, Enterprise and Skills Manager at Richmond upon Thames College said, “this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase how our students are demonstrating their commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values. With such a large and diverse college community there are some great ideas from students from all areas of the college.”
This is not the first 2012 mark Richmond upon Thames College has been awarded. The college gained the Inspire Mark in August 2009 for RSVP, a sports volunteer programme. Four Inspire volunteers recently visited the Olympic site and LOCOG offices. The students arrived at Stratford Station and boarded a London 2012 bus which drove round the site past the main stadium, velodrome and aquatics centre. Although the park is still a building site, with the help of the tour guide it was possible to visualise the plans for the site. The students were also invited for a tour of the LOCOG offices in Canary Wharf. The offices were right at the top of a skyscraper so it was possible to see the Olympic park and the dome where some of the Olympic events will take place. Students also had an opportunity to see the dress worn by Leona Lewis at the handover/closing ceremony in Beijing. To top off the trip and make it a truly Olympic themed event retired Olympic triple jumper Jonathan Edwards sat next to the students on the tube back to Waterloo!
Students Emelia Korley, Frankie Shrieves, Haya Junaid and Tukiya Mutupa at the LOCOG Offices in Canary Wharf.
Richmond upon Thames College has been rated as the best state college in the Financial Times International Baccalaureate League table (published March 2010). Overall the college was placed 26th out of 94 schools and colleges which offer the International Baccalaureate Programme, a massive jump of ten places on last year, where the college was placed 36th out of 81.
For the fourth year running the college achieved well above the IB global pass rate, with 95.7% or 45 out of 47 students achieving the full diploma. The four top scoring students, with grades from 40 to 44, were expected to enrol at Cambridge, Durham, Warwick and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS), with others destined for prestigious universities across the country in subjects including Medicine, Law, Marine Biology and Politics. Each year since the college started offering the diploma, students have found places either at Oxford or Cambridge, or both.
Richmond upon Thames College is currently the only state funded tertiary college in London to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which is an internationally recognised broad-based qualification offered as an alternative to A Levels. Students choose to study a variety of courses over the two years, which allows them to retain the broadest range of academic subjects, develop their critical thinking and intercultural understanding. Stephen Winfield, the College’s IB Coordinator, said, “We are delighted that our students have, yet again, achieved such convincing results. They have gained 100% pass rates in the majority of the subjects offered in the programme.”
Two of the top four highest achieving students came from Richmond Borough schools, Marie-Astrid Purton, from Christ’s school in Richmond, achieved 42 points and Samuel Trevelyan, from Hampton Community College, achieved 41 points. Samuel said, "The International Baccalaureate Diploma has been an unique experience and I found it a challenging course with an interesting international emphasis.” Samuel has gone to Durham University to study Law. Sergio Lamela came to the college from Phoenix High School in Shepherds Bush. He scored 40 points and will go to the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS) to study Chinese after his gap year. He said, “I was initially attracted to the IB because I wanted the opportunity to keep studying a wide range of subjects. On the whole, I found it an enjoyable experience although the course was quite challenging at times.” Anna Claeys, who came to the college from Tiffin Girls School in Kingston and achieved the top score in the 2009 cohort, with 44 points out of a possible 45, is going to study History at King’s College, Cambridge after taking a gap year in which she plans to travel to Cuba and Spain. She said, “I wanted to take the IB because I was undecided about which subjects to pick for A Level, which worked out really well as I enjoyed them all. I've loved the course and my time at Richmond upon Thames College, both of which I'll miss next year!”
Chris Perkins, the College’s IB Director, concluded, “The students gained not only excellent results, but the course broadened their horizons and changed their lives. We are pleased to see an increasing number of these students are coming from local secondary schools, and that they are seeing the IB as a very worthwhile educational route to take. All of the staff involved in delivering the IB programme teach on a wide variety of courses and have given hours of preparation, training and individual supervision to students. We are particularly gratified that the College has maintained the high standards of teaching and learning it established during the first four years of the programme, and look forward to building on our achievements and expanding the courses we offer in the next few years.”
This month students studying the International Baccalaureate at Richmond upon Thames College took part in a sponsored walk through Crane Park to raise money for the Uganda Schools Trust and FORCE (Friends of the River Crane Environment).
Anne Harrison from the Uganda Schools Trust came along and Rob and Anna Gray from FORCE led the 2.5 mile walk through Crane Park to the Shot Tower. Some of the students also volunteered to pick up litter on the way and will now be involved in more volunteering in future.
Anne Harrison thanked the students, commenting, ”We much appreciated their fundraising efforts for the Uganda Schools Trust and how well they did by completing the walk on a Saturday. It really proved to be an excellent choice of activity, being local, with a worthwhile destination. The River Crane was unknown territory to me despite working at the college for over 10 years!”
The walk was a great success due to the students’ hard work and determination. They organised the walk and promoted it using displays at college, posters and a Facebook page. Fifty five students attended along with six teachers, and they will spend the next few weeks collecting sponsorship, with everyone involved confident that they have raised a lot of money for the two charities they were supporting.
Student Thomas Eames, from Chiswick Community School, said, "The walk was great. Spirits were high, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I think it really helped people bond more with each other as well as raising money for a good cause. We had people with instruments, and people who dressed up for the occasion, which all contributed to the overall success of an easy way to raise money for those in need."
Ex Waldegrave School student, Elle McGlynn, was one of the students who volunteered to do litter picking as they walked and commented, “The walk not only brought about awareness of the Uganda Trust, but also gave us a chance to see Crane Park and the need for volunteers to help keep it a clean and people friendly place. When I was litter picking during the walk, I realised the need for more volunteers like us to help clean up the park. We hope as a result of the walk more people will become aware of the Uganda trust, it is important to us because it's for other students who aren't as advantaged as we are, so it's incredibly relevant to us.”
The IB students before they set off on their sponsored walk
Richmond upon Thames College teacher Jason Arday will be taking on a momentous task this summer to raise money for two charities. His challenge is to run the London Marathon route 30 times in 35 days between July 19th and August 22nd to raise as much as he can for Shooting Stars and Shelter.
Jason is a sports and leisure teacher and is a former student of St Mary’s University College in Twickenham. He has been a dedicated fundraiser for over 7 years, and has set himself the target of raising £250,000 for charity by the time he is 50. He hopes this particular challenge will help him raise between £7,500 and £10,000.
He says, “Shooting Stars and Shelter are two charities that do a significant amount towards the maintenance of life for human beings. Both charities rely on donations to keep themselves in operation. By doing this fundraising challenge, my main aim is to raise the awareness of what these two charities do. If we are able to raise a substantial amount to be halved for these two charities this will greatly help them in continuing their great causes”.
He has been training since November and follows a gruelling schedule, running 7 miles from 4am to 6am and another 7 miles from 10pm to midnight, a total of 14 miles a day, which revolves around his day job of being a teacher at Richmond upon Thames College. Jason said, “this is the toughest challenge I have ever faced and in order to successfully complete these marathons, I need to focus on running everyday. Training is no fun, whatsoever, but hopefully the end justifies the means!”
Two Richmond upon Thames College students, Emelia Korley, who is studying a BTEC National Certificate in Sport and Exercise Science and an AS Level in Applied Science, and Elizabeth Ibeh, who is studying A Levels in Politics, English Literature and Maths, have been selected to attend the Youth Sport Trust annual Step into Sport Camp. This is the third year that the college has nominated students to attend and been successful.
The annual 4-day camp at Loughborough University is supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England, and attracts around 300 16-19 year old students from across the country. Young people are selected by their School Sport Partnerships to attend and the aim of the camp is that the students go away with a real sense of confidence, self-esteem and enthusiasm and that they can use the skills that they have developed to pass this on to other young people.
Emelia and Elizabeth were nominated because of their commitment and enthusiasm to volunteering. They are both actively involved with the Richmond Sports Volunteer Partnership, which is run by the College and provides students with sports related volunteering opportunities. They have received excellent feedback from each placement. The students involved in the programme receive awards depending on how many hours of volunteering they have logged. To date Emelia has completed 35 hours volunteering in a school setting and over 140 hours in the community and she has already achieved her bronze and silver awards but is eager for gold (200 hours). Elizabeth also has her bronze award and is on track for her silver. Their volunteering placements have included the London Youth Games, the Twenty 20 Cricket World Cup and ‘Footballs Next Star’ for Sky TV.
Elizabeth said, “I am so excited to be chosen to go to the Step into Sport Camp. I used to be trained competitively by great coaches so it is exciting to think I will be getting trained by ex-Olympic and Paralympic athletes to hopefully be able to become a great trainer myself in the future. Loughborough is my top choice of university so going there for a few days will give me a good flavour as what it will be like in October.”
Emelia added, “It is a privilege to be an ambassador for the college for this camp, held at the best sports university in the UK. I'm looking forward to learning from National Governing Body professionals as well as seeing new methods for coaching and portraying myself as a good role model.”
The girls have achieved a lot in their time so far at College and have been fantastic ambassadors.
Elizabeth and Emelia are off to the Step into Sport Camp at the end of March
Richmond upon Thames College recently held a very successful Work and Training Fair for students nearing the end of their first year at college.
Local employers, training providers and volunteering organisations were represented including John Lewis (Kingston branch), the Richmond Hill Hotel, and the Richmond upon Thames Volunteer Centre. The Fair was organised by the College’s careers staff to give students a flavour of the employment and training opportunities available to them when they leave College. In addition to this, volunteering organisations were represented to promote the value of volunteering in terms of personal development and future employment.
All those involved in the event felt it was a very valuable day. Anne De-Rios, Human Resources Manager at the Richmond Hill Hotel, described the event as “a great opportunity for a local employer to talk to students directly about the career opportunities in the hospitality industry and to attract applicants with a passion for the industry.”
Seventeen students from Richmond upon Thames College have successfully secured conditional offers at Oxford and Cambridge Universities for this year’s intake.
This is an impressive increase on last year, when nine students were conditionally offered places, with seven of them attending the universities in October 2009.
Sixteen of the hopeful students attend college full time and one has left and is currently on a gap year. This year eight of the students previously attended Richmond borough schools – three came from Orleans Park School, two from Teddington School and one each from Whitton, Christ’s and Grey Court.
Thirteen of the hopeful students are studying AS/A2 levels and four are studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, an academically challenging course which is offered by the college as an alternative to AS/A2 levels. Richmond upon Thames College is the only state college in the whole of the London area to offer this course.
Stephen Wan, an ex Orleans Park student, said "I think Oxford will be a huge step towards my eventual goal of becoming a politician, and the course I am doing there, the PPE, is perfect for me. RuTC has given me huge support in getting a place, from practice interviews to preparation sessions".
The college sends more students to university from a single site than any other school or college in the UK and in 2009, 1124 students went on to higher education at universities all over the UK, 129 of these went to prestigious ‘Russell Group’ universitiesand 211 went to UK universities ranked in the top 200 in the world. College Principal, David Ansell said, “To gain a place at such sought-after universities is in itself a measure of the talent these students have and the hard work they have put in already.I wish them every success for what lies ahead and am in no doubt that they will be able to take pride in their future studies and careers”.
Last week students studying on vocational courses in art and design at Richmond upon Thames College presented their work in the annual ‘Fashion Show’, with two evening performances in the colleges own theatre.
The exciting and diverse range of work included sculptural work, masks, body adornments and performance art responding to a variety of themes. The fashion and textile students modelled a wide array of garments and evening wear.
The event also included the projection of images produced by graphic students, highlighting the issues and problems experienced by young people in society today.
All performances were in aid of “Off the Record”, a Twickenham based charity organisation dedicated to supporting young people with problems, through the provision of counselling.Generous audiences showed their appreciation by donating over £290 and the students were pleased to be able to turn their hard work, creativity and enthusiasm into cash for a worthy cause.
Earlier this month RuTC students taking part in the enrichment activity Young Enterprise attended a trade fair at Spitalfields Market in London to launch and market their product 'the Swaggabag'.The students have worked together in their spare time to come up with an original and innovative idea for a product, and have begun manufacturing their 'Swaggabag' to sell to their fellow students and teachers. Other schools and colleges were represented at the trade fair from all across London, and their products, stalls and marketing were impressive.However RuTC gained second prize for the most innovative product, missing the top place by only one mark, and also won third prize for the best sales technique.
Special Olympics football comes to Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 10/02/2010
Special Olympics Richmond, a branch of Special Olympics GB, was launched in Nov 2008 by RuTC in partnership with St Mary's University College, Twickenham.
Special Olympics Richmond currently runs several weekly physical activity sessions for people who have learning disabilities and who are aged eight or over. One of these activities is football and Special Olympics Richmond is one of the first branches in the UK to have a 'Unified' team, comprising players with learning disabilities and some without.
The first ever Unified Special Olympic football matches to be played in the Greater London Region of Special Olympics GB took place at Richmond upon Thames College on Sunday 31 January 2010 with Richmond playing Hammersmith and Fulham over two 7-a-side matches.
Nuala Orton, a supported learning teacher at RuTC, commented “RuTC is proud to be a joint founding member of Special Olympics Richmond, supporting the community both within and outside the college - "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" (Special Olympics athletes' code).”
Richmond upon Thames College is delighted to announce that its newly created state of the art hair and beauty salon ‘Stars’ was opened today by the Mayor of Richmond upon Thames, Cllr Celia Hodges.
Back in 2005, a partnership was set up at Oldfield Skills Centre in Hampton with the support of Richmond upon Thames College, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the eight secondary schools within the borough, to establish hair and beauty courses for Year 10 and 11 pupils from local schools for students who were looking to follow a vocational pathway as part of their school curriculum.In the last four years over 200 young people have benefited from this experience.
Following the success of this venture the decision was made to relocate this provision to Richmond upon Thames College to meet the growing demand for such courses and to extend the facility to students aged 16-19 years and to adults from September 2010.
The Youth Parliament campaign trail kicks off this week, with the ten candidates taking part in a live hustings, during which they will debate their key election issues.
The event, which takes place on 27 January, will give candidates the chance to challenge fellow nominees and tackle questions from audience members. It is the centrepiece of the campaign period, with young people voting between 25 January – 8 February.
