The Sixth Form College Farnborough

College team retains Public Speaking Trophy

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:04:18 GMT

This year’s Youth Speaks public speaking competition, sponsored by the Rotary Club, was won by a team from the Sixth Form College. Led by competition veteran, Sally Wood, the team of Ben Bywater and Phillip Munn presented a light hearted address to the judging panel on the theme of happiness and the Olympic games. With great good humour, Sally suggested an action plan for world happiness which required the thousands of competing athletes from this summer’s Games becoming Ambassadors for Happiness. If only!

The team were commended on their witty but compelling presentation, delivered with zest and discipline. The team’s main speaker Sally was identified by the judges, including the Mayor of Rushmoor Councillor Alex Crawford, as the best speaker during the evening’s competition. The chair of adjudicators, Charlotte Drew commended Sally on her poise, expression and confident communication skills.

Afterwards, Sally said: ‘This is my sixth and final year competing in the Rotary competition. It was special winning the trophy last year, even better winning in 2012. We had a brilliant time! I’m so excited about representing the College in the District Finals.’ College Principal, Simon Jarvis, was delighted at the team’s performance: ‘ The composure of all these students is remarkable; it takes real nerve and skill under pressure to engage a demanding audience like this and keep their attention. All the speakers tonight deserve enormous credit for their courage.’

The team will now go on to the next round of the competition, to be held at the offices of Woking Borough Council on 10 February at 6.30pm. If you can attend, please support the College team.

The Sophie Hayes Foundation

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:29:56 GMT

Praise for Pippa

The College was delighted to be approached by the Sophie Hayes Foundation (http://www.sophiehayesfoundation.org/) wanting our help to create a new logo and brand identity for the charity. The Foundation is newly established and aims to end human trafficking and modern day slavery; Sophie Hayes has recently written a book, ‘Trafficked (published by Harper Collins); it is a harrowing account based on her own devastating personal experience.

In response to this request, Rose Davies (Curriculum Manager for Graphics) encouraged a number of students to submit designs for Sophie to consider. Sophie was astonished at the quality of all the ideas presented to her but chose the logo designed by second year A level Graphics student Pippa Pennycook, who cleverly highlighted the word ‘Hope’ in her design.

Pippa told a reporter from the local paper that she wanted to get involved because ‘the Sophie Hayes Foundation is an important charity, with the potential to help improve the lives of many people. I knew from the brief that Sophie was looking for a simple, eye-catching logo that represented the core aspects of the Foundation. I wanted to emphasise the fact that giving people hope is central to the work that Sophie does. The whole experience was lot of fun to take part in; especially being able to transfer the skills I have learnt in my A-level Graphic Design lessons to a real live brief for a working business.’

Since launching the charity, Sophie Hayes has enjoyed significant media attention on TV and in the press (January’s edition of Cosmopolitan for example). And, of course, Pippa’s logo design will be seen across the world from now onwards! What a fantastic achievement: well done Pippa and Rose for this inspirational story.

A Christmas Reflection at Guildford Cathedral

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:17:34 GMT

Standing imposing and floodlit on top of the hill, Guildford Cathedral welcomed the audience and set the scene for A Christmas Reflection, performed by the College Choral Society and Chamber Choir.

This year’s audience-packed concert set out to express the festive season in a thoughtful way. As Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, explained, “Last year’s concert was the more traditional service of 9 Lessons and Carols. We wanted to do something different this year that also conveyed the full meaning of Christmas which is so often missed during this holiday season.”

The concert started with unaccompanied Plainsong, performed with great dignity by tenors Mike Woods and James Rowland. The view from the upper gallery, from where they performed, did not faze these second year students; as James said after the concert, “it was a unique experience and one I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to participate in.”

The Chamber Choir excelled in their performance of Canite Tuba (Guerrero), E’en so Lord Jesus, Quickly Come (Manz), and Ave Maria (Elgar). Their rendition of John Gardner’s Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day was a fitting tribute to the composer who sadly died only a few days before the concert at the age of 94.

The College Choral Society, with over 100 students, performed O Thou, the Central Orb (Wood), How lovely are the Messengers (Mendelssohn), The Angel Gabriel (arr. Archer), and I was Glad (Parry) with great confidence, filling the audience with Christmas joy.

Readings were delivered by the wider College community, and included students, staff, and a Governor, with heartfelt prayers written and read by students Sophie Springer and Jesse Bishop.

Audience participation came in the form of Lo! He comes with clouds ascending, and O come, all ye Faithful.

To balance the boys’ Plainsong at the start of the concert, sopranos Lily German and Isabelle Collins performed a spine-tingling chant from the side gallery, that left the audience feeling uplifted and reflective at the same time; the perfect end to the autumn term and start to the Christmas festivities!

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College celebrates success at Certificate Evening

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:13:21 GMT

Picture Gallery

The College Certificate Evening was held on Thursday 5 January: well over a thousand people were present in the Dame Kelly Holmes Centre to celebrate the success of ‘the class of 2011’ who left the College last summer.

The evening was a wonderful opportunity to recognise the achievements of a multi-talented cohort. Joining former students and the Principal, Simon Jarvis, were parents, Personal Tutors who have overseen the journey from enrolment to ‘graduation’, teachers, Chair of Governors, William Bagnall, and an array of special guests including the Chief Executive of OCR, Mark Dawe, who kindly presented the certificates.

Speaking to the largest gathering of its kind in the history of this event, Mark Dawe spoke of the significance of the students’ achievements: ‘Your successes stand comparison with those of any generation: let no one try to underestimate the scale and brilliance of your achievements.’
Last year, students recorded an A level pass rate of 97%; 25% passed at grades A* or A and an impressive 51% achieved a grade B or above. ‘You have been fortunate to have been able to study in a truly exceptional college. Farnborough has, justifiably, an outstanding reputation nationally’, Mark told the former students.

In addition to celebrating student success in public examinations, a number of special awards were made in recognition of exceptional achievement. The College is grateful to Fluor, and to Ian Brennan the Farnborough based Office Operations Manager in particular, who for the second year generously sponsored the Student of the Year Award: a top of the range laptop PC.

This year, the award went to Madeleine Sakakini; in addition to a high level of achievement in her subjects, Maddie was a committed performer with the Choral Society and Chamber Choir. Elected to be Charities Officer, Maddie was the SA front person for many public and College events. She threw herself wholeheartedly into every project undertaken, working tirelessly to come up with inventive ways to raise money. Her costumes on dress up days were legendary and went a long way to helping raise more over £13k for charity. Maddie is now studying Modern Languages, French and Arabic at Durham University.

Mr Roger Clark, presented the NJ Clark Award for Accounting and Business to George Aisthrope who, following his grade A* in Accounts and A in Business Studies, is now studying at the university of Nottingham.

Mr Brian Ritchie presented the Mike Ritchie Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sport to Alastair Murdoch in recognition of his exceptional work in coaching the College badminton teams to national success.

Ms Tracy Marlow, Managing Director of the Community Matters Partnership, presented the inaugural Community Matters Student Volunteer of the Year Award to Gyan Gurung for his exceptional work with local charities, participation in mentoring schemes and commitment to the College Pass IT On scheme.

The University of Winchester Awards for outstanding performance in their field, presented by Dean of Faculty, Ms Kris Spelman Miller, were awarded (in absentia) to:Tavlene Banwaith, Robert De Vine, Renu Gurung and Emma Parkin.

The Sportswoman of the Year was footballer Victoria Carr and the Sportsman of the Year, also a footballer, was Jacob Peace.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Awards went to: Michael Brown, David Crow, Katie Fraser, Amy Grandvoinet, Danni Ingamells, Matthew Juden, Natasha Newman, William Page and Matt White

The following students received the award for Outstanding Academic Achievement:

Louise Ashwell	5 grades at A* at A2
Lawrence Billing	5 grades at A* at A2
Somil Desai	5 grades at A* at A2
Amy Grandvoinet	4 grades at A* plus 1 grade A at A2
Rob Greig	4 grades at A* plus 1 grade A at A2
Henry Grieve	4 grades at A* plus 1 grade A at A2
Lawrence Tidy	4 grades at A* plus 1 grade A at A2
Bethany Woodhams	5 grades of A* at A2, plus grades A at A2 and AS

The following students received the award for Outstanding Contribution to College Life:

Richard Acton	President of the Student Association
Rachael Gough	notably her work for Copperlink
Abigail Gowling	notably her work for Copperlink
Helen Lafferty	notably her work for the Student Association
Natasha Newman	notably her work for Copperlink
Elizabeth Rawlings	notably her work for Copperlink
Calum Stewart	notably his work for the College Assembly

The following students received the award for Outstanding Personal Achievement:

Emma Baker	‘ill health meant she did not attend at all after Christmas of her 2^nd yr’
Michael Burton	‘achieved remarkable results across subjects at AS and A2’
Jack Clare	‘overcame difficult family circumstances to live full active life’
Becky Coxon	‘despite serious ill health, never stopped smiling’
Alexander Crisp	‘resilience in coping with the challenges he faced’
Reesu Ghale	‘consistent hard work and a desire to succeed’
Jake Jones	‘commitment and dedication to gain exceptional results’
Alex Navarro	‘determined to reach her full potential’
Ben Thomas	‘battled against illness and enforced absence’
Aaron Thomson	‘his attainment of 5 A-levels is a truly extraordinary feat’

For the first time, the College recognised exceptional performance in individual subject areas. The following students received subject awards:

Accounting	Ros Anders
Archaeology	Amber Schofield
Art and Design Applied	Anna Crawford
Critical and Contextual Studies and Graphic Design	Lucy Whitehall
Fine Art	Amy Grandvoinet
Photography	Charlotte Williams
Textiles	Rebecca Campbell
Biology	Emma Coates
Human Biology	Joanna Smith
Business Studies	Robin Bell
Business	Prakash Gurung
Chemistry	Lawrence Billing
Citizenship	Jessie Brewer
Classical Civilisation	Ben Allen
Computing	Nicholas Maunders
Critical Thinking	Jack Gladman
Dance	Hazel Hamilton-Eade
D&T Resistant Materials	Michael Brown
D&T Graphic Products	Sarah Pearson
Drama & Theatre Studies	Chloe Stewart
Economics	Rob Greig
Electronics	Henry Grieve
English Language	Kathryn Robinson
English Language & Literature	Laura Campbell
English Literature and French	Louise Ashwell
Environmental Science	Stephanie Tudgey
Film Studies	Hayley Westlake
General Studies and Geography	Daniel Ginger
Government & Politics and Law	Calum Stewart
Health & Social Care	Lucy Croud
History (Democracy)	James de Mars
History (Modern) and German	Richard Wilson
History (Tudor)	Mel Agnew
ICT	Louise Hill
ICT Applied	Rachel Bellamy
IT Diploma	Beau Beattie
Leisure Studies	Jack Johnson
Maths (Decision)	Aime Stokes
Maths (Mechanics)	Benjamin Low
Maths (Statistics)	Emma Spencer
Maths (Further)	Alistair Rice
Media Studies	Rob De Vine
Media	Chloe Pearson
Italian	Katherine Grundy
Spanish	Laurence Tidy
Music	Rachel Mills
Music Technology	Saffron Fernando-Eversley
Performing Arts	Olivia Mills
Perspectives in Science	Katherine Woodcock
Philosophy	Phillip Smith
Physical Education	Heidi Delaney
Physics	Beth Woodhams
Psychology	Emma Sumner-Smith
Religious Studies	Emily Hughes
Sociology	Rachel Gough
Sport	Josh Mays
Travel & Tourism	Lucy Murphy

Students raise record amount for charity

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:27:34 GMT

Student Association present money to local charities at Christmas singalong

On the lunchtime of 15th December the Prospect Theatre was packed out for the annual Christmas Singalong with College students, pupils from St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School, and representatives from the Royal British Legion, Step By Step, the Army and the Police. They came to get in the festive spirit by singing carols and Christmas songs and to see the presentation of money raised by the students this year to various charities.

The student body led by the Student Association raised an incredible £13, 980 in just one term during Autumn 2011, more than they raised in the whole of the last academic year. The highlight of the Singalong event was the presentation of a cheque for £8000 to Step By Step to support their work with homeless young people in the area. Each tutor group in College sponsored one of their tutor reps to sleep out for a night in November on the College site and collected as much as possible for Step By Step in an inter-tutor group competition to raise the most money. The £8000 raised is a really remarkable achievement and will make a real impact on the valuable work of Step By Step.

The Royal British Legion were also there to accept a cheque for £1000 which was raised by selling poppies at the world record attempt largest human poppy in November. The other money raised during the Autumn Term was in aid of Jeans for Genes, the Breast Cancer Campaign, Children In Need and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Beanie Watson, the SA Charities Officer, gave her reaction to the term’s fundraising, ‘It is amazing to have raised so much and I really want to thank all those students who have done so much to make it happen’.

The Singalong was a wonderful end to an amazing term and the Student Association have now set their sights on raising much more for good causes in 2012.

Extended Project presentation

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:05:11 GMT

Mary Curnock Cook OBE (Chief Executive of UCAS) recently presented students at the Sixth Form College, Farnborough, with copies of their professionally bound Extended Projects. The 5000 word essays are the culmination of five months of independent research carried out by students who volunteered to take on this work in addition to their A level studies.

This was Mrs Curnock Cook’s second visit to the College and she told the audience of over 300 students and parents how delighted she was to return to such an impressive institution. She was astonished at the remarkable range of questions students had chosen to research (‘If it looks right will it always fly right?’, ‘How effective would a fat tax be at reducing obesity?’, ‘Is laser fusion a viable energy source for the future?’, ‘Can money buy you happiness?’), and was so inspired that she wanted to take copies away with her to read!

Mrs Curnock Cook said that universities highly value the Extended Project as it demonstrates the ability of students to go beyond the confines of the A level syllabus and make connections between the subjects they are studying.

Since 2006 nearly 1000 students have produced an original and scholarly essay, all of which are available in the College Library. Many are of the standard one would expect to see from students in their first year at university. Simon Reigh (Extended Project Director at Farnborough) said: “The projects provide a fascinating record of the kind of world we find ourselves in today, and the things that are exercising the intellectual curiosity of students at the College. This year students were reflecting on a wide range of contemporary issues – the summer riots, climate change, the global economic crisis, the energy crisis, and much more.”

Simon Jarvis (Principal) congratulated the students on their achievement and commitment, remarking “You should be proud of your achievements, as I am.”

The Richard Compton Creative Writing Competition

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:35:17 GMT

Richard Compton served as Clerk to the Corporation from February 1999 until his sudden and unexpected death in October 2010. A man of many talents, Richard was a gifted writer who mastered the art of rendering the most complex and abstruse discussion into lucid, crystal clear prose! Under his skilled penmanship, rambling technicalities pored over in committees became minutes of rare beauty: accurate, pithy, poetic and always written with gusto and style.

Following his untimely passing, it was decided that donations should be made to the College in Richard’s name for us to do with as we saw fit. How appropriate therefore that Richard’s remarkable gifts, enjoyed by so many of us, should be remembered and celebrated in this competition. He would be proud of the standard of prose created by the winners of this, the inaugural Richard Compton Prize, 2011.

Winner: Emma Isaac - Sensing a Tragedy

Runner up: Amy Tennison - Soldier's Buttons

Runner up: Aimee Hardy - The 10 Year Road To Justice

Simon Jarvis
Principal

Students excel in Senior Mathematics Challenge

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:14:11 GMT

On Tuesday 8th November a remarkable 112 students from the College sat the UKMT Senior Maths challenge. This is a national competition and students volunteered to sit a 90 minute test just for the challenge of competing against other mathematics students across the country.

The results were excellent with 64 of them being awarded certificates: 8 gold, 23 silver and 33 bronze.

Particularly outstanding performances were by Jason Clarke, Paul Rusen and Chris Hampson (who also won the best in school certificate) who all qualified for the British Maths Olympiad round 1. Rebecca Angwin also did exceptionally well in qualifying for the Senior Kangaroo follow on round. Sean Devlin led the way in year 12 earning high silver.

Wesley Briscoe, the Mathematics teacher who organised the running of the competition, said “We are delighted so many students volunteered to take part and the results are testament to the high calibre of the mathematical ability of our students”.

December 2011 Newsletter

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:13:59 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter please click here

Druantia weaves its Christmas magic!

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:26:30 GMT

This Christmas, the college's seasonal drama production was an ambitious collaboration between dance, drama and music. Featuring a cast of over 100 students, the Cirque De Soleil inspired piece entitled, Druantia (Symbol of the Earth), used as its inspiration several, ethereal, Celtic and folk tales, to weave a story about the perils of humankind meddling with the elements, offering redemptive thought on the power of the human spirit and the way we can together overcome our difficulties. A very pertinent point for our troubled times!

With stunning choreography and featuring haunting melodies from popluar shows such as The Lion King and Spring Awakening, the fusion of dance, drama and song brought the story thrillingly and atmospherically to life. This intriguing new and powerful piece, combining stunning and arresting effects, left the packed Prospect Theatre houses spellbound and totally absorbed. Whilst this was, in the tradition of the College’s December productions, ensemble playing of the highest order, the sheer grace and strength of dance duets featuring Sean Murray and Lucy Bishop was a particular delight. The haunting power of vocalists Lauren Byrne and Sophie Mallender, and the heroine of the piece, the young Brina, played so maturely by Indeera Shankla, were real stand-out performances demonstrating skills way beyond their tender years and experiences.

Director Matt Sheppard, who marshalled the huge cast and technical team so brilliantly, was understandably exhausted but elated at the production: ‘ I am continually surprised by the quality of these young performers: you expect such courage and maturity in the professional theatre – but these wonderful youngsters have reached this astonishing level whilst studying full time for their A levels! Remarkable!’

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Talented young film maker scoops international honours!

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:43:11 GMT

First year student, Will Fuller has just won the prestigious Diploma for his short film, ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’ at the Estonian International Tallinn Film Festival.

The film reminds us what can happen if we ignore the threat to our planet’s wildlife. The film has also gained recognition from the World Wildlife Foundation.

In addition, ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’ has been nominated for best film of the month on the indiedemand.com website (http://www.indiedemand.com/best-film-of-the-month/)

The film has been screened at the Red Carpet and Southampton Film Festivals, winning ‘Best Film’ at the latter. Another of Will’s films, ‘Fenced In’ was also screened at both the Southampton and Slough Film Festivals.

Assistant Principal and Will’s film tutor, Jon Marks said, “It’s wonderful to have such a talented film maker studying at Farnborough. Every submission I’ve seen from Will has been creative, thought provoking and mature. Will has an exciting career ahead of him in the film industry if the body of work produced so far is anything to go by.”

Former Salesian College student, Will is currently working on a commission for Harper Collins Publishing Company who are creating a new English Teaching Resource bundle for the examination board AQA.

If you would like to view his work, check out the films on http://vimeo.com/28052289 (‘Don't Turn Your Back’) and http://vimeo.com/31424178 (‘Fenced In’)

Surrey Heath Young Musician of the Year

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:10:26 GMT

Kiran Eyre, 16, has recently been named Surrey Heath Young Musician of the Year.

Kiran performed on his electric guitar Canon Rock based on Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel, at the finals of the competition recently held at the Camberley Theatre. Judges said his performance had ‘musicality without question, and with an entertainment factor at the very highest especially for his young age’. Kiran currrently has guitar lessons at the College but taught himself this piece for the competition. Kiran said: 'The competition was a great experience and it was brilliant to meet so many other passionate musicians. I wasn't sure if my piece was in keeping with the mainly classical setting of the contest, but the judges seemed to appreciate it. I thoroughly enjoyed participating and am thrilled to have won!'

Kiran, who also plays drums and violin, was presented with a trophy and cheque for £250.

If you would like to watch Kiran’s incredible performance you can do so on ‘You tube’ using the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/KPRGuitar?ob=0 .

National Youth Barbershop Competition at Birmingham Conservatoire

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:13:07 GMT

The College’s new barbershop quartets made a spectacular entry into the world of competitive barbershop singing on Sunday 20 November 2011 at the National Youth Barbershop Competition at Birmingham Conservatoire.

Two ensembles - ‘The New Fernibergians’ and ‘Cutting Edge’ - made the journey, singing close-harmony versions of numbers including ‘My Own Sweet Valentine’ and ‘I’m All Alone’.
The New Fernibergians are Alex Tay, Jon Higgins, Leo Doulton &
Patrick Readon-Morgan.
Cutting Edge are Mike Woods, James Rowland, Danny Gortler & David Pitts.

The quartets have been training for several weeks and were met with great acclaim by judges and audience members. Despite competing against well established groups with members up to the age of 26, they came an extremely impressive 4th and 6th.

Cutting Edge in particular made an impression on the passionate barbershop singers assembled, receiving an invitation to sing with two-times youth champions Mach 4. Both quartets were asked to sing with the National Youth Barbershop Chorus and numerous other organisations from across the country.

Not only were the quartets able to sing before a panel of experts, but they were also given coaching in how to improve even further. After his quartet’s master class, James Rowland said that “they helped us loads with getting the classic barbershop sound – it really improved my confidence”. After the busy day’s singing, David Pitts summed it up for everybody, commenting, “the energy in the atmosphere was incredible – we loved every minute”.

Throughout the day, the quartets were hailed for their performance and their lively and humorous choreography, with both judges from the panel and members of the vast audience offering their praises.

Paul Bambrough, the Director of Music, joined in the tributes, saying “I’m really proud that the barbershop quartets sang with such energy, impressing everybody. They showed the best qualities of Farnborough students.”

Both quartets and the Barbershop chorus are available for further community and charity work. Please contact the Music Department, 01252 688240, for further details.

Farnborough students triumph in Economics contest

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:46:17 GMT

The twelfth annual Target Two Point Zero – Bank of England and The Times Interest Rate Challenge is now underway, with around 300 teams across the United Kingdom competing for the Challenge Trophy and £10,000 for their school or college.

The team from The Sixth Form College Farnborough, Ben Crompton, Harry Wigglesworth, Paul Rusen, Melissa Hamilton and Lucy Winship, won the regional heat held at the Farnham Castle International Conference Centre, Farnham on 23 November.

They recommended an interest rate of 0.5% in line with the Bank of England’s official rate of 0.5% set by the Monetary Policy Committee on 10 November 2011. They also recommended a total of £275bn of asset purchases under the Asset Purchase Facility in agreement with the £275bn agreed by the MPC on 10 November 2011.

Prospect Theatre 2011-12 Company

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:33:22 GMT

The Prospect Theatre Company, the 2nd year Drama Enrichment group, recently performed the first of their schools' link up workshops. Fernhill School was the destination and the students worked with a group of year 11 drama students at the school showcasing their devised performance and working on theatre skills such as improvisation and characterisation.

Lucy Pegg, Head of Drama at Fernhill, said she was "amazed that this was their first performance because of how tight they were as a group, especially when they arrived. Everyone had their role and worked together to get set up. They were focused and on time in preparation for the performance. They handled themselves with incredible maturity and professionalism."

The group, led by Emily Tobias, have a number of workshops organised with local schools before embarking on their scripted performance to be shown later in the year at the Prospect Theatre.

Matt Sheppard (Theatre Director/ Senior Curriculum Manager)

AS Performing Arts students produce stunning show

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:58:03 GMT

The AS Performing Arts students recently completed their Unit 1 Developing Skills for Performance unit with a resoundingly triumphant workshop performance of the popular West End Madness musical, 'Our House'.

Perennial favourites such as 'Baggy Trousers' and 'Our House' were delivered with energy, colour and vitality by this talented ensemble with the additional demonstration of characterisation skills adding to the impressive array of work on show.

They were superbly marshalled by course leader, Emily Burke, and singing tutor, Jenni Hicks, and technically supported by Jack Salzman and Laura Woof. The hard work and guidance of all involved was clearly on show in a challenging but hugely satisfying performance.

Matt Sheppard (Theatre Director/ Senior Curriculum Manager)

Students question local MP

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:17:25 GMT

On Friday 4 November 2011, students from the Politics Society had the opportunity to hear from the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot MP, the Conservative Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire and Chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee.

James Arbuthnot has been an MP since 1987, serving as a government whip, pensions minister and Minister of State for Procurement at the Ministry of Defence in the 1990s before managing William Hague’s Conservative Party leadership campaign and becoming his Chief Whip in 1997. A post he held until the 2001 general election. When Michael Howard led the party he was Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and started his current role afterwards, in 2005, as Chair of the Defence Select Committee. He has also been Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel since 2005.

James spoke to the society about his career before taking questions from the students. Inevitably the tuition fees issue was raised, but James was also questioned about his positions on the Iraq War, defence integration with other nations, homosexual marriage, the recent EU referendum vote and the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The Politics Society meets on Friday lunchtimes We have previously been visited by the College’s local councillor, Cllr Stephen Masterson, and are being visited in the future by Cllr Kenneth Crookes, leader of Hart District Council; Cllr Crispin Allard, a Rushmoor Borough Councillor and in the New Year Gerald Howarth, Aldershot constituency’s Member of Parliament and current minister at the Ministry of Defence will be visiting too.

Ben Crompton
Politics Society Coordinator 2011-2012

Hazel wins the lottery!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:33:26 GMT

Hazel wins the lottery!

It was first prize for one lucky visitor to the College Open Days when year 11 pupil Hazel Webb’s name was drawn out of the hat by Councillor Steve Smith. Hundreds of visitors deposited their name cards into lottery boxes across the campus, providing the College with a valuable insight into where our prospective students have come from.
Hazel, currently at The Weydon School (Academy), a partner school in Farnham, was understandably thrilled to win the brand new iPad. ‘What a great surprise! It will come in really useful for my homework’, Hazel said, receiving her prize from Principal, Simon Jarvis. Hazel hopes to come to College in September to study A level Textiles, Photography, Business Studies and History.

Students sleep out for homeless charity

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:41:34 GMT

More than 50 students and staff spent a rather chilly November night (Wednesday 9th) sleeping out on the College Campus in order to raise funds for local charity Step by Step.

Student Association Charities Officer, Beanie Watson, was keen to ensure that the event was not only a fund raiser, but also raised awareness of the plight of young homeless people in the area. “This is a charity that works with people in our age group – people in our College – people in our community, we just have to help; we have to make the community more aware”.

Christine Eustace, Lead Tutor at the College, was totally overwhelmed by the stories the clients, who had been invited to speak to the students, had to tell. “Witnessing these brave young people recall their harrowing stories and show so clearly how Step by Step had helped to turn their lives around was traumatic and heart warming at the same time. I watched a group of well adjusted, happy, confident members of society who are real ambassadors for the charity”

Simon Jarvis, College Principal, was absolutely “blown away” by the fabulous work undertaken by the Charity. When speaking to the students taking part in the sleep out he was obviously moved, telling them “the simple fact that you are willing to come along and do something like this just shows how much you care – what a beautiful and remarkable thing, I am so very proud of you”.

Russ Kelaart, President of the Student Association, is confident that “even in the current economic climate we will be able to raise more than the amazing £5,000 donated to Step by Step last year, and that College will continue to find new ways of collaborating with such a terrific organisation”

College students break world record!

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:35:39 GMT

An extraordinary event took place at the College on 11.11.11 when 2163 students joined with staff, members of the armed forces, local councillors, the Police and associates of Rushmoor’s Community Matters Partnership to create the largest human poppy in history! Staff were at the centre, students made up the petals and the Army were the poppy’s leaves.

On a unique occasion, the world record beating giant poppy was created, using coloured paper and ingenuity, on the College rugby pitch, marshalled superbly by 50 soldiers from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, the Royal Logistics Corps and the Royal Military Police.

The idea for the fund raising event came entirely from the College students themselves. SA President, Russ Kelaart said: "We wanted to do something to show our respect for all the men and women who have given so much for us but to do something different, maybe something that had never been done before – ever!"

Unfortunately, the planned fly over by a Police helicopter had to be cancelled due to the weather, meaning that the poppy could not be filmed from the air. But Chris Eustace, the tutor helping to coordinate the event was not dismayed: "To achieve a world record, we had to get over 350 people together in a poppy shape and hold it for ten minutes. The Police and Councillors Smith and Masterson were on hand to verify the total number of participants which has completely smashed the previous world record. We’ll have to wait a while before Guinness confirm but we think we’ve done it!"

Simon Jarvis, Principal, enthused: "What a fantastic effort by all those involved – this brilliant initiative by our students will raise hundreds of pounds for the Royal British Legion. I’m absolutely delighted that so many students, colleagues and members of the local community could join us on this wonderful occasion."

Psychology essay prize winners

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:52:52 GMT

Last summer seven AS Psychology students: Lucy Bassil, Charlotte Pich, Sophie Coombs, Michael Donald, Lucy Greenwood, Emma Crompton and Jessica Colenutt entered an essay competition run by the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cambridge.

Three of the Cambridge entrants, Charlotte, Lucy and Sophie saw their entries progress into the competition proper. Lucy’s essay title was “How do life experiences affect personality?” Her essay was given a mark of 73 and short-listed for a prize, being one of the ten highest-marked out of the 135 entries Cambridge received. Charlotte’s title was “How and why might children and adolescents be influenced by siblings?” Her entry was awarded a mark of 56 which equates to a 2.2 at undergraduate level. Sophie Coombs also chose “How do Life Experiences Effect Personality?” as her title and she received a very respectable score of 53. Pleasingly, all three students were encouraged to apply to Cambridge on the basis of their entries.

Two other students, Chloe Bard and Poppy Thorpe-Jones entered the ‘Michael Eysenck Psychology Essay Prize’ run by the Royal Holloway University. Chloe Bard’s chosen title was “How do mental disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder affect patients’ lives and to what extent can it ever really be ‘cured’?” while Poppy Thorpe Jones' title was “Do care homes in Britain offer the specialised care that residents require? To their credit both of these students came in the top ten entrants for this completion and were commended for their work.

The Psychology team were delighted with the quality of all of the entries and, in recognition of the student’s efforts and the value placed on their work, each entrant was presented with a Freudian Slips coffee mug by Nigel Wooldridge, Senior Curriculum manager for Psychology.

October 2011 Newsletter

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:20:22 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter please click here.

College String Quartet play at Charity Fundraiser

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:29:58 GMT

The newly refurbished Watts Gallery in Compton was the splendid venue for an important fundraising event for the Bishop of Guildford’s Foundation on Wednesday 12 October 2011 at which the College String Quartet provided the musical entertainment.

Ever since its foundation in 1904, the Watts Gallery has continued to be the chief repository of G. F. Watts’ work and today houses over 6000 diverse objects including over 250 oil paintings, 800 drawings and watercolours, some 130 prints, 200 sculptures, and 240 pieces of pottery as well as unique ephemera and memorabilia related to G. F. Watts, Mary Seton Watts and the history of Watts Gallery.

The Bishop of Guildford’s Foundation, who were hosting the evening, aims to support groups that respond to local need and build stronger communities. Those helped by grants include charities working with people with disabilities, family support projects, youth workers and children’s workers, organisations developing employment for vulnerable people, community organisations and projects working with homeless people.

Within this inspiring setting the String Quartet entertained some 80 specially invited guests including the Bishop of Guildford himself with a wide variety of popular classics by composers including Charpentier, Elgar, Boccherini, Cesar Frank and Andrew Lloyd Webber. To this musical accompaniment guests enjoyed champagne and canapés whilst private guided tours of the gallery took place.

Throughout the evening many guests stopped to listen and comment on the quality and professionalism of the ensemble. Most were surprised to find that the beautifully played music they could hear on arrival was being provided by so young a group.

Their efforts were recognised by the Bishop at the end of the evening who in thanking them noted that their “music had contributed significantly to the enjoyment of the evening and set the perfect atmosphere”. He then presented each member of the quartet with a book token for their hard work.

Our thanks to Alex Tay, Mimi Doulton, Amy Edwards, and Eberechi Anucha for giving up their evening to support such a worthwhile cause and bring so much pleasure to those at the event.

University success for all

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:56:18 GMT

Pictured left - happy students enjoy a toast on Results Day 2011!
Lauren Terheege(left) is now reading Economics at the University of Birmingham and Helen Walker (right) now at St Hilda’s College, Oxford reading History.

This year 1105 students from The Sixth Form College Farnborough were successful with their UCAS applications. This flies in the face of all the media scare stories that it was going to be impossible to get a place before tuition fees went up. As our Freshers survive their first few weeks at ‘uni’, it’s worth looking back on why the College’s students get these highly coveted places.

Firstly, the students receive tremendous help and support. Principal, Simon Jarvis stated: “We are aware that these are trying times for young people but I believe that we offer our students the best service imaginable. Starting at enrolment here the Personal Tutors advise and guide them on to courses which match their interests and their needs, and we constantly have representatives from universities giving talks and information on all aspects of the UCAS process. Students are encouraged to aim for university degrees which are appropriate for them.” In a year when universities were completely overwhelmed by the number of applicants, there was no room for speculative applications – if you didn’t have the grades or the required subjects, you weren’t going to get an offer!

The College is proud of the careers guidance it offers to students, despite the phasing out of the Connexions service. It recently obtained the renewal of the prestigious Investors in Careers Award for another three years. The moderator described the provision at the College as ‘outstanding’ and ‘much valued’ by students.

Helen Diffenthal, Assistant Principal (Advice & Guidance) said “Our students achieve places at some of the best universities in the country, both Russell and 1994 Group – a total of 100 will be joining Southampton and Exeter this autumn alone!” Almost half of the new undergraduates from Farnborough will be attending either the Russell Group or 1994 Group of top research-based universities.

The College was mentioned in The Daily Telegraph on 14 May as being one of the top state college providers to the University of Oxford. In the last three years over 100 former students have been accepted by either Oxford or Cambridge.

Fine Arts students paint mural

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:31:15 GMT

Last summer AS Fine Art students were involved in developing and creating a powerful and dynamic mural for an IT room in the new Step by Step building in Aldershot. Step by Step’s mission is to ‘Empower homeless people and those facing adversity to achieve their full potential’, they provide support, advice and accommodation for those young people. Last year the accommodation was split over several small Victorian buildings, and they are delighted to now be occupying a new purpose built facility in the heart of Aldershot.