Cllr Liz Jaeger, Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure on Richmond Council, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for candidates to make a real impact, and could prove decisive when votes are cast. I know they have been campaigning hard already, visiting local schools and setting up Facebook sites. This will give them the chance to set out their vision for younger people in the borough and the opportunity to challenge their opponents’ views. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get involved in the decision-making that affects them. I encourage people to get involved in the events that are taking place, and make sure they vote before the 8 February deadline.”
Debra Callow, Enrichment Manager from Richmond upon ThamesCollege which is hosting the event said; "It is always a great pleasure to welcome students from the borough schools into our college, and to listen to their ideas and aspirations, along with those of our own students. Their passion, beliefs and values are inspiring and it is great that Youth Parliament offers them a voice."
Candidates have been visiting local schools and have produced DVDs outlining their ambitions if elected.
Throughout the two week voting window, people can cast their votes at their schools. Local youth clubs will be acting as polling stations for those who are educated outside the borough and there will be a mobile polling station provided by Richmond Youth Partnership.
The result will be declared on 10 February and will see one Parliament Member and two deputies chosen to represent Richmond upon Thames on the London Parliament.
Youth clubs will be screening the event live and offering young people the chance to take part in democracy workshops.
Richmond Council is holding a workshop for anyone interested in finding out more about the election, Youth Parliament or Youth Forum. For more details contact Lois Ratcliffe at l.ratcliffe@richmond.gov.uk.
Five of the ten candidates (all of whom attend Richmond upon Thames College) pictured before the hustings.
29 A Level Dance and BTEC National Diploma Dance students returned from a trip to New York this week. Whilst in New York, the students took workshops at world renowned dance schools including the Martha Graham Centre of Contemporary Dance, Merce Cunningham Dance Company Studios and Alvin Ailey School and Broadway Dance Centre. There was also time to see some of New York’s best sights including the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Ice Skating in Central Park.
The trip was a valuable experience which all the students enjoyed, BTEC National Diploma student Olivia Gregorian commented, “I understand contemporary dance better now”. Teacher Charlotte Porter, who accompanied the girls, said “it was an unbelievable experience for all students and one that will live in their memories forever. The trip has inspired and energised our students and they will now return to College with a refreshed eagerness to learn.”
Performing Arts successes at Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 22/01/2010
Two of RuTC’s ex students are both currently appearing on prime time weekend television and some dancing stars of the future have just returned from a trip to New York.
Ruby Bentall, who came from Grey Court School in Ham, gained 3 distinctions in her BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts and can now be seen in BBC1’s ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’, in which she stars as ‘Minnie’. Ruby has also appeared in New Tricks, Lost in Austen and The Bill, as well as in the theatre, in ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly and ‘The Miracle’ by Lin Cochran.
Chloe Campbell, who studied A levels in English Literature, Dance, Geography and Biology at college, made it into the final 14 of BBC1’s ‘So you think you can dance’ contest. To make it into the final 14 contestants she danced a duet choreographed by Mark Baldwin, artistic director of the Rambert Dance Company. She made it through to round 2, dancing a contemporary routine in week one and a broadway routine last week.
RuTC recognises its IT and computing ‘Students of the Term'
Posted: 18/01/2010
Twenty-one students from the School of IT and Computing at Richmond upon Thames College were recently recognised at an Awards ceremony.One student from each course was nominated by their teacher to receive a “Student of the Term” award; this was in recognition of their efforts and achievements to date. Students were presented with a certificate and a prize by Michael Rennie, Vice Principal of Curriculum and Quality.
Helen Nicholls, Head of the School of IT and Computing, commented “it was good to see so many of the nominated students at the ceremony, along with their friends and teachers who helped celebrate their successes”.It was also announced at the event that in 2010 there would be a ‘Most Improved Student’ award.
On 20th and 21st January 2010, Richmond upon Thames College will put on an ambitious production of Henry Purcell’s Baroque Opera, Dido and Aeneas, with libretto by Nahum Tate.
This famous opera is told in the baroque style with soloists, a chorus, dancersand a string orchestradirected from the harpsichord. Based on the Roman legend, itfeatures a tragic Queen, a classical hero, scheming witches, dancing sailors and cupids and tells the story of the brief but passionate love affair between Aeneas, the Trojan warrior who founded Rome and Dido, Queen of Carthage. Taking in scenes of majestic heroism, evil plotting by the witches, romance and tragedy, this rousing music drama works its way to its fateful end in one short hour
Richmond upon Thames College’s production of Dido and Aeneas is being produced and directed by Caroline Heslop, who teaches music at the college.Initially Caroline had the idea of staging Dido and Aeneas in order to give the music A level students a chance to develop a real understanding of Baroque Opera and to appreciate the significance of this particular work. She became compelled to pursue the project and decided to tap into the talent of staff and students from all areas of the college
Caroline comments, “I was excited to think that this project could give students and staff across college access to the skilled practitioners and resources of the Performing Arts department, as well as bringing together a diversity of students to unite in rehearsing and performing the piece”.
She adds, “The character of this production has been shaped completely by the extraordinary individuals involved.Everyone involved is doing this because they want to; for whom singing, dancing, designing, playing an instrument and working together with others similarly driven, is something that gives them enormous satisfaction”.
Dido and Aeneas will be performed at Richmond upon Thames College, Egerton Road, Twickenham on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st January at 7.30pm.Tickets are available by contacting Caroline Heslop at cheslop@rutc.ac.uk and cost £5.00 (concessions £4.00).
Students celebrated the end of the autumn term and Christmas with the ‘X-mas Factor’, a karaoke event held at Skylights Youth Project. 25 students attended, many wore hand made outfits and others dressed in formal jackets to impress the crowd!
Skylights Youth Worker Hardip Dhanjal said, “Amazingly they all sounded good, well at least no one was booed off! It was a great event that built confidence for young people and developed good teamwork and group skills for the students. Inclusion was one of the aims and students from all backgrounds were encouraged to take part. Some of the students helped others who lacked confidence to join in and make them feel welcomed.”
A group of 15 AS/A2 and IB Italian students travelled to Royal Holloway, University of London, to take part in an Italian Day. The day was organised especially for the RuTC students by the Italian Department and the Widening Participation and Outreach Department as an exchange between the two institutions.
Students took part in Advanced Italian classes, went on a campus tour and took part in a workshop with the university students where they shared their views on an Italian film they had watched in class. The students will write an account of their experience as well as various other tasks. The Royal Holloway students visit RuTC in March 2010 for a feedback session, and to draw the mentoring process to an end.
Gifted Theatrical Student makes his debut at the Globe
Posted: 17/12/2009
Congratulations to RuTC student Matthew O’Callaghan, who last week took part in A Concert for Winter, Globe Education’s annual winter community event. Matthew is studying A Levels in History, Government and Politics and Economics.
He is part of the Shakespeare’s Globe Gifted and Talented Company, who have been working with Globe Education Practitioners to develop students’ teamwork, self esteem and performance skills. The event saw students and community groups from across the borough performing songs and seasonal music on the Globe stage, inspired by the theme of ‘Celebration’.
Richmond upon Thames College Students win Royal Holloway’s prestigious ‘Apprentice style’ challenge
Posted: 02/12/2009
Five students from Richmond upon Thames College studying Business and Economics AS/A2 level won a prize for the ‘Best Product Idea’ at the Royal Holloway, University of London ‘Enterprise and Marketing Challenge’ 2009.
The task was set by former Apprentice star Claire Young with seven colleges taking part. The teams had to design a watch and come up with an advertising and marketing campaign, similar to the task set on this years ‘The Apprentice’, which involved the candidates creating a new brand of breakfast cereal. The students had the entire day to think, design their watches and plan their campaigns, before making a pitch to the judges.
Those joining Claire on the panel of judges included Professor Chris Smith, Head of the School of Management, Dr Alex Reppel, lecturer from the School of Management, Chris Howorth, Deputy Dean of History and Social Sciences (all from Royal Holloway) alongside representatives from Procter and Gamble. After hearing the pitches and asking questions, they retired to the boardroom to make their decision.
Richmond upon Thames College won ‘Best Product Idea’ for designing a watch made out of recyclable products which included a health monitor to access your heart rate and calorie consumption. Kay-Kay Marivate, an AS Level Economics student, said, “We’re shocked but really pleased. We worked hard but didn’t expect to win. Our team put so much vision and vigour into this task and I think that’s what carried us through.”
RuTC's winning team
The winning team with Apprentice star Claire Young
Students from Richmond upon Thames College this week signed up to compete in the UK’s largest enterprise challenge for secondary schools and colleges.
The Make Your Mark Challenge was a one-day, national enterprise competition for students aged 14 – 19 and kick-started Global Entrepreneurship Week (16 – 22 November), which aimed to improve young people’s enterprise capabilities.
Students from the BusinessSchool were challenged to come up with unique and inspiring ideas in response to a secret brief launched online at www.makeyourmarkchallenge.org.uk on Monday 16th November.The Make Your Mark theme for 2009 encourages students to address problems of climate change and the environmental issues and will invite them to suggest ways of addressing this within their business proposal.
Local businesses including Professional Development Network Ltd, Richmond Borough Council together with the Richmond Education Business Partnership were on hand to judge their ideas and declare the winning team.
Dave Warnes, Enterprise and Skills Manager at the college said: “We’re delighted to be taking part in the Make Your Mark Challenge.It is a brilliant way of providing students with a hands on experience of enterprise, giving them time and space to be creative and to develop ideas. It improves valuable skills such as team work, problem-solving, financial literacy and dealing with risks.”
As well as proving that they’re among the most enterprising young minds in the country, the students were competing for the chance to win at a regional level or for the national prize of up to £1000, as well as £100 in high street vouchers for each member, to help Richmond upon Thames College students make their ideas a reality.
The competing teams for Make Your Mark 2009 are all studying business courses at the college, including BTEC Introductory, First and National Diplomas, BTEC National Certificate and Applied Business AS/A2 level and so have some insight into the concerns that new business initiatives need to face.
The 2009 challenge involved students coming up with a new and innovative business idea that takes its inspiration from something local. It could be a product or a service, as long as it was a ‘cool’ creation and would make money. A ‘cool creation’ is a profitable business that minimises the impact on the environment. They had to come up with their ideas in small groups and create an ideas sheet, work out the costs involved, research the competition and end with a dragon’s den style pitch to the four judges. The overall winning idea, created by AS Level Business students, was ‘The Box’, a device which can be fitted in the home to monitor all energy consumption (hourly, daily, monthly, yearly) and allow consumers to become more energy efficient. The winning team will now go on to compete in the regional finals later this month.
Make your Mark is just one of several events taking place at the college during Global Entrepreneurship Week.Lisa Stockton, owner of Happy Kitchen, a successful catering and hospitality company is giving a master-class to supported learning students who run the colleges Apple Tree Café enterprise. Media students will get expert advice from the owner of RockStars.com and have an opportunity to quiz him on becoming a successful entrepreneur. The week ends with a Sector Skills Network event for employers in the stewarding and events industry, offering advice on the latest requirements for the industry.
Local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce are helping to support the week, either through master-classes, networking events or panellists for the Make your Mark challenge.
Global Entrepreneurship Week is co-ordinated by Enterprise UK, the national campaign to increase entrepreneurial behavior in the UK.
Richmond upon Thames College Celebrates Colleges Week
Posted: 10/11/2009
The second Colleges Week, the national celebration of the role colleges play in celebrating the opportunities colleges create for individuals, businesses and Britain, is taking place during the week of the 9th – 15th November 2009.
Colleges Week is being coordinated and organised by the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
To celebrate this Colleges Week Richmond upon Thames College and its onsite training restaurant, Merits, hosted a complimentary celebratory lunch on Tuesday 10th November.The restaurant’s most loyal customers attended along with the college Principal, David Ansell, and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Mayor, Councillor Celia Hodges.Guests in attendance made donations to SPEAR, one of the Mayors’ chosen charities, which is a local homeless charity, and over £160 was donated.
The lunch was specially prepared and cooked onsite by Richmond upon Thames College’s own catering students.The college is helping these students and many others build skills for their future by giving them real life job experience in Merits restaurant which is open to members of the public during term time for lunch on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and dinner each Thursday evening.
Nathan Scarlett, a student who took part in preparing the lunch, said “I am a second year NVQ Level 2 student currently studying Food Preparation, and at the weekends I work in Chez Bruce, a Michelin starred restaurant located at Wandsworth Common.The lunch has been a great experience to cook for such a big party and will stand me in good stead for future large events.”
Ben Bussy-Lebbe, another second year student, commented, “I am currently finishing my NVQ Level 2 and I am hoping to complete my Level 3 by July 2010.College has given me a fresh outlook on my future; it has been great for my confidence both as a person and a chef.”
David Ansell, Principal, commented, “It is a pleasure to be able to welcome colleagues and members of our local community to lunch and to celebrate the skills of our students.”
In September, Richmond upon Thames College’s staff and students from the Performing Arts department welcomed their counter parts from a school in Paese, Italy as part of the British Council’s ‘Comenius’ programme, an International Education Programme that twins schools and colleges all over Europe through projects. The project RuTC is involved in will run for two years and started in January 2008.
The Italian students worked alongside RuTC students and teachers as well as a professional theatre company to produce a small scale show at the college which was performed to the Mayor, Councillor Celia Hodges along with college Governors, staff and students. They also took part in workshops on Shakespeare, on subjects including his language, speech and plays.
A few months ago, RuTC students visited Paese which was a great learning experience for the performing arts students. Here they combined Shakespeare with an Italian acting style called ‘Commedia dell’ arte’, their efforts culminated in a small scale performance which was enjoyed by the local community.
The Training Solutions Team at Richmond upon Thames College held a Coffee Morning on Friday 25th September in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning Appeal. It was well attended by members of staff from different departments of the college who enjoyed homemade cakes and biscuits. The total amount raised was £128 and this has been gift aided.
Training Solutions staff at the Coffee Morning
Some of the delicious homemade cakes and biscuits on offer
On Wednesday 16 August, Richmond upon Thames College hosted its inaugural Awards Evening at the RFU Twickenham Stadium to celebrate the successes and achievements of its students over the past 12 months.
Around 300 people enjoyed the celebrations and guests included the Mayor of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Councillor Celia Hodges, students and their families and staff from the college. The Chair of College Governors, Michael Lumley and the College Principal, David Ansell welcomed the guests to this very special event and the awards were presented to the students by Delon Armitage, an ex-student of the college who now plays professional rugby for London Irish and England.
During the evening Delon presented over 30 awards to students representing each department of the college. Additional awards were given to James Ford-Bannister and Paddy Finn, who met on the college’s International Baccalaureate Diploma course, for their commitment and enthusiasm in writing, producing and directing a number of theatrical productions involving students from across the college. One of their greatest successes was the staging of ‘Twins’, an adaptation of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers.
Principal, David Ansell said, “Our students are with us in most cases for only two years, but the distance they travel in that time is an inspiration to us all – their achievements are truly impressive.”
In addition to the departmental awards, the college presented two awards for Best Academic Achievement. Fumina Okamura, who previously attended Kingston Grammar School, received this award for achieving grade As in Economics, Maths and Geography A levels, with a further grade A at AS level in English Language and Literature and grade Bs for Spanish AS level and her Extended Project Qualification. This autumn Fumina is going to Leeds University to read Economics and Geography. The other recipient was Louis Waterman-Evans, who came to the college from Teddington School and gained 3 grade As in Economics, Maths and German along with 2 grade As for Physics AS level and his Extended Project Qualification. Louis is continuing his studies at Warwick University where he will be reading Economics.
Chair of College Governors, Michael Lumley commented, “Whilst the Awards Evening is about the achievement of our students, we must also recognise the great effort put in by the teachers and the support staff. We are all very proud of what Richmond upon Thames College stands for and what it achieves.”
On Thursday 1st October Richmond upon Thames College’s Rugby Academy will play a touring side from South Africa. The team is an U19 side selected from Afrikaan speaking schools such as Port Natal Durban, Wesvalia and Pionier.
The touring side are also playing Truro College, who won the 2009 Daily Mail Cup and Exeter Academy and the college is proud to be part of such a prestigious event.
The match will be attended by David Ansell, Principal of Richmond upon Thames College and there will be post match refreshments provided.
Richmond Sports Volunteer Programme (RSVP) is a college wide initiative run by Richmond upon Thames College which is open to all students and provides a range of opportunities involving a variety of sports related voluntary events and activities. College students volunteer at local schools and St Mary’s University College , to help organise festivals, events and after school clubs. A number of students have also volunteered at London wide events. This project has been granted the Inspire Mark the badge of the London 2012 Inspire Programme. The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The bid was submitted to raise the profile of the project and to highlight the excellent work carried out by the students. The project covers all elements of the Olympic Values (friendship, excellent and respect) and Paralympic values (courage, determination, inspiration and equality) and enables the students to develop many skills.
Seb Coe, Chair, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: “We want to use the power of the Games to inspire change. The Inspire programme is recognising the work our partners all round the UK are doing to help us achieve this vision now – three years out from the start of the Games. I congratulate everyone involved in Richmond Sports Volunteer Programme for securing the Inspire mark and wish you every success with your work.”
Richmond upon Thames College ’s Enterprise and Skills Manager, David Warnes said “It is an honour to have our project formally recognised and to be one of only five colleges in the country to be awarded the Inspire Mark. The RSVP project offers a fantastic opportunity for all our students to use their talents and work with groups they may never have encountered before, whether it be helping to run sports day events at a local primary school or leading physical activity sessions with groups of adults with learning disabilities. RSVP brings together a number of sports volunteering projects all designed to develop confidence and leadership skills and inspire young people to reach their potential.“
The college is hoping to recruit lots more student volunteers over the coming year, with the aim of; empowering the students raising their aspirations and skills, personal development and increasing their employability. The excitement generated by the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to London will inspire the students to want to work in their communities, as part of a once in a life time opportunity. As young Londoners they will feel that the Games taking place in their city, are not just for elite athletes but for all Londoners.
A level results at Richmond upon Thames College were a cause for great celebration for both students and staff. Principal David Ansell was understandably pleased with the results praising both the hard work and talent of the students and the commitment and expertise of the staff. “With nearly 2,900 entries across some 56 subjects these results represent achievement on a grand scale. We expect once again that in excess of 1,100 students will be going on to university, one of the biggest cohorts from any single institution in the country, including to Oxford and Cambridge, other Russell group universities and various medical schools.”
The overall pass rate was 98% (national average 97.5%) with over 40% of students gaining either the top A or B grades. Thirty subjects examined achieved a 100% pass rate across the Arts, Humanities, Languages, Sciences and Social Sciences. Former pupils of borough secondary schools achieved 100% pass rates in 40 of their subjects.
The results for those students who came to the College with at least five GCSES at grades A* - C with an average of B or better were massively impressive with a pass rate of 99.6% and an A-B rate of over 68%.
Local students were amongst those who swept the board in gaining A grades in all of their three or four subjects. Of those who had previously attended Grey Court, Orleans Park, Shene, Teddington and Waldegrave schools, 16 students gained all A grades in their chosen subjects. Student, Marc Sauchelli Toran came to Richmond upon Thames College from Grey Court School to study A levels in Geography, Maths, Chemistry and Physics. Last year, Marc was amongst the top 10 who achieved the highest overall mark in AS Maths out of 33,784 candidates. This year, he achieved 4 grade As in his A level results. Marc has a place at Imperial College, London to read Chemistry.
Whilst A levels tend to dominate the news at this time of year, the College was keen to highlight the successes of those students following other routes to university or employment. Students on vocational courses had much to celebrate with 100% achievements in Sport & Leisure, Art & Design, Media, Performing Arts, Graphics, Construction, Engineering, Travel & Tourism, Business, Child Care and Hospitality.
Other advanced results already confirmed include those from the International Baccalaureate, a programme unique in this area to Richmond upon Thames College. Here the 95.7% pass rate is well ahead of the global pass rate.
Chairman of Governors, Michael Lumley, was also delighted with the results, adding, “The College aims to widen opportunity and at the same time to promote excellence. This commendable set of results demonstrates that both the community of Richmond and the wider area are well served by this outstanding tertiary college.”
Richmond upon Thames College at the UK School Games
Posted: 19/08/2009
This year’s UK School Games, organised by the Youth Sport Trust, take place from the 3rd – 6th September 2009 in Cardiff and Richmond upon Thames College have three members of the college’s Volleyball Academy taking part. The UK School Games is a multi-sport event for the UK’s elite young athletes of school age.
Stevi Bourke, a second year student studying AS/A2 levels in Sociology, English Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies and PE, has been selected as a volunteer and will have a varied role throughout the event. Simon Ojomoh, also a second year student taking AS/A2 levels in English Language and Literature, PE, Electronics and Computing, has been selected to play for England South Volleyball Squad. Also, Carol Gordon, one of the college’s sports teachers is the Head Coach of England South Volleyball Squad.
All participants will go through an accreditation process and take part in an opening and closing ceremony just like in the Olympic Games. The chance to participate in such an event is a life changing experience and one that the students will treasure.
Carol Gordon previously attended the games in 2007 and was also involved in the process of marketing volleyball as the first team sport to be added to the event. She commented, “When I was first asked to showcase the sport of volleyball in front of Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell I was keen to demonstrate the power of team sports and how well young people develop and mature through cooperation. I am thoroughly delighted to be Head Coach again and really proud that two of our students have demonstrated their expertise in the different fields and will get the chance to put them into practice at such a high profile event”
Students studying AS/A2 level and International Baccalaureate French at the college journeyed to Paris to improve their grasp of the French language. The students enjoyed sightseeing and practising their French as well as sampling the local cuisine!
Students studying on the First Diploma in Sport went on an outward bound trip to Kidderminster to finish their Community Sports Leadership Awards which helps students learn the essential skills of leadership: communication, organisation and motivation through sport. Students had to clock up at least 10 hours working with local school children aged 8-14, coaching them in various sports activities including a mini Olympics, high ropes courses, a climbing tower and various ball games. All the students successfully achieved their awards at the end of the course.
The newly elected student union organised a Summer Fair for the departing first years. The event was a huge success, there was plenty to see and do, from sumo wrestling to a chicken eating contest, and various dance performances such as belly dancing.
The college held a Welcome Day for all students starting in September 2009 from all the secondary schools in the borough. It gave students the opportunity to find out more about life in college, such as the wide variety of enrichment on offer to them or the support that is available to them during their time here. It was also a chance to meet the teachers and make new friends.
Staff and second year students got the chance to bid each other farewell at the college’s annual Leaver’s Event. Held at the college, students enjoyed music from the college’s Jazz band alongside their free cookies and ice cream! Richmond upon Thames College Principal, David Ansell, was also on hand to give out certificates to those who have contributed to college life in some way during their time here.
FUTURE STARS International Junior Basketball Tournament 2009
Posted: 15/07/2009
The 2nd Future Stars International Junior Basketball Tournament took place from 10th – 12th July 2009 at Kingston College in London. It was hailed by all as the highest calibre junior basketball tournament seen for years in Britain.
The Tournament, which was inaugurated in 2008, was originally designed to provide an opportunity for European Basketball to showcase its young “future stars.” This year the Tournament featured the national U18 teams from Spain, Italy, Israel, Poland and England together with the hosts, Richmond upon Thames College Select team, and several young future stars were to be seen in action.
The 2009 Future Stars Tournament was won by Spain, who beat Poland by 15 points in the Final. Poland had previously overcome a very strong Italian team in their semi final, winning by only 2 points in a close fought and most exciting match.
The highlight of the Tournament for the local spectators came on Sunday afternoon when the Richmond upon Thames College Select team beat the national England U18 team by 78 points to 63. There was intense rivalry between the two English teams right from the start when it became clear that Richmond were going to come bottom of Group 1 and England bottom of Group 2 which meant that they would meet each in two 5th/6th play off place matches over the weekend. In the first of these on Saturday afternoon, England were the winners by 76:54; but in the second play off game on Sunday the Richmond team were determined to reverse the tables. Their determination to win caught the England side off guard as they struggled to go up a gear to cope with the onslaught from the local side. In the end, to the intense pleasure of the partisan local crowd, Richmond defeated their national rivals.
Head of Richmond upon Thames College Basketball Academy and tournament coordinator, Jack Majewski, said after the match, “We have a very high standard of basketball at Richmond upon Thames College and this team attracted some of the best young basketball players in London. It was Richmond upon Thames College that gave them the opportunity to play against some of the highest calibre junior national teams in Europe; an opportunity which is very rare in this country. We are extremely proud that we managed to beat the English national team, which proves the high standard that we play at here.”
The 'Tournament Most Valuable Player' was Miguel Servera (born 1992) from Spain. Miguel “Miki” Servera, who recently signed to play for Unicaja Malaga next season, is already considered to be one of the hottest young talents in Spain since Ricky Rubio. He was a member of the under-16 Spanish national team, averaging 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals in the 2008 European Championship last summer and was also chosen to play for the international team at the 2008 Jordan Brand Classic in April 2008. A definite “future star” who more than lived up to his potential at the 2009 Future Stars Tournament.
Not to be outdone however, the England U18 team featured 18 year old future star, Ryan Richards (born 1991), who has been tipped as an NBA prospect since he was 14 years old. Richards was the player the British spectators most wanted to see in action and he did not disappoint, scoring 15 against Poland and 20 against Spain.
Ryan Richards, originally from Jamaica, started his sporting life playing football but, like many other tall youngsters, was scouted into basketball by his local team in Kent. Ryan Richards is considered to be the best young basketball prospect in England since Luol Deng, currently the UK’s most famous basketball player now playing in the NBA for Chicago Bulls.
Andre Alleyne, the England team head coach said about Ryan Richards after the Tournament, “"Let's face it, the guy is nearly seven foot, plays like he's 6' 6", does everything... and is a lefty to boot! He's got the whole package."
The whole Tournament was a massive success, achieving its objective of showcasing a much higher level of junior basketball than is normally seen in this country. The very enthusiastic packed crowds at Kingston College throughout the weekend can attest to that.
Tournament coordinator, Jack Majewski, said after the event, “We were absolutely delighted to attract the highest level national teams that we did. We were actually approached by several other European national teams, and found ourselves in the unenviable position of having to turn down teams that other tournaments would have killed to have in their line-up. The great success of this year’s event will now encourage the organisers to look at ways of making this Future Stars Tournament even bigger and better next year.”
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
FRIDAY Game 1 Richmond upon Thames College Select 62 Israel 79 Game 2 Spain 93 Poland 58 Game 3 Israel 78 Italy 83 Game 4 England 72 Poland 79 Game 5 Richmond upon Thames College Select 71 Italy 89 Game 6 Spain 99 England 71
SATURDAY 5th/6th Play Off (First game) England 76 Richmond upon Thames College Select 54 First Semi Final Israel 69 Spain 78 Second Semi Final Italy 68 Poland 70
SUNDAY 5th/6th Play Off (Second game) Richmond upon Thames College Select 78 England 63 3rd/4th Place Italy 63 Israel 76 FINAL Spain 72 Poland 57
Richmond College students make the grade - IB Diploma results 2009
Posted: 14/07/2009
Students completing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma course at Richmond upon Thames College are celebrating this summer, having received outstanding results. For the fourth year running the college has achieved well above the IB global pass rate, with 95.7% or 45 out of 47 students achieving the full diploma. The four top scoring students, with grades from 40 to 44, are expected to enrol at Cambridge, Durham, Warwick and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS), with others destined for prestigious universities across the country in subjects including Medicine, Law, Marine Biology and Politics. Each year since the college started offering the diploma, students have found places either at Oxford or Cambridge, or both.
Richmond upon Thames College is the only state funded tertiary college in London to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which is an internationally recognised broad-based qualification offered as an alternative to A Levels. Students choose to study a variety of courses over the two years, which allows them to retain the broadest range of academic subjects, develop their critical thinking and intercultural understanding. Stephen Winfield, the College’s IB Coordinator, said, “We are delighted that our students have, yet again, achieved such convincing results. They have gained 100% pass rates in the majority of the subjects offered in the programme.”