The brief for the Fine Artists was to produce a mural which makes use of popular Youth Culture, is inspiring, modern, and produced by talented local people. This is where our students got involved!

A2 Fine Art and Graphics student Laura Jones developed the main line drawings of the figures for her Unit 3 Graphic Design work, around eight other students (including Holly Clothier and Lily German) added further visual elements to this.
An overall design was then developed by Laura and Dean Piacentini, and then all of the AS Fine Artists (90 students) contributed to the painting of the design over the summer term.

The work contains imagery from Aldershot as well as music DJ’s, expressive faces and other types of popular culture and is 1m high x 3.5m long. Artists such as James Rosenquist and Tim Marrs were used as inspiration for the work.

At the opening of the new building on the 11th October 2011 Simon Jarvis (Principal) praised the student’s achievements, commenting that the mural was full of detail and colour, and really brought the room to life.

Students who attended the opening ceremony included (pictured from left) Russ Keelart (Student president), Beanie Watson (Student Association: Charities), Laura Jones (A2 Fine Art student last year- now studying Graphics at The University of West London), Holly Clothier and Lily German (current A2 Fine Artists), and Simon Jarvis (Principal).

Dean Piacentini (Senior Curriculum Manager Art and Design) praised the skill and energy of the work, and the fluid expressive nature of the design, he commented ‘I’m very proud of what the students have achieved for an extremely worthwhile cause’.

Staff and clients from Step by Step have been delighted with the result, they stated that ‘it's brilliant, exactly what we wanted’.

More murals are planned for the future, watch this space!!

Gap Fair 2011

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:00:39 GMT

Students had a fantastic opportunity to gather information and ideas for a ‘gap experience’. Over 30 exhibitors helped students to recognise the benefits of taking part in projects, including expeditions, teaching, medicine, environmental and sports coaching, this can last from one week to one year. This event is held annually and attracts exhibitors from all aspects of student volunteering abroad and independent travel.

College Barbershop Chorus Sing up a Stir in Community

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:18:21 GMT

The College’s newly formed Barbershop Chorus made a sensational debut at Abercorn House Care Home in Frimley this week. Ten young men from the Music Department presented a mixed programme of “a cappella”, close- harmony classics for the residents and brought with them a true ray of sunshine. Complimented by some solo standards sung by second year students James Rowland and Mike Woods, the sparkling ensemble delighted the audience with numbers ranging from “Auntie Skinner’s Chicken Dinners” to “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”.

The invitation to visit Abercorn House came about as the ensemble prepare to take part in the National Youth Barbershop Competition in Birmingham this coming November. The residents of Abercorn House were asked to provide feedback on the pieces and were unanimous in their praise for the group. “Truly wonderful”, “They blend so well together” and “So well presented” were just some of the comments, but the most repeated call from all present was “Come back soon”!
The group thoroughly enjoyed their first outing of the year. Speaking afterwards Leo Doulton summed up the feeling of the ensemble and said “This was a fantastic opportunity to take this great music out into the community”, a sentiment shared by David Pitts who commented that it “was lovely to perform for such a welcoming and friendly audience”

The Barbershop chorus is available for further community and charity work. Please contact the Music Department, 01252 688240, for further details.

Silver salver for flowerpot men!

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:32:05 GMT

Many congratulations to the College groundsmen who have once again triumphed in the Rushmoor in Bloom 2011 competition.

The team - Trevor Hopkins, Ray Clark, Ben Merryweather and Dean Hopkins - have done a tremendous job in keeping the College site looking stunning throughout the year. Thanks to their work, often unseen – too often unsung, students and staff enjoy a place to work and study which is cared for lovingly and beautifully colourful.

The Rushmoor in Bloom prize is a fitting recognition of the magnificent work you do on behalf of us all – thank you guys!

Simon Jarvis

Principal

Farnborough students rock Meudon!

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:54:23 GMT

On Saturday17th September 2011, student musicians from Farnborough Sixth Form College were invited to perform a concert entitled Festival de jazz at a music festival in Rushmoor’s twin town of Meudon, near Paris.

Prospect V comprising students David Pitts, Hannah Richardson, Michael Woods, Bennett Soundy and Chris Hampson performed alongside other bands from Meudon’s other twin towns Brezno (in Slovakia) and Mazkeret Batia (in Israel).

Prospect V opened the festival, performing for over an hour, and immediately proved to be a hit. A local wedding party joined the audience and the group spontaneously played the wedding couple’s first dance!

The group performed again on Sunday to an even larger audience. “All I can say is Bravo!” said the local mayor. This was the College Music Department’s first visit to Meudon and will certainly not be the last. So popular were they that they have already been invited back!

“It was an amazing experience meeting musicians from Israel, Slovakia and France. I have made some great friends, especially my host family!” said second year student, drummer Michel Woods.

The four day trip not only allowed the students to perform together with a mix of nationalities but also gave them a chance to experience French culture and traditions. In addition to Meudon, they visited the centre of Paris, including Notre Dame Cathedral and climbing the Arc de Triomphe. The host families could not have been more welcoming and generous with their time and were always keen to feed their visitors from Farnborough plenty of camembert!

Ben Dowsett, Curriculum Manager for Music at Farnborough, said “I am very proud of the students. They gave the French a taste of the Farnborough experience which has left them wanting more!”

Stay in touch: Get the Farnborough Connection

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:12:15 GMT

If you are an ex-student of the college join at http://tfc.farnborough.ac.uk/

Hundreds of students progress through The Sixth Form College Farnborough each year, before moving on to the next stage in their lives: an incredible network of former students spreading out across the globe. This summer, in response to the demand from so many former students and staff, the College is launching The Farnborough Connection – an alumni programme providing the opportunity to expand and renew personal contacts.

The Farnborough Connection, or TFC as it has quickly become known, has been established by students and staff. Former student President and College Governor, now working in the City, Nick Coxon, speaking at the launch, has been closely involved: ‘The experience of being at Farnborough is such a positive one. The Farnborough Connection will establish a network of contacts between former students, and keep them connected with the College. Membership will provide an invaluable forum for sharing experience and insight into the huge variety of different universities and careers chosen by past students.’

Stuart Rowland, past Vice President now studying Physics at Oxford, has been working at the technological challenge of the scheme: ’It was important that becoming a member of TFC was both simple and free – and it is! You can register through the College website where there is a quick link on the main page. There, you can find all the information you need. I’m sure that TFC will perpetuate friendships and develop links between generations of Farnborough students.’

Beccy Rogers, former student now working at the College, is the enthusiastic hub at the centre of the scheme: ‘It’s such a great idea! The Farnborough Connection will communicate with members on a regular basis, keeping them informed of social events and reunions with old friends. Members will be back in the loop of College life, sharing achievements and successes, contacts and information. We plan to foster relationships between current and past students through the development of internships, mentoring schemes and professional networking.’

Simon Jarvis, College Principal, was pleased with the growth of his idea: ‘College students go on to do fantastic things, from film directing to professional athletics, and all have valuable experience and insights to share. As the network develops, members will have personal access to this wealth of knowledge and experience which can only be advantageous in our ever changing world. The Sixth Form College Farnborough is a special place to study: our former students are as excited as we are about becoming founding members of The Farnborough Connection.’

Abbey Road - in famous footsteps

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:35:03 GMT

July saw the return of Farnborough Sixth Form Music Technology students to the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, for another exciting and inspiring day’s recording of OutKast’s ‘Hey Ya’, which this year also featured the College’s very own Principal, Simon Jarvis, on guitar!

Music Technology tutors, Matt Prudente-Poulton and Julien-Pierre Mckenzie, forged the link with the studios in 2007 and have taken students every year since. Abbey Road, famously home to The Beatles’ recording sessions, once again gave students the very rare opportunity to experience professional life there as artists, as well as studio engineers. Originally built by Sir Edward Elgar and itself the largest purpose built recording studio in the world, the studio has since seen many famous artists record within its walls, including Pink Floyd, U2, Coldplay, The Killers and Radiohead, to name but a few.

Students spent several weeks tirelessly rehearsing this year’s chosen track with Tom Stevens, Musical Director for the project and subject tutor in the department. Many hours were spent arranging and practising the track, preparing the students for the big day.

Recording and producing the session again this year was Andrew Dudman, sound engineer for the Lord of The Rings trilogy, ably assisted by his assistant Paul Pritchard who co-engineered the latest Harry Potter film (The Deathly Hallows) at Abbey Road. Dudman began the session with a tour of Studio 2, showing the students one of the world’s first echo chambers (used for early reverb), as well as letting them have a go on the piano Paul McCartney played on ‘Lady Madonna’. Microphones used in the days’ recording session were the original ones used by The Beatles for the majority of their recordings. Head of Music Technology at the College, Julien-Pierre Mckenzie, spent much of the day with students uncovering some of the original recording technologies still visible in the corridors of the studio, including the EMI TG mixing console used to mix Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’.

The performance of the students participating in both the band and the choir was exceptional, involving many long waits as the engineer listened to each of the 100+ takes before deciding what he would use or re-record. Every student participated in the track, either playing in the band or singing in the 50-strong choir. At the end of an exhausting but truly inspiring day the group left the studios with a finished mix of the track which we believe is the best the department has recorded there yet. Curriculum Manager for AS Music Technology, Matt Prudente-Poulton, said ‘the sessions at Abbey Road continue to provide a unique and valuable insight into the intense world of recording and production, and we are privileged to be able to record there each year. The fact that it is one of the best known and respected recording studios in the world is an additional bonus.

The students performed superbly and it is an experience that will hopefully remain with them for the rest of their lives’.

A Level Results

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:39:35 GMT

College students are again celebrating a pass rate at A level in excess of 98%, across nearly 60 subjects. College Principal, Simon Jarvis, said, ‘The success story at the College, maintained year-on-year, is due to a strong teaching and support staff, working with talented students who enjoy their studies. We are committed to developing the full potential of all students – this College provides a rich environment in which to flourish.’

Ofsted praises Human Biology

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:22:36 GMT

Following in the wake of the recent recognition Ofsted has given to mathematics as an exemplary curriculum area within the sector, human biology is now also referenced on the Ofsted Good Practice website.

The A level course was re-introduced to the College in 2009 and results to date have exceeded all national benchmarks by some margin. Ofsted praises the information, advice and guidance students are given prior to enrolment as well as the preparation and support that is made available to them in order to successfully cope with a challenging assessment regime.

Jon Marks, Assistant Principal (Quality Improvement), puts the outstanding success achieved to date down to “providing good information about the course in advance, giving students a highly structured programme of study, and plenty of practice in assessment. We are delighted that two highly successful areas have been identified by Ofsted as exemplary providers with whom other schools and colleges are invited to share in best practice”

Rob Ruxton, Curriculum Manager for the human biology says

“Students often have misconceptions about human biology at A level. They are attracted to the subject because they think that it will be easier than other sciences, and will help them with their main studies in, for example, physical education or social studies. Having ceased to offer the course in 2001, we wanted to re-introduce the subject for students who were particularly interested in this aspect of biology. At the same time, we wanted to make clear the strong medical, health and disease related slant, and the scientific rigour. Because human biology may be the only science that students take, we also needed to make extra sure that they were properly prepared for their exams, and for the demands associated with the assessment.”

http://www.goodpractice.ofsted.gov.uk/searchALaS.php?show=all&sort=dateZ&search=Submit

Murder most foul - again!

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:56:39 GMT

Kenny lay dead on the floor, bleeding from horrific wounds; scattered round his broken body lay all manner of potential murder weapons – the cricket bat perhaps? Or was it the heavy sports trophy? Maybe the spiked wine glass had a sinister story to tell?

The dastardly crime called for an expert detective to make sense of the madness: enter twenty sleuths from local partner schools as once again the Sixth Form College opened its doors on Murder Mystery Day.

The day, a problem solving event aimed at challenging year10 pupils to find the clues, assemble the evidence and persuade the jury that they know exactly who-dunnit, was devised by staff and students at the College. Throughout, the would be Sherlocks were required to bring to bear all their deductive skills and knowledge to decide who had committed this most vile of crimes.

CSI Farnborough began in the Biology and Chemistry labs, forensically testing potential murder weapons. Then it was on to Maths and the investigation of probability, followed by Psychology and a briefing on interrogation and lie detection, before cross examining the three suspects in a rigorous and heated interview room.

Finally, the teams entered the Court of Law to present their cases. Tensions ran high but the intrepid pupils presented their cases calmly and logically to the judge and jury. Phew – justice was done and prime suspect Roxy went free to the loud relief of her supporters!

College Principal, Simon Jarvis spoke at the end of a long day of deduction: ‘Congratulations - you have been a credit to your schools, working with such enthusiasm throughout.’

Presenting all participants with prizes and certificates, Mr Jarvis concluded: ‘This event is a model of good practice in the local area, the county and beyond. College staff and students have worked hand in hand with secondary schools to provide an outstanding experience for young people. These opportunities are rare. I have been privileged to sit in and listen to these most talented students present their ideas. It’s just magnificent”.

Dido and Aeneas

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:08:14 GMT

This year’s season of concerts in the Prospect Theatre concluded with a performance of Henry Purcell’s tragic opera Dido and Aeneas which tells the story of the ill-fated love between Dido, Queen of Carthage, and the Trojan warrior-hero, Aeneas.

This was a jewel of a performance: small in scale, huge in ambition. Soloists Mimi Doulton and James Rowland were magnificent as the eponymous lovers whose love cannot withstand the evil machinations of the ill-meaning Sorceress, performed with suitably convincing menace and a chilling sense of evil by the splendid Katie Willets. The witch, ably supported by her wicked spirits Maddie Sakakini and Katie Nagel, detests Dido and contrives to bring about her destruction. The Queen’s sister, a lively and engaging role for Jess Mabin, does her best to cheer the Queen, but she is doomed to die heartbroken.

The final aria, Dido’s lament, was captured perfectly by Mimi; an exquisite blend of melancholy and fragile beauty sung with a maturity and insight beyond her years: it will live long in the memory of those fortunate to hear her moving, almost unbearably poignant rendition.

This gorgeous piece of high Baroque art, directed with characteristic style by Paul Bambrough, was a study in concentration and discipline by the entire cast who deserve enormous credit for the evening, performing from memory this complex piece. Soloists Lily German, Amy Blumson and Matthew Castle were well-supported by a superb chorus of Alexander Evans, Robin Geddes, Charles Jawor, Rob Pritchard, Lauren Spicely, Issie Stocchetti, Sarah Wall and Alex Warren.

So ended a wonderful concert and a fitting finale to a brilliant year for this cohort of dazzlingly gifted musicians. Thank you to all involved.

Moving On Day 2011

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:59:08 GMT

Over 1500 Lower Sixth students enjoyed the opportunity to plan for the next step in their lives at the College’s annual careers event – Moving On day. This year’s event, which was sponsored by the University of Southampton, was the biggest ever with representatives from universities, FE Colleges, training providers and employers offering over 200 seminars on topics ranging from ‘Working in the Houses of Parliament’ to ‘Understanding Student Finance’, as well as providing an exhibition of more than 100 stands where students could ask questions individually.

The line-up for the day enabled students to select a programme to meet their individual interests. Natalie Lord from Wrecclesham (previously of Weydon School) said: “The day made me more aware and informed me on making my course choices and how to give me the best chances of getting offers at university”.

Former students from the College also contributed to the success of the day with Sofia Choudhary, who now works for Gordons Partnership in Guildford, inspiring Bipin Regmi from Camberley (Kings International College) to understand the day to day work of a solicitor. Companies such as Tag Farnborough, CSC and Qinetiq spoke about career opportunities locally.

Student feedback has been extremely positive: Tom Elsbury from Wokingham (Forest School) said “It was very useful in helping me understand what is needed to become a successful accountant and how I can achieve this goal “, after attending a seminar by former student, Julia Prescott from PwC. Students also valued the fact that there were lots of different organisations present – the armed forces, public services, employers and apprenticeship providers.

Moving On day is extremely popular with the speakers as well as the students.

“The day was an excellent event, extremely well organised and very productive from a Nottingham perspective”;

“The students were excellent – focussed, taking copious notes and asking for Reading Lists!” – reported a delighted Chris Fuller of the University of Southampton.

Ross Ashcroft, an independent filmmaker and Managing Director of Motherlode, was impressed by the great atmosphere and the ‘university feel’ and offered work experience to students who hope to work in the Media later.

The College is delighted that we have been able to build on the high standard set previously. University Admissions staff and Employers are always keen to come to the Sixth Form College Farnborough because of our motivated and high achieving students. If you would like to contribute to this major College event, please contact Helen Diffenthal, Assistant Principal (Advice & Guidance) at the The Sixth Form College Farnborough, hdiffenthal@farnborough.ac.uk

Chemist wins Cambridge prize

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:13:42 GMT

37 chemistry students have won prizes in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge 2011. Our AS chemistry students entered the Lower Sixth Chemistry Challenge, a brand new competition launched to coincide with the 2011 International Year of Chemistry.

The paper consisted of two questions containing parts that were easily approachable, but also parts that were designed to challenge students a little further. Candidates who did well were given a certificate of achievement, and those who did best invited to a residential course to take place at the University of Cambridge at the end of August.

The students who chose to enter gave up 90 minutes of their own time and had no extra coaching or practise for the test. We anticipated about 20 students would give it a go but in fact over 70 tried and about 50% of those have now been allocated a certificate. A total of 3100 students participated nationwide.

We were delighted that our students achieved 1 roentgenium*, 3 gold, 10 silver and 23 copper awards.

I am so pleased and proud of all the students who entered but obviously a special mention must go to Chris Hampson who scored 61 out of a maximum of 64, came 7th of 3100 students who entered nationally and has now been invited to attend a summer school at Cambridge this August. Only 35 out of an entry of 3100 were awarded roentgenium awards.

Full list of award winners.

*Roentgenium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Rg and atomic number 111. It has an atomic weight of 272 making it one of the super-heavy atoms. Due to its presence in Group 11 it is a transition metal and so probably metallic and solid.
Roentgenium was first made by research scientists at the Heavy Ion Research Laboratory in Darmstadt, Germany in 1994. The scientists bombarded nickel with bismuth in a heavy ion accelerator. The element is named after physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen who discovered X-rays in 1895.

Judi Crawford, Curriculum Manager for AS Chemistry.

College partnership with Ghana thrives

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:52:42 GMT

In June 20 students and 3 staff from the college went on a 10 day visit to Ghana to spend a week at our partner school, The Presbyterian Secondary Technical School in Aburi, as well as visiting other areas of the country.

The students were selected in a very competitive application process from about 60 who applied and committed themselves to a year representing the Ghana Link in college as well as going on the trip. After months of fund raising, training and preparation the group were ready to go. After flying into the capital Accra late on the Friday evening we spent the weekend at our beach front hotel, acclimatising to the heat and humidity and preparing for the week ahead. The team bonded together right from the start and really enjoyed the time getting to know one another and sharing their first experiences of a very different country and culture.

On the Sunday we travelled north away from the coast to Aburi, a small town up in the hills overlooking Accra. We settled into our hotel which was basic but comfortable and run by very friendly staff before heading off to the school for the first time to go to their weekly church service. The service was certainly an experience! A mixture of hymns, readings, a sermon and songs interspersed with dancing every few minutes as the students left their seats and all moved around the assembly hall leading to chaotic scenes. Not to be left out our students joined in and loved getting involved with the dance and meeting the Ghanaian students. It was a moment that set the scene for the week ahead with the College students keen to be involved in every experience.

From the Monday onwards the students were involved in the normal school day, attending lessons (sometimes on subjects they knew nothing about!), collaborating with the Ghanaian students on a joint project on the topic of growing up experiences in Ghana and the UK, and getting involved in a range of other activities including dance, sport and cooking. Emily Burke, a dance tutor at the College, and Alex Johnston, one of the students, led both the British and Ghanaian students in a dance workshop session with the whole school crowded into the courtyard to watch. Our students were then taught Ghanaian dances which they made a very good attempt at! On the sports afternoon we played the Ghanaians at handball and football with both male and female teams (including the College staff!) taking part. In the heat it was hard work but all the teams put on a good show and the girls handball team used the skills they had learnt in netball to record a narrow victory for the UK. The students loved taking part in the cooking, making a range of traditional Ghanaian dishes with the school students and enjoyed tasting them afterwards.

We had one day away from the school on the Thursday when we visited some impressive waterfalls known as Boti Falls and did a hike to Umbrella Rock, a huge overhanging rock which the students enjoyed sitting under and then climbing onto for lunch overlooking a fantastic view. The hike to get there was very hard work but it was certainly worth it in the end.

On the Friday the students did a presentation of their project work with the Ghanaians they had been working with in front of the senior staff at the school and guests including the local Director of Education. This was followed by a leaving ceremony at which the students made a speech, reflecting on their great experiences and did a dance which the Ghanaians loved. Andy Linton, Personal Tutor at the College and the Ghana Link leader, addressed the school and presented them with gifts and a cheque to contribute to a new water tank for the girls’ boarding house. We left the school having made many new friends and having had many fantastic experiences.

We travelled on to a hotel at Shai Hills and spent the day on Saturday at Tortibo, a small village close to Lake Volta, meeting local people and playing with the children as well as taking part in tie dying and bead making. The College has been able to support this village a great deal over the last few years through fundraising activities. It was perhaps the best experience of the ‘real Ghana’ that the students had during the trip as the village is in a rural and fairly isolated area, with local people living very basic lives. We also visited the Volta Dam to see the Hydro Electric Power plant which provides 97% of all Ghana’s electricity and Lake Volta behind the dam which is the largest artificial reservoir in the world.

We returned to Accra on the Sunday and flew home that night having experienced so much of Ghana and its people and culture. It really was the trip of a lifetime and it is difficult to put into words what an amazing experience the students went through during those 10 days. I think that their reluctance to come home and how much they have missed Ghana since they have been back sums it up.

The trip also reinforced the importance and value of the Ghana Link partnership with the school in Aburi and it was great to be able to meet the school’s new headmaster, Rev Samuel Munyuhitum, during the visit and hear his enthusiasm for the continuation of the partnership which has now been running for over 5 years. There is a great deal that both our college and the school can learn from one another and gain from the partnership and following our visit we are sure that the link will continue and gain strength over the years ahead.

Andy Linton, Personal Tutor and the Ghana Link leader

Year 8 students enjoy challenging visit

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:31:37 GMT

Tuesday 28th June 2011 saw the inaugural ‘Year 8 Challenge Day’ take place in an explosion of colour, energy and vibrancy at the Sixth Form College, Farnborough. Eighty pupils from local secondary schools arrived at the College charged with the responsibility of rebranding and energising the districts of Rushmoor and Hart. The final challenge facing the eight teams was to create new promotional material to include their innovative ideas before presenting them to a dragon’s den of councillors and local experts.

The quality of work and learning achieved by the pupils from Robert Mays, Fernhill, Calthorpe Park, Frogmore, Cove, Wavell and Yateley schools was remarkable and the presentations were, quite literally, all singing, all dancing affairs. The pupils managed their budgets, bought in expertise and advice from College students and councillors, dealt with set-backs and used their own creativity to produce some inspired work.

Louisa Carran, first year College student and expert in Drama said: “The quality of work they have produced is incredible. The year 8’s have listened to everything I advised them about and have delivered inspirational presentations. I’m so proud of them”.

In their final presentations, the pupils described with energy and passion their beliefs about Rushmoor and Hart. One judge commented: ‘It was evident in every presentation that the youngsters have great civic pride in the area in which they live and study. What impressed most was the interest in the local facilities – not just the skate parks, the laser quest and the ski slope, which might be expected from pupils of this age - but also real knowledge of the region’s history and interest in the about the natural environment.’

Finally, the judges had tough decision to make but after long deliberation Frogmore Community College emerged victorious and carried away with them the inaugural Year 8 Challenge Event trophy. College coordinator for stretch and challenge, James Simms said at the end of a wonderful day: ‘Well done to all involved in this. Next year’s teams will certainly have a hard act to follow!’

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More photographs

Stunning Art Exhibition

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:31:43 GMT

On the evening of 27th June, one of the hottest days of the year so far, our talented Art and Design students displayed an incredible collection of artwork at the Private View of the Summer Exhibition 2011. The event was extremely well attended despite the extreme heat, and approximately 350 visitors enjoyed the work on display. They relished the chance to talk to students and staff about the stunning range of work displayed.

The Art department at the college is one of the largest in the College with 850 students enjoying highly successful and creative courses. The range and depth of work produced by the students is exceptional.

The visitors to the exhibition included parents, students, head teachers and staff from local schools, representatives from the business community, and other specially invited guests. Amongst which was the new Mayor of Rushmoor, Alex Crawford, who was on his first visit to the College. He described the work in the exhibition as ‘stunning’ in his blog.

Work on display was from all of the Art and Design specialisms including Fine Art, Photography, Textiles, Graphic Design, Applied Art and Art History. Over 350 students study A2 Art and Design at the College and many powerful and creative outcomes were on display, including a selection of current AS work. The artwork was ambitious in scale and concept, dealt with personal and social issues and demonstrated diverse cultural references from contemporary art to the students own family lives.

The work ranged from stunning 7 foot cyanotype images produced in Photography, intricate stamp designs from Graphics, intelligent essays in Art History, intriguing and colourful pattern designs in Applied Art, an innovative fish tank in Design Technology, dramatic large scale portraits in Fine Art and technically accomplished fashion garments in Textiles.

Prizes were awarded for the two best students in each subject area thanks to the generous sponsorship of the architectural firm Broadway Malyan (designers of the John Guy building). Each received an individual trophy beautifully designed by Applied Art and Graphics student Rebecca Thomson.

The prize winners were:
Fine Art: Robert Joyce, Emma Sumner Smith
Graphic Design: Lucy Whitehall, Laurence Thomas
Textiles: Katie Baker, Kathryn Hawkins
Photography: Emily Rawls, Matt White
Applied Art: Alecxandra Navarro, Rebecca Thomson
Art History: Kathryn Fieldgate

The Principal of the College, Simon Jarvis, praised the quality and diversity of the coursework produced by the students over the year. He commented that ‘a little while ago, I was invited to an exhibition of work at a prestigious Art College in the county and to my mind the standard of the pieces on display here would not be out of place among the work of those undergraduates.’

It was a delightful way to round off a productive and creative year of work in Art and Design.

Economists visit China

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:04:13 GMT

One of the fastest growing and innovative countries in the world, China was a fascinating prospect for our annual Economics overseas trip. A perfect choice to help students conceptualise the A2 module, ‘The Global Economy’.

With this in mind, 40 Economics students set out for the Far East on the 20th June 2011, arriving the next day excited, if a little weary, in the capital Beijing. There was no time for sleep as we headed out for our first excursion to a state run brewery where we were shown production methods and the division of labour principle. In the evening we were treated to an acrobatic show which proved that China definitely does have talent!

Tiananmen Square and its homage to the influence of Mao Te Sung was remarkable and evoked strong emotions in our students. The majesty of the Forbidden City and the dynasties from the past provided fascinating and powerful imagery which will long live in the memory.

Our time in Beijing combined economics and culture and offered the perfect opportunity to compare the mainly ‘laissez faire’ market economy in the UK with the largely state controlled growth model of China. Beijing is a city steeped in history and politics, but amongst this, modern economic development is successfully jostling for its place.

Following an overnight train, we arrived in the modern and cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. The city typifies China’s ambition to play a hegemonic role in the world economy. After a quick breakfast at our hotel we were back out to visit the Volkswagen factory where students assessed modern production and management methods. We also visited the enormous Bao Steel plant to consider how the incredible scale of production of steel was helping to build China’s gleaming new skyscrapers and how this was impacting on structural unemployment in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

On the final night we took a river cruise and witnessed the imposing Shanghai skyline. The early evening air fizzed with energy as students reflected on an amazing shared experience between new friends. The trip helped students consider how the global recession had presented a genuine dilemma for China: should it continue to look west for export led growth in low cost products or look inwards and raise wages to expand its domestic consumption?

Our final act in China was catching the 270 mile per hour Maglev train to connect us to our return flight. A stunning piece of German engineering. The master teaching the apprentice perhaps? After a 12 hour flight we arrived home exhausted, yet exhilarated by a wonderful 6 days.

Farnborough student wins Engineering Prize

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:25:56 GMT

On Wednesday 22nd June the Design Technology department took seven students from Product Design to the Festival of Science and Engineering held at Brookland’s museum organised by Surrey SATRO.

Harry Bradbury, Elliot Friend, Ross Millar and Richard Nutton displayed products designed and manufactured for their Resistant Materials A level.

After rigorous judging, Richard Nutton was awarded the prize for Engineering for his barbeque which utilised, and folded away into, a car wheel.

Three students Ben Reneaux, Sarah Pearson and Sam King exhibited architectural models of a design for a new terminal at Farnborough airport completed for their Graphic Products coursework.

Ofsted recognises best practice

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:19:23 GMT

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate has recognised the exemplary work undertaken in our Mathematics department by sharing best practice across the Sixth Form College and Further Education sectors on its website http://www.goodpractice.ofsted.gov.uk

Jon Marks, Assistant Principal(Quality Improvement) said ' I am delighted that Ofsted recognise the strength of what we offer here in the college. We are very pleased to share our experience in supporting all our students, particularly in a STEM subject which the Department for Education is very keen to promote'.

HMI Penny Horner was delighted to visit what she describes as “one of the top performing sixth form colleges in the country”, earlier in the year. She came to observe how mathematics has overcome the challenges of the subject’s popularity and ever increasing recruitment whilst successfully ensuring that students are supported to achieve the very highest standards of attainment.

Penny Horner observed: “There are many ways in which teachers help students who are struggling with mathematics. Getting students onto the right course in the first place, and providing excellent teaching and additional support when necessary, are all vital. But often, what students need is to see someone else do the maths and explain it. This is exactly what they do at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough.”

Andy Mason, Senior Curriculum Manager for Mathematics, explained precisely what the challenges faced in the curriculum area have been as the demand to study mathematics at advanced level has significantly increased in recent years:

“We identified that the AS results of those students who had previously gained a grade B in GCSE mathematics were good, but could be improved. Our challenge was to improve the quality of support for those students, in order to help them make the transfer from GCSE to A level and to gain better grades.

We’ve succeeded through a combination that includes alternative applied mathematics courses, tailored support and access to video resources to help students learn. The approach is proving successful: exam results are consistently above the high national rates for sixth form colleges, and value added, particularly at AS level, is good. The number of students dropping out of maths in the first month of the course has decreased and more students are doing well in the first AS tests that they take.”

Read the full report

Oscar comes to College!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:20:44 GMT

Students from the Sixth Form College got an extra special taste of Oscar-style glory last week when the Prospect Theatre played host once again to the Annual College Media and Film Awards.

The ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic achievements of Media and Film Students in their coursework production units and beyond. The exhibited print and film work was stunning in its range and audience impact.

The event was attended by industry professionals including seasoned TV Producer and Director, Peter Eyre; Helena Drakakis, Chief Editor of The Big Issue, and British producer Gareth Unwin (Bedlam Productions) all of whom presented prizes and remarked on the truly inspirational work of the students and the passion shown by the whole Department and College in supporting them.

Ms Drakakis, presenting the Big Issue Award for print for the third year running was extremely impressed by the growing quality and confidence of students’ work, both creatively and conceptually. She said, “The value of this ongoing and developing relationship between the magazine and the College can be seen in the mature and insightful work produced.” The work placement offered by the Big Issue each year, which provides invaluable experience and opportunity for a the winning student, was awarded this year to Michael Bratt.

The highlight of the evening came with the chance to gain an insight into the film industry with multi award winning producer Gareth Unwin of the critically acclaimed film The King’s Speech. Following a Q&A session with students before this year’s awards season he had promised to bring along an Oscar if the film won. Numerous BAFTA and other prestigious awards ceremonies later he was as good as his word, producing from a trumpet case this year’s Best Motion Picture Oscar and nomination envelope as handed to him by Steven Spielberg. Cue much excitement and a line of eager students (and parents) as he generously let them pose for photographs with the prized artefact itself.

He then further stunned us all by announcing the establishment of a rolling programme of work experience for selected students from the College, so impressed was he with the students’ work and attitude. This once in a lifetime opportunity will enable students to gain experience working on a range of forthcoming feature films including Bedlam’s newly announced production of Zaytoun, filming in Israel this autumn. The first lucky recipient of this honour is the 2011 Outstanding Media and Film Student award winner, Charlotte Hill.

With over 800 students, the Media and Film Department at the College is the largest centre for Media and Film A levels in the country and has been recognised by The Good Schools Guide for its outstanding results.

Aidan Hamilton, Head of Film and Media at the College said: “Yet again the students have risen to the challenge of producing excellent work, building on the high levels achieved by previous talented young people at the College. The work on show tonight was simply breathtaking in its technical skill, ambition and ability to touch an audience. I am incredibly proud of them, as well of the fantastic team of teachers and technical support staff that I have the honour to lead and who enable it to happen”.

Industrial Action on 30 June 2011

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:47:01 GMT

Dear Parents and Guardians

In the light of a national ballot, two teaching unions (the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers) will be undertaking a day of industrial action in protest against the Government’s plans to amend the statutory scheme for teachers’ pensions. The industrial action will take the form of a one-day strike on 30 June 2011. I understand that further ‘discontinuous industrial action’ may follow in the autumn.

I have no means of knowing for certain how many teaching staff will join the day of action on 30 June but there are 96 members of the NUT and 30 members of ATL employed at the College. Clearly, should all the members of these two unions take the proposed day of action, the potential absence of 126 teachers represents a sizeable number of lessons which will, unfortunately, not take place.

It is for this reason that I write to inform you that whilst the College will remain open on Thursday 30 June, the teaching timetable will be suspended on that day. The College will be open from 8.30am to 4.15pm, however, enabling students who wish to use the facilities and discuss work with those members of staff working normally, to do so.