Two of the top four highest achieving students came from Richmond Borough schools, Marie-Astrid Purton, from Christ’s school in Richmond, achieved 42 points and Samuel Trevelyan, from Hampton Community College, achieved 41 points. Samuel said, "The International Baccalaureate Diploma has been an unique experience and I found it a challenging course with an interesting international emphasis.” Samuel is going on to study Law at Durham University. Sergio Lamela came to the college from Phoenix High School in Shepherds Bush. He scored 40 points and will be going to School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS) to study Chinese after a gap year. He said, “I was initially attracted to the IB because I wanted the opportunity to keep studying a wide range of subjects. On the whole, I found it an enjoyable experience although the course was quite challenging at times.” Anna Claeys, who came to the college from Tiffin Girls School in Kingston and achieved the top score in this year’s cohort, with 44 points out of a possible 45, is going to study History at King’s College, Cambridge after taking a gap year in which she plans to travel to Cuba and Spain. She said, “I wanted to take the IB because I was undecided about which subjects to pick for A Level, which worked out really well as I enjoyed them all. I've loved the course and my time at Richmond upon Thames College, both of which I'll miss next year!”
Chris Perkins, the College’s IB Director, concluded, “The students gained not only excellent results, but the course broadened their horizons and changed their lives. We are pleased to see an increasing number of these students are coming from local secondary schools, and that they are seeing the IB as a very worthwhile educational route to take. All of the staff involved in delivering the IB programme teach on a wide variety of courses and have given hours of preparation, training and individual supervision to students. We are particularly gratified that the College has maintained the high standards of teaching and learning it established during the first four years of the programme, and look forward to building on our achievements and expanding the courses we offer in the next few years.”
From 10th – 12th July, Richmond upon Thames College, one of the largest providers of education for 16-19 year olds in the country, in partnership with Kingston College, will be hosting its annual coaching conference and international junior tournament – Future Stars 2009.
This year’s Future Stars basketball tournament will be held at Kingston College and will feature an exciting line-up of Under-18 Division A teams from Spain, Italy, Israel along with Division B teams from Poland and England, all of whom will be competing later in July at the 2009 U18 European Championships. Completing this outstanding list will be the Richmond upon Thames College-London United team comprising top young London based players. The opening game between England and Poland will take place at 4.00pm on Friday 10th July, with the final taking place at 8.00pm on Sunday 12th July.
This year’s keynote speaker at the Coaching Conference is Pepu Hernandez who is the highly acclaimed former head coach of the Spanish National Men’s team that won the World Championships in 2006. He will be joined by Neven Spahija who is the current head coach of Pamesa Valencia and Bryan Jones who is head of sports and coaching development at the University of Central Lancashire. The conference runs from Saturday 11th to Sunday 12th July.
The event’s main sponsors are the Polish National Tourist Office and the Malopolskie Tourist Board, along with Adidas, England Basketball, London Basketball, Basketball Coaches Association, Sports Coach UK, The Luol Deng Foundation and Tiger Energy Drink. Media partners include Discover Poland Magazine, Panorama and Express Polish.
Tickets for the tournament and conference are available through the Future Stars website at www.futurestars.uk.com.
RuTC Training Solutions for local businesses launched
Posted: 29/06/2009
Local employers were invited to Richmond upon Thames College last week to mark the launch of ‘Training Solutions’, the new name for the all of the colleges’ employer responsive training.
The event was attended by employers who are currently benefiting from training provided by the team, including the Notting Hill Housing Trust, Integer Ltd and Richmond Borough Council. Nick Taimitarha, CEO of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce was also present to lend his support. Also present were members of the college Governors and Senior Leadership team.
David Warnes, Skills and Enterprise Manager said “Training Solutions brings together over 20 years of experience in delivering quality support and training to employers in a way that is easily accessible and geared towards meeting their needs in these tough economic times”
Training Solutions works with large and small businesses to fully understand their needs before agreeing a tailor made training solution that is both beneficial and cost effective. The range of solutions includes Apprenticeship and Train to Gain programmes as well as tailor made bespoke training.
Supported Learning Students crowned Surrey County League Champions
Posted: 23/06/2009
Last week Richmond upon Thames College’s Supported Learning Football Team became Surrey County League Champions after a successful campaign and play-off final with Merton College. RuTC, winners of the Friday 6-a-side LDD League and Merton College, winners of the Wednesday 6-a-side LDD league played a thrilling final to determine the overall County League winners.
Saif Al-ani (Supported Learning student and player) said “Consistency paid off for us in the end. It’s been a great competition and a lot of hard work and effort went into it from the team and we loved the chance to compete against such good opponents.”
John White, one of the team’s organisers, said “Richmond upon Thames College and the Supported Learning Football team in particular were delighted to have Fit For Sport as the team’s sponsors enabling us to purchase a new Pro Star kit in which we proudly won the Surrey County Championship.”
Art students at Richmond upon Thames College got the chance to exhibit in the colleges annual Art Exhibition. Students from all the college’s art courses, both vocational and AS/A2, exhibited work they have completed whilst studying at the college.
Before the exhibition opened to the public, students and their parents attended a private view on Thursday 18th June and were joined by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ben Khosa, and the college Principal, David Ansell. A cheque for £200 was presented to Off the Record, a counselling service for young people based in Twickenham, which was raised by the art students at their annual Fashion Show earlier this year.
Ex Grey Court student, Miles Brown, who has just finished studying the BTEC National Diploma in Graphic Design, was presented with a £50 voucher for winning the competition to design the exhibition flyers and poster.
Richmond upon Thames College recently won the 2009 Good Schools Guide A Level Award for Boys taking Art & Design (Critical Studies) at A level at an English School.
Richmond College sports coach named Basketball Coach of the Year
Posted: 09/06/2009
Richmond upon Thames College’s Basketball Academy’s Head Coach, Jack Majewski, has been named as the 2008/2009 England Basketball Men’s Division Four (Midlands South) Coach of the Year. The award recognises the fact that Jack Majewski led the young Richmond team not only to the runners up position in the Men’s Midlands South Division, but also to the last four teams in the Division Four Play Offs, where they were narrowly beaten in the semi final by Loughborough University. As a result of this success the team have gained promotion and will play in the Men’s Division Three next season.
The Richmond team was made up mainly of U18 players and was often to be found playing against teams containing men nearly twice their age. But Jack Majewski’s philosophy of, “if you are good enough, you are old enough,” was resoundingly proved accurate as he led his players to victory after victory across the Midlands South region. Dedicating himself to training sessions four times a week and to matches every weekend, Jack Majewski ensured that he brought the best out of each and every one of his players and is justly rewarded for all his hard work by the England Basketball award.
A former Polish national youth team coach, Jack Majewski set up the Richmond upon Thames College Basketball Academy in 2001 and during the last 8 years has led the Academy basketball teams to many great successes. In an interview, Richmond student, Oliver Robinson who has been coached by Jack Majewski for the last two years, said, “Jack is a really inspiring coach. He believes in you and that gives you confidence. When you are on the court you want to play well, as much for him as for yourself, so as to justify his faith in you. It’s thanks to his constant support and encouragement that my basketball game has improved so much over the last two years.”
Jack Majewski now takes the young Basketball Academy team into Men’s Division Three next season where they will face tough opposition from much older and much more experienced teams, but he is not at all daunted by the prospect. “The whole purpose of a Basketball Academy is to develop good players into great players and to do this, they need to be stretched and challenged in every match. With hard work and encouragement, even young players can achieve amazing things, and this will be our aim.”
Jack Majewski is the project manager for the Future Stars 2009 basketball conference and tournament which is organised by Richmond upon Thames College in partnership with Kingston College. This event takes place at Kingston College from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July and incorporates an international U18s tournament.
Richmond College student part of prestigious online exhibition
Posted: 09/06/2009
Richmond upon Thames College student, Lily Goodchild has had one of her art works included in the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts A Level Summer Online Exhibition. Lily submitted 2 pieces of work, both of which were shortlisted in 120 items out of over 1000 submissions, an extraordinary achievement in itself.
Lily came to Richmond upon Thames College from Teddington School to study A levels in Fine Art, History of Art and English Language and Literature.
Her piece, ‘When You and Sleep Escape Me’, was created for a self-chosen college project on depicting comfort zones. Lily said “This is a portrait of a friend asleep - it is an intimate, comfortable situation where the person is exposed, but does not fear it. I used song lyrics that I associated with each individual I created portraits of. In this case, 'Cloudbusting' by Kate Bush. In my work I often depict myself, my friends or family because they are the most accessible figures to draw from.”
Another RuTC student, Robert Botchway, who is studying a BTEC National Diploma in Graphic Design has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Top 100 Young Brits at Art 2009, out of a total of 1639 pieces. The list is organised by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The awards ceremony will take place at the South Bank Centre in London on the 2nd July. Robert came to the college from St Mark’s School in Hounslow.
Last week, Eli Asllani, who is studying a BTEC First Diploma in Travel and Tourism at Richmond upon Thames College, was chosen as the college’s ‘Best Learner’. The award was presented to her at a ceremony at the House of Lords.
Each college in South London had been asked to nominate a student from their college by the Committee of South London Principals (COSLP) and Eli was put forward by her teacher, Jenny Sloan. At the ceremony each student received a certificate in recognition of their achievement and the Principal from their college gave a short speech on their special achievements and why they were nominated.
College Principal, David Ansell said, “The House of Lords’ terrace overlooking the Thames was a suitably impressive location for a most impressive Richmond upon Thames College student, Eli, whose work rate and attitude to her studies made her a deserving winner of our College’s Best Learner award. Eli is a credit both to herself and the College.”
Eli came to Richmond upon Thames College in 2006 to undergo diagnostic testing for literacy and numeracy. She then spent two weeks at summer school working for her Entry Level 3 in IT, Literacy and Numeracy, all of which she achieved. In September 2006 she enrolled on the Foundation (Level 1) GNVQ in Travel & Tourism, where she proved herself to be a conscientious learner and achieved a Merit by Summer 2007, as well as passing Key Skills in IT and Communications at Level 1.
In September 2007 Eli enrolled on the BTEC First Diploma in Travel & Tourism, but ill-health and some difficult personal circumstances impacted on her studies and she had to leave after a term. However, she worked for the remainder of the year and showed great courage and determination in reapplying for the First Diploma in September 2008.
Since returning to college, Eli has demonstrated both growth in maturity and huge commitment to her studies. She attends learning support to ensure that she is able to produce her assignments to the best of her ability and is keen to support other members of her class during group work. She strives to meet deadlines and her motivation, participation in class, attendance, punctuality and enthusiasm are boundless. She sets herself very high standards and always meets them as is evidenced by the letters of congratulation sent by several members of staff across a range of subjects. The whole department supports her nomination unreservedly.
Eli will be starting the Gateway to Travel Course Level 3 at the college in September.
Nine students from Richmond upon Thames College have successfully secured conditional offers at Oxford and Cambridge Universities for this year’s intake. All of the students attend college as full time students and three of them previously attended Richmond borough schools – two came from Waldegrave and one came from Teddington School.
This year, eight of the hopeful students are studying AS/A2 levels, with four of them studying the newest AS/A2 level, the Extended Project Qualification. The other is studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, an academically challenging course which is offered by the college as an alternative to AS/A2 levels. Richmond upon Thames College is the only state college in the whole of the London area to offer this course. A further nine students, two from Teddington, have also received offers to study medicine all over the UK, including St George’s (University of London) and the University of Manchester. Six of these students are studying on the IB Diploma and the other three are taking AS/A2 levels. Four of the nine students left the college last year, but have still received help in their applications to reapply for this year’s intake.
The college sends more students to university from a single site than any other school or college in the UK and in 2008, 1145 students went on to higher education at universities all over the UK, 141 of these went to prestigious ‘Russell Group’ universities and 229 went to UK universities ranked in the top 200 in the world.
College Principal, David Ansell said, “This is a splendid achievement based on hard work as well as determination to gain places at such sought-after universities”. He added, “I wish them every success for what lies ahead and I am in no doubt they will do Richmond upon Thames College proud in their future studies and careers”.
Richmond upon Thames College held a very successful Progression Day on 29th April for students nearing the end of their first year at college.
The Progression Day combined a Higher Education Fair and a Work and Training Fair and the purpose of the day was to encourage students to think about their future options.
77 universities from all around the UK and 44 guest speakers were involved in the Higher Education Fair with the aim of raising awareness of the many degree courses on offer. Last year Richmond upon Thames College sent 1145 students to university. Students were able to meet representatives from the universities including local universities such as Kingston University, Roehampton University, and St Mary’s University College. Students also had the opportunity to attend specialist talks from visiting speakers from local universities on subjects ranging from Art and Design to History to Nursing.
15 employers and organisations were represented at the Work and Training Fair, including worldwide hotel company Marriott, nursery chain Teddies Nurseries, and Richmond Theatre for those interested in the performing arts. The aim of the Fair was to give students a flavour of the range of employment and training opportunities available to them when they leave college.
David Ansell, Richmond upon Thames College Principal, described the event as “a vital part of the work we do to support our students in preparing for the next stage of their lives. Richmond borough is fortunate in having one of the few colleges large enough to attract such an impressive range of organisations to a local venue”.
Richmond upon Thames College student part of winning England Basketball team
Posted: 28/04/2009
Talented Richmond upon Thames College basketball player, Oliver Robinson, has just returned from an International Basketball Tournament in France where he was part of the England U18 team that won the prestigious Cherbourg Cup, defeating the national teams from the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Scotland and Tunisia as well as club sides Reading Rockets and AS Cherbourg.
18 year old Oliver, who plays for Richmond upon Thames College in both their National League Division Four Men’s and U18 teams, was selected to join the England U18 training squad in December 2008.
The Cherbourg Tournament was part of the team’s warm-up for the U18 European Championships which will take place in Bosnia at the end of July and was Oliver’s first experience of international basketball representing his country. The team next go to Copenhagen in May.
Richmond upon Thames College coach, Jack Majewski said, “I’ve coached Oliver now for two years and I’ve watched him grow from a very good player into an outstanding player. He has become one of my most promising players. I am hoping that he will be able to go on from the Richmond upon Thames College team to play basketball professionally for a European Club within the next year or so.”
Oliver, who is at the college studying A Levels in Psychology, History and PE, also finds time to coach aspiring young basketball players at a local school in between his own playing commitments. He said: “It’s important to find time to encourage other kids to take up the sport of basketball and to point them in the direction of a local club where they can be given the same opportunities that I’ve been lucky enough to have had.”
At the beginning of July, Richmond upon Thames College, in partnership with London United Basketball Club and Kingston College, will host the Future Stars International U18 Tournament which will take place at Kingston College from 10th – 12th July. This Tournament will showcase talented young basketball players from all over Europe as the England team take on the national U18 teams from Spain, Latvia, Italy and Poland as well as the host team from Richmond upon Thames College. Full details of the 2009 Tournament will shortly appear on www.futurestars.uk.com
RuTC student highly commended at the Workforce Development Awards 2009
Posted: 28/04/2009
Kerri Pritchard, an advanced apprentice studying at Richmond upon Thames College was a runner-up in the 2009 Workforce Development Awards, receiving a ‘highly commended’ award in the Advanced Apprentice of the Year category.
Kerri is studying for a NVQ Level 3 in Leisure Management and works at Hatch End Pool, one of several centres operated by Leisure Connection Ltd. Judges praised her ‘very strong journey of personal attainment’ as Kerri has progressed from an apprentice at Harrow Leisure Centre, to a Duty Manager and then to her current role as Operations Manager. She now plans to go to university to study a BA in Leisure Management.
Kerri commented, “I have proven that no matter what you think your abilities are, if you have drive, determination and ambition you can succeed”.
The awards ceremony was held at the Park Plaza Hotel in London last Thursday (23rd April) and was hosted by TV’s Sarah Beeny.
25th Anniversary Celebration of Apple Tree Café and Serious Snacks
Posted: 21/04/2009
This year, Richmond upon Thames College is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its onsite Apple Tree Café and Serious Snacks shop that are run by teachers and students from the college’s supported learning department. To mark this milestone, the college is organising a celebration reception on Thursday 7th May from 5.30pm which will be attended by the Mayor of Richmond, college governors, representatives from employment services, employers, current and past students and staff along with those who support the college’s supported learning students in the community.
The event aims to recognise the achievements of young people and adults with learning difficulties in learning the skills for working in retail and catering and also in developing employability skills for other areas of work. Over the years, the café and shop have provided opportunities for approximately 400 students to learn these skills. Through the courses of the supported learning programme area, most have also progressed to individual work experience opportunities within and beyond the college. Close liaison with supported employment agencies in the boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow has led to paid employment for many of the students and the café and the shop exemplify collaboration and team work between volunteers, older and younger adults and staff. Customers include staff of the college, professionals, peers, family members and students from link schools.
If you have any past connections with the college’s supported learning students and would like to come along and join in the celebrations, please contact Laura, Marketing Department, at lvile@rutc.ac.uk.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Success for Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 20/04/2009
The official league results for schools and colleges offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma were recently released and subsequently published in the Financial Times at the end of March.
Richmond upon Thames College is delighted to be the top ranked non-selective state institution in England. The college also outperforms many notable independent selective schools and colleges in the country with its ranking of 6th place for students who achieve 38 points or above, equivalent to 5 A levels at grade A, which is the entry points score required by the country’s top universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Overall the IB students achieved an average QCA point score of 1,069. These students were the college’s third IB cohort and achieved a pass rate of 86.7% which is well above the global pass rate of 78.3%.
Students studying the IB choose from a variety of courses which allows them to retain the broadest range of academic subjects along with developing their critical thinking and intercultural understanding. The course is studied over two years and a maximum of 45 points are awarded.
Past student, Emma Withycombe, joined the college in September 2006 to study the IB having previously attended Richmond borough schools - Collis Primary followed by Teddington School where she gained 12.5 A* GCSEs. She was the college’s top achieving IB student in 2008.
Emma says, “I am surprised and delighted to receive the top IB marks for the college of 44 out of a possible 45. I was first attracted to the IB because I wanted to keep on studying the range of subjects which I enjoyed at school, and found the course brilliant. The diversity of IB students at the college is incredible and you can learn so much about different cultures. The Creativity, Action and Service element of the course gives you so many opportunities to try things you would never normally do.” Emma is now studying medicine at Clare College, Cambridge.
Richmond upon Thames started the IB Diploma course in 2004 with just 24 students, however over the years the intake has grown significantly and in September 2008, over 116 students enrolled on the course. The college is now ranked 14th place out of a total of 62 schools and colleges in England, compared to 36th place in 2007.
David Ansell, Principal of Richmond upon Thames College, commented, “One of the advantages of a large tertiary college is its ability to offer a wide range of educational opportunities. The IB provides a wonderful opportunity for Richmond students with a broad range of talent and an interest in the wider world to excel and to open doors for themselves to the best universities both at home and abroad”.
Ex Richmond students shine on the rugby world stage
Posted: 20/04/2009
Two of Richmond upon Thames College’s (RuTC) ex students, full back Delon Armitage and prop Joe Marler, have recently been taking the rugby world by storm after being selected this season for the England Senior and U20 teams respectively. London Irish player Delon came to RuTC in 2002 to study a GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism whilst Harlequins Academy player Joe came in 2007 to study an Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (Rugby).
Delon Armitage started playing rugby at the age of 8 for Richmond RFC, before moving to France and representing France U16’s. When he returned to England he played for the England U19's. From there he progressed to the U21 squad and played in the 2005 IRB World Sevens tournament.
Last season saw Delon make the step up to England 'A' with his inclusion in the England Saxons Summer tour to Canada to participate in the Churchill Cup. He emerged as one of England's highlights from the 2008 Investec Challenge series as one of only three members of Martin Johnson’s team to play every minute of all four of England’s matches, being voted England fan’s Man of the Match in his debut game. He impressed again at the 2009 RBS Six Nations where he was shortlisted for the RBS Six Nations Player of the Tournament. He has since become a regular for Martin Johnson’s England team. Delon is the first native West Indian to play rugby union for England. His brother, Steffon also plays for England and they became the first brothers to play for England at the same time in fourteen years.
Joe was selected for the England U18 Six Nations squad for 2006/07 and went on to represent England at the U18 Six Nations in 2007/08, winning the Grand Slam at the tournament. During the U18 Six Nations he was chosen to captain the side against Wales, and again later on the U18 tour of Argentina in 2008. Joe has now been called up to join the England Under 20's squad to compete in the U20 Six Nations, and in the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan later this season. He joined the Harlequins Academy full time in June 2008, and made his first A league appearance against Wasps this season. He has been playing for National League Three club Worthing RFC during the 2008/9 season.
Last week, 30 female students from Richmond upon Thames College joined 50 others from South Thames and Kingston College’s for the Dare2Dance Empowerment Day, held at South Thames College. The event was run by Independence and funded by Pro-Active South London and London Winter of Sport.
The Dare2Dance programme focuses on getting young women involved in physical activity through Hip Hop and Street dance, aiming to increase their participation in dance and sport.
The day consisted of taster sessions, group activities, presentations and information exchange. The girls started the day with a film on the history of street dance and its origins in the 1920s and then went on to participate in workshops in Parkour and street dance, covering krumping, breaking and pop-locking. The event was led by two street dance experts, Yami Lovemberg and Sunanda Biswas, alongside professional dancer Suzette Brissett. Suzette is a member of the Nike D’Clash Crew, an all female dance group which was selected through a fierce national competition.
The RuTC students really enjoyed the day, Amanda Gurruchaga, a first year International Baccalaureate student from Teddington School, commented, “The Empowerment Day was great fun. I thought it would be a good experience to try new styles of dance and Parkour. I already do dance but I am really interested in more hip-hop styles now”. Ariana Khushal, an ex Whitton School student studying a BTEC Introductory Diploma in Business, Retail and Administration said, “I love any Sport so I thought I could learn something new and have fun and I really enjoyed participating in the day”.
Richmond upon Thames College has been recognised for offering the highest standard of health and fitness training. Along with Kingston College, we were awarded Academy Provider status by the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, an initiative which aims to improve skills training in the industry.
Over 4500 Richmond borough youngsters chose RuTC student Umaru Saidu as their representative on the national Youth Parliament this week with Holly Dryden-Jones (Waldegrave School for Girls) and Cynthia Adebiyi-Yekinni (also an RuTC student) as his deputies.
Quoted in the Richmond and Twickenham Times, Umaru thanked those that had voted for him and said, "the issues I will be tackling will include our image in the media, what we together can do to change it and what should be changed, how to input respect for ourselves and for our peers and also lowering transport costs. I hope to prove with the youth forum and my deputies, youth parliament is not just about image but actiion too".
Gillian Fogg, VP for Student and Staff Services said “I am delighted that two of our students have been successful in the elections for the Youth Parliament. Umaru Saidu has been nominated as the Youth Parliament Member for the Borough of Richmond and Cynthia Adebiyi-Yekinni has been elected as one of two deputies. Umaru is a valued member of the college community, he enjoys college life and actively participates in the creative writing club and the athletics academy. Cynthia is a member of the Partnership Scheme here at college. On behalf of everyone at Richmond upon Thames College, we wish Umaru and Cynthia every success.”
Rebecca Romero started at Richmond upon Thames College in 1996 and studied A Levels in PE, Psychology and English Language and Literature. She was also a member of the football team and went to weightlifting club. On leaving the college she studied a sports degree at St Mary's University College Twickenham.
She is the first British Olympic athlete to compete in the summer Olympics in two different sports, in 2004 she won a silver medal for the quadruple skulls and then in 2008 she won a gold medal in cycling.
Delon came to Richmond upon Thames college in 2001 to study an intermediate GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism and was a star member of our Rugby Academy.
Delon started playing rugby at the age of 8 for Richmond RFC, he then moved to France where he represented France U16’s. When he returned to England he played for the England U19's. From there he progressed to the U21 squad and the IRB World Sevens tournament, 2005.
Last season saw Delon make the step up to England 'A' with his inclusion in the England Saxons Summer tour to Canada to participate in the Churchill Cup. He is now part of Martin Johnson's team and regularly plays for England. He made his debut in November in 2008.
Last month, students studying on Vocational Courses in Art and Design at Richmond upon Thames College had the opportunity to show their skills and imagination in their Annual Fashion Show. The exciting and diverse range of work presented included sculptural work, masks, body adornments and performance art responding to themes such as body distortion, spy wear and insect masks. Fashion and Textile students produced a wide array of garments and evening wear responding to themes that included ‘make do and mend’, ‘Shock of the new’ and ‘Decoration and Surface’.
The event also included the projection of graphic images highlighting the issues and problems experienced by young people in society today. All performances were staged in aid of “Off the Record”, a Twickenham based organisation dedicated to supporting young people with problems through the provision of counselling. Generous audiences showed their appreciation by donating over £200.00 and the students were pleased to be able to turn their hard work, creativity and enthusiasm into cash for a worthy cause.
Last week Richmond upon Thames College Law students had some tough judges at their Review, Assessment, Planning (RAP) week project competition, in the shape of two Twickenham Police Officers!
The students had been set the task of creating a short role play highlighting the powers of the police to stop and search, then arrest and detain suspects. The event was the culmination of an exercise set for all AS Law students in our first ever RAP week. The students were split into small groups and had to decide on the format of their presentation and allocate roles so that everyone was involved. Each class picked a winning team, and then the finalists performed their role plays to a crowded college’s theatre.
Two police officers from Twickenham station came to judge the event along with the college’s Principal Kevin Watson. The prize for the winning team is to attend the custody suite at Twickenham station and have their role play videoed which will then be used as a teaching tool for future classes. The team will have exclusive use of the suite to film, including the cells and interview room so they can experience what its like to be 'booked in' as a suspect.
One of the winning students, Marko Vujnovic said “I found the experience thoroughly enjoyable. The police acting as judges made the occasion more realistic and it was interesting to see how much of the law everyone had grasped so far. I feel I have learnt a lot from the experience”.
The winning AS Level students were Gabriela Chappell (captain), Dilmeet Grover, James Kamara, Rosie Singleton and Marko Vujnovic.
Students from Richmond upon Thames College today signed up to compete in the UK’s largest enterprise challenge for secondary schools and colleges.
The Make Your Mark Challenge is a one-day, national enterprise competition for students aged 14 – 19 and kick-started Global Entrepreneurship Week (17 – 23 November), aiming to improve young people’s enterprise capabilities.
Students from the Business School were challenged to come up with unique and inspiring ideas in response to a secret brief launched online at www.makeyourmarkchallenge.org.uk on Monday 17 November.
Local businesses including the refurbishment company, Lakehouse, together with the Richmond Education Business Partnership were on hand to judge their ideas and declare the winning team.
Dave Warnes, Enterprise and Skills Manager said: “We’re delighted to be taking part in the Make Your Mark Challenge. It is a brilliant way of providing students with a hands on experience of enterprise, giving them time and space to be creative and to develop ideas. It improves valuable skills such as team work, problem-solving, financial literacy and dealing with risks.”
As well as proving that they’re among the most enterprising young minds in the country, the students were competing for the chance to win at a regional level or for the national prize of up to £3,000, as well as £100 in high street vouchers for each member, to help Richmond upon Thames College students make their ideas a reality.
This was just one of several events to mark Enterprise Week, which also included a recruitment and skills fair for potential personal trainers who want to start their own business.
Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC) is not just a successful provider of education for local 16-19 and adult students, the campus also plays host to the Swedish School Sixth Form (its lower years are at a location in Barnes). For the last two years, the college’s Employer Engagement Office has found suitable work experience placements for some of the Swedish students. The placements last 3 weeks and students work in a variety of places including shops, hairdressers and day nurseries. Some of the students have taken support roles within the college itself which has proved to be very successful.
The students have received positive and encouraging reports from their employers, which have even included potential future job offers. It has proved to be a very successful partnership between the college and the Swedish school. Jan Dackenburg, Headmaster of the Swedish School in London commented, “this is a unique working experience which is very popular with all the students”.
Student Victoria Hasather said “I worked in Community Sports, a part of Richmond upon Thames College. I was really pleased to have such a good work placement. Sometimes the work was hard, but there were always people around to make the work easier. At Community Sports I answered the phone, worked on reception and helped teams get ready for matches and training. The best thing about the place was the relationship between co-workers. I liked the feeling that they wanted to help us make progress in the language and help get a good qualification for the future. Everyday was different, sometimes with a lot of surprises; I even got the opportunity to play with the ladies academy football team in a football match. That was maybe not what I expected when I first arrived here. I would absolutely do it again, and I can recommend everyone to apply for this. It may be a one-time opportunity”
Another student, Victoria Sikstrom, who worked in the Supported Learning Department and the Employer Engagement Office, added “I liked the variety of working both with students and in the office. The staff were lovely and were always there for me, helping me if I did not know where to go or showing me what to do when I didn’t know.”