I apologise in advance for the inconvenience of these arrangements but I hope that you will understand why this measure is necessary.

Yours sincerely

Simon Jarvis
Principal

Musicians in Germany

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:36:53 GMT

On 12th June, students from the College were invited to join with students performing a concert entitled “Music is our First Love” as part of the Hessentag Festival 2011. Eight Farnborough students joined the orchestra of eighty players which was made up from the orchestra of the Musicschule in Oberursel along with students from Epinay in France and Lomonossov in Russia. Both towns are also twinned with Oberursel.

The programme included Bizet’s Carmen Overture, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy for which the orchestra was joined by a choir of over 50 people and Bernstein’s Tonight, performed with guest singers.

College students have performed nationally many times but this was the first time the Music Department had gone to foreign shores. The students Alex Tay, David Pitts, Amy Edwards, Mimi Doulton, Alice Jamieson, Elysia Newton, Eloise Bolton and Eberechi Anucha finished their AS level exams the day they flew out to Frankfurt in time for the first rehearsal.

The five day trip not only allowed the students to perform together with a mix of nationalities but also gave them a chance to experience German culture and traditions as part of the massive Hessentag festival. In addition to Oberursel they visited Frankfurt. Highlights included the stunning cathedral, Goethe’s birthplace and climbing up to the rooftop cafe to experience Germany’s most impressive city skyline.

Our host families could not have been more welcoming and generous with their time and were always on hand to help when they could. Only one student spoke German but there was no language barrier, many students rapidly becoming proficient at using the German transport system!

Mimi Doulton, AS student said “The trip to Germany was an amazing experience. We really bonded as a group of students and made what will hopefully be lifelong friendships so that we can return to Oberursel in the future”.

Leavers' Photograph 2011

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:13:33 GMT

To order the photographs, go to CristalWeb > online payments > course payments and order the formal picture or the informal picture - or both!

They are on display outside the Finance Office in the College.

Students win History Debate

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:25:58 GMT

Farnborough History students participated in the Virtual Learning Academy A2 history debate led by Edgehill University. The competition required the students to assess a historical debate between two academic historians in either the field of Tudor or Nazi history (depending on their subject) and then debate with other students concerning their perspective on the particular controversy.

Assisted by History tutors David Brown and Gavin Sheffield, the students worked in small groups of two or three and debated with students from Farnborough as well as other institutions from the South East and northern England. For the two debates an academic historian was also involved, commenting on the students’ posts, attempting to develop their answers and then making a final judgment on which group of students had made the most comprehensive and well reasoned comments over the three weeks.

In both the Nazi Germany and Tudor England debates Farnborough students were chosen as the winners by the academic historians involved.

For Nazi Germany the winners were James De Mars and Duncan Laing, with Dr Alyson Brown saying she had ‘been impressed by the level of engagement on the part of the students and the quality of their input.’

In Tudor History the winners were Chloe Stewart and Laurence Tidy, with Dr Robert Poole writing that ‘the postings by these students were well-written and displayed an excellent level of expression as well as a willingness to tackle theoretical issues. They demonstrated an ability to reflect on the debate and engaged with, and even challenged, both the content of the extracts and my postings. They had a mature and confident approach and a strong analytical understanding. Finally, they focussed on the nature of historical interpretation and came to some interesting conclusions."

It was an excellent effort by the students and a fantastic success in what was a nationwide competition, demonstrating the considerable ability of the students studying history at this college.

The Leavers' Concert 2011

Tue, 31 May 2011 15:24:14 GMT

Please click here for more photographs of the soloists.

Friday night in the Prospect Theatre was the final concert given by the second year musicians: a bitter-sweet occasion for all who have enjoyed the talents of this extraordinary ensemble over the past two years.

The soloists, supported by peers coming towards the end of their first year in College, were magnificent, performing a rich blend of classical and modern, weaving sumptuous romantic pieces with jazz, pop and folk to create a gorgeous musical extravaganza relished by all.

Rachel Mills, Hart Young Musician of the Year, began the evening in confident style with Debussy, followed by a Fauré nocturne played beautifully by Katy Nagle (cello) accompanied by Rachel Ueckermann. A glimpse of Mozart, captured with intensity and power by Guy Murgatroyd, preceded a scintillating rendition of Sinding’s Fruhlingsrauschen by Chris Eager.

Chris remained at the piano to accompany Madeleine Sakakini for the evening’s opening vocal solo: an elegiac, wistful song by Ivor Gurney. Rachel Ueckermann’s stunning interpretation of Finzi’s Eclogue rippled through the Theatre, before Rob Pritchard (euphonium) and Guy provided a subtle version of Softly as I leave you. Ralph Wyld, percussionist extraordinairé, made his first appearance of the evening at the marimba before the first half concluded with the NCE performing a sumptuous, evocative tango by Piazolla.

The second half of the evening opened with the lovely voice of Isabella Stocchetti singing I’m still here. Then something quite new – Farnborough’s answer to The Corrs! The Folk Folk (aka Lauren Spicely, Kate Willets and Ruby Appleby on violin, helped out by Richard Hammond, abandoning percussion duties to show his abilities as a guitarist, the ubiquitous Ralph and first year cellist Eberechi Anucha) provided a spirited set to get the toes tapping .

Jess Mabin, accompanied on acoustic guitar and vocals by Humphrey Sitima, captivated the audience with their exquisite version of Song Bird, before the tempo kicked up a gear as the Big Band (and stripped down Little Big Band!) brought the evening to a close with the soaring sounds of jazz and swing. Rod Oughton’s own composition Happy Hour, dedicated to ‘turbulent times’ by Rod, launched into Zawinul’s Birdland, arranged by Alex Warren.

Nature Boy, featuring the amazing vocal range of Kate Willets and the tenor sax of first year Bennett Soundy, was a brilliant prelude to an original piece by Alex before the band stormed into a Prospect favourite, Have you seen them cakes. This lively number accentuated the talents of trumpeter Mike Woods, of trombonist Dom Woods and Issie, this time on flute.

Like gunfighters, percussionists Ralph and Richard joined for the last time by Pete Watson, slugged it out for bragging rights in Drumtime, before this fabulous evening of eclectic music – something for everyone here – came to a fitting end with a racy, pacy, thrilling stomper: the theme to The Incredibles.

The Leavers’ concert provided a suitable finalé to showcase the excellence of a remarkable cohort of student musicians. They leave many unforgettable memories of their outstanding contributions, their unflagging commitment, good humour and dedication to the College but most of all their ability to combine individual brilliance with loyalty and inspirational teamwork: incredible. We thank them, and they leave with our very best wishes for the next stages of their lives and musical careers.

College high flyers win design award

Fri, 27 May 2011 13:20:38 GMT

Students studying A level Product Design at Farnborough Sixth Form College have teamed up with TAG Farnborough Airport on a successful joint venture to design a possible new airport terminal building.

The competition required students to submit conceptual designs for a potential second terminal building at the airport. Most importantly, the designs had to complement the existing airport architecture: thrilling, iconic buildings reflecting an aeronautical theme.

Students presented their ideas and scale models to a team of judges headed by Brandon O’Reilly (CEO, TAG), Elaine Turner (TAG Marketing & Events Manager) and TAG architect Matthew Bedward (BBLUR) in the newly constructed airplane hangars at Farnborough Airport.

The rewards for these talented young designers include the opportunity of invaluable work experience with BBLUR to help them further develop their intended careers. First prize went to the design by Sam King; second prize went to Ben Reneaux and Sarah Pearson won third prize.

Winner, Sam King was clearly delighted to have received the accolade. He said ‘It was certainly nerve wracking pitching my ideas in the dragon’s den! But the feedback I got was brilliant, really detailed and informative. I’m so grateful to all those who gave up so much time for us: It has made a huge difference with my coursework.’

Nick Tupper, who runs the Graphic Products department at the College, spoke warmly of this event: ‘This was a great example of education and industry working in partnership to the benefit of the future generation. The support from TAG has been magnificent; these students have been able to test their ideas in a tough commercial environment, and this has produced some outstanding academic work.’

Pass IT On

Fri, 27 May 2011 10:38:47 GMT

What a wonderful idea – those with the knowledge passing it on to those without. Usually this activity (let’s call it teaching) involves the older people improving the skills of the young but this innovative, fabulous initiative has changed all that.

Let 2nd year student Jenny Deeble explain: ‘The "Pass IT on scheme is different. Students are paired with an older person from the local community who wishes to become more computer literate. It has the aim of teaching basic IT skills to enable the senior citizens to participate more easily in the digital aspects of modern society.’

What a great idea! Introduced last year by teachers Jenny Osborne, Dawn Arnold and Alison Woolley supported by ex-student and volunteer coordinator, Katherine Shill, over 50 local residents have worked mouse in hand with students after College on Monday evenings since September.

And the results have been highly valued by the Pass IT On students. One delighted resident beamed with pride as she acknowledged the progress she had made: ‘I used to be frightened of the computer, thought I’d break it if I turned it on! But with the help I have received from my marvellous student teacher I can email, access the internet... I feel I can participate more fully in the modern world. And it was all free!’

Like all the students involved in the scheme, Jenny has voluntarily given up her time each week to work with her partner, Les. She enthused about the benefits for the students and the residents: ‘I have participated in the scheme for two years and I can honestly say it has been a very memorable and enjoyable experience. It provides an opportunity to work closely with someone and to build up a trusting rapport, where you can share in your tutee's success and celebrate their achievements together.’

Jenny, who hopes to study medicine after her A levels this year, clearly thinks that the scheme will benefit her bedside manner: ‘Unfamiliar concepts sometimes require novel explanations, meaning your communication and empathetic skills are developed and honed, whilst your partner gains knowledge and, most notably, confidence in dealing with day to day computing tasks. Overall, I have found it to be a beneficial and fun experience and, although I will miss the sessions and my partner. I am very grateful to have had the unique opportunity to participate in a scheme such as this."

Summer dance show 2011: Elevate

Tue, 24 May 2011 15:13:04 GMT

‘Elevate’, the end of year showcase, displayed a gorgeous spectrum of dance talent last Thursday evening in the Prospect Theatre. The performance celebrated the achievement of the A level Dance and Performing Arts students, offering an extraordinary range of solo and group pieces.

An Interpretation of Bob Fosse’s ‘Rich Man’s Frug’ by the A2 Performing Arts dancers took its place alongside the upbeat, energetic display of AS soloist, Molly Aldridge and her response to ‘It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing’. The audience also enjoyed a sensitive and thought provoking take on American choreographer Alvin Ailey’s choreographic style, performed beautifully by Kate La-Garde, May Bishop and Laura Pinches.

The variety of different interpretations of A level exam work was astonishing: the programme included pieces inspired by poet W H Davis, artist Paul Klee the snakes and ladders board game and historical events such as The Dancing Plague of 1518. The energy and engagement of the dancers performing to Adele’s ‘He Won’t Go’, ‘Turning tables’ and ‘Someone Like you’ was captivating.

The evening opened and closed with strong ensemble pieces choreographed by Clare Meeking (Royal Academy of Dance PGCE teacher) and The Dance Leaders’ Award students, also performed by the College Dance Company. This fabulous celebration of dance concluded with a spectacle of media projection, sunglasses and a surprise performance by Laura Woof (Curriculum Support for Performing Arts).

Curriculum Manager for Dance, Sally Reed, beamed happily: “This evening really does make both Emily Burke and me proud of our students; they have committed to rehearsals alongside all the pressures of AS and A2 examinations. The work has been of a very high standard thanks to the students’ resilience and hard work!”

‘Elevate’ was a final performance for many of the College students, some of whom will be moving on to the next level of training including courses in dance or musical theatre at The Central School of Ballet, Bird College, Italia Conti, Kingston and Chichester Universities. They leave with our very best wishes and thanks for their outstanding contributions to College life.

May 2011 Newsletter

Tue, 24 May 2011 11:08:42 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter click here

Iceland Trip

Fri, 06 May 2011 12:45:28 GMT

In March, 41 Geography students spent four days in Iceland studying plate tectonics, glaciation and coastal and river landforms. This year we took a mixture of AS and A2 students with each group focusing on different areas of Geography for their courses.

It was exactly 12 months since the eruption underneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier nearly cancelled our 2010 trip and subsequently disrupted flights across Europe in the weeks that followed. We found out this year that we were the first school or college group in 2010 to see the eruption, which began the day before our trip. Although that volcano is now dormant again Iceland is always active with plate tectonic processes and many small earthquakes (mainly too weak to be detected other than by instruments) occur every day.

The students spent the first full day of the trip visiting some of these tectonic features, including the rift valley at the centre of the mid-Atlantic ridge at Thingvellir, the frequently erupting Strokkur geyser and boiling mud pools at Geysir and the Kerio volcanic crater. They also saw the huge and impressive waterfalls at Gullfoss, the formation of which are influenced by changes in sea level and river rejuvenation.

On the next day the students visited two large waterfalls close to the site of the 2010 eruption. We then travelled on to a valley glacier which flows from the Myrdalsjokull ice sheet and managed to reach it despite the coach having to stop on the muddy and waterlogged road mid-way with the group walking the last few kilometres. We finished the day by visiting the southern coastline and looking at features including caves, stacks, arches, beaches with black basaltic sand and a cliff with basaltic columns similar to those on the Giant’s Causeway.

The students visited the Blue Lagoon geothermal pools and enjoyed experiencing the hot, mineral rich water heated naturally by tectonic activity. We also visited a geothermal power station, one of many which provide Iceland with clean, cheap renewable energy.

The last activity before returning home was a brief visit to Reykjavik which must be one of the smallest and least busy capital cities in the world with a population of only 120,000. The Perlan viewing platform provided excellent views over the city and surrounding mountains. Overall it was a fantastic trip to a country where the geography is very active and dynamic, changing from day to day.

The whole world in their hands!

Fri, 06 May 2011 10:44:37 GMT

Former Principal, John Guy returned to the College on Thursday 5 May to present this year’s Travel Scholarships. The scheme, introduced by Dr Guy over a decade ago, is intended to encourage College students to undertake challenging experience overseas.

‘The idea came to me because of the enormous benefits I had gained as a student when I received a scholarship to spend time in the old Soviet Union,’ John told the audience. ’It was a truly formative experience: difficult, sometimes scary but tremendously worthwhile.’

This year’s intrepid explorers are planning a range of activities across the globe. Special congratulations go to Rachel Wyatt who also won a Jacqueline Findlay Travel Scholarship, generously sponsored by the Blackwater Valley Rotary Club, presented by incoming President, Valerie Boud. This award, instigated in memory of an outstanding local head teacher, is for the student judged to be undertaking a project demonstrating particular endeavour and, as Mrs Boud said, ‘requiring real mettle, determination and public service ’.

Congratulations go to the following travel scholars:

SARAH BOULDING - travelling to Bolivia and Argentina with the Quest Overseas organisation to undertake conservation and research projects.

KATHERINE COLVIN - competing for team GBR at the World Sailing Championships held in Argentina at the beginning of the year and the European Sailing Championships this summer.

RACHEL DRINKWATER - travelling to Uganda with the ‘Ugandan Support’ charity assisting with an education and feeding programme at an orphanage.

VICTORIA EDWARDS - travelling to Grenada to complete both the Divemaster and Instructor courses to assist with university studies in Marine Biology.

MELISSA HAMILTON - retrospective application, competed for team GBR at the World Sailing Championships held in Argentina, December 2010.

ELINOR HILL, MEGAN SIMPSON - travelling to India, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Toyko, Australia and New Zealand; undertaking a six week volunteer project with ‘Basti-Ram’ in India.

MOLLY HOLT, KATIE POPE - travelling to Munich, Berlin and Paris on an InterRail trip.

DANNI INGAMELLS - travelling to Cape Town with Gap Year South Africa to work as a medical volunteer.

ELLIOT JENKINS - travelling to Uganda and Kenya with Explorer Scouts undertaking charitable tasks and safari in Kenya.

KATIE LOCK, ALEX WARREN - travelling across Europe on an InterRail trip; visiting various cities and places of interest, improving language skills and experience the culture of these of these countries.

DANIELLE MELHUISH - travelling to Tenerife undertaking a research conservation project with the Atlantic Whale Foundation.

LAURA PAMMER, EMMA PARKIN - travelling to India with Girl Guiding UK undertaking charitable tasks and meeting other guides from around the world.

WILLIAM PETLEY - travelling to India with ‘Gap Guru’ undertaking a three month Jouralism Internship and will visit the Taj Mahal.

CAITLIN ROSS - travelling to Kenya with a church group working in unison with the charity ‘Turning Point Trust’ running residential summer camps for slum children.

MADELINE SHAW - travelling from Cairo to Cape Town with Oasis Overland participating in community projects supported by the organisation.

KARMEN WAN - travelling to Hong Kong for a student attachment programme placement with Queen Mary’s Hospital and teaching English at local schools.

GEORGINA WICKS - travelling to South Africa with ‘The Leap’ organisation undertaking community projects and assisting on safaris particularly with orphaned elephants.

SARA WILLIAMS - travelling to Delhi with’Cosmic Volunteers’ to work in a HIV/AIDS Clinic and orphanage teaching children English and Maths.

RACHEL WYATT - travelling during a gap year to Thailand, Borneo, New Zealand, Australia and across Europe.

Question Time at the Treasury

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:33:52 GMT

Twelve first year Economists were invited to participate in a Question Time style debate at HM Treasury on Thursday 31st March 2011. The panellists at the event, which was arranged by The Citizenship Foundation and sponsored by Aviva, were Justine Greening MP, Economics Secretary to HM Treasury, Andy Love MP, Treasury select Committee member, James Morris MP, Secretary to APPG on Youth Affairs and Tim Coates, Trustee, British Youth Council. The event was chaired by Sam Fleming, Economics Editor of the Times.

Olivia Khan started the proceedings, questioning the success of Banking Regulation and whether it’s a case of moral hazard. The general agreement from the panel was that banking culture is currently too focussed on short term gains and it needs to reform the culture of paying bonuses even when banks suffer losses.

Ben Bywater then asked the panel whether it is time for a rethink on the speed and size of government cuts, with the evidence of negative growth in the last quarter of 2010? This offered a difference of opinion from the panel with Justine Greening very much against such an idea.

Ben Crompton ended the questioning with his question ‘Is the State too big?’, apparently not, but the panel did offer differing opinions on the role of the state. Unfortunately the audience weren’t given the opportunity to offer counter-arguments to the panel, so they couldn’t show their firm grasp of the Economics of these issues.

The twelve students who were selected to attend were Aamar Aslam, Ben Bywater, Ben Crompton, Harriet Griffiths, Olivia Khan, Andrew Lockwood, Charlie Mesher, Paul Rusen, Alex Vitelis, Francesca Ward, Harry Wigglesworth and Sam Wisker.

‘Grease’ is still the word!

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:44:22 GMT

There was a sizzling, scintillating, summer night of sensational shakin’ going on at the Rydell High School hop as the Coppers crew roared into town to perform Grease at the Prospect Theatre.

The cast of students from Henry Tyndale School working in close collaboration with College volunteers under the excellent direction of Alexandra Rogers and Ben Storer went together like peaches and cream. Rosie (as Sandy) and Daniel (Danny) supported by their enthusiastic, talented friends, were magnificent in the leading roles. But most of all this performance was memorable for the fantastic teamwork involved in creating and producing the show: well done to all the many committed students and staff who devoted so many hours to this wonderful event.

Grease, the ninth collaborative performance between the School and the College, was enjoyed by a packed audience clearly delighted by the quality of the evening’s entertainment. Next year’s show, celebrating a decade of this valuable community partnership, promises to be the best ever!

Chamber Choir prepares for Easter

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:59:37 GMT

The College Choral Society and Chamber Choir performed an ambitious, diverse programme of sacred music to a captivated audience in the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Hall at the end of the spring term.

Led by conductor and Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, to the organ accompaniment by former student (now music teacher at the College) Stuart McSweeney, the Chamber Choir began the evening with a glorious performance of Mozart’s Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore. None would have known that the Choir had only a short while to master this complex piece, such was the quality of the performance. In particular, the beauty of the aria Laudate Dominum sung by soprano soloist Mimi Doulton, was outstanding.

A lyrical solo piece, Bach’s I follow in gladness, performed with great expression by Jess Mabin followed, accompanied by Paul Bambrough on the organ. This was followed by soloist James Rowland who sang Franck’s Panis Angelicus: a mature, controlled performance which prepared the audience well for the final piece sung by the Choral Society, Faure’s Requiem.

This rendition of the Requiem, peaceful and serene, transformed the hall into a cathedral: this was a moving celebration of the beauty of the human voice, filling the cavernous space magnificently. Augmented by soloists James Rowland, an inspired (and inspiring) Kate Willets who sang the famous Pie Jesu aria superbly, and Rob Pritchard, an evening of contemplative, beautiful music came to a close.

Stop press: results of SA elections!!!

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:40:27 GMT

A real highlight of every year, the recent Students’ Association election campaign overshadowed any discussion of Government cutbacks or similarly ‘important’ topics such as who would win the Man U v Chelsea game! Culminating in a crazy week of hustings, where nervous candidates delivered their manifesto promises set to rap, whilst hula hooping or even dancing in front of a packed Cafe Direct, this had to be the most hotly contested campaign in recent College history.

Christine Eustace, Lead Tutor for Student Liaison, said ‘I am absolutely delighted that more than 1400 first year students voted on line to elect a terrific bunch of young people who I am sure will be amazing ambassadors for the College. Both Russ and Josh will be appointed to the College’s Governing Body as full voting members from April 2011 which will be an invaluable experience for them’. Russ Kelaart, newly elected Student President said: ‘I’m excited by the prospect of representing my fellow students – this is a fantastic College, but I am positive this can be an even better place to study’.

Despite the antics of hustings, each member of the newly elected committee is totally dedicated to enhancing the College experience for everyone. Frankie Ward, Communications Officer, stated ‘Our College works best when there is a strong sense of community and no breakdown in communication. I am looking forward to using the latest technology to promote the student voice throughout the whole College community’.

Whilst each of the student committee members has a particular responsibility, they work together to organise and coordinate events as wide ranging as the lavish Leavers’ Ball for 1100 students at Lakeside Country Club, to a sleep out on the College campus raising money for the local charity Step by Step. Newly elected Charities Officer, Beanie Watson, said, ’our fantastically generous students raised more than £14,500 last year, but our target is to exceed this in the year ahead: I am sure we can do it! I will be working hard to produce events that will raise awareness of the needs of those less fortunate than us as well as much needed funds’.

Simon Jarvis, Principal, has been impressed by the strong sense of purpose in the new SA Committee: ‘The new Committee fought brilliantly to gain the support of their peers; they and all those who stood with them for election, albeit unsuccessfully this time, should be proud of their achievements.

I’m really pleased for the new team; they are ambitious for the College and keen to make a difference in their year of office. But they have a hard act to follow – the outgoing SA officers were one of the best functioning teams I’ve ever worked with!’

The full committee, from left to right are: Polly Cartwright (Performing Arts); Beanie Watson (Charities); Josh McCusker (Vice President);
Helena Clough (Personalised Learning); Frankie Ward (Communications); David O’Brien (Treasurer); Scott Hill (Sports); Trudie Ryalls (Environmental); Russ Kelaart (President); Jazz Rihal (Events); Michael Di Benedetto (Community Links); Natalie Lamy (Publications).

Economics students win National Final

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:36:30 GMT

It’s the big question anyone with a mortgage is asking – when are interest rates going up? If students from Farnborough were in charge of the nation’s economy, they would leave everything exactly as it is.

This was the decision that won a team from Farnborough Sixth Form College a cheque for £10,000 after they beat rivals from across the country last week.

The College’s team of Robert Greig, Clare Dooley, Nikki Howes and Benjamin Thomas, ably supported by Arvind Norris, triumphed at the 11th national final of the competition called Target 2.0, held at the Bank of England’s headquarters in Threadneedle Street, London, on Friday last week.

The challenge started with teams from across the country competing in regional heats and area finals, which produced the six finalists. At each stage the teams had to imitate the monetary policy committee (MPC) process, assessing the British and global economic conditions to decide the best monetary policy to achieve the government’s target of reducing inflation to 2%. The teams, each of four students, then presented their decision to a panel of judges.

‘Outstanding’

The deputy governor of the Bank of England, Charles Bean, presented the winners with the Challenge Trophy and a cheque for the College. Speaking at the presentation, the deputy governor, who chaired the judging panel, said: ‘This year, 289 teams took part in the competition and it is a great achievement to have made the final.’

‘We have enjoyed six excellent presentations today, all of which have demonstrated an impressive grasp of the key economic issues currently facing the monetary policy committee.’ In his view, the College students were ‘outstanding in their professional presentation’, describing their performance under questioning as ‘one of the best performances in a Q&A that any of us can remember.’

This is extraordinary praise for an extraordinary achievement by extraordinary students at the College. Well done!

Hart Young Musician of the Year 2011

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:24:49 GMT

The 2011 Hart Young Musician of the Year competition has been won by a second year music student of the College. Pianist Rachel Mills (18, from Heckfield) not only won the senior prize in her category but was declared overall winner by a panel of five distinguished musicians.

Rachel stunned a capacity audience at The Church on the Heath, Elvetham Heath with technically accomplished and virtuosic readings of Debussy’s First Arabesque and Chopin’s mighty Fantasie Impromptu. Pitting herself against seventeen other talented musicians from across the area, Rachel’s sense of style and commitment in performance led her to take the first prize of £500.

Speaking after the competition, a delighted Rachel said “I am thrilled to win this competition. I first entered ten years ago and have always looked up to those who have won previous competitions. It’s a wonderful feeling to become one of them”. Rachel is looking forward to being invited back to perform at next year’s competition and was keen to thank her piano teachers for their support and encouragement. She intends to study Medicine at university next year.

Three other Farnborough musicians also took part in the final. Hannah Richardson (piano), David Pitts (Trombone) and Lizzie Wright (Flute) all performed with confidence and assurance and conducted themselves with much distinction. David and Lizzie both won their category.

Director of Music of the College, Paul Bambrough was thrilled with all the students that took part this year. “I am extremely proud of Rachel, Hannah, David and Lizzie and so pleased that they took on the challenge laid down by this excellent competition. Rachel joins a line of Farnborough students who have won it and all have been magnificent ambassadors for the College.”

Inspiring Music Scholars Concert

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:19:02 GMT

In an innovative evening of new works, original arrangements and emotional contrasts the music scholars wowed a capacity audience at South Hill Park Arts Centre on Thursday 17th March 2011. This group of 18 highly talented musicians planned, organised and presented an evening of music with a maturity and professionalism beyond their years.

The first half began in South Hill Park’s sumptuously panelled recital room with a wonderfully crafted instrumental arrangement of Bernstein’s Psalm 131 for strings and marimba which set the mood and the high standard for the whole evening. This was followed by a stunning rendition of the duet Shades of Night from Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades sung by sopranos Jess Mabin and Mimi Doulton.

Then came the first of two works by student composer Alex Tay. His arrangement of Ronalla Aragonesa by Granados skilfully reworked for strings, wind, brass, guitar and marimba brought fresh, latinate colours to this piece originally conceived for two guitars and conjured up the spirit of a dusky Spanish evenings to great effect. His second contribution was an original work for large ensemble. Sketchpad was a musical depiction of the drawing together of disparate ideas into one coherent object of beauty. This highly challenging and complex work was played with much virtuosity by the ensemble of scholars under Tay’s baton. The audience were left stunned by this committed performance of a work that would not be out of place in a London concert hall.

Composer Chris Eager’s two works were both for quartets, one, most originally, for a quartet of pianists on a single piano. Riendo, a charming piece of pulsating rhythms and energising melodic ideas was realised by pianists Rachael Ueckermann, Rachel Mills, Hannah Richardson and the composer himself. All relished the physicality of the piece as their hands battled with each other for space at the keyboard often colliding with other as a result. The audience loved this work and were much amused to see these four pianists jostling with each other!

Chris’ second piece was for four unaccompanied singers: Jess Mabin, Lily German, Katy Nagle and Mimi Doulton. This wonderfully evocative work immediately captured the spirit of the text De Profundis by Christina Rossetti on which it was based. Voices soared, dovetailed and interwove in an emotionally charged performance which left the resonant hall in silence for some little while at its conclusion.

For the second half of the concert all moved from the Recital Room to the subterranean Cellar Bar, where, refreshed with a drink or two, the audience settled back for some Jazz based works. The half opened with a new arrangement of Gershwin’s I got Rhythm by Ralph Wyld whose snappy rhythmic drive and energetic approach to this well known standard gave it a freshness and a vitality appreciated by all. The pace then changed for Rod Oughton’s own transcription and arrangement of Stars Fell on Alabama which seduced the audience and lulled them into a suitably soporific mood which was then perfect for Ralph Wyld’s original piece First and Last, which captured the landscapes and atmospheres of the Cornish coastline which inspired its creation.

College student wins gold medal

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:11:47 GMT

Isobel Pooley recently put in an outstanding performance, achieving a personal best of 1.86m, in winning the gold medal. It is the highest indoor jump by a British junior since 1997 and puts her at no. 4 on this year’s world lists.

Isobel describes the experience in her own words:

‘I recently competed at my first ever senior national championships, the UK Indoor Trials at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield. There I jumped a new lifetime best of 1.85m which took me to number 5 on the junior indoor all time rankings. This was high enough to secure me a silver medal, beaten only by the great Jessica Ennis, who jumped 1.88m. It was absolutely amazing for me to have beaten so many competent seniors on my very first senior championship outing.

A fortnight later, I competed in Birmingham at the Under 20 Age Group Championships. In previous years I had only ever managed to get the silver medal, having been out-jumped by my rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson at the two previous championships. It had always been a close call however, and this year I felt on great form and was still on an adrenaline high from my debut in Sheffield two weeks previously.

Katarina had recently returned from injury and I was anxious to see what effect the time off had had on her jumping. I opted to come in at 1.74m, the highest opening jump of the competition, while Katarina started at 1.66m. We were pretty much neck and neck at 1.74m, 1.77m and 1.80m, so the pressure was on when the bar went up to 1.83m. I had cleared this height only twice in my career so far, while Kat had never accomplished 1.83m before (her best was 1.82m).

After us both suffering first time failures, Kat cleared the height on her second attempt – a new best for her.
Determined this year to remain in contention, I also cleared 1.83m second time around, and the bar moved upwards to 1.86m.

After two unsuccessful attempts each, Kat and I had one more attempt each to conquer this new height. She put in a brave effort but bowed out of the competition with a best clearance of 1.83m. I however, cleared 1.86m with the biggest jump of my career so far, claiming the national indoor title for the first time.

This new personal best put me 4th on the World junior rankings and is the 3rd highest height ever cleared indoors by a British junior athlete. I went on to have three failures at 1.88m but was delighted with my gold medal and new lifetime best.

This summer I expect to compete at the European Junior Championships in Estonia and to win a medal. I have already been placed on the long list for this competition and am a massive 7cm above the qualifying standard of 1.79m. Long-term I aspire to winning an Olympic gold medal.’

Isobel Pooley

Inspirational Dance Show

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:27:31 GMT

Dance Leader students demonstrated how they are an inspiration to local school children as their seven week dance project came to a climax with a dazzling showcase held at the Prospect Theatre. The project was led by second year Dance Leaders in association with North East Hampshire School Sports Partnership.

Every week the College students prepared and delivered a dance session in Cherrywood Community Primary School, Tower Hill Primary School, Farnborough Grange, Fernhill School, Manor Junior and St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School. The project aimed to build links between further education and local schools by providing extra-curricular dance activities, developing creative and kinaesthetic skills.

The showcase involved over 80 local school children representing a range of pieces from show stopping hip hop, to a pirate themed extravaganza. Friends and family of the school pupils, who were invited to the performance, were full of praise for the work. Adam Gunn, from Manor Junior, said “I don't think I could write enough words to describe how well the entire dance event has gone. The children have really benefitted from it and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment.”

The teachers at the schools visited said that all the leaders proved fantastic role models for the children and were impressed by their manner, professionalism and sense of responsibility. Rob Lee from St Bernadette’s said, “The children's parents were clearly so proud today and the leaders themselves have been absolutely fantastic.”

Subject Leader for Dance Leaders, Emily Burke would like to personally congratulate the leaders on their achievements as a result of their thorough planning, commitment and dedication to the groups they were working with. Emily said “I am very proud and overwhelmed by the maturity shown by our students and the lifelong skills they have acquired due to the opportunities they have been given.”

DANCE LEADERS:
Cherrywood Community Primary School – Rebecca Thompson, Katrina Newstead, Diana Field and Katie Baker.
Tower Hill Primary School – Emma Kemp, Charlotte Mackay and Lauren Harvey.
Farnborough Grange – Mel Bridges, Grace Campbell, Maddi Renouf and Danielle Pullen.
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School – Edie Shaw, Hazel Eadie-Hamilton, Emma Bishop and Jasmine Burford.
Fernhill Primary School – Olivia Willis, Laura Pinches, Zoe Lambert and Rebecca Miller.
Manor Junior – Amy Houlton, Emma Hibbert, Anastazia Pitta and May Bishop.

SPECIAL THANKS to all the schools involved in this project; the dance leaders for their wonderful guidance and expertise, who made the sessions both informative and fun. Jack Salzman and Laura Woof for technical support. Further thanks to Lucy Moore for all her hard work organising the link between the College, Diana Field for her photography and the schools and all the teachers who have supported and encouraged such a wonderful experience for the leaders and the students involved.

Emily Burke, Subject Leader of Dance Leaders

Sites of the Ancient World

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:36:32 GMT

During the February Reading week, 40 students and 4 members of staff from the Archaeology, Classical Civilisation and History of Art courses went on a visit to experience at first hand some of the ancient sites, monuments and architecture of the ancient and Renaissance World.