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the 'Windrush' - a Black History Month event at Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 22/10/2008
George Mason one of the original 492 passengers to arrive on the MV Empire Windrush from the West Indies in 1948 visited the Richmond upon Thames College on Tuesday 21st October. He met a group of 30 A level students and staff to share his life history and his experiences of settling in the UK and raising his family. Originally from Jamaica, George had joined the RAF as part of the Commonwealth support for the Allied Forces in the Second World War and it was to re-enlist that brought him back to the UK. Arriving at Tilbury dock on June 22, 1948 George was interviewed by Pathe News and was asked what he hoped to find in England. Mr Mason replied, “A warm welcome”.
Six decades on he conveyed to students the experiences of settling into post-war Britain and what it has meant for him and his family giving real insights into his life in the RAF and since he has retired as a former deputy mayor and local district councillor in Oxfordshire.
Mr Mason was asked some searching questions by the students and he reaffirmed: “I have absolutely no regrets about making the journey on the Windrush. The people of Britain and Oxfordshire gave me the warm welcome I was looking for - and I have felt proud to serve my mother country”
The event was organised by College Vice Principal Michael Rennie who had seen an article about Mr Mason in the Richmond and Twickenham Times’ sister paper The Oxford Times and made contact with Mr Mason to discover that he had in fact taught George’s youngest daughter, Pauline, A level at a college in Oxfordshire in 1991. George Mason’s visit was part of the College’s contribution to Black History Month.
Mr Rennie said, “To have a passenger from the ‘Windrush’ brings history alive for students who are studying this topic in their A levels and is a very special experience for them to share with their friends and families.”
Sporting Champion and Olympic athlete Emily Freeman visits Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 20/10/2008
Sporting Champion and Olympic 200 metre athlete Emily Freeman visited Richmond upon Thames College, Twickenham this week to talk to the A Level PE students. The visit was organised and funded by Sport England as part of their Sporting Champions initiative.
Emily spoke to a total of 125 students across 5 classes. She discussed her progression from school to club to elite competition. Emily covered topics the students have studied such as training, nutrition, funding and the 2008 Olympics. The students were invited to ask Emily questions after she had finished speaking. Guy Wnuk, a programme manager for PE at the college, said “Emily’s visit gave the students a great chance to see the theory they have learnt applied in practice with an elite athlete. The students were able to think about their forth coming assignments to and ask her questions relating to them’”.
Emily is coached by Brian Hall, who also teaches PE at the college and trains RuTC’s Athletics Academy. He also went to Beijing with her during the summer. In the afternoon Emily trained at the college alongside the Athletics Academy. She has been suffering from a back injury so this was Emily’s first training session since returning from Beijing.
Emily said “I was really nervous beforehand as I haven’t spoken to such a large group of students or this age, but they all asked really good questions and it was really great to help them put into practice what they have learnt in class”.
Richmond upon Thames College students the best in the country
Posted: 29/09/2008
Richmond upon Thames College recently received confirmation that 5 of its students achieved amongst the top marks in certain AS and A2 level subjects.
Local student Thomas Hine was amongst the top ten students according to Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body. Thomas sat his A level in History (Early Modern) earlier this summer at Richmond upon Thames College and the results, issued this month, show that out of 1,117 candidates, Thomas achieved one of the highest overall marks. Jerry Jarvis, Edexcel’s Managing Director, said, “This is a tremendous achievement and testament to the hard work students put into preparing for their exams. We send our congratulation to Thomas”. Thomas, who attended Orleans Park School in Twickenham before going to Richmond upon Thames College achieved four A grades in his History, Classical Civilisation, French and Physics A levels. Thomas added to these outstanding results by gaining a merit in his Physics Advanced Extension Award and distinctions in his History and French Advanced Extension Awards. Thomas is now going on to read Ancient and Modern History at Oxford University’s Christ Church. Thomas commented, “I very much enjoyed my time at Richmond upon Thames College and would thoroughly recommend it. The teaching staff are very good and the support for students applying for Oxford and Cambridge is excellent”.
Terri Desmonds came to Richmond upon Thames College from Holland Park School with 8 GCSEs, 6 at A*/A. She gained excellent exam results this summer, with A grades in A2 Photography, Biology, English Language and AS Level Law. She was amongst those students who received one of the top five marks in AS/A2 level Photography out of AQA’s 4,035 candidates.
Marc Sauchelli Toran came to Richmond upon Thames College with 8 GCSEs, 5 at A*/A from Grey Court School, Ham. He also gained impressive results, scoring 4 A grades in his summer AS Level exams in Chemistry, Physics, Geography and Mathematics. He was amongst the top ten who achieved the highest overall mark in Mathematics out of Edexcel’s 33,784 candidates. Marc says “I have always enjoyed Maths. The work was new for me which is one of the reasons why I am enjoying the course. I rely on the workshops when I struggle with homework, here the teachers help students with basically anything related to the topic they teach. I have not been too often as I try to do the homework by myself.”
Faith-Louise Smith came from Sunbury Manor School with 7 GCSEs, 1 at grade A. This summer she passed AS Levels in Travel and Tourism, Business and Psychology. She achieved the highest overall mark in AS Level Travel and Tourism out of Edexcel’s 972 candidates.
Hashim Hazara came from Longford Community School with 6 GCSEs (1 at grade A). He gained 3 grade A’s at AS Level in Government and Politics, Law and English Literature. He was amongst the top ten who achieved the highest overall mark in AS Level Government and Politics, out of Edexcel’s 9,846 candidates.
Richmond upon Thames College celebrated two sporting successes last week with a former student, Rebecca Romero, winning two gold medals at the Cycling World Championships in Manchester and the Rugby Academy finishing in the top 20 schools in London for rugby performance.
Rebecca came to the college after attending a local borough school, Waldegrave School for Girls, to study for her A Levels in the late 1990s and it was while studying PE that she was talent spotted for her endurance capacity. Her teacher, Carol Gordon, remembers her as a “quiet but determined student who accepted any challenge set”. She started rowing whilst still studying and experienced great success, competing in the 2004 Olympic Games, winning silver in the quadruple skulls. Her success continued and she won gold in the Rowing World Championships the following year.
However a back injury forced her to quit rowing, instead of giving up she turned her hand to cycling and has never looked back! Within 2 years she had won Silver in the World Championships, an impressive achievement, and has set her sights on the Beijing Olympic Games this summer. On Thursday 27th March she outshone the competition to win the gold medal at the Cycling World Championships, putting this summers Olympic Games podium firmly within her grasp. The British Olympic Association say that if she is placed on the podium at this summer’s event she will be the first British Summer Olympian to win 2 medals in 2 different sports. On Friday she pedalled her way to gold in the team pursuit in a world best. Rebecca is a great inspiration to all the sports students studying at the college and proves to everyone that dreams can come true.
Richmond upon Thames College’s Rugby Academy also celebrated success, being placed in the top 20 schools and colleges in London for rugby performance for the 1st time in the academy’s 11 year history. The college is the top FE College in London and the South East due to their impressive run of 11 wins.
Local student Thomas Hine was amongst the top ten students according to Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body.
Thomas sat his A level in History (Early Modern) earlier this summer at Richmond upon Thames College and the results, issued this month, show that out of 1,117 candidates, Thomas achieved one of the highest overall marks.
Jerry Jarvis, Edexcel’s Managing Director, said, “This is a tremendous achievement and testament to the hard work students put into preparing for their exams. We send our congratulation to Thomas”.
Thomas who attended Orleans Park School in Twickenham before going to Richmond upon Thames College achieved four A grades in his History, Classical Civilisation, French and Physics A levels. Thomas added to these outstanding results by gaining a merit in his Physics Advanced Extension Award and distinctions in his History and French Advanced Extension Awards. Thomas is now going on to read Ancient and Modern History at Oxford University’s Christ Church.
Thomas commented, “I very much enjoyed my time at Richmond upon Thames College and would thoroughly recommend it. The teaching staff are very good and the support for students applying for Oxford and Cambridge is excellent”.
Students and staff at Richmond upon Thames College had much to celebrate on the release of this year’s A level results. The pass rate of 97.6 per cent exceeded last year’s record figure whilst the percentage of (the highest) A-B grades rose to 44.5 per cent. One hundred per cent pass rates were recorded in over 30 subjects. All 110 Law entrants passed; 261 of 262 Art entries were passes; all bar 4 of the 378 English entries were passes; no student failed a foreign language (120 entries) or a performing arts subject (76 successes across Drama, Theatre Studies, Dance, Music and Music Technology); 141 of 142 Media and Film Studies students gained a pass; of 216 Mathematics and Further Mathematics entries there were 212 passes, 120 of them at A or B; 100% successes were achieved in subjects ranging from Computing to Geography, Classical Civilisation to Health and Social Care, Travel and Tourism to Religious Studies.
Principal Kevin Watson was understandably pleased with the result praising both the hard work and talent of the students and the commitment and expertise of staff. “With over 2,800 entries across over fifty subjects in what is one of the biggest A level entries in the country these results represent significant achievement on a grand scale. Seen alongside some equally impressive performances from students on vocational courses and the International Baccalaureate, there is strong evidence here that whether their primary interests lie in Engineering or Philosophy, Business or History, Science or Sociology, students coming to Richmond upon Thames College can approach their studies with considerable confidence.”
Chairman of Governors, Paul Mudge, was similarly delighted, adding: “The College aims to widen opportunity and at the same time to promote excellence. This commendable set of results suggests that we are continuing to travel very much in the right direction.”
Thrilling Final in the Future Stars 2008 Basketball Tournament
Posted: 22/07/2008
On Sunday 6th July, the Czech Republic emerged as winner of the Future Stars 2008 basketball tournament organised by Richmond upon Thames College. In the final, the Czech Republic and Poland created a thrilling spectacle, which delighted an audience in Kingston College’s Arena. For the entire first half both teams traded basket and no team had a bigger lead than 4 points. Towards the end of the third quarter, the Czech Republic took a 10 points lead which proved to be decisive. The Poles made a frantic effort to cut the deficit but their every effort was matched by crucial baskets from Jan Vesely, Tomas Satoransky and superb point guard Jakub Kudlacek who never lost his control of proceedings on the court. The final results were Czech Republic 97 and Poland 90 points.
In the 3 / 4 place game, Unicaja Malaga was suffocated defensively by the Slovenian National team which was within striking distance from delivering the surprise of the tournament. With 1 minute and 30 seconds left on the clock, Slovenia had a 4 points lead and looked very uncertain against Malaga’s aggressive defence. However, steady leadership from Uros Zadnik won the day for Slovenia with a score of 70-63 but certainly Malaga can be proud of their brave efforts.
Zalgiris and Richmond upon Thames College Select were paired together in 2 leg competitions to avoid the last place in the tournament. In the first game on Saturday 5th July there was nothing to separate both teams and the game went to over-time. The Richmond team managed to hold their nerve and accurate shooting from Oliver Robinson, Henry Wilkins and Gary Miles allowed Richmond to finish on the right side of 103-95 results. The second game was played the following day and proved to be an equally close but far more defensively orientated encounter. Zalgiris held a 67-64 victory, which was still too small a margin to prevent a jubilant Richmond team from claiming 5th place.
Jan Vesely from the Czech Republic was the unanimous winner of Most Valuable Player award.
Richmond upon Thames College would like to thank Kingston College, Adidas, NBA, BCA, England Basketball, London Basketball, FIBA Europe, Croydon Council, Go South Go, Pro-Active South London and London Development Agency for their tremendous help in the delivery of this event.
From 4th – 6th July Richmond upon Thames College, one of the largest providers of education for 16-19 year olds in the country, is hosting ‘Future Stars 2008’, a unique basketball event that combines a coaching conference and an U-18 international junior tournament.
The conference will be attended by internationally renowned coaches including Sergio Scariolo, head coach at Unicaja Malaga from Euroleague and ACB Spain, back by popular demand after the success of last years conference, and Aleksandar Trifunovic, who is the head coach at Lietuvos Rytas in the Euroleague. Both will speak at the event. Rade Mijanovic, head coach of the Slovenian Junior National Team programme, will deliver a series of lectures focusing on the development of young basketball players. The tournament will include junior national teams from Slovenia, Poland and Czech Republic. The juniors from Spanish team Unicaja Malaga and Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas will also be taking part, two European powerhouses in the world of basketball, who, in the past have produced NBA standard players. The competition will be completed by Richmond upon Thames College’s Select Team, compromising of the top players from the college’s academy and a selection of the best players from Greater London clubs.
The event is delivered in partnership with Adidas, Choice FM, BCA, FIBA, England Basketball and London Basketball.
Students completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma at Richmond upon Thames College are celebrating this summer, having received outstanding results. This completes a hat-trick scored by the College: for the third year running it has achieved well above the IB global pass rate, and this year the success rating is the highest so far. Richmond students have averaged five points higher than the figure achieved worldwide. Five of the twenty-six students who have been awarded the Diploma are expecting to enrol at either Oxford or Cambridge in the autumn, with others choosing a range of universities across the country.
Richmond upon Thames College is the only state-funded college in London to offer the International Baccalaureate, which is an internationally recognised broad-based qualification offered as an alternative to A Levels. Students choose to study a variety of courses, which allow them to retain the broadest range of academic subjects, develop their critical thinking and intercultural understanding. Stephen Winfield, the College’s IB Coordinator, said, “We are delighted that our students have, yet again, achieved such convincing results. They have gained 100% pass rates in the majority of the subjects offered in the programme.”
The two top achieving students both joined Richmond upon Thames College from Teddington School, where they had gained exceptional results in their GCSEs. Emma Withycombe says she was surprised and delighted on receiving the top IB marks for the college of 44 out of a possible 45. “I was first attracted to the IB because I wanted to keep on studying the range of subjects which I enjoyed at school, and found the course brilliant. I am going on to study Medicine at Clare College, Cambridge after a holiday”.
Waddah Salih had also been an outstanding student at Teddington and having achieved 43 points, he will be going on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Wadham College, Oxford.
Both Julia Haberberg and Sophie Wingate scored 42 points. Julia will be going on to study South East Asian Studies at Newnham College, Cambridge, and Sophie will be taking French and German at Hertford College, Oxford. Daisy Crawley, from Waldegrave School, hopes to take up a place in Social and Political Science at Robinson College, Cambridge. Seven other students gained 38 points or more, enabling them to proceed to some very good universities throughout the country. Universities see this score as equivalent to five A grades at A Level.
Chris Perkins, the College’s IB Director, concluded, “The students gained not only excellent results, but the course broadened their horizons and changed their lives. We are pleased to see an increasing number of these students are coming from local secondary schools, and that they are seeing the IB as a very worthwhile educational route to take. All of the staff involved in delivering the IB programme teach on a wide variety of courses and have given hours of preparation, training and individual supervision to students. We are particularly gratified that the College has maintained the high standards of teaching and learning it established during the first three years of the programme, and look forward to building on our achievements and expanding the courses we offer in the next few years.”
Last week Richmond upon Thames College students found a truly individual way to distract themselves from their impending exams by putting on a performance of the award winning show, ‘Les Miserables’. Student James Ford Bannister came up with the idea to stage the show and any student at the College could get involved.
The students put on 3 evening shows on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday along with a matinee on Wednesday. Over 30 students were involved with the project, many of whom did not have drama experience, and the show was praised by friends, family and teachers who thought it outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable.
The four performances raised over £1000 in donations, which the students have given back to the drama department to help with future performances.
The director, IB student James Ford Bannister, said that putting on the play was “a great journey, the cast and crew really pulled together through thick and thin”. He said that the rehearsals and planning involved were a “form of escapism from exam stress” that everyone was grateful for!
Richmond upon Thames College seeks a re-build because, like any school or college, we want our students and staff to benefit from the best possible facilities. We would hope that members of the local community, too, will be able to take advantage of a range of enhanced learning and social amenities.
The College is merely at the first stage of the project – establishing the Planning Brief – and no specific details, including its future size and capacity, have yet been finalised. The Planning Brief may be studied at the Council’s web-site, Council offices or borough libraries when it is made public later this month. Further on in the year, when designs have been prepared, we will undertake a full consultation with the local community. Further information about this consultation will be issued in due course.
Richmond upon Thames College held another very successful Progression Day last week for students nearing the end of their first year at college.
The Progression Day combined a Higher Education Fair with a Work and Training Fair and the purpose of the day was to encourage students to think about their future options after college education.
Over 70 universities and 30 guest speakers were involved in the Higher Education Fair with the aim of raising awareness of the many degree courses on offer. Going to university is a central aim for many students at the college and every year RuTC sends at least 1000 students on to university. Last year 1058 students went on to higher education. Students were able to meet representatives from a range of UK universities at the Fair, including Durham, UCL, and York, as well as more local universities such as Kingston, Roehampton, and St Mary’s. Students also had the opportunity to attend specialist talks from visiting university speakers on subjects ranging from history to nursing.
16 employers and organisations were represented at the Work and Training Fair where students could talk to employers about what they look for in their employees, and assist them in considering their next steps. A diverse range of employers and organisations were represented, including leading airport company BAA, established retailer John Lewis (Kingston branch), and Richmond Theatre for those interested in the performing arts.
Jane Weake, Student Progression Manager, described the event as “an inspirational day for our students who were given the opportunity to inform themselves about the realities of the work place and the experience of higher education. It was a busy and successful day.”
Richmond upon Thames College’s catering students recently held a charity gala dinner to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The event was held in the College’s own restaurant Merits in partnership with the 5 star Lanesborough Hotel in London, where one of the college’s ex-students, Will Broom, is head chef.
The dinner was part of a series of events put on by the ‘Chefs Unite’ team to raise money for the Emily Begg fund, in conjunction with the Teenage Cancer trust. The team was set up by Paul Gayler, executive chef at The Lanesborough, to help his daughter raise money after the death of family friend Emily in November 2006. The money raised will go towards a specialist Teenage Cancer Trust unit planned for Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire. The team are hoping to raise between £150-200,000 in total, so every little helps!
The students did all the preparation and cooking themselves with a little help from Bill Farrelly, chef and catering teacher at the College, and three chefs from the renowned Lanesborough Hotel. The adventurous meal consisted of 3 courses and canapés, featuring mouth-watering dishes such as slow cooked salmon and wild mushroom risotto. One of the students taking part, Sigourney Merrony-Potten, says the event was “a great opportunity to work with professionals from a 5 star hotel”.
After the event, Chef Bill Farrelly said “the students did immensely well, making dinner for over 40 people and they definitely helped in a big way to make the event the success it was. These students also helped out as waiting staff in the restaurant during service”.
During the evening there was also a raffle with prizes from local businesses such as Cannons Health Club. All of this made sure the amount raised was an impressive £1400.
In an exciting first for Richmond upon Thames College, students studying A Level photography will get to showcase their work in an exhibition at Ham House from the 26th April - 30th April.
Richmond upon Thames College has excellent facilities on site for photography students and one student exhibiting, Chloe True, says this allows the students “the freedom to explore our own ideas using the facilities that the college offer everything can be done here in the photography department”.
The exhibition is a great opportunity for the students to be able to show their work to the public. One of the students taking part, Kyra Mensah-Simpson, said the exhibition had already been beneficial because it has allowed her to “learn different photography techniques and presentation ideas, all of which are of value because they can be used in the future to create better work”. Fellow student Thomas Shickle agreed, saying “A chance to exhibit reflects the processes I would like to replicate in the future, the opportunity shows recognition for what I have been doing and I am thankful for this”.
After finishing their study at Richmond upon Thames College, many of the students exhibiting plan to go on to university to study art or photography.
The exhibition runs from April 26th to April 30th at Ham House, The Orangery from 11.00am to 5.30pm.
From 4th – 6th July Richmond upon Thames College, one of the largest providers of education for 16-19 year olds in the country, is hosting ‘Future Stars 2008’, a unique basketball event that combines a coaching conference and an U-18 international junior tournament.
The conference will be attended by nationally renowned coaches including Sergio Scariolo, head coach at Unicaja Malaga from Euroleague and ACB Spain, back by popular demand after the success of last years conference, and Aleksandar Trifunovic, who is the head coach at Lietuvos Rytas in the Euroleague, both of whom will speak at the event. Rade Mijanovic, head coach of the Slovenian Junior National Team programme, will deliver a series of lectures focusing on the development of young basketball players. The tournament will include junior national teams from Slovenia, Poland and Czech Republic. The juniors from Spanish team Unicaja Malaga and Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas will also be taking part, two European powerhouses in the world of basketball, who in the past have produced NBA standard players. The competition will be completed by Richmond upon Thames College’s Select Team, compromising of the top players from the college’s academy and a selection of the best players from Greater London clubs.
The event is delivered in partnership with Adidas, Choice FM, BCA, FIBA, England Basketball and London Basketball. Tickets for the tournament are available through the Choice FM website, www.choice-fm.co.uk, in the run up to the event. On Friday 4th of July the tournament will take place at Kingston College and will start at 10am and run throughout the day, with the last qualifier being played at 8pm. The semi finals start at 4pm on Saturday 5th July, with the last game again starting at 8pm. The final will take place on Sunday 6th July at 8pm, with games to determine final places starting beforehand at 4pm.
Richmond upon Thames College’s Basketball Academy, representing the entire south east region, finished 2nd in the 30th British Colleges Championship held at Loughborough University on the weekend of the 5th and 6th April.
In the group stages Richmond overcame Sutton Coldfield College from Birmingham and Coleg Glan Hafren from Wales which guaranteed progression to the semi-finals. In the semi-final Richmond met the winners of the other pool, Filton College from Bristol and after a dramatic final seconds of the game, Richmond managed to win by 1 point and progress to the finals. The other finalist was Hackney College from London who in equally heart stopping fashion overcame Moulton College from Northampton.
The stage was set for a fascinating final however, on the day, Hackney proved to be too great a force for Richmond who had to settle for second place.
Richmond upon Thames College’s BTEC National Diploma Dance Students premiered the final production of their 2 year course last week, entitled ‘Over the Rainbow’. Shortly the students will leave the college to go to vocational dance schools or universities. The show was a huge success, receiving nothing but praise from staff, students and family who attended.
The show had already attracted attention by highlighting the issue of recycling at the college. Currently the council does not collect recyclable waste from the college and the students wanted to draw attention to just how much plastic could potentially be collected. To gather props for the show the girls, all dressed in green, had taken to the corridors at lunch to collect bottles from other students to use in the making of their Emerald City set. They collected an immense number of bottles and the finished set looked fantastic. All the props used for the recycling scene were taken to the recycling centre and the students hope that drawing attention to the problem will encourage the council to rethink. The show was a great way to highlight such an important issue and the staff and students involved did a wonderful job.
Ten students from the Dance Performance Group, at Richmond upon Thames College, recently had the opportunity to perform at the Lilian Baylis Theatre at Sadler’s Wells. The occasion was the theatre’s secondary school evening - ‘Connecting Vibes’. The RuTC students performed a piece entitled ‘A Touch of Sparkle’, loosely based on fairy tales and magic which combines gestural movement with exciting lifts and jumps. This mystical and playful piece was originally performed by 18 students in the college Christmas production, but was reworked using just 10 dancers for Sadlers Wells. “I really enjoyed watching the other performers,” said Karis Lambri. “Ours was the only contemporary piece - most students had chosen street dance.” “It was exciting dancing on such a famous stage,” added Eleanor Byrd, a vocational dance student, “though it was scary performing in front of such a dance orientated audience.”
Although the majority of the college’s students taking part were studying AS/A2 level or vocational dance qualifications at college, the group is open to all students, who are chosen by audition at the beginning of the year. The performance was very well received with particular praise going to the costumes and choreography.
Richmond upon Thames College students make the headlines
Posted: 13/03/2008
On Tuesday, Channel 5 News came to Richmond upon Thames College to canvass student opinion in anticipation of the UN drug control agency’s annual report, which was to be published the next day.
The price of cocaine has fallen to a record low and the UN blames the Britain’s celebrity culture and accuses the police of turning a blind eye to the rich and famous who misuse drugs, whilst the courts make matters worse by treating the stars leniently. “Celebrity drug offenders can profoundly influence attitudes, values and behaviour towards drug abuse, particularly among young people” the report said.
However Richmond upon Thames College AS Media students begged to disagree. They felt that while greatly admiring the music of Amy Winehouse, or the successful career of Kate Moss, they most certainly did not admire or wish to emulate their lifestyles. In fact they felt the media went out of its way to portray the appalling effects of drug abuse. They suggested young people were more likely to be influenced by their friends than celebrities.
It was a great opportunity for the 15 students who took part to see the media at wok first hand. Channel 5 News lead with the item, which featured the students, throughout Wednesday.
Following the success of previous years, Richmond College launched its ambitious Legal Careers Evening on Tuesday 11th March.
Young prospective law students, currently studying A levels at the college, hosted the evening to meet distinguished members of the legal profession.
The centrepiece of the evening was “The Mock Trial” when students performed in the courtroom to pit their wits and prosecute or defend the “accused.” Presided over by His Honour Judge Fergus Mitchell, who has many years experience in Kingston Crown Court, justice was seen to be done.
Guests including District Judge Elpha LeCointe, Simon Redhead, QC and solicitors and barristers took great pleasure in meeting so many keen and aspirational A Level students.
Nicola Buckel, a law teacher, reflected, “Lawyers find the quality and enthusiasm of our students truly inspiring. Richmond upon Thames College is committed to the achievement and success of its students and the Legal Careers Evening offers them exceptional opportunities to meet legal experts who can make a real difference to their future career choices.”
Last week RuTC’s BTEC National Diploma Dance students took to the corridors to try to collect as many plastic bottles as possible. The reason? To try to promote recycling at the college and gain material for the set of their upcoming show ‘Over the Rainbow’ based on ‘The Wizard of Oz’. At the moment the council will not take plastic from the college and as a result, perfectly good, recyclable plastic is being thrown away.
The dance students decided to make their very own ‘Emerald City’ out of plastic bottles, newspapers and tins. The students, all dressed in green, decorated a wheelie bin with posters, photos and colourful ribbon and set about trying to collect as many bottles as they could in one lunch time. They managed to collect an immense amount of plastic bottles and also asked if students would prefer to recycle their bottles instead of throwing them away, the answer to which was a resounding yes!
The dance show ‘Over the Rainbow’ will be performed in the college’s Edmund Kean Theatre on the 26th and 27th March at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Janine Buttle on 0208 607 8309.
Richmond upon Thames College, first year student, Oliver Blaum, who is a member of the college’s film making club, had the unique opportunity to help out on Sunday 17th February at the recording of a music video. Oliver worked as a runner alongside production assistant Natalie May, also an ex-student of the college, who now works in post production at the BBC.
Natalie said, “To have experience like this on your CV is a great help towards further jobs in the TV and film industry. It sounds like the college film making club is a good way for students to practise their skills. I wish the club had existed when I was at the college.”
The song, ‘I’ve Been hurt’, was shot in north London by the Sutton Film Makers and will be used in the Autumn as part of a charity event in aid of Cancer Research UK to be held at the Lensbury Club, Teddington.
Among the exciting events taking place in January at Richmond upon Thames College was the battle of the bands competition, hosted by the music department. Bands competed to a crowded theatre with each playing 3 songs each. A variety of music was on show, with bands playing everything from their own songs to covers of hits such as Stevie Wonder’s ‘signed, sealed, delivered’.
The show was attended by a huge number of students and everyone had a great time. The winning band was ‘Death in Vogue’ and is made up of Richmond upon Thames College students Ben McCarthy and Jasper Lyons, alongside two students for Orleans Park School, Lewis McCarthy and Will Cherguin and one, Alex Cullen from Whitton School. The band has so far played at Heatham House Youth Centre, Twickenham and has a myspace page (www.myspace.com/deathinvogue1). After the contest, the band were approached by a promoter who wanted to book them for future gigs, so they are on their way to fame and fortune already!