We stayed in Rome for two nights spending the time visiting sites connected with Rome’s ancient past. On the first day some of the group visited the Sistine Chapel whilst the rest of the group went on a walking tour of Rome visiting the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Trevi fountain, the Pantheon, the Collosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum as well as many other sites around Rome. At the end of the day we had been walking for about 8 hours and probably covered 16 miles.

The next day found us on a coach heading for Sorrento, with a stop off at the ancient town of Ostia Antica, some 30 kilometres from Rome and once the port of Rome.

The Ancient town of Herculaneum a victim of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD was next followed by the Ancient Greek colony site of Cuma at the other end of the Bay of Naples.

Cuma is the site where Aeneas is said to have landed for the first time on Italian soil, so this was a very special visit for our Classical Civilisation students, who were able to enter the cave of the Sybil, walking along underground tunnels to get there.

The following morning was an especially long trip down the very windy and narrow roads of the Costiera Amalfitana through Positano and into Amalfi to visit the ancient town and the fantastic Baroque church. From there the party went on to visit the Ancient Greek Colony of Paestum and Pompeii.

Cutting Edge Technology

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:56:48 GMT

34 ICT and Computing students and 4 staff set out at a ridiculously early hour on Sunday 27th February en route for the ‘Big Apple’.

Why New York you may ask? This wonderfully vibrant city gave our students a fantastic opportunity to visit a number of establishments which introduced them to some fantastic innovations within the industry. These included the Sony Wonderlab, Samsung Experience and the Federal Reserve Bank.

In addition, students were able to experience life in a city that they had previously only seen via their TV screens.

Feedback from the students who participated has included:

“Thank you for a once in a lifetime opportunity”,

“I can’t wait to go back to New York again in the future”,

“Seeing all the emerging technology at Samsung was a real eye opener”.

Chris Eustace, IT tutor, said

“Personally, I feel that we took 34 individuals and returned with a tight knit, supportive group of young people who were an absolute credit to the College.”

Design Student drives forward

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:41:37 GMT

Laura Dancer, a first year Graphic Design student at the College, received first prize for a new logo design for a local driving school.

Three Counties Professional Driving Instructors Association was formed in 1986. As part of a recent re-branding exercise, it was felt that a new logo would be more relevant and contemporary if designed by somebody within the 17-24 age group.

A competition was arranged for students studying Media Studies and Graphic Design. Many exciting and eye-catching logos were presented but after voting at an association meeting the design by Laura was chosen unanimously.

The Graphics department thinks the logo design is contemporary and dynamic. The repetition of the lines reflects the movement of a car effectively.

Laura was delighted that her design was chosen. It is fantastic that the logo will be displayed on driving school cars, the website, letterheads and business cards. Laura received driving lessons as her prize for designing the logo.

Overall it’s a wonderful achievement for Laura to have her design displayed in the local community.

Art student shines in National Speaking Competiton

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:32:13 GMT

Beth Sillince recently took part in the regional heat of a national public speaking competition as part of the ARTiculation prize organised by the Roche Education Trust and the Saatchi Gallery. The competition was held at Roche Court near Salisbury.

There were no guidelines as to subject matter but the talk had to be longer than 5 minutes but not more than 10 – which was quite a constraint! Beth chose to talk about something very up-to-the-minute - ‘Art of the iPad’.

The talk and accompanying Power Point was inspired by the much publicised use of the technology by world famous British Artist David Hockney. Beth paralleled Hockneys iPad ‘paintings’ of Sunflowers with those by Vincent van Gogh, and discussed whether Hockneys jpegs are REALLY Art – or just ‘jottings’ using a new tool. She also linked the resultant ‘accessibility’ of the works to the ideas of Andy Warhol some 40 years ago. To those doubters in the room she also pointed out that Hockney has a current exhibition in Paris of the ‘paintings’ consisting of iPads on the walls with ever changing images created by the artist.

Competition was fierce with Colleges such as Marlborough, Winchester, Godolphin and Bournemouth High School for Girls, to name but a few, being represented.

The speakers were judged by International Artist Michael Craig-Martin, who told each of the students who took part, that he had been very impressed by their knowledge and delivery of their chosen topics. Craig-Martin awarded one winner for the heat and two ‘Highly Commended’ awards – one of which was won by Beth. Beth said that it was a great experience – one that she would remember forever!

Visit from Oxford and Cambridge Tutors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:46:06 GMT

On Thursday, 10 March 2011 The Sixth Form College Farnborough was once again pleased to welcome Admissions Tutors from two of the world’s most prestigious universities to a packed Prospect Theatre.

Dr Richard Barnes (Emmanuel College, Cambridge) and Dr Lizzy Emerson (St Hugh’s College, Oxford) were joined by over 300 students and parents to consider the factors that are important for study at both universities.

Dr Barnes stressed that with the proposed increase in tuition fees it was even more essential that applicants to university considered getting value for money from their degree. He told the students that terms at both Oxford and Cambridge were shorter, so accommodation costs were lower, and that the two universities had world class facilities and excellent graduate employment statistics.

Dr Emerson said that Oxford and Cambridge academics were looking for students who were passionate about their subject and who loved reading and talking about it as much as they did.

The session produced some lively questions from the audience and the group was later joined by many of the twenty-nine students from the Sixth Form College who have gained offers from either Oxford or Cambridge. They spoke about their experience of the admissions and interview process, joking that the ‘mock’ interviews at College were more daunting than the ‘real thing’!

Year 12 student, Emma Rigg from Woking commented: “Seeing all the Farnborough students with Oxbridge offers was definitely inspiring and made me realise that Oxbridge may not be out of my reach! Both speakers were encouraging and eager to answer all questions, so overall the talk has given me more confidence to consider an application to Oxford or Cambridge”.

Louise Ashwell, formerly of Farnham Heath End School, who has a place to read History at Trinity Hall College, Cambridge said: “It’s great to have got a place! I would definitely recommend doing as much extra reading as possible, as well as applying for Summer Schools and work placements. You’ve got nothing to lose by applying, so go for it!”

On Wednesday this week Dr Lucinda Rumsey, Senior Tutor and responsible for Admissions at Mansfield College, Oxford gave an introductory talk to interested Year 11 pupils and their parents from partner and link schools to raise awareness of the opportunities available at these top universities. Dr Rumsey told the meeting that sixth form colleges offer excellent preparation for Oxford and Cambridge degrees because of the more independent way of studying and autonomous approach to learning – a view shared by College Principal, Simon Jarvis: “Our students become inquisitive and proactive in their learning; many of them have undertaken a voluntary extended project which gives them a better understanding of the wider reading, independence and research skills needed at university”.

Current student Isobel Priest, who has a place to study Chemistry at St John’s College Oxford, recognised some of her former schoolmates from Cove School in the audience. She told them: “I’m really happy to get a place. The College has been very helpful and my Personal Tutor was superb, helping me with my application and my personal statement. I seriously recommend the Summer School”.

Nigel Ewart-Jones and his daughter Natasha, who is currently at Farnham Heath End school, said: “It was lovely, a superb event and very informative”. Her friend, Holly Lawson added: “A great experience! Very helpful”!

These ‘Introduction to Oxbridge’ events are part of the intensive programme of support for all students applying to universities and an integral part of the College’s careers work.

Over 80% of leavers from The Sixth Form College Farnborough go on to Higher Education. Assistant Principal, Helen Diffenthal, who has overall responsibility for Information, Advice and Guidance said: “We work in collaboration with a wide range of universities both on a national and local level. We are delighted that the University of Southampton will be sponsoring our annual careers event – Moving On day - in July. It’s not just about Oxbridge, we celebrate the achievement of all our students who have achieved places on their chosen degree courses”.

**Cambridge 11**
Louise Ashwell	Trinity Hall	History
Lawrence Billing	Downing	Natural Sciences
Somil Desai	St John’s	Natural Sciences
Sarah Gregory	Homerton	Modern & Medieval Languages
Andrew Kiddey	Trinity Hall	Mathematics
Joseph Lewsey	Girton	Modern & Medieval Languages
Sam Lochead	Sidney Sussex	Geography
Rebecca McKnight	Sidney Sussex	Law
Hester Mulhall	Jesus	Veterinary Medicine
Laurence Tidy	Homerton	Modern & Medieval Languages
Rebecca Watson	St Catharine’s	English

**Oxford 18**
Grace Blakeley	St Peter’s	Philosophy, Politics & Economics
James De Mars	Somerville	Philosophy, Politics & Economics
Conor Dean	Trinity	Chemistry
Katherine Fieldgate	St John’s	History of Art
Dan Ginger	Keble	Geography
Robert Greig	Magdalen	Philosophy, Politics & Economics
Katherine Grundy	Lady Margaret Hall	Spanish and Linguistics
Natasha Halligan	Mansfield	Law
Douglas Henderson	St Edmund Hall	Geography
Charlotte Jordan	Brasenose	Economics & Management
Francesca McCoy	St Hugh’s	English
Isobel Priest	St John’s	Chemistry
Alistair Rice	Exeter	Biochemistry
Lauren Spiceley	St John’s	Music
Corinne Stuart	University	Engineering Science
Helen Walker	St Hilda’s	History
William Ward	St Peter’s	History
Tim Wickenden	Exeter	Theology

Art exhibits sold

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:52:17 GMT

After an exhibition in February 2011 at the West End Centre in Aldershot by Art and Design students a member of the public, Richard Mann, was so impressed by the work that he bought four!

The lucky students were, Georgia Smith, Rebecca Thomson, James Rowland and Chris Hedges. Recently he came in to college to give the students their money and speak to the students.

Richard said that the works will be hung in his house and he had been delighted and impressed by the quality of work on display in the exhibition.

The students told him about the background to the production of the works, which included an exploration of African pattern, contemporary representations of beauty and the exploration of mark making in landscape.

Congratulations to our winners

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:24:39 GMT

From a field of 289 teams, the 43 winning teams from the regional heats of the Interest Rate Challenge, held in November, undertook their next test, the Area Finals, on March 1st. As in the heats, the area finals involves the teams of four students taking on the role of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee and making a presentation to a panel of Bank of England judges. Each team must assess economic conditions and the outlook for inflation and then decide what level of interest rate, or other monetary policy measure, is necessary in order to meet the Government’s inflation target of 2.0%.

The Sixth Form College won the South East England area final, held at Farnham Castle, making them the Area Champions for 2011. They recommended an interest rate of 0.5% compared with the Bank of England’s official rate of 0.5% set by the Monetary Policy Committee on 10 February 2011. They also recommended a total of £200bn of asset purchases under the Asset Purchase Facility, compared with the £200bn agreed by the MPC on 10 February 2011.

The team from Peter Symonds College, Winchester were runners up and in third place was Brighton College. The other teams in this area final were Cranbrook School; Bradfield College, Reading; Radley College, Abingdon and Sir William Perkins’s School, Chertsey.

The worthy winners, Nikki Howes, Arvind Norris (Team Reserve), Robert Greig, Benjamin Thomas and Clare Dooley, will now go forward to compete for the Challenge Trophy and the £10,000 prize at the national final to be held at the Bank of England on 18 March 2011.

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/education/targettwopointzero/index.htm

Badminton Team reach the National Finals

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:27:40 GMT

After successive cup wins against Havant and Barton Peveril College, Farnborough’s badminton team drew East Norfolk College in the semi-final of the British Colleges Mixed Cup.

A home game for Farnborough, the Great Yarmouth based squad arrived on Thursday 17th February for what proved to be a fantastic match. The match consists of 10 sub matches. Each sub match is the best of 3 games to 21 points.

The number 1 and 2 players from each team play singles. These matches proved incredibly tough with some excellent play but the opposition who had powerful smashes and outstanding net play took the lead. Fortunately, Vicky Carr managed to hold her own and after the singles round Farnborough were 3 – 1 down but still in the contest.

The 3’s and 4’s from each team followed with their doubles games. Conor Dean, Ally Murdoch, Faye Donovan and Katherine Woodcock put in convincing performances taking a clean sweep and bringing the score to Farnborough 3 – East Norfolk 3.

It was then the 1and 2’s turn to play doubles. Rob Adams and Doug Todd battled hard and almost forced their opponents to three games. Gillian Thomas and Vicky Carr unfortunately could not hold onto their opponents and going into the last two matches the score was
Farnborough 3 – East Norfolk 5.

The 3’s and 4’s mixed doubles had everything to play for. Conor and Faye won their two games 21 – 8; 21 – 9, leaving captain Ally Murdoch and Katherine Woodcock needing a win to keep Farnborough in the match. An injury to Ally in the start of the second game added to the pressure but fortunately they fought on to win the second game resulting in a 5-all tie.

In the instance of a tie there is a count back on the number of games won. Once again this was a tie 10 games all. At this point both coaches wanted confirmation from British Colleges on the protocol for this situation, which unfortunately meant an anxious wait for all the players.

It was confirmed by BCS that it went down to points scored so with everyone watching over them Alan and Emma quickly checked and double checked all the figures. Farnborough had won 133-117 points qualifying them for the National Final.

James Simms, Senior Curriculum Manager, said “ we are extremely proud of the team, who showed their ability to keep a cool head and deliver their best performance in a very high pressured match.”

The team now go on to the final at Loughborough University where they meet Milton Keynes College and the finalists of the other groups.
We wish them the very best of luck for the final.

Emma Stephens

Extended Project Presentation

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:14:43 GMT

Professor Debra Humphris (Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Southampton) presented students at the Sixth Form College, Farnborough, with bound copies of their Extended Projects on 3 February 2011. The 5000 word essays are the culmination of six months of independent research carried out by students who volunteered to take on this work in addition to their A level studies.

Addressing students and their parents, Professor Humphris remarked on how impressed she was at the depth, breadth and curiosity demonstrated by the projects. She said 'Farnborough’s Extended Projects exemplify the beginnings of what we at Southampton are looking for in terms of scholarship and intellectual flexibility’. She added that she 'would like to take away half a dozen or so!’

The Extended Project, as conceived by Farnborough, continues to astonish educationalists both at home and abroad. They are especially surprised that so many students (197 this year) have undertaken such extensive pieces of work of their own volition, without the reward of a formal qualification or even of points towards university entry. The College continues to demonstrate that it is still possible to get busy students to undertake work for the intrinsic satisfaction it brings and the joy of intellectual pursuit.

Simon Reigh, Director of the College programme, said: ‘Students come up with their own research titles which have to link two or more subjects. This year, as in the past, the titles have been immensely varied and span all subjects offered in the College. The quality of scholarship in these essays is impressive, and in many cases is the standard one would expect to see from students in their first year at university’.

The majority of students who completed an Extended Project this year felt that it was useful to their university application, and many were asked about it during university interviews. Second year student Louise Ashwell, who has been offered a place at Cambridge University to read History (her EP title was ‘How effective was the Germanization of Alsace-Lorraine during the annexation of 1871 to 1914’), said : ‘I am in no doubt that it was one of the principal factors in my obtaining a place!’

Simon Jarvis, the College Principal, congratulated the students on their achievement and commitment, remarking ‘These fantastic students completed demanding, original research theses whilst achieving some of the best exam results in the country, playing sport, performing in plays, volunteering in the community, governing the College – that is some achievement, marking them as very special students of whom the College, their parents and the country should be proud’.

Art Exhibition February 2011

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:56:29 GMT

Monday 7th Feb saw the opening and Private View of an Art and Design exhibition at the West End Centre in Aldershot which showcased current student work from the Art and Design department.

Fine Art, Photography, Textiles, Graphic Design, and Applied Art and Design exhibited an exciting and diverse range of creative outcomes. There were colourful and expressive large scale final paintings produced in Fine Art, skilful and exciting digital and hand rendered Graphic Designs, powerful and dramatic Photographic images, sensitive and colourful Textiles work, and some beautiful prints produced by the Applied Art and Design students. The event was extremely well attended with over 120 parents and students present.

Visitors commented on the impact and professionalism of the work, using words to describe the show such as:

‘fantastic quality’, ‘very exciting’, ‘brilliant display’, ‘the exhibition celebrates originality’.

Another visitor to the exhibition said that she thought the work was of equivalent quality to some Degree show Art work she had recently seen.

Mr Thomson, father of Rebecca Thomson, commented that it was interesting to see the development and final outcomes that his daughter had produced in college. Many parents were pleased to see the work in a specific exhibition environment. They enjoyed the opportunity to see the range of work produced by the college’s Art Department.

The Exhibition continues until Thursday 17th Feb 2011

February 2011 Newsletter

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:11:44 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter click here

Performing Arts week

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:14:11 GMT

Talented students from The Sixth Form College Farnborough went head to head to be crowned winner in a variety of talent competitions. All events were planned, managed and run by AS Performing Arts groups as part of their Unit 2: Planning an event. What a challenge!

Here’s the break down, take a deep breath….

Battle of the Bands

Monday Madness: ‘Battle of the Bands’ kicked off the week with a fiercely fought contest; there was a good mixture of styles from the bands, which was commented on by each of the judges. Everyone was in total agreement about the eventual winners – ‘Brothers of Heim’ (second picture from the left), two incredibly talented musicians and showmen. There was a large and appreciative audience who clearly enjoyed the whole experience.

The final ‘winning’ number confirmed the choice, when many of the band members from other bands were invited by the ‘Brothers’ to stay on and join them in the final song – a real high on which to end the night!

The event made over £500 for Make-a-wish Foundation

AS Performing Arts students managing this event were: Shane Maikee Baluyos, Caitlin Brewin, Victoria Cummins, Alice Gooden, Ines Guerreiro, Jonika Kinchin, Phoebe Maunder, Isobel-Ann Mumford, Michael Rossiter, Jasmine Ryan, Martina Williams and Michael Woods.

Just Dance - Strictly Your Way

Tuesday Teaser: Hip Hop duo Charlotte Martin (left) and Olivia Khan (right) won a narrow victory over contemporary dancer Alex Davies with their comical flair, precision timing and musicality of current commercial choreography. The other finalists were self taught Rachel Mcdonald, the fierce Modern dancer Yasmine Purr and Modern/Lyrical sensation Hannah Steele. The show was enchanting, energetic and ignited the Prospect Theatre with pure physical talent in a thrilling evening of dance.

This event made over £350 for The Autism Trust

AS Performing Arts students managing this event were: Eloise Adams, Catrin Anderson-Hayman, Danielle Bavister, Fern Carlisle, Jennifer Champion, Alexander Cox, Sacha Dolby, Nadia Hansell, Katie Hedger, Shian Hunter, Lucy Phillips, Molly Roworth, Elliot Simbi, Olivia Taylor-Firth and Vanessa Van De Bovenkamp.

Sixth Factor

Thursday Thrills: Who really had the X-factor? The Host of the show, A2 student Chloe East, effortlessly led the proceedings. The finalists each performed their solo songs and much to everyone’s surprise the outcome was a ‘deadlock’ between two of the contestants. The judges made their final deliberations whilst Chloe interacted brilliantly with the audience, until Shane Baluyos (middle) was declared the ultimate Sixth Factor 2011 winner. Her prize is to sing at the Leaver’s Ball at Lakeside in front of a thousand people. Good job!

This event made over £500 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

AS Performing Arts students managing this event were: Georgina Allen, Richard Cale, Louisa Carran, Anna Chapman, Jonathan Crook, Emily Gill, Ashleigh Harris, Charlotte Hosking, Laurie-Ann Jeffery, Kirsty McCaig, Harriet Riddick, Trudie Ryalls, Hollie Spiers, Imogen Trafford and Rachael Watson.

80s School Disco

Friday Fun! : The week concluded with a well stocked tuck shop, as The Prospect Theatre was transformed back to the 80s for a classic School Disco. Whilst ‘Vice Squad’ (Principal Simon Jarvis pictured left) thrashed out the tunes from the good old days of shoulder pads and jumpsuits contestants battled it out on the dance floor to be crowned best 80s pop icon. In a close contest Olivia Khan moon walked into the winning spot to be crowned best Michael Jackson tribute act (right).

This event made over £300 for Help the Heroes and counting …..

AS Performing Arts students managing this event were: Jeandanel Antwi, Bryony Binnie-Richie, Shannon Campbell Lynch, Mercedes Collyer, Kane Elliott, Victoria Fairbrother, Jonathan Higgins, Annabel Mathias, Lucy Miller, Emily Ridley, Catherine Rowden, Brydie Sheehy, and Rominder Virdi.

AS Performing Arts Subject Leader, Emily Burke said: “I’m overwhelmed by the professional management of these events and would like to congratulate every performing arts group on the success of their planning and management of their event on the night. I would also like to thank everyone who came forward to be auditioned and took part in the events. Congratulations to all and we’ll see you all again next year”

Swimming National Finals

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:36:01 GMT

For the tenth successive year Farnborough swim team qualified for the English Schools National Finals. This year it was the girls’ turn to shine as they qualified the fourth fastest in the country through the regional meets smashing local rivals Peter Symonds into a distant second place.

Kathryn Willis, Catriona McGill, Emma Tripp and Chloe Bard travelled up to Stockport on Friday 4th February in preparation for Saturday’s competition. The girls had a 10am water familiarisation followed by a three hour wait before races commenced at 1.30pm. The first race was the 4 x 50m freestyle relay. The team came 2nd in their heat placing 3rd overall going into the final, giving them a good lane draw. In the final itself the team managed to knock 1 second off their heat time claiming third place in 1.56.70 ahead of Godalming College but behind Millfield and Plymouth College.

The second event was the 4 x 50m medley relay. Once again the girls swam in the first heat placing second. However due to a faster second heat were placed fourth going into the final with Winstanley College, Wigan in their sights. A fantastic first leg from captain Kathryn Willis saw Farnborough touch first. An unwell Emma Tripp had the last leg and despite feeling sick swam her fastest time of the day bringing the team home in a time of 2.10.39. This gave Farnborough their second third place result of the day and one of Farnborough’s most successful years at National Finals!

All at the College would like to offer our congratulations to the girls. You are a credit to your sport and you represented the College with distinction throughout the event.

Netball team reach National Finals

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:44:47 GMT

The ever successful Sixth Form College Netball team have reached the National Finals to be held in Southampton in March 2011.

1st Team coach Emma Stephens tells the story of how it happened:

In November 2010 the College Netball team finished runners up behind Portsmouth Grammar School at the Hampshire tournament qualifying for the Regional finals.

On Saturday 22nd January the team headed to Southampton Sports Centre for what turned out to be an exciting, dramatic and extremely cold regional tournament.

The team got off to a strong start beating Hurst College 10 – 7, this was followed by a win against Henley College 9 – 7 and against Cowes High School 15 –10.

This left us with a long break till our next game where some of the team took the opportunity to do some revision for upcoming exams!

Unfortunately the hour break meant the team got very cold which led to a slow start by the Farnborough team in our match against Wycombe Abbey. The girls fought hard and despite being down at half time finsihed the game on a draw. This left Wycombe Abbey and Farnborough 6th Form tied at the top of the table with Farnborough placing 1st due to goal difference.

Farnborough breezed through their game against Aylesbury College and this just left St Mary’s, Ascot who were sitting in 3rd place, only two points behind us. A win was very much needed! The game was tight at half time and in the start of the 2nd half our Goal Attack Lauren Williamson took a nasty fall and had to retire injured. Tournament rules state that a straight substitution had to be made so Rebecca Elliot, our GK, bravely stepped off the sideline into the unknown territory of GA. The girls hung in but unfortunately lost 11–7.

St Mary’s qualified first in our pool and left Wycombe Abbey and ourselves to fight for the runners up position to progress into the semi finals. The decision went down to goal difference and luckily for Farnborough we had gained more goals and conceded fewer goals than Wycombe Abbey and meant we progressed through.

The only downside of this was we had to play the winners of the other pool, Beaconsfield College, who had not lost a game all day. With Rebecca returning to defence and Ashleigh Jay stepping up to shoot, the team rose to the occassion. The centre court players fed the ball well to our shooters and Emily and Ashleigh had near perfect shooting stats, whilst the defence managed to turn the ball frequently to give us the advantage. We won the game convincingly stepping into the final against Roedean and qualifying for the National Finals.

At half time Farnborough were up by two goals but the excitement about reaching the Nationals had already kicked in and a lapse in concentration in the second half saw a comeback from Roedean and with time against us Farnborough just lost out on the top spot.

“It was an amazing day full of ups and downs but the team were fabulous and played the high quality netball of which I know they are capable. I am extremely proud and look forward to the National Finals in March.

Emma Stephens 1st team netball coach

Students win Public Speaking competition

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 14:02:24 GMT

A team of first year students have taken first prize in the first heat of this year’s public speaking competition sponsored by the Rotary Club of Rushmoor.

The College team of Sally Wood, Lucy Clegg and Phillip Munn, found themselves up against several other local schools including previous winners of the competition. This was the first round of a competition and was held in the offices of Rushmoor Borough Council. Ultimately, if successful, the team could find themselves competing against groups from across Great Britain.

Understandably delighted at the team’s success, Sally (the main speaker) said ‘We were speaking last and were really worried that our theme was too humorous for the occasion. I proposed that we should introduce a new qualification – an A level in Teenage Studies. But the judges loved it!’

Lucy, who acted as chair, said ‘The Rotary Club gave us a brilliant opportunity to develop our public speaking skills. We have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition.’ Phillip who had to lead the vote of thanks, added ‘Now that we have won this round of the competition, we have to do it all again in the next round in February - and we can't wait!’

Simon Jarvis spoke enthusiastically about the benefits of the competition: ‘These busy students have invested time and imagination into their public speaking. It’s a great achievement. It takes considerable courage to stand up in front of the judges to speak with confidence and assurance. Of course, I’m delighted that they have taken first prize but, more significantly, through this experience these impressive youngsters have developed important skills for life.’

The team will be hoping to impress the judges once again on 10 February at 6.30pm when they take on other district winners at Surrey Heath Borough Council Chambers in Knoll Road, Camberley.

Come along and support them – and ask your Tutor about that new A level course!

Photographic Prizes

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:46:31 GMT

Nathan Dundovic, a second year student at the College, received first prize in the 2010 student photographic competition sponsored by Harman Technology Ltd. The theme of last year’s prestigious competition was ‘urbanculture’ for which judges considered over 500 entries by students from across the country.

Nathan’s winning photograph was taken whilst on a College ski trip to the United States, during time off in New York city; it was taken in Times Square and captures the vibrant dynamism and energy of the Big Apple. Nathan’s first prize was a new Nikon SLR camera, presented by Colin Hulley, Sales Director for Harman Technology Limited.

Mr Hulley said of the winning photo: ‘This year’s submissions were the best ever. In a truly high class field, the judges were impressed by the technical brilliance of Nathan’s shot and his sensational use of colour. It’s a wonderful photograph.’

Nathan was surprised and delighted by the outcome. He said, ‘I took the photo for myself never thinking that it would lead to this honour. I’m so grateful that my teacher, Michelle Braby, encouraged me to enter the competition. But I really didn’t expect to win first prize.’ To view the press release issued by Harman Technology which gives a detailed interview by Nathan as to how he took his winning photograph, please click on the following link:http://www.harman-inkjet.com/competitions/studentcomp10t.asp

This latest prize was the culmination of a month in which the work of photography students at the College has been celebrated at local and national level. In December, Will Curry, Anna Huckson, Emily Bedford and Harry Morgan were all prize winners in the Farnborough Abbey Photographic Competition organised by Rushmoor’s Rotary Club. Follow the link Abbey Photographs to see their entries.

Madeleine Cooper also received an award for her entry to the Southampton Solent University food photography competition.

Simon Jarvis added his congratulations to all six of the student prize winners. He said, ‘This is a magnificent achievement – not only for these talented youngsters but also for the photography department, led by Hanno Niemand and Ben Paulley, who have inspired this brilliant work.’

Link to: competition winners

Environmental Project Student Award

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:50:53 GMT

"Over the summer of 2010 I took part in an individual science project, called a Nuffield Project. I have
always enjoyed Environmental Studies at college so decided to carry out an Environmental Assessment. My environmental project examined the biodiversity of moth species on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (at QinetiQ Farnborough) comprising both wet and dry heath lands.

I used an environmental sampling method of light trapping to catch moths, and used the data to calculate the Simpson’s Diversity Index. Moths are an important part of an ecosystem as they provide food for birds and small mammals, hence environmental surveys of moths and other insects are an important measure to assess the health of an ecosystem.

My project took me 4 weeks to complete; 3 weeks of data collection and a week analysing the data and writing up my project, I kept a daily log book to aid me writing up my report. I really enjoyed myself as I could apply what I had learnt in my lessons to my final report.

I then showcased my work at a Nuffield Celebration Event at Imperial College London in October 2010, where I spoke to university students and lecturers and other Nuffield students. It was here that my work was shortlisted for an I-SWEEEP award.

A few weeks later I received a call saying I had won the I-SWEEEP award, a fully funded trip to Houston, Texas, where I shall be representing the UK along with one other Nuffield student in a worldwide science fair. I shall be spending a week in May presenting my work at the George R.Brown Convention Centre and a field trip to NASA space centre."

Applications for September 2011

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:17:50 GMT

Applications for admission to the College in September 2011 closed on 21 November.

You can track the progress of your application by logging onto the online application system.

College celebrates success with the class of 2010

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:12:11 GMT

The snow and freezing conditions did not deter hundreds of former students and their parents returning to the Sixth Form College, Farnborough last week to receive their hard earned A level certificates. Students were presented with their achievements by Professor Debra Humphris, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Southampton.

In addition to receiving certificates, a number of special awards were made to students who have made an outstanding contribution to College life together with prizes generously sponsored by local College patrons. Among them was the N J Clarke Award for Accounting and Business which went to Rachel Clarke and The University of the Creative Arts Award which went to Alex Smith.

Three awards were made in memory of former students: the Alastair Panter Award was given to Colin Li who is now reading mathematics at Cambridge; the Justin Scregg Award for Drama which went to Lucy Chilton now studying Dance at Chichester, and the Mike Ritchie Award which was won by Rebecca Wing who a key member of Team GB hoping to win a gymnastics gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Simon Jarvis, the College Principal, was fulsome in his praise of the achievements by the College students. Addressing the students, he said: ‘Yours is an incredible cohort of brilliant young men and women. I have no doubt that you and your peers will transform your world, not just taking opportunities but forging new ones unimaginable to many not of your generation.’

The Student of the Year Award, sponsored by Fluor, went to Brent Morris. Brent was thrilled to receive the brand new hi-specification laptop computer from the sponsors. He achieved the remarkable feat of gaining six A levels all graded at A*, and is currently studying Physics at Imperial College, London.

Professor Humphris admired the success by students from the College. She said: ‘Farnborough is one of the best sixth form colleges in the country; I am delighted to have been here to join you in the celebration of your many successes.’

Christmas begins!

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:54:46 GMT

Hundreds of friends and supporters of the Sixth Form College Farnborough, including the Mayor of Rushmoor, Councillor Brian Parker and the Lady Mayoress, braved the arctic conditions on Friday evening to join the College choir in an uplifting festival of lessons and carols at Guildford Cathedral. If the weather outside was indeed frightful, inside it was pure delightful! In contrast to the freezing conditions, this wonderful building shone like a beacon of warmth and light calling the vast congregation safely inside to enjoy a magnificent celebration of Christmas.

Led as ever with electric gusto and panache by the Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, the College choir were inspired to perform a selection of well-chosen beautiful carols, accompanied by the College brass section and Cathedral organist, Paul Provost. Chilled hearts rose as one, entranced by the gorgeous voice of Kate Willets whose solo rendition of the Appalachian carol I wonder as I wander transported this brilliant occasion. As one enraptured member of the congregation exclaimed afterwards: ‘Christmas began with that first joyous note!’

The music was interspersed with readings by members drawn from the whole College community including students, staff, parents and Councillor Adrian Collett, regaling the Christmas story. Second year student, Jess Mabin sang solo in a beautiful rendition of Once in Royal David’s City; later, Jess joined Mimi Doulton, Mike Wood and Rob Pritchard to perform Stanford’s Te Deum Laudamus. This extraordinary evening culminated in an exuberant rendition of Hark! The herald angels sing which rang and echoed to the angelic heights of the lofty nave. Breathtaking!

Afterwards, the Sub Dean of the Cathedral, the Reverend Nicholas Thistlethwaite, who had earlier led prayers, said: ‘It has been my pleasure to enjoy many carol services in the Cathedral, but this evening was outstanding.’ Paul Bambrough, the driving force behind the promotion of excellence in the College Music department, was delighted: ‘I’m thrilled that so many hundreds of people could join us tonight. And the students’ performance exceeded all my hopes – they were stunning!’

College Principal, Simon Jarvis, spoke proudly of the event: ‘I genuinely don’t believe that there is a student choir anywhere else in the UK which could have matched the high quality of tonight’s inspirational music. This was an exceptional achievement by an astonishing group of talented young men and women.’

A very merry Christmas to you all!

Adventures for advent in Flint Street

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:32:39 GMT

It’s December in the Prospect Theatre and time for the College Drama Group to welcome in the season with an unorthodox cracker of a production! This year, this remarkable student troupe tackled the greatest of all Christmas stories – the birth of Jesus. But this was no retelling of the conventional Christmas fare; instead, we were invited to join the children of Flint Street Junior School preparing for their big show. Beware: you will never see the children’s nativity play in the same way ever again!

Under the ever-watchful gaze of the never to be seen class teacher, Mrs Horrocks, this talented ensemble cast regressed into childhood to recreate all that is delightful (and quite terrifying) about school plays. And what fun they had! Bravely battling on to deliver the good news, overcoming competition for starring roles with jealous rivals; the pain of unrequited love; the distractions of having your parents in the audience; the confusion of the script; the difficulties with donkey management; the need to moo at the moment of birth, not to mention continual worries about the welfare of Peter Crouch, the class stick insect, these plucky seven year olds finally completed the holy story. O Mrs Horrocks – take that good advice and never, ever work with children and animals!

And finally, we meet the parents – the children dissolve into the festive holidays and we join the mums and dads (now played by the actors who had moments before been their respective short-trousered off spring) for mulled wine and a mince pie. Instantly recognisable, it is only too clear where these kids have come from and we glimpse a painful insight into the lives awaiting them as adults.

On the journey to the manger, the packed house enjoyed an alternative take on the Christmas story, filled with energy, slapstick hilarity, moments of pathos, brilliant songs set to the tune of well-known carols, and fabulous fun. A huge cast of nearly forty, supported by a large technical crew, really got the best out of this 2009 work by Tim Firth. Now, what happened to baby Jesus’s head... and where has that Peter Crouch got to...

Please note: no animals were injured in the making of this performance!

December 2010 Newsletter

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:43:56 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter click here.

Politics Conference at Westminster

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:52:44 GMT

Tuition fees dominated the agenda and questions that were put to serving and former MPs during last Monday’s lively and engaging A level politics master class at Westminster. This annual event sees a range of serving and former parliamentarians up close and personal be grilled by A level students from around the country.

The speakers included Simon Hughes MP, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, who spoke on tuition fees and then inevitably faced large queues of questioners. The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, appeared and charmed his audience with the results of his historical research into whether or not he was the smallest ever Speaker. Conservative MPs Sir George Young and Douglas Carswell and Liberal Democrat Don Foster put forward their ideas for the reforms of parliament and the electoral system. Labour MP for Barking Margaret Hodge spoke of her recent campaign against and victory over the BNP. The former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, received a warm reception despite speaking late in the afternoon. The largest applause of the day was reserved for 85 year old former Cabinet Minister Tony Benn.

Farnborough Citizenship and Politics students did not shy away from asking questions concerned with such issues as the perceived erosions of the welfare state and the future electoral hopes of the Liberal Democrats following their time in the coalition government.
Alongside the opportunity to question those in power there also arose a great chance for the students present to engage in a number of current political issues and hear contributions to important national debates from a range of parties including the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru - represented at the conference by their leader at Westminster Elfyn Llwyd MP.
All in all, the day was an interesting insight into how much certain issues affect students and how those in power are trying to make concerted efforts to appeal to the next generation of voters (and hopefully MPs!).

Pop Goes the Prospect!

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:28:58 GMT

Pop, the latest offering from Dance Company, exploded on to the Prospect stage last week with enough life, vigour, colour and heat to power the whole of North East Hampshire on these chilly nights.

Taking its inspiration from that oft maligned dance style that proliferates the music charts and video downloads. Choreographers Sally Reed and Emily Burke proved that as well as funk and energy, popular dance can be thoughtful, profound and a thing of beauty.

From the beginning the inspired and dynamic choreography supported the high standard of the dancers involved. Robotics gave way to ‘Diversity’ inspired dance theatre with the range of techniques, narratives and tones adding to the compelling nature of the work.

Of particular note was the performers’ ability to combine movement proficiency with emotional immersion. The facial expressions, taught body language and impassioned movement created theatre of its own and took us from the eclectic and cultured ‘Rhythm Nation’ to the urban angst of 'Hip to da Hop'.

A highlight was the haunting beauty of ‘Fallin’ which rounded off part 1 with some flowing, balanced and innovative images, testament to the strengths of the A2 Performing Arts students.

Ably supported by some stunning lighting designs, the blue washes, sharp spots and dark silhouettes evokied the pained and desperate longings of youthful expression. The impressive sound accompaniment and the choices of music sparkling in their contribution to the emotive tapestry of the night.

Contemporary commercial dance is challenging in nature: its need for precision, synchronicity to music and ensemble as well as the requirements for finesse, agility and fitness were all on show in a thoroughly agreeable ‘slap your face’ night of thoughtful entertainment.

My only criticism, that it was too short, would be a churlishly negative tone to end on, so maybe better to sum it up in just one word: wow!

Matt Sheppard
(Senior Curriculum Manager for Performing Arts)

Mixed 7's Hockey Tournament

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:04:57 GMT

Wednesday 3rd November proved to be a bright and breezy day for the colleges’ first Mixed Hockey 7s tournament to be held on the brand new astro-turf pitch. Eight colleges from around Hampshire and Surrey joined Farnborough’s two mixed teams for a day of fantastic hockey.
We were delighted that both Simon Mason, Chairman of England Hockey and former England Hockey Goalkeeper, and Linda Montgomery, College Governor and Chair of the Estates Committee, could join us and offer their support.

Simon Mason kindly umpired a game of hockey which was followed by the official opening of the pitch.
Simon commented, ‘I am incredibly impressed with the facilities’ the college has for hockey, giving youngsters an amazing opportunity to participate in a great game. There is some wonderful talent at this tournament today and it would be great if we saw some of this raw talent progress further’.

The college was delighted to welcome former student and GB gymnast Becky Wing, who had just returned from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and came along to offer her support.

The tournament continued after lunch and the whole day was a huge success, unfortunately neither of the 1st or 2nd team from Farnborough were cup winners. The 1st team were runners up following a late goal by Itchen College in the last minute of extra time, a very close game with some very tired legs. Farnborough’s 2nd team also did very well and at one point it looked like they would make the semi-finals but went out on goal difference after losing a hard fought final group game.

Mero Bhavishya - My Future

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:15:28 GMT

Schools and colleges from across Rushmoor and Hart came together in the Prospect Theatre at the Sixth Form College Farnborough on Tuesday, to hold an information event targeted at Year 10 and 11 pupils and their parents from across the Nepalese community. This was the first event of its kind to be held in Farnborough. Pupils from local schools including Connaught, Cove, Fernhill, Wavell and Yateley were given the opportunity to learn more about progression options available after the age of 16.

Following a lively demonstration of Nepalese music and dance by College students, the College Principal, Simon Jarvis, opened the event. He welcomed Professor Michael Hutt, Professor of Nepali and Himalayan Studies at The School of Oriental and African Studies, who provided the keynote address in fluent Nepali.

Hampshire Connexions outlined the careers advice and guidance available, ably translated into Nepali. After student stories from Aimhigher representatives and Saini Gurung (former Sixth Form College and Connaught School student) and input from College Ambassadors, Captain Palijar and Chanda Tamang, visitors explored the many information stands in the Theatre. Exhibitors included Farnborough College, the NHS and the universities of Chichester, Kingston, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton Solent and Winchester.

A highly successful evening was rounded off when delicious Nepalese fare was served. A delighted Nepalese pupil commented: “We enjoyed it a lot and would like to come here again for more information”. One parent, speaking for many who attended the evening, said: “It was excellent - events like this today are the best way to reach our community”.

Joint organiser Assistant Principal , Helen Diffenthal was thrilled with the excellent turn out for the evening. Mrs Diffenthal said: ‘This was an important occasion for Farnborough. Pupils and their parents have been able to access a good range of appropriate information, guidance and advice.’ Rebecca Sharp, Director of Faculty and also responsible for planning this event, was equally pleased: ‘A really great evening – the feedback has been fantastic.’

Senior Mathematics Challenge

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:11:03 GMT

On 4th November 19 students sat the Senior Mathematics Challenge. There were some outstanding performances with 5 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze awards being made.

The gold winners were Dominic Wood, Andrew Kiddey, Marc Partridge and Jonathan Pope from year 13 and Jason Clarke from year 12 with an outstanding performance.

Dominic Wood achieved the best score in college with a score of 101.

Dominic Wood and Andrew Kiddey scored exceptionally well and have qualified for the first round of the British Mathematics Olympiad, the first of 2 papers sat by talented young mathematicians to see who should represent Great Britain at the International Mathematics Olympiad.

Students visit Auschwitz

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:45:20 GMT

On Tuesday November 9th three history students from Farnborough visited the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz Birkenau as part of the Holocaust Education Trust Lessons from Auschwitz project.

Helen Walker, Louise Ashwell and Rachel Bellamy were chosen to represent the college after submitting excellent applications explaining why they wished to participate in the project.

A week prior to the visit the students attended a seminar in London in which they heard the harrowing tale of a Polish survivor of the Holocaust and were given advice on how to spend their time whilst at the museum.
On the day of the visit, the girls, all of whom are hoping to read history at Oxford or Cambridge, flew to Poland in the early hours of the morning amongst other students from the South East region. They were accompanied by a number of Hampshire MPs including Caroline Dineage (Gosport) and Penny Mordant (Portsmouth North) as well as a TV crew from Meridian.

The trip included a pre war Jewish site as well as the remains of Auschwitz - Birkenau. In remembering the visit Helen stated that she found seeing the displays of belongings stolen from the camp victims ‘emotionally challenging’ as it brought home the enormity of the crimes committed by the Nazis. Louise added that it was a ‘struggle to find words to describe the sheer horror of a visit to the camp’.

The girls all admitted to having been overawed by the sheer scale of the site itself in addition to the testimonies from survivors that were read to them throughout the visit by their Polish guides. As a group they concluded that the visit was an ‘upsetting day but one that also forced them to confront an enormous man made crime in a very personal and inspiring manner’.

The group will now go on to create their own Lessons from Auschwitz response using their reflective journals and memories of the day. The purpose is to pass on the lessons learnt from their experiences of the seminars, reading and visit to Poland to others. Their project will consist of a short film and a poster campaign timed to coincide with the next Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th 2011.

Helen, Louise and Rachel have shown a great deal of maturity and commitment to the project from the outset and are looking forward to sharing their experiences of this unique project with the wider college community.

Students advise Bank of England

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:50:06 GMT

From a very strong field our students triumphed - the judges announced them as clear winners, saying their deliberations were for the runners up & third positions.

The students involved were Clare Dooley, Rob Greig, Nikki Howes and Ben Thomas, pictured below with Ellie Crean, Senior Curriculum Manger for Economics. The team reserve who has participated in all preparations since September was Arvind Norris.

The eleventh annual Target Two Point Zero – Bank of England and The Times Interest Rate Challenge is now underway, with some 300 teams across the United Kingdom competing for the Challenge Trophy and £10,000 for their school or college.

The Challenge format means teams of four students from each competing school or college analysing UK and global economic data and their possible impact on inflation and the economic outlook for the UK - just as the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee does each month. The team must then decide if current monetary policy is appropriate or needs to be adjusted, to meet the 2.0 per cent inflation target set by the Government. In a presentation to a panel of Bank of England judges the team explains their decision then justifies it through their answers to questions from the panel. The winning team from each regional heat goes on to one of the six area finals to be held in February and early March 2011, with the national final to be held on 18 March at the Bank of England in London
.
The team from The Sixth Form College, Farnborough, won the regional heat held at the Farnham Castle International Conference Centre, Farnham on 16 November. They recommended an interest rate of 0.5% compared with the Bank of England’s official rate of 0.5% set by the Monetary Policy Committee on 4 November 2010. They also recommended buying £50bn of corporate bonds in addition to the £200bn of assets (Government bonds) currently held.

The team from Cranleigh School were runners-up. The other teams in the heat were: Salesian College, Farnborough; Royal Grammar School, Guildford; Tormead School, Guildford; Strode’s College, Egham and Wellington College, Crowthorne.

Sleep out for Charity

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:29:29 GMT

On a very cold night in November a group of 40 students and staff undertook the challenge to sleep out on the College campus in order to raise awareness of the plight of young homeless people in the area and raise funds for a fantastic charity, Step by Step. They were all sponsored and aim to raise £5000 for the charity to support the homeless.

We were delighted to welcome staff and, most importantly, 3 clients from Step by Step who joined us for the early part of the evening to tell us what it was really like to sleep on the streets. It was an absolute revelation to many of our students to listen to these young people talking about how they came to be homeless, either due to abuse, drugs or alcohol and how sometimes they are scared for their lives to go to sleep in case they are attacked. Step by Step has helped these young people get back on the straight and narrow – they openly admitted that without that intervention they would probably not have survived.

The’ sleep out’ went really well – everyone stayed out all night despite freezing temperatures, wind and rain! Members of the Student Association Charities Committee made fresh soup and bread for us all to eat and all electronic devices (yes, including phones) were taken from the ‘sleepers’ for the night. The students were fantastic and really enjoyed the experience...some of them even slept a bit! They were definitely challenged to think about homelessness and what it would be like to sleep out every night.

Students become MEPs

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:42:50 GMT

Second year Politics students became Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for the day at the European Parliament in Strasbourg where they represented the United Kingdom and debated key European issues alongside sixth formers from across the 27 EU member states. Students worked in multilingual working groups to devise common strategies to tackle a range of issues such as poverty, social exclusion, climate change and EU foreign policy. They then reported back in a plenary session where they had to defend and debate their positions. Students could speak in any working language of the EU, with interpreters on hand to translate where necessary.

College students were keen to lead the various groupings, and showed amazing confidence in their presentation skills. Hannah Gooding, who introduced The Sixth Form College, Farnborough to the 500 participants in fluent French, explained that young people across the EU all seemed to be facing similar problems. “In my working group, we all felt that national governments were not doing enough to deal with issues such as youth unemployment.”

Adam Slade, Curriculum Manager for Government & Politics, was overwhelmed by how articulate the Farnborough students were. “The confidence of our students to take a full role in such a diverse range of debates was really quite superb. The unique insights our students gained made this a truly rewarding experience for all.”

Flo Stidard commented that the whole discussion was a real eye-opener, “I didn’t realise how different the various EU political systems were. We heard about different countries: from the Swedes who boasted 87% turnout in their last election, a system of compulsory voting in Belgium and stories of corruption in Poland.”

Alex Hylan agreed, and commented that the event generated interesting perspectives from a range of political perspectives, “..such as the liberal attitude in the Netherlands to soft drugs.”

Makena Micheni, who became rapporteur for her group, enjoyed learning about the decision-making process within the EU. “This experience gave me a really good understanding of how the EU political system works, how decisions are passed, and the difficulties presented by the language barriers.”

Alex Hylan agreed, “...we had to speak slower, be concise in what we were saying...”

Aaron Sheffras, who had a key role during the committee stage as he was the group’s rapporteur discussing democracy and citizenship, highlighted the difficulty of “...getting people to stick to the point!”

While the event was enjoyed by all, not all students were convinced by the federalist flavour of much of the discussion. “We heard Austrians talking about the merits of a United States of Europe” explained a horrified Sandy Prosser, “...everyone appeared to be wanting the EU to acquire yet more powers.” Rob Greig shared Sandy’s concern, and found it difficult to reach agreement when it came to austerity measures, “...the thought of the EU cutting its budget was only really agreed on by the UK and German delegates.”

War of the Roses

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:36:29 GMT

On 19th October 2010 students studying Tudor History AS Level enjoyed the third annual Wars of the Roses Day. This day-long event has been designed to help students to understand a very complicated historical period. This is achieved through using re-enactment and role play to place historical characters in context and show how the events of the wars unfolded.

Students used props such as hobby-horses, cardboard boats and heads on sticks (balloons attached to garden bamboo sticks) to help them re-enact events, and this was supported by demonstrations of armour, weaponry and battle-field medicine from Wel Hamilton-Viall of Happening History.

To round off the day, Dr James Ross of the National Archives at Kew delivered a lecture entitled ‘The reign of Edward IV (1461-83) - One of the greatest of English kings or a ruler without any conspicuous merits?’ The students were able to see how a professional historian has reached his conclusions about Edward using documents stored in the National Archives at Kew.

Students comments:

“Very interesting, a great way to consolidate and revise everything.”

“Very good day – it recapped everything we had learned.”

“I loved being King Edward IV!”

Music Scholars' first concert of the new year

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:55:15 GMT

College Music Scholars performed in their first concert of the year in the Prospect Theatre. The evening, an informal cornucopia of pieces chosen by the students themselves, showcased the exceptional abilities of this group of young musicians.

Rachael Ueckermann took the unenviable responsibility of opening the programme in her stride: a confident, committed interpretation of Beethoven’s Pathetique sonata. She was followed by two first year scholars, Lily German (soprano) accompanied by Hannah Richardson on the piano, beautifully performing Mozart’s Coronation Mass. Elysia Newton (oboe), another gifted first year, accompanied with great sensitivity by second year Rachel Mills, thrilled us with a lovely rendition of a Saint Saens sonata. What an opening! Could it get better?

Emphatically, and delightfully, it could! First year composer Alex Tay enchanted the audience with his setting of a Jon Galassi poem: wistful, elegiac, performed sympathetically by Alex (violin), David Pitts (trombone), Jess Mabin and Mimi Doulton (soprano) with Hannah at the piano. This surprising jewel was quickly followed by another: a masterful interpretation of Yocoh’s Sakura Theme and Variations by first year guitarist Antony Beere which transformed the Theatre, transporting the listeners with a gorgeous performance evoking the most delicate of Japanese watercolours.

In contrast, next up were Lily, Rachael and Hannah now joined by Katy Nagle (cello) to perform Vivaldi‘s Domine Deus, followed by David and the hard working accompanist Rachel, who delivered a lovely Cavatine (Saint Saens). Experienced percussionist Ralph Wyld demonstrated his mastery of the brand new marimba; his enthralling version of Piazolla’s Libertango led to a toe tapping, upbeat end to the first half. Ralph joined by Mike Woods (percussion), Peter Watson, clearly enjoying the new kettle drums in a lively stand off with gunslinger drummer Rod Oughton, stormed through a sensational version of Char!

Rachel Mills opened the second half of the evening with a mature and evocative Schumann piece, Aufschwung. Taking her lead from this impressive start, Jess Mabin gave a charming rendition of Brown’s lovely pastoral song Shepherd thy demeanour vary, performed with her customary assurance and power to engage with the audience. The tone changed (not for the first or last time this evening!) when Hettie Mulhall (cello) accompanied by Rachel, combined to tackle a challenging piece by Martinu with sophistication, dexterity and remarkable control.

A second world premiere followed: Chris Eager’s piece Portuguese Love Theme. The work, inspired by the film Love Actually, embraced the talents of Katy, Hetty, Mimi, Alex, Elysia and violinist Bethan Eylott. Inspired not by Love Actually but actually by love, virtuoso percussionist Ralph melted every heart in the auditorium with his original piece, the delightful May Mountains and You: the ‘you’ in question being accompanist Rachael. This warm mood was sustained by a gorgeous, lyrical interpretation by Mimi of Grieg’s song, Ein Schwan.

A blissful evening of the highest quality was brought to a zestful close by Rachel and Chris, together at the piano keyboard to perform Brahms’ Hungarian Dance; Alex and Bethan combining to produce a pensive Prokofiev sonata, before Ralph (drums), Mike Woods - abandoning his housekeeping duties as stage manager for the moment to demonstrate his superb ability as trumpeter - Hannah and Anthony (now on electric bass), concluded with a spirited version of Marianne.

This was a memorable evening, combining all that is good about the Scholars’ programme: ambition and the courage to try new challenges; composure to perform publically; commitment and discipline; individual skill of the highest order and mutual respect for each other. Inspirational.

Simon Jarvis

October 2010 Newsletter

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:30:14 GMT

To download a copy of the October 2010 Newsletter click here

History students meet Chelsea Pensioners

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:58:17 GMT

The visit of war veterans and Chelsea Pensioners has become an annual event for the college’s History students and for the past two years has been closely associated with our A2 Modern History coursework module on the ‘Changing Nature of British Warfare 1845-1945’. This year we were very fortunate to have a range of guests whose experience ranged from serving with the Medical Corps in the Falklands conflict to fighting in North Africa during World War Two. Local campaigner and fundraiser for the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity Hugh Winter has been instrumental in orchestrating the event for the students over the past few years.

Students were able to meet and interact in an informal manner with the veterans who were able share their experiences of life in the armed forces. Students were able to hear a range of insightful and revealing stories, such as the perils of traversing minefields in dried riverbeds in the deserts of Africa. This opportunity has proven to be one of real value to the students as they gain an understanding that goes beyond what we as teachers can give in lessons, and gives a real human view of military conflict. Both the students that took part, and the visitors themselves commented on their enjoyment of the day, with the three Chelsea pensioners all keen to come back again next year, and meet another group of keen young historians.

Below are some quotes from students who took part:

"Talking with the veterans was a fascinating experience; hearing history first hand really gave an insight into what warfare was like, and added an empathetic level of understanding beyond what you can read in a textbook! "(Sam Lochead)

"The veterans experiences were really interesting, and it furthered my understanding of conflict and the consequences that is left on both their lives and future generations." (Danny Philpot)

"I thought that meeting the veterans was an enlightening experience and I can now truly appreciate what the wars were like and how they affected their lives after. It also helped me to understand what life was like in the Army and how the soldiers felt whilst in Battle. It was really interesting to talk to them first hand and I’m glad I had the experience to do so." (Tash Gantley)

College students in Delhi

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:50:28 GMT

Ex-student Steph Twell won Commonwealth bronze on Friday 8th October after finishing third in a very competitive 1500m final in Delhi, India. Steph who studied at the College between 2006 and 2008 has spent her time since leaving The Sixth Form College studying a BSc in Sports Conditioning at St Mary’s in Twickenham and training at Aldershot & Farnham District Athletics Club. During this time she has moved from being the Junior World 1500m Champion to competing for major senior honours. Steph’s magnificent achievement in Delhi will undoubtedly provide her with a sound platform to progress towards the 2012 London Olympics. Steph was quoted live on BBC Sport saying:
“I just kept pushing for the line. In my last training session my coach Mick Woods was on his hands and knees screaming at me: come on Steph! – right to the line! All that encouragement in my sessions was for this moment. This is a springboard for me”.

Steph running for Scotland in Delhi, represented Team GB in Beijing in 2008, narrowly missing out on the 1500m final. Steph has also spent this year’s season competing in the Diamond League meetings learning from and competing against the very best athletes in the world. Steph also managed to consolidate her 1500m success with a very commendable 4th position in the 5000m, finishing narrowly behind the three Kenyan athletes.

The full 1500m race can be seen on the BBC Sport website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9075764.stm

Incredibly two other ex-students have been in Delhi too. Andrew Willis, College Sportsman of the Year 2009 finished fourth in the men’s 200m breaststroke swimming final. Andrew, 19 years old from Fleet, finished five hundredths of a second behind 200m world record holder Christian Sprenger of Australia with Scotland’s Michael Jamieson winning silver and Australian 100m world record holder, Brenton Rickard winning gold. Andrew, one of Team GB’s brightest young talents for London 2012 has shown incredible progression over the past two years moving from being a gifted junior to genuine contender at senior international level. The full race can be viewed on the BBC website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9076916.stm

Becky Wing, Team England gymnast, also travelled to Delhi but was incredibly unfortunate to miss the competition through illness. Becky, another of the College’s young Olympians was one of the favourites for the all-around podium and was devastated at missing out. To Becky’s credit she has stayed in India throughout the gymnastic competition supporting her junior team mates who won a spectacular bronze medal in the team competition.

The College would like to congratulate all three athletes on their phenomenal achievements and wish them every success for the future and particularly for the London Olympics which commences in 655 days. Head of PE, James Simms said “The achievements of these three athletes should not be underestimated. To reach this level takes not only skill but determination and total dedication. We at the College have spent the last few days shouting at our TV sets urging them forward. All three of them are superb role models for young people”.

Chopin Concert

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:59:16 GMT

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College opened the new programme of musical events in the Prospect Theatre with a joyous celebration of the work of the great Romantic composer, Frederic Chopin.

The concert embraced the range of the Polish maestro’s repertoire, beginning with a superb rendition of the Nocturne in B Major performed with great expression by second year student Guy Murgatroyd. Soprano soloists Jessica Mabin, Mimi Doulton and Kate Willets entranced the audience with poised, lovely interpretations of various songs, whilst baritone James Rowland gave a mature, commanding performance of a moving Trube Wellen.

The evening featured the ravishing piano works of Chopin. Daniel Haxby, Chris Eager, Rachael Ueckermann and Lauren Spiceley performed the technically demanding pieces with sensitivity, nuance and great expression. First year students Paul Ooi and Patrick Reardon-Morgan belied their 16 years, playing their pieces with composure and confidence. A dazzling Fantasie Impromptu showcased the brilliant flair and dexterity of Rachel Mills and the sumptuous programme was concluded by Alexander Evans performing the cello Sonata in G minor.

Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, was thrilled by the quality of the students’ performances. Mr Bambrough said, ‘These young musicians have risen to the challenge of Chopin magnificently, extending their skills and understanding significantly. Chopin is very demanding, requiring sophisticated technique and touch. I think they showed that superbly.’

Simon Jarvis, the College Principal, was equally delighted. Mr Jarvis said, ‘This was an astounding evening of beautiful, poignant music. I’m proud of these talented youngsters who have entertained us so well. Chopin’s work has been described as ‘perfect in the extreme’ – I think these musicians got very close to that this evening.’

Freshers Party

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:41:47 GMT

On the 30th of September, 1100 of FSFC’s first years trooped up to the Liquid nightclub in Basingstoke to celebrate their arrival and, most of all, to have a GOOD TIME. There was some INTENSE conversation, PUMPING tunes and some dancing of debateable quality (mostly emanating from certain staff members...).
All in all, it was a night not to forget!

Toby Scott (Events Officer)

Gap Fair

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:53:16 GMT

Students interested in taking a Gap Year visited over 35 exhibitors offering a variety of volunteering opportunities. They received advice on working abroad on: summer camps, internships, sports projects, marine conservation, medical and veterinary placements.

Tired teens in day long sleep over

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:07:12 GMT

Every year The Sixth Form College supports Jeans for Genes Day. However, because we wear jeans every day, we thought we'd be novel and all come in our pyjamas to support this excellent cause. We sold hot chocolate and marshmallows during break, held our annual pillow fighting competitions at lunch, and showcased brilliant costumes in an exciting best dressed competition. Everyone participated and had lots of fun. Videos were shown to all students about the work of Jeans for Genes, raising awareness of genetic disorders.

In addition to this, several students visited Cherrywood Primary school to play games with some of the children and tell them about Jeans for Genes. All in all, the day proved to be an enormous success, with over £1,662 raised for children with genetic disorders, a fantastic acheivement. As a college, we already hold the Silver award for fundraising for this charity, and are aiming for the Gold award this year!

Maddy Sakakini, SA Charities Officer

Students record at Abbey Road

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:21:06 GMT

Farnborough Sixth Form College Music Technology students enjoyed, once again, a superb day of recording at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London in July.

Commissioned composers and Music Technology tutors, Julien-Pierre Mckenzie and Matt Prudente-Poulton, forged the exciting industry partnership with the studios in 2007. Abbey Road, home to most of The Beatles’ recording sessions, gave the students a very rare opportunity to experience professional life there just before the summer break. The studio has seen the likes of Edward Elgar record within its walls, as well as the Rolling Stones, U2, Coldplay and Radiohead, to name but a few.

Students tirelessly rehearsed this year’s chosen track, ‘Little Lion Man’ by Mumford and Sons for several weeks before the big day. Tom Stevens, a subject tutor in the department, was assigned as Musical Director for the project and spent many hours arranging the music and rehearsing with the students, preparing them for the big day.
Recording and producing the session was Andrew Dudman, sound engineer for the Lord of The Rings trilogy and most recently, The Golden Compass. Incidentally, a former Music Technology student at Farnborough, Claire Bannister, co-orchestrated the score for the Golden Compass with composer Howard Gregson-Williams! Dudman began the session by informing students that the microphones they were going to use were the very ones used by The Beatles for the majority of their recordings. The piano used in the session, played by Toby Scott, belonged to John Lennon and was the one used on “Lady Madonna”.

The students performed flawlessly in such daunting surroundings, with many long waits as the engineer listened to each of the 100 takes and decided what he would use or re-record. Every student participated in the recording, either playing in the band or singing in the 45-strong choir. At the end of the day the group left the studios with a finished mix of the track which sounds fantastic. Curriculum Manager for AS Music Technology, Matt Prudente-Poulton, said ‘once again, the students have worked together in a very intense and fast-paced studio environment. Our sessions at Abbey Road provide a valuable insight into recording and mixing professionally in one of the best known and respected studios in the world. It’s such an achievement for the students.’

Michael Gove visits the College

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:04:15 GMT

The Secretary of State for Education, the Right Honourable Michael Gove MP, visited the College on Friday 10 September to formally open the newly built John Guy Building.

The new building was named by Governors after Dr John Guy, who retired as Principal of the College in August this year, and stands at the centre of the College. It is an iconic building housing an eclectic combination of science, technology, photography and the arts.

College student Anastasia Olarou painted a portrait of John which hangs in the foyer of the building

In opening the building, Mr Gove reflected on the distinguished contribution made to post-16 education by Dr Guy:

‘The shape of this building is clear for all to see. It’s forward looking, it’s impressive and it has learning and enjoyment at its heart. This whole College has been shaped by John to be forward looking to prepare young people for the challenges of the second decade of the twenty first century.
This College has been and continues to be more and more impressive with every year that passes, and the reason that it’s so impressive is that it has both learning and enjoyment at its heart.
Every time that I visit this College, whatever may have happened in the preceding week in politics, I always leave uplifted and optimistic about the future because the young people here and those who teach them have a confidence and a belief in the power of learning and knowledge to change lives so much for the better that I regard this College - and in particular I regard John Guy - as wonderful advertisements for the best in education.’

Students were closely involved in the design stages of the building which is environmentally friendly and designed to high standards of sustainability. Mr Gove took the opportunity to present awards to five of the eight former students whose original haiku are etched into the fabric of the building.

Dr Guy was delighted to unveil a portrait of himself painted by second year Art student Ana Olarou. The painting which will hang in the entrance to the new building was particularly wonderful, according to Dr Guy, because Ana had made him look younger!

Teacher visits Belarus

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:41:15 GMT

Mike Burke of Guildford had the exciting opportunity to experience cutting-edge environmental research work on an expedition to Belarus this summer.

Earlier this year, Earthwatch, the international environmental charity, invited UK-based secondary level teachers of geography, science and citizenship to apply to join its expedition, Belarus Wetlands, from 2-11 August 2010.

Mike was one of eight successful applicants who helped Earthwatch scientists to find effective ways of conserving the unique wetlands of Belarus, hiking to sampling sites to collect data which will help the scientists to select wetlands which are in need of protection.

Wetlands in Belarus make up 14 per cent of the country. Particularly threatened and little-studied are the oligotrophic (low nutrient) or ‘raised’ bogs which are the focus of the Belarus Wetlands research project. Bogs are extremely important as they improve the gas composition of the atmosphere, carry out climate regulation, and regulate water flows on the surface and within the soil.

Experienced facilitators helped Mike and the other teachers to link the research and their experiences on the project to the curriculum. The teachers worked together to devise educational resources for use in the classroom, and these resources will be made available for others to use.

Mike, Subject Leader for Environmental Studies at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough says: “The experience was absolutely unforgettable and the people of Belarus were so welcoming. I am looking forward to telling my students and colleagues all about the trip.”

The 2010 Earthwatch educator expedition to Belarus was kindly supported by ICAP and the Garfield Weston Foundation. The placement included a fully-funded place on the Belarus Wetlands project, including all food, accommodation and insurance during the expedition. When Mike returned from the project, he was eligible for a grant to help initiate an environmental initiative within his college or community.

To find out how you can join an Earthwatch expedition, call +44 (0)1865 318831 or visit www.earthwatch.org/europe.

Congatulations on A level results

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:49:59 GMT

The College is delighted with the results of students in the 2010 examinations. The pass rate of nearly 99% is outstanding and both the absolute grades and the value-added scores are again very high.

Brent Morris achieved 6 A* grades in his 6 A-levels. He will now study Physics at Imperial college, London. Frances McDonnell took 5 A-level subjects and achieved a grade A* in each. She will study Law at Christ's College Cambridge.

Congratulations to students and staff who have together achieved wonderful results.

Product Design students win trophies

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:02:22 GMT

Students studying A level Product Design at Farnborough Sixth Form College have recently swept the board in a number of Science & Engineering related competitions.

Natasha Newman, 17 of Farnham, Isobel Priest, 17, of Farnborough, Will Tolfree, 17 of Fleet and David Montgomery, 16, of Basingstoke took part in the Sustainability Challenge run by Surrey County Council. Their design of an efficient method of cooling air using a Direct Cooler won first prize at the SATRO Science & Engineering Festival at Brooklands Museum last week. They also entered the design in the national BOC Inspiring Gases Challenge, winning the Runner-up trophy. A week later the team were awarded Best Independent Project in the National Science & Engineering Competition (South East) held at Reading University.

Natasha Newman said “I really enjoyed just having the opportunity to apply my knowledge from a number of subjects to a practical application but winning these prizes was the icing on the cake!”

Isobel Priest, whose subjects include Chemistry, said, “I was delighted to work with the rest of the team who study Product Design. I believe it was our combined knowledge and approach that made this so successful”.

Nick Tupper teaches Product Design at the College and he oversaw the project. He said “The team was fantastic. The students used their initiative and creativity throughout the development of the project and deserve the many accolades they have received.”

Tom Dowrick, 18, of Farnborough was another prize winner. He won The Brooklands Challenge Prize at the Festival of Science & Engineering for his interactive exhibit which is designed to demonstrate magnetism to primary school children.

Tom said “I was really pleased to see how much children at the exhibition enjoyed playing with my exhibit. The bright colours and ‘clacking’ noise it makes in operation were real winners and you could see on the faces of the children how much they enjoyed learning about science.”

The approach to Product Design at the College is focused on applications to the real world with project work used to engage students’ creativity and imagination. Principal Dr John Guy said, “I am really proud of the achievements of these students in a wide range of problem-solving applications which demonstrate the importance of design in our rapidly changing world.”

Summer Concert at Guildford Cathedral

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:36:11 GMT

A packed audience in the magnificent setting of Guildford Cathedral was entranced on Friday evening by the end of year concert by students at Farnborough Sixth Form College. It was a typically ambitious programme of solo and choral performances conducted by College Director of Music, Paul Bambrough.

The evening opened with Gordon Jacob’s Concerto for Flute and String Orchestra with second year student soloist, Katy Ovens. Katy had won the College’s Concerto Competition earlier in the year, the first prize of which was to perform solo with a professional orchestra in the summer.

In this four movement concerto, in which the Flute is rarely silent, Katy sustained a powerful performing presence throughout, beautifully capturing the work’s lyrical romanticism whilst also meeting the brilliant technical demands of the Finale with apparent ease.