Students from Richmond upon Thames College, studying on the second year of the BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design (Textiles/Fashion), are designing the costumes for the latest production of the highly respected Richmond Shakespeare Society. ‘Titus Andronicus’, one of Shakespeare’s most violent plays, will be running at the Mary Wallace Theatre from Saturday February 23rd until Saturday 1st March.
Students from the college have been furiously putting the finishing touches to their imaginative designs ready for the dress rehearsal on Thursday. “It is an amazing opportunity for us to have the chance of designing costumes for a real production”, enthused one of the students, “and I can’t wait to see our creations being worn by the actors on stage.”
RuTC Basketball Academy qualifies for U-18 league play-offs for first time in 4 years
Posted: 18/02/2008
On Saturday 16th February, Richmond upon Thames College’s Basketball Academy secured first place in the U-18 League with an easy 100-66 win against Southampton Trailblazers. Finishing first in this league means that Richmond upon Thames College has qualified for the U-18 play-offs for the first time in last 4 years. The game itself was completely uneventful with Richmond controlling proceedings from the very beginning. The only highlights were delivered by Henry Wilkins who helped himself to a massive 43 points.
The joy from qualifying to the play-off was somewhat spoiled by a very poor game in Division 4 on Sunday 17th February. Richmond was distinctly second best in their game against Omega London. The lack of proper inside players was more pronounced than in previous games. Omega explored their huge advantage under the basket and was able to score many easy baskets. On top of that Ahmed Othman’s injury in the second half significantly limited Richmond’s ability to penetrate the Omega defence. Richmond reverted to full court defense and long distance shooting but that was not enough for the well organised Omega.
U-18: Southampton Trailblazers – Richmond upon Thames College 66-100 Richmond scorers: Wilkins 43, Othman 23, Charles 13, Walden 11, Szyszka 10
Div 4: Richmond upon Thames College – Omega London 53-71 Richmond scorers: Adeluola 20, Wilkins 17, Othman 7, Blankvort 4, Prazmo 3, Szyszka 2
Diploma Champion comes to Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 04/02/2008
Governors of Richmond upon Thames College and the borough secondary schools enjoyed a special event on the evening of 31st January, when Sir Mike Tomlinson, Diploma Champion for Schools and Colleges, visited the College.
Diplomas have been introduced by the government to provide young people with an industry-based qualification that prepares learners for the world of work. Sir Mike was able to provide governors with a valuable insight into the demands and opportunities that this new provision will bring, both to local schools, and to the tertiary college.
Following the talk and ‘question-time’, governors enjoyed an excellent meal in the College’s training restaurant ‘Merits’.
Diploma Champion comes to Richmond upon Thames College
Fifteen students from Richmond upon Thames College have successfully secured conditional offers at Oxford and Cambridge Universities for this year’s intake.
Thirteen of the students attend the college as full time students and eight of these previously attended Richmond borough schools – 1 came from Orleans Park, 1 came from Waldegrave, 1 came from Grey Court and 5 students came from Teddington School.
This year, five of the hopeful students are studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma, an academically challenging course which is offered by the college as an alternative to A levels. In fact, Richmond upon Thames College is the only state college in the whole of the London area to offer this course.
Two of the students study at the college part time and have been supported in their application by the college’s specialised advice service for Oxbridge candidates.
It is a fact not always widely known that each year, the college sends more students to university than any other school or college in the UK and in 2007, 1058 students went on to higher education at universities all over the UK.
College Principal, Kevin Watson said, “These students should be congratulated on their hard work and determination to gain places at such sought-after universities”. He added, “I wish them every success for what lies ahead and I am in no doubt they will do Richmond upon Thames College proud in their future studies and careers”.
Gifted Richmond students pave the way for the future
Posted: 28/01/2008
Richmond upon Thames College piloted an exciting new extra-curricular course during this academic year under the Open University's Young Applicants in Schools and Colleges Scheme enabling academically gifted students in Years 12 and 13 to study a wide range of undergraduate modules alongside their AS and A2 levels.
The scheme benefits students by giving them the opportunity to study at university level, encouraging independent learning, building confidence and also has the added bonus of differentiating them from other students when it comes to applying to traditional universities.
Under this scheme, Richmond upon Thames College offers a course on ‘Fossils and the History of Life’ which is taught by a member of staff from the college’s earth sciences department. The course enables students to explain how organisms become fossilised, help in the identification of the common fossils and show where they fit into the story of evolution. In September 2007, 9 A level geology students started this new course and in January 2008, after five months of self directed study, they all successfully passed.
Student, Jessica Clark, who previously attended Waldegrave School, is hoping to study geology at university after she has completed her A levels. She said, “I took this course so that I could get a better insight into the subject that I knew I wanted to take further. The aspect of the course I enjoyed most was learning about the identification of fossils.”
The college is now offering this course as part of its gifted and talented enrichment programme and 40 students have signed up for the next course.
Gifted Richmond students pave the way for the future
Earlier this month, first and second year students studying on vocational courses in Art and Design at Richmond upon Thames College had the opportunity to show their skills and imagination in their annual fashion show. The exciting and diverse range of work included illuminated sculptures based on sea creatures, fantastical costumes inspired by animals, sculptural belts and umbrellas inspired by historic London, and conceptual costume and performance created in response to issues of self image and gender. Second year Fashion and Textile students produced a wide array of garments and evening wear from their study of the golden age of couture.
All performances were staged in aid of Off the Record, a Twickenham based organisation dedicated to supporting young people with problems, through the provision of counselling. To highlight this, the event also included the projection of graphic images portraying the issues and problems experienced by young people in society today. Generous audience members showed their appreciation by donating over £200.00 and the students were pleased to be able to turn their hard work, creativity and enthusiasm into cash for a worthy cause.
Chinese Celebrations at Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 21/01/2008
Students at Richmond upon Thames College certainly have something to celebrate over the next few months. Last term, the college welcomed the arrival of Mrs Shi Hiu Wang, an established teacher of English from a Beijing secondary school, who has introduced the Mandarin language to students as an extra-curricular subject. Shi Hui Wang is also offering students lessons on Chinese culture and history, including lessons in Tai Chi and the history of martial arts. She also works one afternoon a week at Whitton School teaching the Chinese language and culture as part of the school’s extra-curricular programme.
The college, always keen to keep base with global demands, offers these courses as part of its extensive Enrichment Programme. “Mandarin will be an essential language for those hoping to do business with one of the emerging economic giants of the 21st century,” says Rina Le Masurier, Programme Manager for the Language team which was praised as outstanding by Ofsted in 2007.
The college already offers a great range of modern language AS/A2 levels including, German, French, Italian and Russian and Spanish as well as GCSEs in Italian, Russian and Spanish. From September 2008, the college will also offer courses in GCSE and AS Arabic.
Students from Richmond upon Thames College in Twickenham are on a winning streak and have triumphed in a number of competitions that they have recently entered.
Earlier this year, the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) organisation was chosen by the Chancellor, Rt Hon Alastair Darling MP, as the charity for his 2007 Christmas card. EDCM then organised a competition for disabled children and young people to design the card. The theme was ‘Enjoying Christmas’ and eight students from the college’s supported learning department entered the competition. Student, Charles Wooll’s design was selected as one of the 12 finalists and at the end of October, Charles and his family were invited to a tea party at Number 11 Downing Street. Out of a total of 700 entries, Charles was runner-up and his design is being used by the EDCM organisation as their official Christmas card for this year.
On Thursday 15th November, Richmond upon Thames College beat seven other colleges to carry off the ‘Best Presentation’ prize at the Enterprise Challenge competition. The Challenge was organised by Royal Holloway University of London and the Bright Ideas Trust, which teamed up to create an exciting, dynamic enterprise challenge giving students the opportunity to put their most creative ideas to the country’s leading figures in enterprise. At the beginning of the day, students were set the Enterprise Challenge by Tim Campbell, winner of ‘The Apprentice’ in 2005 and founder of the Bright Ideas Trust. They had to work in teams to produce innovative and viable ideas which they presented to the panel of judges at the end of the day. Internationally renowned academic staff facilitated the challenge and experienced student ambassadors from Royal Holloway acted as business advisors by providing guidance and mentoring to the teams throughout the day. The challenge was open to teams of six students studying A levels or vocational equivalents and provided an excellent opportunity for students to unleash their creative skills and boost their confidence and academic performance and, with each team consisting of six students of which at least two are studying a business-related subject. The Richmond students involved were Theresa Agonmuo, Daniel Handy, Tania Romero, Stephanie Rowe, Emily Saji and Jake Schneider who are all studying business courses at the college. They presented their ‘Brekkie Box’ idea with style and confidence with every member of the team making an impressive contribution.
Finally, some of the college’s A level Maths students were recently involved in a competition, sponsored by the Lighthill Institute of Mathematical Sciences (LIMS) and the London Mathematics Centre. This competition was designed to give students the opportunity to tackle a substantial project, in cooperation with undergraduates at selected universities including Imperial, Queen Mary University of London and University College London, with the aim to encourage more A level Maths students to consider taking the subject further and studying it at university.
The Richmond students chose a difficult probability problem related to a card trick as their project. First, they had to sort out the maths – then came the real crunch – the production of a poster. Students, Kedi Huang and Amandeep Kalra, did an extraordinary job, with Kedi providing the mathematical input and Amandeep designing an eye-catching and highly informative poster. The competition was judged on 14 November and Professor Lord Julian Hunt (Director of LMIS) awarded the prizes to the joint winners, Richmond upon Thames College and Brooke House.
Chancellor's Christmas Card Competition
Maths Poster Competition
Photo 1 (Chancellor’s Christmas Card Competition): Student, Charles Wooll, holding his entry for the Chancellor’s Christmas Card Competition. Charles is the second student from the left in a blue shirt (standing next to Alastair Darling)
Photo 2 (Maths Poster Competition): Students, Amandeep Kalra and Kedi Huang receiving their prize from Professor Lord Julian Hunt in the maths poster competition Kedi Huang.
Richmond upon Thames College already offers a great range of modern language AS/A2 levels including Arabic, German, French, Italian and Russian and Spanish as well as GCSE’s in Arabic, Italian, Russian and Spanish. An introductory course in Latin also proved popular last year.
The college, always keen to keep base with global demands, is now introducing Mandarin as well as Chinese Studies which is all part of its extensive Enrichment Programme. “Mandarin will be an essential language for those hoping to do business with one of the emerging economic giants of the 21st century,” claims Rina Le Masurier, Programme Manager for the Language team which was praised as outstanding by Ofsted this year.
The college is delighted to welcome Mrs Shi Hi Wang, an established teacher of English from a Beijing secondary school, who will be teaching for this academic year. As well as introducing the Mandarin language to students, Mrs Wang will take lessons on Chinese culture and history, including lessons in Tai Chi and the history of martial arts.
Young Apprentices kick start their career in sports management, leadership and coaching
Posted: 19/09/2007
A group of 17 year 9 pupils from five of the Borough’s secondary schools have just embarked on a two year Young Apprenticeship course at Richmond upon Thames College in Twickenham. The Apprenticeship, in Sports Management, Leadership and Coaching, will see the young people combine vocational qualifications and work experience, ensuring they have the right skills when they start their careers.
Over the course of two years the pupils will complete 50 days work experience with a variety of local employers in the sport and leisure industry. Employers involved in the programme include the Lensbury Club, Harlequins RFL, Cedars Health Club, Brentford Football Club and Rocks Lane Sports Centre. Pupils will also gain a BTEC 1st Diploma in Sport, a Sports Leaders Award and a 1st Aid qualification whilst studying at Richmond upon Thames College.
Sustainable Development – exciting new course at Richmond upon Thames College
Posted: 11/09/2007
From October 2007, Richmond upon Thames College will be offering an accredited Level 2 Certificate in Sustainable Development. This is the first time the College has run this course which will provide an opportunity for students to investigate a topic relevant to their experience and priorities such as local Agenda 21, ecological building, sustainable living, health and environment (including workplace), community housing, and energy issues. Students are then provided with an opportunity to identify actions which will improve this situation using sustainable means.
The course is divided into 2 units: unit 1 explores the principles and benefits of sustainable development; unit 2 is concerned with the application of these principles and identifies how the topic impacts on the environment, society and the economy.
Bob Harris is the lead tutor for both units. Bob has a high profile in the ecological movement and has developed ecologically sound dwellings. He is an active member of the London Borough of Richmond Agenda 21 and over the past few years has successfully delivered courses on ecological building at Richmond upon Thames College.
Unit 1 starts on 9 October 2007 and Unit 2 starts on 22 April 2008. Both units are delivered on a Tuesday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm for 10 weeks and are accredited by NCFE. The cost for each unit is £95 and there is a £35 registration fee plus £10 for each certificate. If you are on means tested benefit you will not have to pay the full tuition or exam fee but will be required to make a £30 concessionary payment towards these costs.
For further information, please contact the programme manager, Robert Owen on 020 8607 8132/8163. Alternatively, please come along to one of the Advice and Enrolment Evenings at Richmond upon Thames College, Egerton Road, Twickenham. These will take place on Tuesday 4 or Wednesday 5 September and Wednesday 17 January from 5.30-7.30pm.
Former Richmond upon Thames College student, Miriam Bouchiba, was amongst the top ten in the country in A level Biology according to Edexcel, the UK’s largest awarding body.
Miriam sat the biology exam earlier this summer and her results show that out of 2,675 candidates, she achieved one of the highest overall marks.
Jerry Jarvis, Edexcel’s managing director, said, “This is a tremendous achievement and testament to the hard work students put into preparing for their examinations. We send our congratulations to Miriam”.
Miriam also achieved grade As in A level Mathematics and Chemistry, along with a grade A in AS level Sociology. She has a place at Kings College London to study dentistry and eventually hopes to run her own practice.
Miriam chose to study her A levels at Richmond upon Thames College because of the wide range of subjects offered. She thoroughly enjoyed all her subjects and commented, “I am glad I chose Richmond upon Thames College as all the positive expectations I had became a reality”.
A level results at Richmond upon Thames College were once again a cause for celebration with levels of achievement well ahead of most national benchmarks. As Principal Kevin Watson put it, “In 2006 more students progressed to university from RuTC than from any other college or school in the country. In the light of another set of outst
Oscar Singh, who is studying an Apprenticeship in Customer Service
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