Chairman of Governors William Bagnall said, “It was the sort of performance I would expect to see by a professional musician in the Royal Albert Hall – for an 18 year old it was astonishing!”

After the concert, Katy was typically modest about the piece. She said, “I am hoping to be a professional musician in the future and to be given an opportunity to play as a solo flautist with an orchestra in a place as wonderful as Guildford Cathedral has been amazing – I am sure it is only possible at Farnborough Sixth Form College!” Katy added, “I would just love to do it again!”

Runner up in the Concerto Competition was first year student, Rachel Mills and she was selected to be soloist in the evening’s second piece, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, 1st movement, Allegro con brio. In this most imposing of works, she performed with great maturity and composure, demonstrating a sensitive awareness of tone and phrasing in addition to some sparkling passage work.

The final piece of the evening was a performance of Haydn’s Nelson Mass by the 100-strong College Choral Society. This rousing, exhilarating and majestic music was the perfect end to a successful year at the College. Throughout the work all of the students demonstrated outstanding musicianship as well as great passion and commitment, producing a wonderful sound that resonated beautifully within the vast Cathedral space.

Speaking at the end of the concert, retiring College Principal Dr John Guy congratulated the students on their magnificent performance. “Yet again you have brought much credit to yourselves and to the College – it is a privilege to have been your Principal for 18 years.”

Students visit Ghana

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:55:25 GMT

Twenty students and four staff have just returned from a 10 day trip to Ghana to visit the college’s partnership school, the Presbyterian Secondary Technical School in Aburi. After two days acclimatising to the heat and humidity by the swimming pool of our Accra hotel we travelled north to Aburi, experiencing on the way the frenzied street celebrations following Ghana’s World Cup win over Serbia.

The group had an amazing time at the school and were made to feel very welcome by the students and teachers. Getting up at 5.30am to be at school assembly at 7.00am was a challenge but it was all part of the experience of life at the school – especially when we found out that the Ghanaian students get up even earlier to carry out cleaning duties. The students found the experience of attending lessons a real eye-opener – the only resource used in most lessons was a blackboard with a few textbooks being shared between students on some occasions. The Ghanaian teachers expected our students to be fully involved in the lessons, answering questions and solving maths problems up the front on the blackboard! They also took part in cookery lessons with an open charcoal fire in the middle of the classroom as well as gas cookers and were involved in the sports afternoon where both our hastily-assembled male and female football teams managed to draw against the Ghanaian students and the handball team only narrowly lost despite never playing the game before!

The students at the school loved getting to know our students and some real friendships developed during the week. Leaving the school at the end of the week was hard for some of our students who were touched by the gifts and cards they had been given. Before leaving the school we were given a leaving ceremony at which our students spoke brilliantly about the week and its impact on them. The students were presented with school tracksuits and the staff some typical Ghanaian outfits. In exchange we gave presents to the senior staff and gave money to pay for a water tank at the girl’s boarding house, IT equipment and footballs to the school.

During our visit to the school we met with Peter Logo, the headmaster, and other senior staff to discuss the future of the partnership and consider ways to further develop and strengthen it. The partnership has a great deal to offer both of the institutions and our visit showed how valuable it is for our students.

After our week at the school the group travelled further north visiting the Volta Dam which holds back the largest artificial reservoir in the world and generates the majority of Ghana’s electricity through its HEP plant. We spent an amazing day at Tortibo, a small village near the dam, doing tie-dying and bead-making and playing games with the local children who loved having the group there and were fascinated by looking at pictures of themselves on digital cameras. After travelling back to Accra in torrential rain the group flew home, taking with them memories of the amazing country of Ghana that will stay with them for a lifetime.

College celebrates achievements of Film and Media students

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:07:12 GMT

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College got a taste of Oscar-style glory last week when the Prospect Theatre played host to the Annual College Media and Film Awards.

The ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic achievements of Media and Film Students. The work this year was the most emotionally engaging yet. The audience was rapt from the start as they viewed the shortlisted and winning pieces. With documentaries that had the audience in tears through to animation that had them laughing uncontrollably, the students’ work impressed by its high quality.

In true Oscar fashion, the event was attended by industry professionals, including British screenwriter and filmmaker Stuart Hazeldine (“The Day the Earth Stood Still”, “Knowing” and recent Bafta nominated film “Exam”) and Helena Drakakis, Assistant Editor of The Big Issue.

Following a journey from London, Mr Hazeldine presented the award for Best Short Film. He said, “These films represent truly inspirational work – I only wish I had had the same opportunities to produce such creative work as these students at Farnborough Sixth Form College when I was starting out in my career.”

Ms Drakakis presented the Big Issue Award for print for the second year running and was extremely impressed by the development of the students. She said, “We are consistently impressed with the standard of work coming from Farnborough. The students have built on last year’s feedback to present an excellent range of work that shows great promise.”

In recognition of the outstanding level of work there were two special awards for excellence in Film and Animation. Sam Dyche won Excellence in Film and is shortly setting off to Florida to record his debut album with his band, whilst Molly Nye who won Excellence in Animation before going on to study for an Art Foundation at University of the Arts Central St. Martins.
With over 800 students, the Media department at the College is the largest centre for Media and Film A levels in the country and has been recognised by The Good Schools Guide for its outstanding results.

Aidan Hamilton, Head of Film and Media at the College said: “Year on year I wonder how our students can surpass the high levels achieved by previous talented young people at the College but the work on show tonight was simply breathtaking in its technical skill, ambition and ability to engage an audience. I am incredibly proud of them, as well as the fantastic team of teachers and technical support staff that I have the honour to lead and who enable it to happen”.

Following on from the success of the Media and Film awards on Wednesday 16th two of the College winners went on to receive prestigious prizes at Southampton Solent University, where a Hampshire wide film competition for sixth formers ‘Show Us Your Shorts’ was held on Thursday 17th June.
Molly Nye (A2 Media Studies) and Sam Dyche (A2 Film) did exceptionally well collecting three out of a possible four awards. Following on from their success at the Farnborough Media and Film Awards they collected first place, third place and the coveted People’s Choice Award at Solent, one short of a clean sweep.

The panel of judges, including industry professionals and academics, described Molly’s winning animation Rain Cloud as “poignant”, “sophisticated” and “technically accomplished.” Sam Dyche’s experimental Film #1 was praised for being truly “truly experimental”, “creative” and “unique”.

All in all this was a great week for the Media and Film Department at Farnborough Sixth Form College.

Art Exhibition wins praise from guests at private viewing

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:09:59 GMT

Art students at Farnborough Sixth Form College celebrated the completion of their courses with a stunning exhibition held in the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre this week. The exhibition was opened by local architect, Clare Bowman of Broadway Malyan, who designed the new John Guy Building at the College in which some of the exhibits were also located. The three-day exhibition featured outstanding displays of A level work by the College’s 800 art students, making it one of the largest and most successful A Level Art departments in the country. The range and professional quality of work was particularly noticeable, with exhibited work in Fine Art, Textiles, Photography, Graphic Communication, Sculpture, Vocational Art, and Critical and Contextual Studies in Art.

Guests at the packed private viewing on Friday evening were invited to select the work they regarded as Best in Show. It was an almost impossible task, given the variety and quality of the work, but the graphics and fine art exhibited by 18 year old Sarah Hayter of Farnham was selected as best in the exhibition.

Among a host of pieces that Sarah presented, she was most proud of her graphics work to design a shop display for Thornton’s Chocolate. Sarah said, “I am absolutely delighted that it should be chosen as the best in show but I’ve had some inspirational teachers in both my first and second years at the College and I owe so much of my development to their great talents and commitment.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony to open the exhibition, Clare Bowman said, “It has been an inspiration to work with this College – both in terms of having the honour to design the new John Guy Building on behalf of the Governors but also to work with and mentor art students, and to share design principles and philosophies with them as they worked on their magnificent collective piece called The Paper Lantern.”

The Paper Lantern is a large scale decorative hanging, specifically designed for the new John Guy Building at the College, which was on display at the exhibition. The work was undertaken by 10 gifted and talented art students, working in liaison with the architect, with the aim of developing professional skills to use in the design world of work. The students attended regular workshops with the architects studying design resolution, 3D spatial planning, profiling in industry and artistic identity.

Becky Barnes, Curriculum Manager for Textiles, oversaw the team undertaking the project. She said, "I am really proud of what the students have achieved and the work really does celebrate the ambient light, geometric structure, and the inter-relationship between nature and architecture.”

Nathaniel Amissah, 18, of Farnborough said, “This has been such a fantastic opportunity - my career aims are to become an architect and this has provided a great insight into the profession.”

Shawnee Vale, 18, of Wokingham said, “I applied to take part in the project partly to have the opportunity to give something back to the College but mostly because it offered me a chance to work with the professionals and with students from the other art disciplines.’

Summing up the exhibition, College Principal Dr John Guy said, “The work on display is astonishing; such are the achievements of the students and an excellent teaching and support staff that it would not look out of place in an exhibition of final degree work at a prestigious university!”

Major Exhibition of Students' Art Work

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:36:43 GMT

Over 800 A level Art and Design students at Farnborough Sixth Form College will be displaying selected examples of their art work in a major exhibition to be held at the College next week. After a private viewing for parents and special guests on Friday, the exhibition will be open to the public on from Sat 26 June (9 - 3.00pm) and during normal College opening times until 12 noon on Tuesday 29 June. The exhibition will be housed in the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre on the College campus.

Among the exhibited pieces is The Paper Lantern, a large scale decorative hanging specifically designed for the new John Guy Building at the College. The work was undertaken by 10 gifted and talented art students working in liaison with the architects, Broadway Malyan, who designed the building, with the aim of developing professional skills to use in the design world of work.

Becky Barnes, Curriculum Manager for Textiles, has overseen the team undertaking the project. She said, "I am really proud of what the students have achieved and the work really does celebrate the ambient light, geometric structure, and inter relationship between nature and architecture.”

The students have been fortunate enough to receive regular workshops with the architects working on design resolution, 3D spatial planning, profiling in industry and artistic identity.

Nathaniel Amissah, 18, of Farnborough said, “This has been such a fantastic opportunity - my career aims are to become an architect and this has provided a great insight into the profession.”

Shawnee Vale, 18, of Wokingham said, “I applied to take part in the project partly to have the opportunity to give something back to the college, but mostly because it offered me a chance to work with the professionals and with students from the other art disciplines.’

Senior Curriculum Manager Dean Piacentini said, “The Paper Lantern and the whole exhibition are triumphs of continued progression and personal achievement – we hope that many local people will come to visit.”

A full colour catalogue, designed by students and staff from the college, will be available at the exhibition.

College Leavers' Photographs

Fri, 28 May 2010 15:44:49 GMT

To order the photographs, go to CristalWeb > online payments > course payments and order the formal picture or the informal picture - or both! They are on display outside the Finance Office in the College.

College music student wins Cambridge first prize

Fri, 28 May 2010 13:02:44 GMT

Farnborough Sixth Form College student Lauren Spiceley, 17, has just been awarded first prize in a Cambridge University Essay competition to encourage A level music students to think about the breadth and depth of their studies. She collected her certificate at a special ceremony held at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, recently.

Last November, Director of Music at the College, Paul Bambrough, told the students of the Cambridge essay titles and Lauren chose: How has the medium of listening - live or through recording - affected our perception of musical works in the modern age?

Lauren said, "I am really interested in the changes which have occurred since recording technology has become much more widely available. I wanted to explore the impact of the purity of recorded music - sometimes perhaps the sanitization of music - against the excitement and drama of a live performance."

Lauren is a frequent concert-goer and she used her personal experiences as well as a wide range of resource materials, from academic treatises on music, through information on the sleeves of Jazz albums, to an article in the Guardian on why audiences no longer clap between movements.

Lauren said, "When I heard that I had won first prize, I was really excited because in the end I had had to rush to complete the essay to meet the deadline. It was a real surprise to win a prize in a competition organised by Cambridge University."

Mr Bambrough said, "Lauren really did do all of the research and write the essay entirely on her own. She presented me with a copy of her essay after she had submitted it. It was an outstanding and original piece of work so I am not at all surprised that it won the Cambridge competition."

Lauren will be taking her A levels next year and in the autumn she will be applying for a place at university to study music. "If I apply to Cambridge I think it might be to Fitzwilliam - although Oxford has a good course too!"

Newsletter to parents and friends

Thu, 27 May 2010 11:12:12 GMT

To download a copy of the Newsletter click here.

Contents
Page 1 – New Student Association Elected; Alert on university admissions 2010; Leavers' clearance arrangements; Farewell from Principal.
Page 2 – Information about University Admissions 2011 – for first year students and parents
Page 3 – Examinations 2010 – reminder. Results 19 August, Strawberries and Champagne; Congratulations!; Sports Round up
Page 4 – Concert, Art exhibition, LEAVERS PHOTO ordering arrangements; Important Dates
Page 5 – News round-up
Page 6 - News round-up.

Musical Theatre Enrichment Performance

Wed, 26 May 2010 17:36:49 GMT

The Musical Theatre Enrichment Group bowed out this year with a suitably uplifting and entertaining performance at the Prospect Theatre on Tuesday 25th May. This small group of very talented musical theatre performers coped admirably with the unique challenges that this type of performance presents with sumptuous sounding harmonies, tricky duets, intricate musical counterpoints and pathos and comedy through song.

The ensemble supported each of the numbers with strength and a rousing sense of the emotion necessary and although it was difficult to pick out any individuals for special praise as all played their part well, Dianna Field’s superb rendition of the Diva’s Lament from Spamalot was infused with power and longing and The Actuary Song from the off-Broadway musical “I Love you Because” was wonderfully performed by Katie Goodsell and Chloe East.

Stephen Dutton, Musical Director, was the inspiration behind the show and Jack Salzman’s evocative lighting design added feeling and intimacy to this great College show.

Student Dance Evening thrills Prospect Theatre

Mon, 24 May 2010 16:32:10 GMT

Dancers at the College provided a spectacular show in the Prospect Theatre last week to mark the end of their dance courses. Over fifty students - A level Dancers, Dance Leaders and members of the College Dance Company - participated in a gorgeous celebration of this most lyrical of art forms.

The show celebrated a wide variety of contemporary dance styles, mostly choreographed by the students themselves inspired by a staggering range of rich source material – from the poetry of Tennyson, the stories of Oscar Wilde to the sculptural work of Anthony Gormley and the impact of the women’s suffrage movement!

Solo pieces were performed with supreme confidence and gusto; group pieces were carried off beautifully: throughout the 28 different compositions, the enthralled audience were transported though an extraordinary emotional spectrum – searing passion, soulless dehumanisation, political commentary, the alienation of modern life and a sensational reminder of the sheer joyful zest of being alive!

To the backbeat of a colour and a stunning aural soundtrack (including a musical piece created and performed for the evening by one of the performers – take a bow Joel Stevens!) the evening was a breathtaking showcase of the vibrant talent studying at the College. ‘Pulse’ encapsulated all that is best in College life: commitment, discipline, imagination and individual brilliance in tandem with magnificent harmonious team-working.

This was a tour de force; a show to be proud of – and dance, under the courageous and ambitious leadership of Sally Allsford and Emily Burke, goes from strength to strength.

Diploma students take their new skills to Ghana

Mon, 24 May 2010 09:27:11 GMT

Five students from Farnborough Sixth Form College, who are among the first in the country to complete the new Advanced Diploma in Information Technology, have been putting their skills into practice in Ghana. They have just returned from a visit to the College’s partner school, the Presbyterian Secondary Technical School in the mountain village of Aburi, where they have been servicing computers and teaching IT to the pupils. Last year, the College donated 50 of its retired computers to the school.

The students were accompanied by teachers Matt Thorne, Curriculum Manager for the Diploma, and Terri-lee Palmer. Mr Thorne said, “The Ghana trip was the culmination of two years intensive study of advanced level IT, involving a combination of practical and theoretical study with the emphasis upon problem-solving and project management skills.”

The students were welcomed to the school by the headmaster and they attended the start of term assembly where they sang hymns and danced with the Ghanaian students. Their work began the following day with a major overhaul of the computers which the College had donated to the school last year.

IT student Rebecca McCallan, 18, of Camberley said, “We were saddened to find that only four of the fifty computers we had donated were working when we arrived and we had to undertake extensive tests to discover the problems.”

Rebecca added, “We found that many of the power units had blown because of the unstable electricity supply but we were able to rebuild twelve machines into a working state at the end of the day – it was a really useful way to gain some valuable skills while experiencing life in Ghana.”

17 year old Ross Brett-Holt of Frimley said, “The Ghana trip was an amazing experience because it showed us that the technology we take for granted is just not available in a developing country – there are so many things that can and do go wrong. “

The students went on to load software onto the machines in Aburi which they had written in Farnborough as part of their studies, and then to teach the Ghanaian students how to use it.

Harry Scott, 18, of Camberley said, “The Ghana trip enabled us to put all that we have learnt over the last two years into a real life situation in a country with a totally different culture and way of life.”

Harry added, “There’s no way that we could have learnt everything we have seen and done by being taught it in the normal classroom.”

Organisation for the trip was supported by e-skills UK, the Employers’ Sector Skills Council for information technology, and was funded by a grant from the Department for Education in London. It was also supported by British Airways who gave the students first class complimentary tickets and contributed to the costs of the staff who travelled in economy.

College Principal, Dr John Guy, who accompanied the trip said, “We have pioneered a new approach to advanced level teaching and we are very grateful for the financial support from government and industry. Matthew Thorne and Terri-lee Palmer have been asked to contribute our findings and experiences in Ghana to national conferences on teaching and learning.”

Terri-lee Palmer said, “It was a life changing and unforgettable experience for the IT Diploma students to have the opportunity to work on a real life project; the impact of the trip to Ghana was a combination of education, culture and emotion.”

The College developed its partnership with the school in Aburi six years ago and students and staff have made exchange visits to understand more about their different cultures and to undertake joint curriculum projects.

College Choir sings Evensong

Sun, 16 May 2010 21:35:52 GMT

Not content to rest on their laurels and bask in the success of their wonderful production of Ruddigore less than two weeks earlier, the students and staff of the College music department travelled to the nation’s capital to give yet another stunning performance. The destination was the inspiring setting of Southwark Cathedral, where the College Chamber Choir was to sing the daily service of Choral Evensong.

The music, chosen to reflect the first service of the Feast of the Ascension was ambitious in its demands but the choir rose to the challenge magnificently and led the service with confidence and assurance. As well as the appointed Psalm for the day and hymn, the choir sang the Smith unaccompanied Preces and Responses and Stanford’s wonderful settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (in G major). The Stanford was a wonderful vehicle for the beautiful voices of Madeleine Sakakini (16, of Old Basing) and Jessica Mabin (17, of Fleet) who dueted the solo treble lines – their voices floating effortlessly throughout the building and contrasting with that of the full choir. Jamie Barton (18, of Frimley) sang the bass solo in the Nunc Dimittis with such control, polish and assurance that none present would have guessed that this was his debut performance as a solo singer. The service concluded with the choir singing the anthem –a setting of How Lovely are thy Dwellings by Brahms which the choir sang with great emotional intensity.

Following the service the Cathedral’s Precentor, Canon Andrew Nunn, thanked the choir for their wonderful singing and particularly on the way they had paced the service – a remarkable achievement for a choir who does not regularly sing services of this kind. He concluded by offering an open invitation to the choir to return whenever they wished.

Making no effort to hide how moved he had been by the occasion, Director of Music Paul Bambrough told the choir “I am so proud of what you have done today. Not only have you sung astoundingly beautifully but you have shown a genuine sensitivity to the singing of a service and taken your responsibility for leading this act of worship very seriously. Once again, you have exceeded my all my expectations.”

The occasion was made that little bit more unique as the choir was joined by one special additional member. Ralph Wyld’s grandfather (80), a lifelong church musician stood alongside his grandson in the choir stalls and sang with us from memory. It was very touching to see Ralph sing his first ever cathedral Evensong alongside his grandfather who has sung so many.

RAG week raises over £3300

Wed, 12 May 2010 08:39:30 GMT

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College raised over £3300 in the 2010 Rag week held last week. Student Charities Officer Matt Davenport, 18, of Fleet said, “We had five days full of crazy costumes, excitable students and wacky events to raise money for our chosen charities Daisy's Dream, Help for Heroes, Phyllis Tuckwell, Parity and Diabetes UK, and it was a huge success.”

Each day had its own theme chosen and designed by the student association beginning with Holiday. This featured the students’ very own Summer Fete complete with stalls, games and a “bean shy” which rewarded successful competitors with the opportunity to pour baked beans over members of the SA. Great fun!

Tuesday was John Guy (JG) Day – a loving tribute to the Principal who retires at the end of the academic year. Matt Davenpoort said, “We sold hundreds of T shirts sporting comments like "JG ♥ U", “I ♥ JG” and "JG 4 PM" which everybody wore and there were loads of JG Look-a-Likes around.”

Out-going Student President, Jack Nixon, 18, of Church Crookham said, “The highlight of the day was John’s stirring rendition of the Beatles classic “Hey Jude” during the Karaoke event.”

Other events in the week included Sports Day, with saw a terrific staff v students game which kicked off a really popular 5 a side tournament involving no fewer than 15 teams and an old school “sports day” on the field with very mucky egg & spoon races (who forgot to hard boil the eggs???), 3 legged, sack and sprint races.

School Day allowed everyone to break out the old school uniforms (and a few that definitely wouldn’t have been allowed) and featured a live “old v new” quiz. John Guy and Jack Nixon, the outgoing SA President, competed against Simon Jarvis, Principal Designate, and Richard Acton, the incoming SA President. This was a fiercely contested battle as the losing President had to have a leg wax! Lots of extra money was raised when Simon and John volunteered to have a leg wax for £30!

999 Day brought visits from the Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Territorial Army. Newly elected Charities Officer Maddie Sakakini said, “Students wore a fantastic array costumes ranging from Ghostbusters to “Super Mr Potato Head” and our visitors posed for lots of crazy photos with the students.”

On top of these events, the SA raised money by selling T shirts, bags of tuck shop sweets, Krispy Kremes, Hawaiian flower wreaths, badges and loads more, all in-keeping with each day’s theme, and all adding to our charity bucket.

It was absolutely fantastic to see so many staff and students get into the spirit of RAG week, so a huge thank you to everyone who took part and donated!

Special thanks to Hampshire Fire Services, The Territorial Army, Krispy Kreme, the caretakers, college services and finance for making Rag Week 2010 such a winner!

25 Students set to travel to all corners of the earth

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:14:32 GMT

Click here for more photographs

The Mayor and Mayoress of Rushmoor were Guests of Honour at the annual award of travel scholarships at Farnborough Sixth Form College today. He presented cheques to 25 students who are undertaking a variety of challenging expeditions and journeys in the next few months.

College Principal, Dr John Guy, spoke of the esteem and pride in which he held students who went out of their way to challenge themselves and to help others. He said, “The College mission is to prepare students to face the demands of a changing world with confidence and assurance and what better way to experience that than to undertake an expedition to a remote or difficult part of the world?”

Speaking at the ceremony, the Mayor Rushmoor, Cllr Roger Kimber, said, “I am delighted to support events like this where students are encouraged to go out into the world to help others. It is a wonderful tribute to the students of the College that so many are undertaking this sort of activity.”

Among first year students who received travel scholarships was 16 year old Georgia Pearson of Fleet who will be travelling to Sri Lanka with the Ocean Stars Charity. Georgia said, “I’m really excited about going and working with the communities affected by the 2004 Tsunami – but it is a bit daunting because I don’t really know the people I’ll be going with yet and I’ve never travelled that far before without my family.”

17 year old Siddharth Manikonda from Hook will be undertaking work experience in a small local hospital in India. He said, “I am hoping to be a doctor in the future and seeing medicine practiced in a developing country will give me more knowledge and understanding of diseases and their treatments in a developing country.”

18 year old Hannah Hitchin from Fleet received her award to undertake a gap year in Thailand where she will be teaching English and working as a volunteer in local community, arranged by the Baptist Mission Society. She was surprised to receive a second cheque for £250 presented by the Vice President of Blackwater Valley Rotary Club, Mandy Childs. The award, known as the Jacqueline Findlay Travel Bursary, was established by the Club in memory of one of its founding members who was a local headteacher before her untimely death from cancer some 8 years ago.

Mandy Childs said, “Jacqueline was keen to promote travel and Hannah is a very worthy winner of this award – we look forward to following her journey with great interest.”

A shocked and delighted Hannah said, “I was really pleased to receive a travel scholarship from the College but I never expected to receive the Jacqueline Findlay Travel Bursary as well! I look forward to returning after my gap year to speak to the Rotary Club members about my experiences – and to express to them my gratitude for their generosity.”

Ruddigore brings standing Ovation

Fri, 07 May 2010 10:25:27 GMT

Rarely in the 11 year history of the Prospect Theatre has a performance captivated the audience as this wonderfully compelling production of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Ruddigore. It was the latest in the series of inspired Farnborough Youth Opera Projects created by the College Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, to enable College students take on challenging operatic productions to professional standard. In spite of the College’s enviable reputation for musical excellence, however, few could have expected the heights to which this production soared.

In the image of D'Oyly Carte itself, it was a gorgeous concoction of graceful music, sublime comic playing, supernatural spectres - and enormous fun! James Rowland, 17, from Aldershot as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd and Jessica Mabin, 17, of Fleet, as Rose May led the cast superbly, performing with pizzazz and mature confidence the story of the hapless lovers. Ably supported by Stephen Mills,18, of Hook, as the hearty, seafaring foster-brother and the dastardly Sir Despard, played by Jacob Howells-Jones,18, of Tongham – a saturnine villain, all flashing dark looks and evil menace!

The plot twisted and weaved through a labyrinth of surprises and chaos caused by the ancient curse placed upon the heirs of Ruddigore, resolved at the last by true love! Mad Margaret, played by Nancy Reynolds, 18, of Bracknell, secured her man and there was even time for the late Baronet, Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, played by Richard Mahal, 18, of Frimley, to rise from the grave and find true happiness with his ice maiden, Dame Hannah, brilliantly portrayed by Kate Willetts, 17, of Sandhurst.

Joyous celebrations delighted the professional bridesmaids, beautifully led by Josie Copeland, 17, of Wokingham, and Emily Dobbing,18, of Woking, and a stout band of ancestral phantoms. Curiously, and in true Gilbert and Sullivan tradition, all seemed content with their respective partners however surprisingly they came to be together!

Ruddigore was a triumph for this young, accomplished and courageous cast and the standing ovation on the final night was a fitting tribute from the sell-out audiences.

Congratulating the cast after the production, College Principal, Dr John Guy, said, “The D’Oyly Carte company themselves would have been delighted to mount a production of Ruddigore to this standard – it is one of my proudest moments in the achievements of this College”.

Click here for more photographs

College Easter Concert

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:45:20 GMT

The Spring Term ended on a wonderfully high note for the Music department with an extraordinarily varied programme performed by College music students. The first half of the evening in the Prospect Theatre enabled the New Concertante Ensemble, under the direction of Harry White, to demonstrate the breadth of the growing repertoire. The NCE opened the evening with a short piece by Schoenberg – the first time the work of this 20th century Austrian composer has featured in a College concert. Katy Ovens and Sam Cleeve gave a succinct, illustrated introduction to the piece which many in the audience found insightful and helpful. Schubert’s March in G minor was taken at a canter by the NCE, before the outstanding talents of two soloists were showcased. Emily Dobbing played the 1st movement of Bellini’s Oboe Concerto in E flat minor beautifully, before Stephen Mills (tenor) gave an assured, confident interpretation of two songs by the same composer. Before the interval, there was time for the NCE to treat the audience to some Mozart and the Salzburg Symphony.

After the interval, an intriguing, eclectic mix of the familiar and the new was laid before us by director, Ben Dowsett. Guy Murgatroyd gave a bravura performance of his own arrangement of Misty: controlled and delivered with daring and panache, this was a magnificent highlight of the evening. The Jazz Band romped through two spirited pieces before giving way to Tom Kelsey at the piano, who gave a sensitive reading of Gershwin’s The man I love. More jazz from Sixth Sense followed, mining an extensive back catalogue of the curious combined with old favourites typical of the group, and featuring the vocal talents of Jessica Mabin, who delivered a sparkling rendition of Jerome Kern’s The way you look tonight . A gorgeous multi-textured, colourful evening reached was brought to a close by Izzy and The Eskimos and an energetic, funky version of the Stevie Wonder classic, Superstition, before the Big Band returned with their special brew of Sound of Silence and Flight to Augusta, featuring the solo talents of many in the band.

College features in national newspaper concerning Oxbridge Entrance

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:38:51 GMT

Read the original article in the Guardian, published Tuesday 30th March 2010.

Henry Tyndale School and College Production of Wizard of Oz

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:46:09 GMT

Not a seat spare in the Prospect Theatre on a magical Friday night, as the packed house were treated to a joyous celebration of wizardry conjured up by the students from Henry Tyndale School. Supported by College students who have been working in partnership with the Coppers sixth form unit at Henry Tyndale this year, the youngsters - linked arm in arm - danced and sang their way down the famous yellow brick road to the Emerald City. This was an entrancing show, holding the delighted audience spellbound as Dorothy and her three companions led us bravely through the terrors of Oz.

This was an evening of wonderful determination and courage, celebrating the talent of an energetic and big hearted cast. The colourful production of The Wizard of Oz, marking the seventh year of close cooperation between the College and the School, was by far the most ambitious to date. Afterwards, Simon Jarvis, Principal Designate, and Rob Thompson, Head Teacher at Henry Tyndale School, thanked the many students and staff who had worked so hard on putting the show together.

Rob Thompson said, “In the year ahead, we look forward to continuing the close working relationship with the College which has been enjoyed by the neighbouring organisations for so many years.”

General Election Campaign Trail starts at College

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:22:48 GMT

Aldershot and Farnborough MP, Gerald Howarth, began the defence of his Parliamentary seat on Friday at a special Question Time Debate held at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough. He was joined by Liberal Democrat candidate Cllr Adrian Collett, Labour candidate Jonathan Slater, Robert Snare for UKIP, and the Green Party candidate for Reading West, Adrian Windisch.

Acknowledging that this was the first day of their new campaign trail, the panel fielded questions from a large and lively student audience, many of whom are first time voters. The debate was chaired, David Dimbleby-style, by Government and Politics student, Frances McDonnell, who took the candidates by surprise by her feisty, challenging and very firm control of proceedings. Frances, who is hoping to read Law at Christ’s College, Cambridge, in the autumn, ensured that the panel remained focused throughout and showed consummate confidence in steering the debate to maintain momentum.

The panel were asked a series of searching questions by the student audience. They were challenged on the funding of political parties, David Cameron’s social modernisation of the Conservative Party, their views on gay and homosexual issues, the controversial Lisbon Treaty, how faith could be restored in British politics after the expenses fiasco, increases in defence spending and whether or not the panel would consider lowering tuition fees.

Adrian Collett was greeted with cheers and applause as he described how the Liberal Democrats intended to dismantle the tuition-fee “scandal”, with a phased removal of the fees beginning with those for final-year undergraduate courses. UKIP candidate, Robert Snare proposed that universities should reduce in size and teach only proper subjects. Challenged by the Chair to name improper ones, he cited politics as a subject to be dropped - to the visible and audible dismay and disbelief of his audience.

Gavin Sheffield, Tutor in History, Government and Politics, organised the debate. He said, “It is not only important for young people to take an active interest in politics but it is also vital that politics and politicians respond to their needs and consider their opinions with due respect and thoughtful consideration.”

Frances McDonnell who chaired the debate was praised by the Politicians after the event. Gerald Howarth said, “She is a very forceful young person – I have really enjoyed being put on the spot this afternoon.”

Jonathan Slater, the Labour candidate, added, “As always, the visit to the sixth form college has been challenging and stimulating – it has been an excellent start to the campaign trail.”

Order of questions asked:
Rob Grieg (AS Politics)- With controversies over Lord Ashcroft and the UNITE union, is it time to change the way political parties are funded in Britain?
Adam Lapthorn (Former student) - After David Cameron’s slip up on gay equality in an interview with ‘gay times’ this week, to what extent does the panel think the Conservative Party has completed its ‘journey’ on the issue of gay equality?
Michael Veale (A2 Politics) - Does the panel agree with the policies in the Lisbon Treaty and if not, why not exactly?
Elizabeth Silvester (AS Politics) - After expenses, how should trust be restored in British politics?
James Brown (AS Politics) - Given the failure of the government to meaningfully increase defence spending, which was originally based on far less straining situation for our armed forces, do the party members on the panel have any plans to increase defence spending to meet the rising cost of our military commitments and not just to keep it in line with inflation?
Rebecca Simmons (AS Citizenship) Would you ever consider lowering university fees in the interest of the students?

New Student Committee Elected

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:05:35 GMT

New President sets dress code for election

17 year-old Richard Acton, is to be the next Student President at Farnborough Sixth Form College. Wearing his trademark waistcoat, complete with silver-chained watch, and trilby, he thanked the student body which elected him by a significant majority to this prestigious role. Richard will now lead the12-strong committee of students which contributes to the development of one of the country's leading sixth form colleges.

Richard said, "It's a great honour and a privilege to be elected President of such an outstanding student body as we have at Farnborough Sixth Form College. I look forward to even more success for the College in the coming year and to delivering on my promises for the further improvements to the student environment." Richard is in his first year studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Economics.

Richard’s Vice President is Josie Copeland (17), a former student of Leighton Park School, who is studying, French, Spanish, Italian and English Literature. Josie sees her role as supporting the President and the rest of the Student Association. She said, "I welcome the challenge to serve as Vice President for the coming year and look forward to supporting Richard and the committee in contributing to the success of this exceptional college."

Both Richard and Josie will be appointed to the College’s Governing Body as full voting members from April 2010, giving them invaluable experience serving on a statutory corporation answerable directly to the government. Each of the student committee members has a particular responsibility, but they work together to organise and coordinate events. Newly elected Charities Officer, Madeleine Sakakini, 16, said, “The charitable fund-raising has been particularly successful last year but I am looking forward to the huge challenge of raising even more money.”

President-elect Richard Acton said, "Both Josie and I acknowledge the challenge which faces us, but we are very much looking forward to playing our part in taking our outstanding College forward".

Both the College Principal, John Guy, and Principal Designate, Simon Jarvis, were delighted with the results. “There has been an enormous amount of interest in these elections with a 90% turnout and the candidates have been challenged to defend their policies in a series of hustings,” said Dr Guy.

Mr Jarvis said, “The main political parties contesting the General Election would do well to visit the College to see how to engage the enthusiasm of the electorate – and perhaps our new President could give them a lesson in dress code!”

Students take dance to local schools

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:42:30 GMT

Dance Leaders mount inspirational show with local schools

Dance Leader students at The Sixth Form College Farnborough demonstrated how they are an inspiration to local school children as their four week dance project came to a climax with a spectacular showcase held at Oak Farm Community School. The showcase, entitled Oak Farm Family Dance Showcase presented a range of pieces and involved over 50 local school children.

The work was a result of a four week project led by Dance Leaders from The Sixth Form College Farnborough, in association with North East Hampshire School Sports Partnership. Second year dance students prepared and delivered a dance session every week in Cherrywood Community Primary School, Tower Hill Primary School and St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School. The project aimed to build links between further education and local schools by providing extra-curricular dance activities.

Friends and family of the school pupils, who were invited to the performance, were full of praise for the work. Subject Leader for Dance Leaders, Emily Burke, said, “I am overwhelmed by the maturity of the leaders and how they have applied their leadership skills when working with the school children, it is a demonstration of the hard work and commitment that our students put into their studies within the Performing Arts department.”
Staff at the schools who worked with the College students said they were a fantastic role model for the school children and were impressed by their manner of professionalism and sense of responsibility.

DANCE LEADERS involved in the project were:
Cherrywood Community Primary School - Sara Lacey, Annabel Moody, Erika Rose, Rhianne Watson, Josh Harrison, Eleanor Turner, Verity Cooper, Nicola Ashton.
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School - Sian Brown, Krystal Duncan, Samantha Till, Victoria Moore, Kimberley Jarnak , Steffi Callaco, Piers Jeffries.
Cherrywood Community Junior School - Ben Seward, Lucy Chilton, Megan Hill, Rebecca Evans, Rachel Tufts, Charlotte Black, Fallan Burke.
Tower Hill Primary School - Becky Kukcla, Sophie Kelpacz, Joel Stevens, James Dance, Jessica Newson, Hayley Goddard, Hayley Carrington.

SPECIAL THANKS to all the schools involved in this project; the dance leaders for their wonderful guidance and expertise, who made the sessions both informative and fun. Oak Farm Community School for hosting this event; Jack Salzman for technical support; Lucy Chilton and Ben Seward for creating the programme and Joel Stevens for designing the poster. Further thanks to Lucy Moore for all her hard work organising the link between the College and the schools and all the teachers who have supported and encouraged such a wonderful experience for the leaders and the students involved. Emily Burke Subject Leader of Dance Leaders.

Bishop of Guildford visits College

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:15:06 GMT

Bishop visits the student hustings and meets members of the CU

When the Bishop of Guildford visited Farnborough Sixth Form College this week, he found himself at the centre of election fever and was able to see the democratic process in full swing at the Student Hustings.

Student President, Jack Nixon, said, “It was great that Bishop Christopher could see for himself that students at the College take the elections very seriously.”

Bishop Christopher was keen to include the College in his programme during his visitation to the local Aldershot Deanery. Having been welcomed by the President and Vice President, Daniel Rodgett, Bishop Christopher had lunch with members of the College’s Christian Union.

Christian Union leader Hannah Hitchin said, “It was a fantastic opportunity to meet Bishop Christopher and have lunch with him! We spoke about a lot of issues and had a really good discussion on euthanasia and the role of palliative care at the end of life.”

After lunch, College Principal John Guy took Bishop Christopher on a tour of the College. College Chaplain, Rev Martin Cornes, who accompanied the Bishop said, “Bishop Christopher really enjoyed his visit and was given an excellent insight into College life.”

Dr Guy said, “The College was honoured to welcome the Bishop and he clearly enjoyed meeting students and engaging them in conversation. We all hope he will return again in the near future.”

College awarded "research-engaged" status

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:29:54 GMT

National Foundation for Educational Research honours College

The Sixth Form College Farnborough became one of only two institutions in the country to receive recognition as a Research-Engaged College at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) annual research conference held in London recently.

The award has been created by a group of educationalists, led by the National Foundation for Educational Research, in order to underline the importance of putting research at the heart of good teaching practice in schools and colleges.

The research project at Farnborough is led by David Godfrey, Assistant Director of Personalised Learning. He said, “Every year, we support subject tutors to undertake research projects with the intention of improving teaching and learning across the College.”

Mr Godfrey, who has undertaken research in education at Brunel University and has published his findings widely, encourages a research based approach to teaching. Tutors whose projects are selected for support funding undertake their research, attend additional research meetings and disseminate their findings at a June conference held at the College, attended by colleagues from many other institutions. All the reports are posted on the College’s website and published in the in-house journal, and many have been taken up by national publications, such as the NFER’s ‘Practical Research for Education’.

Mr Godfrey said, “Farnborough’s approach has been particularly praised for the sustainable, embedded way in which teachers are encouraged to carry out action research.”

“The model established at the Sixth Form College has been studied by Ofsted and LSIS and is celebrated in the national web-based resource, Excellence Gateway, as an example of good practice for others in the sector,” Mr Godfrey added.

In the citation at the awards ceremony in London, Alison Lawson, Principal Research Strategist at NFER said, “Farnborough’s excellent application demonstrated a thorough commitment to research across the whole College, with involvement of a large number of staff. Their enthusiasm and passion for improving learning and teaching through research was clear and they well deserve the award.”

College Principal, Dr John Guy, said, “The College always seeks to improve as a learning institution and it is a great honour that the research approach led by David Godfrey has received such national recognition.”

New Principal appointed

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:37:49 GMT

Simon Jarvis is appointed Principal Designate

The Governors of the College have appointed Simon Jarvis, currently Vice Principal at the College, to the post of Principal with effect from 1 September 2010.

Mr Jarvis, who is an English Literature graduate of Southampton University and holds a Master’s degree in Education from Surrey University, was first appointed to the College as a Senior Tutor in 1990. He became Vice Principal in 1992 and has overseen the very many developments in the curriculum of the College in recent years, master-minding the quality assurance procedures which have enabled the College to achieve its rating by Ofsted as Outstanding.

Chairman of Governors William Bagnall said, “This was a much sought after post in the education sector and it is a great testament to Simon’s qualities that he emerged from the strong field and rigorous assessment as the outstanding candidate.”

“The Governors were unanimous in his appointment,” Mr Bagnall added.

Mr Jarvis said, “I am really delighted and honoured to have been appointed Principal of this exceptional College. I will work with energy and commitment to ensure the College retains its ethos and the sharp focus on improving the achievements of each individual student.”

Dr John Guy, the current Principal, will be stepping down from the post he has held for 18 years in the summer. He said, “There is no one to whom I am happier to hand over the leadership of the College than Simon Jarvis. He has demonstrated that not only is he a tower of strength but also he has a wonderful capacity to inspire students and staff. I have no doubt that his vision and leadership will see the College to even greater successes in the future.”

College Newsletter, February 2010

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:20:33 GMT

The February 2010 Newsletter contains important information:

p1: Student Association Elections - information for parents and students

p2: Parents' Evenings March 2010 and Summer Examinations

p3: Careers, HE finance (2nd years); HE Information evening (1st years); Oxbridge 2010

p4: upcoming Music, Dance and Theatre events

p5: University Admissions 2010 - warning! ; Baroque Christmas Concert

p6: Photographic exhibition; Concerto competition; Performing Arts Week

To download the February Newsletter, click here

Flautist Katy Ovens wins College Concerto Competition

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:00:11 GMT

Concerto Solo for Flautist Katy

Twelve talented musicians studying A level Music at Farnborough Sixth Form College competed for the first prize in the College Concerto Competition held at the University of Surrey. The competing musicians treated the enthralled audience to a magnificent display of adept, at times dazzling, performances in an evening which provided a diverse programme of beautiful music, embracing Bach, Mozart and Elgar interspersed with wonderful surprises by lesser known 20th century composers.

The students exposed their playing skills to the scrutiny of an illustrious panel of judges led by Professor Sebastian Forbes, one of the country’s most distinguished musicians and Director of Music at the University. Professor Forbes was joined by Clive Williamson, internationally renowned pianist and Head of Performance at Surrey and Susan White, who has played with many of Britain’s leading orchestras, performing widely in Europe and the USA.

Commenting on the high standard of musicianship, Professor Forbes delighted all present in highly commending the performance of Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto No 1, by Katy Nagle (aged 17, from Farnham). The judges were unable to separate the winners of the second prize, which was jointly awarded to pianist Rachel Mills (aged 16, of Hook) for her mature performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no 1, and Ralph Wyld (aged 17, from Fleet) who played the Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra by Ney Rosauro with evident gusto.

The judges were unanimous, however, in their appreciation of the winner, Katy Ovens (aged 18, of Woking) for her near-faultless, interpretation of Jacob’s Concerto for Flute and Strings. In winning this competition, Katy will perform the complete Concerto later in the year before a packed audience at Guildford Cathedral. Rachel and Ralph will also contribute to the event in July, reprising movements from their chosen pieces.

Katy said, “I am very excited to be playing in such a wonderful venue as Guildford Cathedral – but a bit daunted by the prospect of learning the entire Jacob Concerto and performing it to concert solo standard!”

Director of Music and inspiration behind the competition, Paul Bambrough was thrilled by the success of the evening. He said: “I’m so proud of all the students. They have shown great skill, discipline and courage tonight. It’s been a wonderful learning experience for them all, stretching and challenging them to play to such a high level before such an eminent panel.”

In thanking the students and the judges, Vice Principal Simon Jarvis said: “The real winners of this competition were not those selected for prizes but those fortunate to have been present to enjoy this sumptuous evening presented by these gifted young musicians.”

Spectacular exhibition from Young Photographers

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:48:31 GMT

Media students delight exhibition audience

Photographs by Media students at Farnborough Sixth Form College were the subject of great praise and critical acclaim at a private viewing of their best work showcased in a new exhibition taking place in the College’s John Guy Building.

The exhibition, entitled View Finder, represents a range of photography work inspired by the theme of culture, drawing also on the importance of heritage and personal identity. The collection illustrates a range of classic and experimental forms and styles, resulting in a colourful and diverse collection of images.

The young photographers, all aged 16 and 17, are students on the College’s highly successful Media National Certificate Course. Before the project, most of the students had little of experience of camera use except for holiday snapshots.

Friends and family of the students were invited to the exhibition, which was opened by the Principal. Introducing the exhibition, College Subject Leader for Media, Rachel Beasley, said, “I am really proud of the work in this exhibition; the students have thrived in creating original and inspiring images.”

She added: “The whole project has embraced our key aims of motivating students in a meaningful way in order to raise their achievement.”

Parent Ms Mokhtar-Benounane said, “These photos are highly imaginative and they have made me really think about their messages - they are all so very different! It is a fantastic exhibition.”

Among the works on show was a remarkable photograph by 16 year old Dean Overton of Aldershot whose image was entitled ‘Moving On’. Taken in Oxford, he captured a moment of transition and the sense of an unknown but exciting future with which all the visitors identified.

Dean said, “The exhibition was amazing and seeing the photographs displayed so professionally gave us all a real thrill. I’m really please to have had the opportunity to do this.”

Speaking to the students at the exhibition, College Principal Dr John Guy said, “I have attended many exhibitions of art at all levels and these images would not be out of place in a professional gallery. There are real levels of brilliance in some of these shots and I congratulate you all on what you have achieved in so short a time at the College.”

The work will remain on display at the college until Friday 12th February.

College Baroque Christmas Concert

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:37:28 GMT

Chamber Choir and Choral Society captivate audience

Click here for more photographs

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College captivated the congregation in St Andrew’s Garrison Church on Friday with a beautiful evening of music at the College’s Baroque Christmas Concert.

The evening began with Charpentier’s Kyrie from the Messe de Minuit pour Noel, so wonderfully intoned by the College Chamber Choir that it seemed too high an expectation that such quality would be maintained throughout the concert. It was followed by two delightful chorales written for the Lutheran Church in Germany shortly after the Reformation. Soloists Madeleine Sakakini (soprano), Katy Ovens (alto), William Malins (tenor) and William Etheridge (Bass) filled the church with their stunning unaccompanied harmony in A Great and Mighty Wonder by Praetoius, only to be matched by Jessica Mabin, Katy Nagle and Stephen Mills who joined William Etheridge in a perfect rendition of J S Bach’s O Little Sweet One.

Director of Music Paul Bambrough’s choice of Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir, a setting of Psalm 112, enabled the chamber choir to show their strength, maturity and versatility as they triumphed in this next dramatic work scored for six-part chorus and soloists.

The student voices were able to rest during Samuel Cleeve’s solo violin performance of J S Bach’s Partita no 2 in D minor, which he played without score in a magnificent and passionate rendition, with great depth of feeling bringing sustained applause from the appreciative and delighted concert-goers.

Finally, the 100-strong Choral Society performed Vivaldi’s Gloria in D, a joyful hymn of praise and worship. Solo parts were sung with confidence and beauty by sopranos Jessica Mabin, Nancy Reynolds and Charlotte Cartwright, Alto Katy Nagle and Baritone Jacob Howells-Jones but the whole choir sang with a strength and beauty more characteristic of a professional group than one would expect of a sixth form college choir.

The evening was a triumph for Director of Music Paul Bambrough, who had put together a wonderful Christmas offering, but especially for the talented students. Thanking them after the concert, Principal Dr John Guy said, “I am not sure if, as performers, you realise just how wonderful it has been to listen to this evening’s concert - it has indeed been a privilege to be present.”

Class of 2009 receive their Certificates

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:56:26 GMT

Outstanding students in outstanding College

Click here for photographs of the special awards and speeches; click here for individual certificate presentations.

19 year old Joanna Dixon was named as the Dell Student of the Year at Farnborough Sixth Form College’s Annual Awards Evening on Thursday evening and was presented with Dell Corporation’s top of the range Adamo Laptop. Over 1000 parents and students packed the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre when the College’s class of 2009 celebrated their examination successes.

Principal guest was Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the newly created Young People’s Learning Agency which has responsibility for funding and planning, with Local Authorities, all post-16 education in the country. Mr Lauener said he was delighted to have been invited to the College: “This is one of the best sixth form colleges in the country and it is an honour to be with you this evening,” he told the audience.

Mr Lauener added, “It is quite simply an outstanding college and as someone with responsibility for learning across the country, I would be delighted if there were many more places like Farnborough. It has a track record which goes back many years; it has stood the test of time”.

For Principal Dr John Guy, it was his last awards evening before his retirement in the summer. He told the students, “Your results this year were excellent – I am very proud of all you have achieved.”

Mr Lauener presented certificates to 400 students and a number of special awards to students with particularly outstanding achievements.

Dell Student of the Year, Joanna Dixon, overcame considerable health problems during her sixth form studies which meant that she had to spread her studies over three years. In reading the citation, Dr Guy told Jo, “Your hope and optimism were an inspiration to us all and you achieved not only four grade A passes at A level but also a place at Bristol University to study Law – there is no more fitting winner of the DELL Student of the Year Award.”

Speaking afterwards, Jo said, “I still can’t believe I have won this amazing award – Farnborough Sixth Form College really gave me enormous support and I am particularly indebted to my tutor, Margaret Taylor, who was just amazing.”

“I am so happy,” said Jo, “and so shocked to have won the DELL Award!”

Speaking on behalf of all the students, former Student President Theo McCusker, now at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge, told the audience, “We came to the College as schoolchildren and we have left as adults – it is a very special experience being at Farnborough and on behalf of us all I want to thank the staff, and especially John Guy, for enabling all this to happen.”

Award winners:

Outstanding Academic Achievement: Reece Straker, Maria Burova, Christine Leung, Dean Palmer, Sophie Dundovic, James Etherington, Jessica Stewart.

Outstanding Personal Achievement: Tom Ervin-Dowle, Swechha Gurung, Jack Martin, Jamie Frost, Brian Money, Stuart Rowland, Abhijit Chandgadkar.

Outstanding Contribution to College Life: Nick Elsey, Sarah Brown, Lucy Orgill, Vicky Tay, Theo McCusker.

Outstanding Contribution and Academic Achievement: Alex Lau, Adele Appleton.

Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year: Andrew Willis, Katie Wright

University College for Creative Arts Award: Lydia Simpson.

University of Winchester Awards: Nicola Cattini, Alex Teo, Tom Lewin, Simon Clough.

Mike Ritchie Award for Sport: Marc Fox, Lizzie Fearnley, Jenny Wing.

Durham University Book Prize: Sarah Reeve

Justin Scregg Memorial Award for Drama: Rosie Reynolds.

Alistair Panter Memorial Award for Personal Achievement: Alison Hare

N J Clarke Award for Accounting and Business: Rebecca Page.

Dell Student of the Year Award: Joanna Dixon.

Students surprise Local Charity for Young People

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:38:46 GMT

College students help homeless young people this Christmas

Cash boost to local homeless charity

Students at Farnborough Sixth Form have surprised and delighted a local charity helping homeless young people by a fantastic donation of over £2,700.

The money was raised by 40 students and their tutors, sleeping ‘rough’ for a night to publicise the plight of the many young people locally who are homeless, especially at this time of year.

The ‘sleep-out’ was in aid of local charity, Step by Step, who take almost 350 referrals a year from young people aged between 16 – 25 years who are homeless.

Student Charities Officer at the College, Matt Davenport, said, “As students, we were keen to do something to help people of our own age who don’t have the benefit of a stable home life – or even a home.”

Student President, Jack Nixon, added, “We chose to sleep rough on the College campus one night in November when it poured with rain – none of us had realised the impact of what it really felt like until we did it.”

Students, staff and friends sponsored the sleep-out, and the collections far exceeded the promised sponsorship money.

College Principal Dr John Guy thanked all concerned and said, “We encourage a College atmosphere of mutual respect and support, and our Student Association have not only worked hard for charities this term but have undertaken actions to show their commitment.”

Delighted Step by Step fundraiser Peter Davies said, ‘We are very excited by the innovative and committed way in which this money has been raised by the students and staff of Farnborough Sixth Form College. The donation will make a huge difference to our vulnerable clients, especially at this time of year.”

Newsletter December 2009

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:52:54 GMT

Click here to download a pdf version of the December 2009 Newsletter

The Villains' Opera plays to full houses

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:53:59 GMT

The mob hits town!

Click here for more photographs - and here for photographs of the live last night performance

The Prospect Theatre was a sinister place to be this Christmas, as we were led, at gun point, by an exuberant and talented company into a dark London underworld of villainy and crime.

Under the scrutiny of the all-seeing, all-knowing ever so slightly psychotic Mr Big (Joe Miller), this southside gang operate out of The Flower of Kent pub, orchestrated by the powerful, ruthless hands of Peachum played by David Allwright – part-Delboy, part-Fagin – and his gin-swilling, hard-bitten wife, played by Charlie Fooks. Aided by a colourful array of vicious hoodlums, petty-criminals and bent coppers (Mona Lisa Chinembiri and Zoe Crawford), The Villains’ Opera tells the adventures of MacHeath (Alex Warren) – a latter-day Alfie, all smiles and charms, wholly plausible and entirely untrustworthy! It’s a hard life being a gangster’s moll as poor Polly (Becky Turner) and lovely Lucy (Katie Goodsell) discover as we follow the capers of this colourful treacherous anti-hero to his bloody destiny. Of course, in the tradition of the panto season, who should appear at the end but a good fairy godfather in the form of the recently deceased but super-powered Mr Big, descending from on-high to wave his magic wand (or should that be his machine gun) and restore our hero to the tropical paradise of which he dreams.

A large cast of over 50 students have developed the piece this term and they perform with gusto, singing, dancing and wise-cracking with hi-octane humour. Interspersed with a dazzling range of songs - tantalisingly familiar melodies adapted cleverly by the cast to comment on the events as they unfold – and hilarious cameos (notably the lovelorn Filch, played by Henry Grieve, and the loyal but hapless Pinhead (Georgie Jones). The Villains’ Opera is not the usual Christmas story, perhaps, but would you argue with Scotch Gordon or Sledgehammer Perry? Now, just be careful out there, because car parks can be dangerous places in the dark...

Simon Jarvis, Theatre Critic

Computing students win national competition

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:56:25 GMT

Students' presentation to judges declared outright winner

Ten A level computing students from Farnborough Sixth Form College have won first prize in a national competition based on Biometrics and E-Identity, organised by the University of Kent, The UK Biometrics Institute and the Identity and Passport Service of the Home Office.

The students were delegates at a conference on the challenges of e-identity in the 21^st Century, held at Bletchley Park National Codes Centre. Computing Curriculum Manager at the College, Lalin Pethiyagoda, arranged for them to attend to enhance their understanding of the applications of computing in a changing world.

Mr Pethiyagoda said, “As biometric identity cards are being trialled in Manchester this week, the applications of computing in the field of personal identity is becoming increasingly important. Students heard from experts in the field of facial recognition, iris recognition and fingerprint recognition, as well as being introduced to the issues surrounding social networking technologies and their impact on identity.”

The students were then required to make a presentation to an expert panel on a previously prepared topic: How can I survive the next 20 years with my identity intact? Led by 16 year old Joshua Lambert of Spencers Wood, the Farnborough students produced a convincing video presentation warning of the impact that public access to social networking sites might have on future employment prospects.

Josh said, “We had worked hard on the presentation and we were the only team to include a video but all the presentations were excellent. We were speechless when we were announced as the overall winners.”

The judges from the University of Kent, the Passport Office and the UK Biometrics Institute told the students that their presentation was the clear, outright winner and presented the team with certificates and a cheque for £300.

Mr Pethiyagoda said, “I was very proud of the team who demonstrated their understanding in a field of knowledge at the cutting edge of modern technology. They were magnificent ambassadors of the College.”

College Dance Company creates magical menagerie

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:49:03 GMT

Dazzling Celebration of Life on Earth by College Dance Company

Click here for more photographs; higher resolution images can be downloaded from Shared Folders in College.

The Prospect Theatre was transformed this week by the extraordinary skill and invention of the College Dance Company who performed their own choreographed pieces on the theme of animals.

Like an episode from the TV series Life, to the evident delight of packed houses, the dancers transfixed us with an enchanting miasma of colour and abundant zest. At first a gorgeous birdhouse, alive with an amazing array of feathered friends; a procession of dignified elephants; stunning swans illuminated the space before a vast colony of hilarious penguins appeared, straight from the frozen wastes of Antarctica – these were Happy Feet indeed! Enter the flamingos – an entourage of preening, beautifully self-regarding creatures in their slinky, sensuous, shocking pink. Horses, bucking and spirited, a wood filled with cuckoos before the masterful, genuinely show stopping, chase of the gorillas brought the first half to an end. David Attenborough would have been captivated by this thrilling, tribe of moody, magnificent primates thumping, swaggering and stomping to the beat.

After the interval , more surprises awaited in this magical menagerie animated for us by the Dance Company of over 80 first and second year students, inspired by the talented team of dance teachers Sally Allsford and Emily Burke: Sian Brown’s beautiful and elegant solo swan song, slithering snakes, colourful kangaroos, the cutest of itchy-scratchy, side-splitting field mice, spectacular shoals of twisting, tropical fish, a warren of rabbits and stately giraffes, gathered from the plains of Africa! Assisted by the stage management of Lauren Geary and the technical wizardry of Jack Salzman, this was a confident ensemble performance choreographed superbly to explore every inch of floor space in this intimate venue. The Carnival of Animals was a dazzling celebration of life on earth brought to us by a troupe of outstanding performers: bravo!

Students celebrate their research and scholarship

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:29:40 GMT

180 students receive bound university-style dissertations; new partnership with the University of York announced

Click here for individual photographs; high resolution images can be downloaded from Shared Folders > Extended Project 2009

Professor Colin Mellors, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of York, congratulated 180 students at Farnborough Sixth Form College on their achievements when he presented them with bound university-style copies of their extended project dissertations last night.

The College has led the education world in pioneering the Extended Project and Professor Mellors was full of praise for the innovation. Students undertake research in an area linking two of their subjects, under the supervision of a College tutor, as though they were university undergraduates.

Speaking to a packed hall of students and parents, Professor Mellors said, “The initiative is an excellent one, and something that aligns very closely with the skills that students will need at university.”

Addressing the students, Professor Mellors continued, “It is clear from the comments I have heard this evening that you have enjoyed the research enormously and it is a huge credit to you to have done the work so willingly over and above a pretty heavy A-level workload.”

Students Josh Sancho, 17, of Hook, and Natalie Harper, 17, of Guildford, addressed the audience, speaking of the huge benefits they had felt from undertaking original research across a number of their A level subjects.

Josh said, “It has given me the confidence to analyse arguments closely and to deepen my knowledge and understanding beyond the A level specifications.”

Natalie added, “For me, the Extended Project was both challenging and exciting, and it enabled me to understand the competing demands on my time and to prioritise them, not because I was told to but because I wanted to.”

The College is recognised nationally for its outstanding teaching and learning and staff are frequently asked to address national conferences in both the state and independent sectors. The College’s relationship with many universities is strong and the Principal Dr John Guy announced another milestone at the presentation, a formal partnership with the University of York.

Dr Guy said, “This evening we are celebrating not just the occasion of real scholarship which your extended projects represent but also a new relationship with the University of York which is well known for its research and for its emphasis upon excellent teaching of undergraduates.”

Responding, Professor Mellors said, “The University feels very proud to have become part of the 'extended Farnborough family'. There is a special 'feel' about this College and it has been a pleasure to see the commitment of such highly talented staff and students.”

Charity collections reach £6000

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:50:23 GMT

Student Association sets new record for charities

Students at Farnborough Sixth Form College have raised over £6000 for charities since September. Matt Davenport,18, of Fleet, Charities Officer for the Student Association at the College, said: “In addition to fund raising this year, we are raising awareness of the work of the charities we are supporting and the importance of their causes.”

The money has been raised principally through three hugely successful charity days at the College in addition to some smaller projects. In September students began their outstanding term by raising £1300 for Jeans for Genes, a charity very close to the hearts of the students. Matt said, “Asking our students to wear jeans seemed a bit pointless as it is their normal College uniform so instead everybody got dressed up in their pyjamas and headed to College for a day of fundraising, including a sponsored pillow fight held in one of the refectories”.

Pink Day followed in October, with students and staff all dressed in their finest pink attire, raising £1720 for Cancer Research UK. A great deal of pink food was sold on the day in addition to a rather messy assault course in which students competed to raise yet more money. As importantly, though, every single student in the College watched a short video presentation on how to check for lumps and bumps on breasts and testicles throughout the week, in order to raise awareness of the importance of self-examination for early detection. In addition the Student Association held a coffee morning for staff and raised over £110 in support of MacMillan Nursing.

For the Children In Need Appeal, students and staff raised over £1375; student 'buskers' played the crowds over the course of the two recent open days, while a karaoke session at lunch time kept students entertained and unearthed some dubious singing talent!

The College students are also collecting sponsorship money for a group of 40 students and 3 staff, representing the College community, who slept rough on the campus on a particularly wet and blustery November night. They did so to raise awareness and funds for the Aldershot based charity Step by Step, who specialise in helping young homeless people and those facing adversity. Students have been promised sponsorship which should top £1500.

With another two full terms ahead of them and the annual RAG week not far off the students hope to raise over £15,000 for charitable causes this year. Matt Davenport said, “That will be a record for the College students but we are determined to do it.”

College Autumn Music Concert 2009

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:44:15 GMT

New Concertante Ensemble and Big Band thrill audience

Click here for more photographs of concert

Students of The Sixth Form College Farnborough delighted a packed audience, including members of the Farnborough Music Society, in the College’s Prospect Theatre with a lively and varied programme, demonstrating real musicianship and maturity.

The evening began with charming renditions of classical favourites by J.S Bach and Mendelssohn, performed magnificently by the New Concertante Ensemble, the College’s Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of College Music Tutor Harry White. These were interspersed with confident and convincing solos by Music Scholars Colin Li (piano), 17 of Camberley, Eleanor Beere (piano), 17 of Farnham, and William Etheridge (horn), 18 of Old Basing, who was accompanied magnificently on the piano by Rachel Mills, 16 of Heckfield.

The first half concluded with a stunning interpretation by NCE of Astor Piazzolla’s ‘Le Grand Tango’, arranged specially for College students by the renowned musician Simon Whiteside, whose most recent projects include orchestrating the musical score for the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The second half saw a selection of toe-tapping favourites performed with style and verve by the College’s Big Band and Sixth Sense Jazz ensemble, under the expert direction of Music Curriculum Manager, Ben Dowsett. Old favourites such as Feeling Good were juxtaposed against new interpretations, including a marvellous arrangement of Autumn Leaves by student Ralph Wyld, 17 of Fleet. Special mention should also go to soloists Matthew Doyle (saxophone), 17 of Fleet, Jamie Barton (trombone), 18 of Frimley, Rod Oughton (drums), 17 of Camberley, Ralph Wyld (vibraphone) and vocalists Katy Ovens, 18 of Send and Jessica Mabin, 16 of Fleet, for their outstanding contributions.

Once again, the Sixth Form College students left audience members in awe after an evening of wonderful music making. After only 10 short weeks of term and with over sixty students performing to such a high standard, the event was a great testament to both their talent and dedication.

Open Evenings 2009

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:15:15 GMT

College students share their enthusiasm for studying at Farnborough

An estimated 6000 visitors attended The Sixth Form College Open Evenings held on 11 and 12 November. All departments were open for visiting students and their parents to meet College staff and current students, who were eager to share their experience of studying at the College.

The Open Evening gave the College the first opportunity to display its iconic new building at the heart of the College campus which the Governors have named The John Guy Building. The £7m project was completed in the summer and houses magnificent new facilities for Art, Computing, Physics and IT.

Students who had visited the College’s Partner School in Aburi, Ghana, had bought carvings and jewellery from Ghanaian craftsmen and women, and they were on sale at the Open Evenings to raise money for a new water bore-hole in Ghana.

The College, which is nationally recognised for its innovation and success, has about 1700 places available for new students in September 2010. Each year it is heavily over-subscribed. The opening time for the 2010 admissions process is 7am on Monday 16 November.

Music Scholars Perform

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:40:53 GMT

Wonderful evening of music in the Prospect Theatre

Sixteen Music Scholars from The Sixth Form College Farnborough gave a magnificent performance to a packed Prospect Theatre at a concert to mark the completion of the first half term of the new academic year.

The College Scholars’ programme is now in its sixth year and attracts applicants from Surrey and Berkshire, as well as from Hampshire. The students gave solo and group performances featuring pieces old and modern, from Bach to Berkeley, and featured two pieces composed by students themselves, Chris Mills’s Fruhlingsglaube, which he accompanied on the piano to Jessica Mabin’s beautiful soprano voice, and Ralph Wyld’s jazz composition, EMF – the lost volts, played with confidence and assurance by Ralph (percussion), Roderick Oughton (drums), James Cowing (Saxaphone) and Katy Ovens (flute).

The outstanding musicianship displayed suggested a maturity beyond their years and they received the prolonged applause of the audience with a confidence and maturity of seasoned performers.

October 2009 Newsletter

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:38:59 GMT

Click here to download the October 2009 Newsletter

A level results 2009

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:00:00 GMT

College students celebrate outstanding success

50 students from Farnborough Sixth Form College are the first in the country to be awarded the equivalent of the new A star grade in a trial carried out between the College and the awarding body, OCR. Although the new nationally recognized qualification will not be introduced until 2010, the trial was conducted to ascertain how well students would deal with the more challenging A level questions. .

College Principal Dr John Guy said, “The College welcomes the changes to the A level examinations and, in particular, the introduction of the new A* grade from 2010.”

He added, “We always seek to understand any changes in examination specifications before they are introduced so that both staff and students are well-prepared; the trial with OCR was undertaken to enable both the College and the Awarding Body to see how well our students would respond to the more open-ended questions.”

In the trial involving nine subjects, 50 out of the 90 gifted and talented students who accepted invitations to take an additional examination paper were awarded a Grade A*. Four students were awarded grade A* in two subjects, a particularly outstanding achievement, and A grades in all their other subjects

Jessica Stewart of Camberley achieved A* in both English Literature and Film Studies and will read English at Cambridge University. She said, “I’m over the moon with my results – I just can’t explain how happy I feel! The College has done so much for me and now I am going to Cambridge where I really want to be!”

Helen Carrier of Hook and Eleanor Baker of Camberley, who both achieved A* in Geography and Psychology, and will read now Psychology at Durham and Bristol Universities respectively. Reece Straker of Aldershot achieved his A* grades in Physics and Economics and will go to Oxford University to study Physics.

Reece said, “I am really happy with my results and I am so looking forward to going to St Peter’s College in Oxford – Farnborough Sixth Form College has really encouraged me to study for these grades.”

Jean Marshall, Accountable Officer of OCR, said, “We were delighted to conduct this trial in partnership with Farnborough Sixth Form College because it has given our examiners an early opportunity to test some of their ideas in setting stretching and challenging questions to identify those students who deserve the A* grade.”

Farnborough Sixth Form College is widely recognized for its pioneering work and was the first College to introduce the new Extended Project for A level students; in 2007, Farnborough students were the first in the country to be awarded the AQA Baccalaureate.

Vice Principal Mr Simon Jarvis said, “With the additional stretch and challenge of the new A level, I believe that our A level programmes for young people, which also include an attestation of enrichment activities and an Extended Project, provide the breadth, depth and challenge of any baccalaureate or the new academic Diplomas – we are already doing it!”

Celebrating another year of outstanding results at the College, Mr Jarvis said, “We have a magnificent community of students who really understand the importance of studying to achieve well. Not only have we awarded the nation’s first A* grades, but also we have an astonishing five students who achieved six grade A passes in their A level examinations and 128 with four or more grade A passes.”

The six grade A stars are Maria Burova of Camberley who will study medicine at Cambridge, Alex Lau of Blackwater, who will study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford, Christine Leung of Frimley Green who sill read Economics and Management at Oxford, Dean Palmer of Fleet who is taking a Gap year working with the top London law firm of Mishcon Reya, and Reece Straker of Aldershot who will read Physics at Oxford.

Overall the College is delighted with the achievements of students with an over 99% success rate for the 4058 A level subject entries. As one of the largest colleges in the country, Farnborough is also one of the most successful and was recently judged by Ofsted to be outstanding in every category inspected.

Dr Guy expressed particular delighted over the results in the mathematics and in languages, both areas which cause concern nationally. He said, “I am pleased to report that the numbers taking these important subjects are increasing at Farnborough and success rate in 2009 has been outstanding.”

In the four principal languages offered at the College, French, German, Italian and Spanish, 39% of students achieved Grade A standard, the best results ever in the College. In mathematics, where numbers are again growing, 45% of the 372 entries achieved Grade A, whilst in further mathematics, where the College has one of the largest entries in the country, 39 of the 50 entries were awarded Grade A, an astonishing 78%.

College student helps to conserve the Leatherback Sea Turtle of Matura

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Bethan Ashley's Expedition to Trinidad

17 year old College student, Bethan Ashley of Yateley, has just returned from a trip of a lifetime helping to protect and conserve Leatherback Sea Turtles in Trinidad with Earthwatch Teen, an American organisation which links future leaders to work with conservation scientists. Bethan received a Travel Scholarship from Farnborough Sixth Form College, where she is studying for A levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and AS Psychology, to assist with the expenses.

Her adventure began with a delayed flight, missed connection and lost luggage. Bethan, very tired and slightly tearful, was told there were no other connections – until she bumped into the manager at the airport. Bethan said, “Suddenly, I found myself on the next flight, causing uproar with everyone else on standby - sometimes it doesn’t hurt to be classed as a minor!”

In Trinidad, she found she was the only person in her team from outside the US. Bethan said, “It was slightly intimidating at first, but it didn’t take me long to find my feet and the Americans and Trinidadians had a massive fascination with my English accent - especially with the way I said ‘turtle’, so I found myself in popular demand and bearing a new nickname “English”. Spoken with a Trinidadian accent, it sounds pretty cool!”

Among the many activities in which Bethan was involved was digging up hatched or unsuccessful nests and then recording how many of each type of egg or shell was present. “You have to dig a hole that is probably just a bit deeper than arms length, meaning you are sprawled out flat on your stomach leaning head first into a hole with sand all inside your gloves, shoes, trousers – and even your ears!”, explained Bethan.

She had to burst any unbroken yolked eggs. “Although this provides crucial information for understanding turtle hatching successes and failures, I still couldn’t help but feel slightly revolted by the very potent, sweet and sickly smell that got stronger, the deeper you dug,” said Bethan.

When it was completely dark and the stars were out, the turtles started to nest and hatchlings would appear. Dressed mostly in black, Bethan and the team would walk along the shoreline, monitoring the process, “I remember my first turtle; I couldn’t believe how big she was!”

“At first, they appear as massive, dark lumps in the distance. Their movement is slow and strenuous as they make their way out of the surf, onto the coarse sandy beach. Their front flippers seem more like wings, sprawling across the sand, moving as if to create a snow angel,” said Bethan.

Throughout the night, in between tagging and measuring, Bethan was able to sit and watch these giants of the ocean as they dug perfectly formed nests and then proceeded to cover and camouflage them. Each movement she observed was precise and their flippers are perfectly formed for this behaviour. The eggs were white and perfectly spherical, each turtle laying between 80 and 120 of these pearls. Bethan said, “A hatchling is about the size of your hand, but a nesting female is easily 2 or 3 times the size of me.”

When she wasn’t monitoring turtles, Bethan was able to explore Trinidad, visiting villages, swimming and jumping through waterfalls, and even climbing a near vertical coconut tree. “It was one of the challenges I set myself when I first saw the locals getting coconuts - and I did it, I actually got 3 coconuts! They were about as stunned as I was!”

Although Bethan is now back in Yateley after her two-week expedition, she is still in contact with the rest of the group in Trinidad. "They phone every few days, just to hear my accent!", joked Bethan.

Reflecting on her adventure, Bethan said, "I'm really grateful for the help I received in financing the trip to do something different in the summer - and to make a difference to an endangered species."

College Student participates in Exercise Transglobe

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Emma battles against the high seas of the Bay of Biscay

Exercise Transglobe is a major Tri-Service Adventurous Sail Training Exercise open to all UK service personnel, Regular and Reserve, from June 2009 to July 2010. The aim of the exercise is to develop the personal qualities essential to Regular and Reserve members of HM Forces through adventurous sail training in a Service environment. Click here for further details.

Emma writes:

We left home late afternoon on Sunday 5 July to head down to Fort Blockhouse down in Gosport, the Navy base at which we were based for the initial week of training. Training week included briefings, meeting the crew and learning how to sail! Having never sailed before, it was quite a lot to take in at once. I was on the RAF boat, which included people from all ranks and abilities within the RAF.

Sailing officially started on the 11 July. Friends and family came to see everyone off at the start point at Southsea Castle. Waving to them from the boat through the heavy rain was like waving at blobs on the shore- it was so misty and cloudy that day! The weather for the first 48 hours was pretty dreadful, with heavy rain and rough seas.

Once on the boat, we were split into 3 watches by colour, red, white and blue. I was in blue watch, which soon became nicknamed barf watch due to everyone in the watch, apart from myself, throwing up. The toughest moments were within the first 48 hours, sitting up on deck with as many layers on as possible with full waterproof oilskins (oilies), gloves and hat, and still feeling the cold! Although my watch were ill, we still managed to keep going through the four shift pattern. This involved a rolling 4 hours on, 4 hours off for 48 hours. Followed by a 24 hours of ‘mother watch’ in which time you cooked evening meal, had a ‘decent’ nights sleep, breakfast and lunch, plus cleaning and general boat maintenance. It could be considered rest time, but it was hard work if your rest time was woken up at 2am to change the headsail due to force 8 winds!

One of the hardest parts of the sailing was the renowned Bay of Biscay- through which the seas were rough and winds were very strong. This made some of the crew feel very ill. It took us ten days of sailing to get to Lanzarote. The Navy arrived half a day before us in true naval style, and the Army arrived half a day after us. We were more than happy just to get there, and coming second was a bonus! Once arriving in Lanzarote we celebrated in true forces style with a fry-up and a night out in the local town.

After cleaning and preparing the boat, we sailed around the island of Lanzarote, up to an island towards the north called Graciosa. The scenery and volcanoes that we saw were stunning! On our travels around the island we stayed at a couple of marinas- one even had a swimming pool and shopping centre with internet cafe! We spent a few nights anchored up in bays to cut down on mooring fees. Anchor watched involved sitting up for an hour and a half in the night and taking bearings every 15 minutes. This was very hard to stay awake for if you were given a time such as 2.30am-4am; hence we were in pairs.

Although it was sometimes a struggle to stay awake doing any of the night shifts; 8pm-12pm, 12am-4am, or 4am-8am; due to very minimal light pollution, the stars were truly amazing! Throughout the trip I saw over twenty shooting stars and many constellations. We even think we were able to see a planet, a space station and lots of satellites and aeroplanes! When we were sailing along, watching the stars with the motion of the ocean it was quite relaxing, and if we happened to be steering on the night shift, you could use the stars to navigate by. In the day time we could use the clouds, but of course the clouds are always moving so this was harder. However at night, it was tougher to see the wind direction indicator at the top of the mast and the flag movement. Hence we relied on the compass as well, which was just in front of the wheel.

We sailed back into Puerto Calero, the main marina we were using in Lanzarote for mast checks and repairs. On our single day off, we explored the local island and went scuba diving in the afternoon! We went straight out into the sea with the diving gear on – which was too heavy for me to lift! - and it was scary. Sitting on the bottom of the sea was hard breathing into the mouth piece. I didn’t scuba dive for very long, but I was glad to have had the opportunity to try it out. The final few days we were cleaning the boat and preparing it for the next crew.

On the last Friday in Lanzarote, the temperature was 46.5°C at 11am, in the shade! I dont know what it peaked at, but due to Saharan winds it felt like a constant hair dryer. My shift volunteered to clean the top deck, this was the best job we thought because we could use the hose. We hosed ourselves down as much as the boat and because it was so hot, the water coming out of the hose was warm so it was just like having a shower. Myself and one of the girls volunteered to get in the dinghy to clean the outside of the boat. Using bubbles and sponges this was a great laugh, until we had to use scourers around the water line. We were given a scouring pad each and told to scrub the boat. To us, this seemed crazy, although it did look much cleaner when it was all finished!

The aeroplane home was about 5 hours to Manchester, followed by a 6 hour coach journey back down to Gosport. After the swaying of the boat, a very tiny bed for a month, a toilet that require pumping at least 30 times and boat ‘showers’, it was amazing to come home and sleep in a comfy bed, use a ‘normal’ toilet and normal showers. The best part of the trip was the achievement of arriving in Lanzarote!

College Chamber Choir sings Acis and Galatea at St Paul's Covent Garden

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Standing ovation for College Chamber Choir

St Paul’s church, Covent Garden was the venue for the first of two stunning performances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea given by Farnborough Sixth Form College’s Chamber Choir this weekend. This splendid setting, which would have been known to Handel himself, formed a perfect backdrop to the power, beauty and musical assurance of these accomplished young musicians as they told the story of Acis’ doomed love for Galatea.

The choir was joined by three former students who each took principal roles. Helen Lewis (left 2006) sang the role of Galatea with such beauty that no one could fail to be moved by her grief at the end. Acis was sung by Nathan Cox (left 2003) whose light lyric tenor was perfectly suited to Handel’s high tessitura and the part of the monstrous ogre Polyphemus was brilliantly brought to life by the powerful baritone Matthew Stone (left 2006).

Complimenting these principals were current students Vicky Tay and Sarah Brown who shared the role of Damon, each bringing to the part a maturity of singing and understanding of style way beyond their years; first year student, William Malins sang the tenor solo in the opening chorus.

The following day saw the choir and soloists travel to Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, to give a second performance at Holy Trinity Church as part of their annual music festival. Here the choir’s singing was so luminous and impassioned and the soloists so accomplished that the audience would simply not let them go. The sustained applause and standing ovation lasted many minutes. On both occasions the choir were joined on period baroque instruments by the Emerald Ensemble with whom the College has been partnered on a number of previous occasions.

Speaking after the performance, Director of Music Paul Bambrough said, “I cannot express how proud I am of these remarkable students. It was a great privilege to conduct a group of people so committed to perfection and so able to achieve it. These performances would stand up against any other professional choir; to think the average age is only seventeen is simply astounding”.

However, the best tribute came from an unknown lady who had wandered into St Paul’s during the rehearsal in the afternoon. “I was so moved, so inspired and so uplifted by this music and by these young people that I had to sit and hear the whole rehearsal to the end. Their energy, enthusiasm and enjoyment made me forget all my problems for an hour. Thank you!”

Students take centre stage at national IT employers conference

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Students present their IT Diploma work to top executives

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College took centre stage at the UK’s major technology conference in London this week, Digital Talent. In a live on-stage interview with TV presenter, Alastair Stewart, they described their innovative work in the new IT advanced level diploma.

The conference was set up by e-skills UK, the sector skills council responsible for making sure that the UK has the IT skills it needs for a global digital economy. Government Minister for Communications, Technology & Broadcasting, Lord Carter, and more than 100 employers attended the event, including senior executives from IBM, British Airways, the BBC, Logica and Network Rail.

College student, Rebecca McCallam, said, “I was really nervous about speaking at so large an event with a Minister and so many significant employers!”

Interviewed by Alastair Stewart, she told the audience, “I chose the IT Diploma as part of my advanced level studies because it gave me practical and theoretical experiences of both business and IT, and it has encouraged me to work both as an individual but also as a member of a team. Our project based on introducing IT skills to our partner school in Ghana has been fascinating, really challenging our preconceptions about resources, facilities and expectations.”

The students were accompanied to the conference by their teachers, Matthew Thorne, Curriculum Manager for the IT Diploma, and his colleague Terri-lee Palmer. Mr Thorne said, “The College is pioneering a new approach to advanced level studies in the Diploma. We have introduced projects which integrate the various units so that real coherence can be built into learning, providing stretch and challenge for the students.”

Terri-lee Palmer added, “The Chief Executives of the companies present seemed very eager to find out more about the College and its approach to the Diploma and we have been promised sponsorship for our work with our partner school in Ghana.”

College student, Harry Scott, said, “I was really proud to have been asked to participate in the event and it was inspirational to meet a leader like Larry Hirst, Chief Executive of IBM – he has become my role model!”

Karen Price, Chief Executive of e-skills UK who master-minded the conference, said, “IT is one of the UK’s most innovative and successful industries and the students from Farnborough Sixth Form College demonstrated with energy and enthusiasm how they had been inspired and motivated by their studies; I am delighted they were able to contribute so significantly to this important event.”

Infoterra awards Physics prizes

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Local technology company, Infoterra, supports A level Physics at Farnborough Sixth Form College

The Sixth Form College, Farnborough, and local technology firm Infoterra have joined forces to celebrate the achievements of the College’s physics students. Infoterra offered twelve cash prizes to students for the best presentations based upon their own research, as well prizes for the biggest improvement over the past year.

Nick Veck, Director of Space Services at Infoterra, said, “We are very keen to support science education. The UK has been heavily reliant on the financial services sector in the past and given the trauma that sector is enduring currently it would be nice to think that technology companies could play a part in plugging the gap.”

Mikail Bezroukov, 18, of Camberley, won the award for the best physics presentation. He said, “I am hoping to study mathematics next year at Imperial College and so I am particularly interested in the theoretical aspects of physics – it was really good to have the opportunity to present my own research to scientists at Infoterra.”

Andrew Partridge, physics teacher and the event’s organiser said, “It’s wonderful that a local company like Infoterra has chosen to support physics education in this way, not only with their financial backing but also with their time.”

Julie Ward, Head of Physics at the College, said, “Our students are very motivated and we work very hard to ensure they enjoy a varied and interesting course but our association with Infoterra really brings home the flexibility and excellent employment prospects that a physics qualification can give you, in a very immediate way.”

The Sixth Form College, Farnborough is one of the most successful A-level providers in the country. Contrary to the national picture, Physics in the College is growing and consistently achieves results significantly above the national average.

Infoterra, a successful local technology firm, specialises in using satellite data to compile detailed maps of the country, a task for which a physics qualification is an important component.

Full list of award winners: Best coursework: Richard Matthews, Benjamin Sun, James Etherington; Overall improvement: Trafford Ali, Mitchell Palmer, George Easdown; Individual study: Brent Morris, Thom May; Materials Presentation: Philip Birkett; Practical Investigation: Mikhail Bezroukov.

Swine Flu

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Swine Flu – update

A small number of College students have now been confirmed as having the AH1N1 flu virus. Since the first case in College was diagnosed last week, the national response to the pandemic has changed. The government have moved the status of the outbreak from a ‘containment phase’ to a ‘treatment phase’. In essence, this means that:

GPs are now able to diagnose the virus on the basis of symptoms rather than waiting for laboratory testing;
All tracing of people who have been in contact with a sufferer will stop;
People who may have been exposed to the virus will not be given anti-viral drugs;
Anyone diagnosed with swine flu will continue to be offered anti-virals until further notice.

We continue to receive regular updates on the progress of the flu pandemic including advice from our local Health Authority. The advice from the health experts remains clear and is summarised below:

during this outbreak, the College should operate business as usual – unless directed to do otherwise, we will remain open;
if your son/daughter displays any flu-like symptoms (eg. high fever, headache, sore throat, tiredness, sneezing, chills and so on – see the recent leaflet distributed to all homes or contact www.nhs.uk or www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu for more detailed information) then s/he should be kept at home;
if they your son/daughter displays flu-like symptoms at College then we will contact you and ask you to make arrangements to collect your son/daughter. We are advised that returning home by public transport is to be avoided;
contact your GP;contact the College (01252-688200) initially to inform us of your son/daughter’s absence and again should a case of swine flu be diagnosed.

We will continue to update this information regularly as we receive more information about this rapidly moving picture.

Art Exhibition celebrates students' work

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Gerald Howarth opts for a wig-wam

Gerald Howarth, MP for Aldershot and Shadow Defence Minister, chose a new wig-wam designed by A level Textiles student, Anne Roberts, as his Best in Show when he opened the Art and Design Summer Exhibition at Farnborough Sixth Form College last week. The three-day exhibition featured outstanding displays of A level work by the College’s 800 art students, making it one of the largest and most successful A Level Art departments in the country. The range and professional quality of work was particularly noticeable, with exhibited work in Fine Art, Textiles, Photography, Graphic Communication, Sculpture, Vocational Art, and Critical and Contextual Studies in Art.

Speaking at the awards ceremony to open the exhibition, Mr Howarth said, “I am always struck by the high quality of work when I visit this College which is one of the finest in the country.”

Admitting that choosing a best in show was an almost impossible task, Mr Howarth opted for the wigwam which he said would be wonderful for his two young grandchildren.

College student, Anne Roberts, who designed the wig-wam, said, “I wanted to apply my textile design to a structure because I am thinking of studying architecture - but I was amazed and delighted when Mr Howarth chose my design as his best in show.”

Jo Satchell, 18, won an award for Graphic Design for her work in branding which featured a new summer range of drinks for Starbucks. She not only designed posters for an advertising campaign but also a series of cups and a take-away bag. Jo said, “I was really happy to get an award for Graphic Design but I was inspired by a great teacher, Rose Davies, to whom I owe so much.” Next year, Jo is going on to study art at London’s University of Arts, based in Wimbledon.

Kim Seymour, 18, won the award for outstanding student in Fine Art and is moving on next year to study Art at Oxford Brookes University. She explained the ideas behind her work which explored punk culture and the use of the readymade in art to Mr Howarth.

Dean Piacentini, Senior Curriculum manager for Art and Design said, “I am delighted at the quality and diversity of work in this year’s exhibition. It demonstrates that there is real talent emerging from our young people today who are to be credited on their imagination and professionalism. Much of the work would stand tall in final year Degree show displays.”

Other award winners were:

Sculpture: Charlotte Darvell, 18, of Farnborough; Graphic Design: James Woods of Fleet, Jo Satchell, 18, of Hook; Textiles: Alice Feltham, 18, of Fleet, Emily Pither, 18, of Basingstoke; Art History: Harry Coward, 17, of Wokingham; Photography: Charlotte Darvell, Gregory Deeprose, 18, of Hook; Fine Art: Kim Seymour, 18, of Finchampstead, Sam Dodsworth, 17, of Yateley; Applied Art: Anna-Marie Bywater, 17, of Fleet, Josh Harrison, 18, of Aldershot.

Chamber Choir to perform at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Book tickets now for Handel's Acis and Galatea

Leavers' Ball 2009 - a night to remember!

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Class of 2009 in spectacular send-off

Special guest appearances by College X-factor stars, second year student John Moody and first year student Becky Derry, launched the 2009 Leavers' Ball at Lakeside in Frimley Green on Friday evening. When Vice Squad, led by Vice Principal Simon Jarvis, with soloists Steve Rhodes and Terri-lee Palmer, began their exciting brand of music new and old, the thousand-strong ball-goers thronged onto on the dance-floor and partyed through to the early hours with fireworks, casinos, surf-board simulators and disco as alternative entertainments. This was a Leavers' Ball to remember!

Click here to order photographs from the Official Ball Photographer, NakPhotography

Click here for more photographs

Oscars Celebration at College

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Media and Film students receive awards

Click here for more photographs

Students from Farnborough Sixth Form College got a taste of Oscar-style glory when the Prospect Theatre played host to the Annual College Media and Film Awards this week to celebrate their achievements.

The ceremony provided an opportunity to showcase practical work by the 2009 A level and OCR National Award students. There were shortlisted nominations for a range of categories including documentary, drama, screenplay and animation – and in true Oscar style, the audience was treated to excerpts before the winner was announced.

Among the guests present was The Big Issue’s Assistant Editor, Helena Adrakakis, who presented the Best Print Production Award to Paul Ransom, 18, of Hook. She also presented a special award to first year student Craig Atkinson, 17, of Frimley, whose design of a Big Issue coverpage secured him a week’s work experience with the Graphic Design department at The Big Issue.

Ms Adrakakis said, “It’s really encouraging to step into a sixth form college where the students have completely taken on board the depth and breadth of the subject matter and social issues which we, as a magazine, cover. When the Big Issue Editor and I spent the morning here we returned on the train wondering if we’d still be in a job very soon! The work was outstanding”.

The award for Outstanding Achievement was given to Jess Stewart, 18, from Camberley, who is going on to Cambridge University to read English Literature. Jess was one of ten Film Studies students at the College who have been involved in the development of the new A* qualification alongside the awarding body, WJEC. The trial was conducted to ascertain how well students would deal with the more challenging A level questions.

With over 800 students, the Media department at the College is the largest centre for Media and Film A levels in the country and is recognised by The Good Schools Guide for achieving the Best Results at AS Level for boys at any English school.

Rob Temple, Head of Film and Media at the College said: “The evening provides a unique opportunity for our students to exhibit their work in front of a huge audience and I am always impressed by the creativity, imagination, production values and professionalism displayed; it is a fantastic way for them to mark the end of their time at College”.

College Principal Dr John Guy said, “Across the College we try to reflect the world of work in the projects and demands we make on students. The Media and Film Awards Ceremony is a wonderful, professional celebration of students’ achievements and I congratulate them and the excellent teaching team who make it possible.”

College receives planning permission for new ATP

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

College sporting facilities receive another boost

The permission to install a new state-of-the-art artificial turf pitch with floodlights gave a further boost to the sporting success of Farnborough Sixth Form College. Only two years after building the splendid Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre, it is hoped to complete the new astroturf within six months.

The College required lighting engineers to use the very latest floodlight technology to minimise light spillage beyond the boundary fence and also to reduce the height of the floodlights. Principal Dr John Guy said, "We knew of the concerns of residents at the installation of floodlights and we required the engineers to use lighting specifications far stricter than those required by planning law."

As a consequence, light spillage beyond the boundary fence is never more than the intensity of moonlight and the College hopes that neighbours will not be affected by the use of the ATP. In addition, the reduction in height of the floodlights was welcomed by residents at the two consultation meetings held by the College.

Although the facility is primarily for College use, the ATP will be available for community groups and teams to use outside normal college hours, but within conditions attached to the permission. It will be made available for use by Team GB, who will be based in Aldershot, during the preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

The College is committed to providing the best facilities in the country for sixth form education and the new ATP marks another significant step along the line of this continuing aim.

College Student wins Prime Minister's Global Fellowship

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Abhijit Chandgadkar selected for journey of a lifetime

When a letter from 10 Downing Street dropped through 18 year old Abhijit Chandgadkar’s letterbox in Weir Avenue, Farnborough, recently, he could scarcely believe the good news that it brought. Abhijit, a student at Farnborough Sixth Form College, has been selected as one of only 100 school and college leavers to receive a Prime Minister’s Global Fellowship to travel to China, India or Brazil.

The Prime Minister's Global Fellowship is aimed at enabling talented young people in England to develop an understanding of global issues. Abhijit has been chosen, after a gruelling interview process, to become part of a network of young people in England who will have a personal understanding of global citizenship and what it will take to contribute to and compete in our changing world.

Abhijit said, “When I received a letter signed by the Prime Minister himself, congratulating me on becoming one of the 100 Global Fellows of 2009, it felt like getting nominated for an Oscar!”

In July, Abhijit will be travelling with about 30 other 18 year old students to China where he will spend six weeks investigating issues of culture, language, education and global enterprise.

He said, “The trip is a chance of a lifetime and will certainly provide me with lessons in life, business and culture - I am really excited and I cannot wait to spend my summer in China.”

On his return, Abhijit will write a report on his experiences which he will present personally to Gordon Brown at a reception in 10 Downing Street in the Autumn.

Abhijit said, “It is a great opportunity for me to receive these useful skills at an early point in my career and I certainly don’t intend to waste them. I am really grateful to the College and especially Lesley Grovenor-Ellis, my tutor, and John Guy, the Principal, for their help and encouragement in urging me to apply.”

Dr Guy said, “We are all really proud of Abhijit’s achievement. As a College we aim to give young people the qualifications and skills to meet the demands of a changing world with confidence and assurance and Abhijit is surely one of the greatest ambassadors of this College.”

Student wins Cambridge University Mathematics Project Prize

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Student wins essay competition on Beauty in Mathematics

When 17 year old Surein Aziz of Blackwater was told of an international competition organised by Cambridge University to write about mathematics, little did he think he would win first prize! Surein who is taking A levels in Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Philosophy, as well as AS computing, at Farnborough Sixth Form College, was told about the competition by his mathematics teacher, Melody James, and he decided to try to explain the nature of Beauty in Mathematics.

Surein explained that sometimes he thinks of mathematics as a dense, never-ending jungle in which it is possible to hack away and never get anywhere. “But then you stop and see huge numbers of incredible, exotic plants and animals to marvel at – and every so often huge new swathes of jungle are found to explore, and that is really exciting,”, Surein said.

Surein based his essay on the elegant proof known as Euler’s Identity, in which complex mathematics suddenly reveals the most beautiful theorem.

Surein said, “Unlike art, where beauty is created by the artist, in mathematics the beauty is inherent and just waiting to be discovered.”

Melody James, his maths tutor at the College, said, “ Surein wrote his essay alone and I didn’t even know that he had entered it until he emailed me to say he had won!”

She added, “It is a fantastic achievement to write something which will appear alongside the work of some of the world’s most brilliant mathematicians – and I hope it will be the first of many articles on Mathematics which Surein will write in his career.

Surein hopes to go on to university to study mathematics and he would like to undertake research for a Ph.D. He said, “I was quite surprised to hear that I had won because I was writing about something that I find special in mathematics – I didn’t think it could possibly win a competition!”

Click here for a copy of Surein's article (pdf)

College students win Packaging Design Awards

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Students sweep board in National Competition

Six students from Farnborough Sixth Form College swept the board in a national competition run by The Institute of Packaging. Challenged to design and make a collecting box for a charity of the student’s own choice, Evan MacKrill, 18 of Hook, Matthew Bullock, 17 of Farnborough, Catherine Leung, 17 of Frimley Green, Desislava Staytcheva, 17 of Sandhurst, Vlad Cochintoui, 16 of Farnborough, and Joseph Barlow, 16 of Aldershot, won two gold, two silver and two highly commended awards respectively.

The Starpack Awards are presented annually to professional designers and also to undergraduate and sixth form students. Bob Dunn, Head of Design at Farnborough Sixth Form College, said, “I was delighted by the enthusiasm and commitment of the students who produced charity boxes which challenged the best of the professional designs.”

Matthew Bullock, who achieved one of the Gold Awards said, “The awards ceremony in London was brilliant and it was particularly good to speak to the professional designers who gave me a real insight into graphic art and its applications in industry.”

Matthew is hoping to study to be an architect on leaving the College and the design detail required for packaging reflects the needs of the career to which he aspires.

Catherine Leung also hopes to be an architect and has been given a travel scholarship by the College to undertake some work experience with an architect in Singapore in the summer.

Catherine said, “The College has given me a fantastic opportunity to put my ideas in to practice and I am really looking forward to the summer with Broadway Malyan in Singapore.”

After the awards ceremony held at the Institute’s prestigious headquarters in Carlton House Terrace, London, the students were taken to Buckingham Palace for a photoshoot.

College Leavers' Photograph 2009

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

The formal and informal versions of the 2009 College Leavers' Photograph are now available to purchase by logging in to CristalWeb and clicking on "Online Payments" and then "Course Payments".

Photographs will be available to purchase until Thursday 9 July 2009.

A preview of the formal photograph can be found here.

A preview of the informal photograph can be found here.

Prices:

Photo Type	Price
Photo Only (formal or informal)	£18.50
Photo with Presentation Box (formal or informal)	£22.50
Photo with mount (formal or informal)	£28.00
Photo with frame (formal or informal)	£54.00

Dance Diversity Success

Sun, 31 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Hip Hop and drop of Pas de Bourre

With a pinch of Hip, Hop and a drop of Pas de Bourre the College Dance Show ‘Diversity’ leapt into the Prospect Theatre on the 21st May with tremendous funk, poise and technique.

The show featured a collection of examination work from AS and A2 dance students and also work by the Dance Leadership Award students and the college Hip- Hop group (big respect!). All the pieces were choreographed by the students themselves, some based on intriguing and challenging stimuli such as ‘In someone else’s shoes’ and ‘Isaac Newton’s second law of motion’.

These pieces were all effortlessly brought together into a performance by Dance Tutors Sally Allsford, Emily Burke and Royal Academy of Dance PGCE trainee, Katie Bamforth, supported brilliantly by Stage Manager, Nicola Hayles. Theatre technician Martin Duffy created everything from moody lighting to a good old fashioned disco.

Bursting with talent throughout, the show was thoroughly enjoyed by the full theatre.

Leavers' Concert 2009

Sat, 23 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Wonderful evening of music

Click here for more photos

A packed Prospect Theatre enjoyed a wonderful evening of music from the talented students of Farnborough Sixth Form College on Friday evening.

The evening started with the College Big Band’s interpretation of Yankee Doodle, arranged by Rich de Rosa, and included a variety of pieces by Sixth Sense, ranging from Miles Davis’s Seven Steps to Heaven to Blue Rondo a la Turk by Dave Brubeck.

The New College Ensemble, NCE, provided a contrast of moods and music with Schumann’s Kinderszenen and Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances.

Finally, the Chamber Choir and College Choral Society sang a variety of pieces from Bernstein’s The Chichester Psalms through to Aaron Copland’s Minstrel Song.

College Director of Music, Paul Bambrough, paid tribute to the students for their commitment throughout the year, and particularly to the leavers in whose honour the concert was held.

Principal John Guy congratulated the students on their magnificent contribution to College life – the College would be a poorer place without the 2009 leavers.

Art Exhibition 2009

Thu, 21 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Art Exhibition 2009

The 2009 Art Exhibition will be held in the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre at the College.

The opening times are as follows:

Exhibition Formal Opening Ceremony and Private Viewing:

Friday 26 June, 7pm - 9pm

Public Viewing

Saturday 27 June, 9am - 3pm; Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 June, 9am - 4pm

College wins Good Egg Award

Thu, 21 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Commitment to cage-free eggs

The Sixth Form College Farnborough, in partnership with Caterers Chartwells, have been awarded The Good Egg Award at a prestigious event in the Terrace Pavilion at House of Commons last week. The award was presented by Penelope Keith, one of Britain’s best-loved actresses and patron of Compassion in World Farming, together with Rosie Boycott, London’s, Food Czar, and TV presenter Charlotte Uhlenbroek.

The Good Egg Awards were developed by Compassion in World Farming to celebrate the commitment of companies that are setting free millions of hens in advance of the European Union’s 2012 ban on the use of battery cages for laying hens.

“So far more than 25 million hens are living cage-free as a result of our award winners’ policies”, said Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive of Compassion in World Farming. “These awards make it clear that the food business is turning its back on battery cages and it is great to see Chartwells and The Sixth Form College Farnborough showing leadership on this issue and choosing cage-free eggs.”

The award was collected by the catering manager at the college, Alisdair McGourlay, who attended with his assistant Margaret Hack and Student president, Jack Nixon.

Mr McGourlay said, “At Chartwells we are keen not only to use cage free eggs but also, because of our role in education catering, to influence young people to develop a commitment to Compassion in World Farming.”

Student President, Jack Nixon, said, “As students at the College we are keen to encourage the use of cage-free eggs and also the use of locally sourced foods – we were surprised and delighted when we realized how much of the catering supplies to the College come from local producers.”

Previous winners include: McDonald’s, Sainsbury’s, Unilever (Hellmann’s), Starbucks, Pret A Manger, The Co-operative, M&S, Waitrose, the National Trust cafes and restaurants, JD Wetherspoon, House of Commons catering, Tate cafes and restaurants, Restaurant Associates, Subway and Cadbury Crème Egg.

I Love You You're Perfect Now Change

Wed, 20 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT

College musical drama enrichment group present musical hit

The off-Broadway musical ‘I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change’ burst into life at the Prospect Theatre on Tuesday 19^th May, performed with real energy, verve and dynamic from a highly committed and professional company of young actors.

The Performing Arts department’s Musical Theatre Enrichment Group, made up of AS and A2 students from across the college, under the expert tutelage of musical director Stephen Dutton, put their hand admirably to the Dipietro and Roberts musical first penned in 1996. Since this time the revue type show, exploring the modern day suburban mating game, has become a firm favourite with audiences establishing itself as long runner and clocking up 4,500 performances on Broadway alone.

The tight harmonies, overlaying libretto and comedic characterisations were challenges this young cast were more than able to meet in a wonderfully entertaining and slickly choreographed show. Songs such as ‘Single Man Drought’ and ‘I Will Be Loved Tonight’ struck a chord with the female members of the audience whilst ‘Why? Cause I’m a Guy’ and ‘On the Highway of Love’ redressed the balance for the men.

Lighting design by Matt Sheppard and Martin Duffy superbly supported the narrative with atmospheric shadows and spotlights whilst Stephen Dutton’s musical direction and Matt Sheppard’s direction superbly marshalled this young group.

One could not pick out any individual future stars because this piece was truly an ensemble offering, with everyone playing their unique part equally.

This was another resounding triumph from the Performing Arts department at the College.