E-Newsletter Spring 2017

College Staff Briefing April* 2017

*so yep, at least one story will need a pinch of salt!

Welcome Welcome to another issue of Staff Briefing, continuing to share and celebrate the many achievements of staff and students around all areas of the College.

As always there’s been a huge amount going on, even without Ofsted shaking things up a bit - from visiting Archbishops to the College’s most ambitious event in years, the winning of many awards and competitions, and a very special film commission. We hope you enjoy and take pride in reading all about them.

If you have a story, or anything planned, please contact Briefing directly by getting in touch with Gary Kester (Ed Honcho) in Room 2.42 or gkester@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk or via Darren Hankey (Head Honcho), dhankey@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk HCFE Snapshot | “My favourite Bible story? Why, water into wine of course!” Archbishop of York John Sentamu often had his audience howling with laughter - read more on page 3.

GOOD effort, everyone!

To say it’s been quite a term is a bit like saying Greggs sells the odd sausage roll - an understatement to say the least!

As we don’t (to our knowledge anyway) have any members of staff taking a gap year to live in a cave in Peru, we know you all know the Ofsted result - but it’s worth shouting about again, as we really did come just a sliver away from being an Outstanding college.

What many noted was how calm the atmosphere around the College was before and during the visit. Staff from all areas knew what they needed to do and had all the right pieces already in place, giving the place an air of confidence that proved to be wholly justified. Although he did so in person a few weeks back, Darren Hankey would just like to reiterate his thanks for the efforts people went to to ensure our mutual success.

Publication of the full inspection report will be imminent by the time this issue of Briefing is circulated, but the feedback we received from the inspectors initially has already been useful in that it highlighted what aspects of our operations do require some extra attention.

As Darren said in his post-inspection address, it is remarkable that in just three years the College has managed to grow from being a whisker away from “inadequate” to where we are today, and the biggest enemy we have now is complacency. Our turnaround was only possible due to the hard work and dedication of all staff, and we have to resist the temptation to do a “George W. Bush” and declare “mission accomplished” prematurely!

You all know the quote by now - the inspection was proof if needed that #hardworkpaysoff!

HCFE Snapshot is a part of the Monthly Staff Briefing that captures day-to-day life around the College on camera.

If you take an image you think we should feature, email it to the above with some details (but please make sure you have the permission of those in it), or if you want to arrange photography contact Gary Kester on extension 4020 or email gkester@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk. Please give as much notice as possible though, as schedules are often busy.

To save resources we create and distribute this document electronically. Please don’t print it out unless absolutely necessary.

For up-to-date information, you can also log into Blackboard and follow our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Happy Easter!

After all of the above, a break is very welcome and well-earned. So, for those taking Easter off, we hope you enjoy your holiday and, if the time has religious meaning for you, that you find it peaceful and joyous. For those who are working through the break, we hope you enjoy a relatively quiet couple of weeks compared to those we’ve been accustomed to recently!

@hartlepoolfe #BeTheNext

Simply the best (Yes, better than all the rest!)

The College’s Student Support team have had an amazing few months, winning first a local then a national award, and breezing through Matrix accreditation. What’s more, that national award was only for being the best Student Services team in the entire country!

First up were the PoSBOs (Positive Social Behaviour Order), hosted by Youth Focus: North East, a charity that works across the region to improve the lives of young people, are now in their seventh year and celebrate the hard work and outstanding achievements of North East youngsters.

A glittering ceremony was held at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead on Thursday 8th December, where the team behind the College’s GameCon 2016 walked away with the biggest prize of the night – Best Youth Project Award.

The GameCon event first started in 2015 and was created as an event that students would enjoy running. Students Thomas Black, Andrew Smales, Sam Henderson, Rory Williamson and Student Services team leader Mark Lee devised the idea when thinking about ways to engage with students and the wider public. Mark said “We wanted something that would appeal to people of all ages and be very unique. We are all gamers with lots of retro and modern gaming systems, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to run a gaming event.”

Changing Futures was picked as a charity the event would support due to their inspirational work with young people, particularly teenagers from the Hartlepool area. Mark continued “The team at Changing Futures were fantastic in 2015 and again in 2016. Jess Watson really helped us and promoted the event across the town. Our fundraising also made a big difference to their cause which was great to see.’

With sponsorship and food from Domino’s Pizza Hartlepool, over 100 visitors came in over three days to have a go at a huge range of modern and retro games. In addition the College’s impressive Aerospace flight simulator was set up and Teesside University Game Design tutors and students came along with some state-of-the-art virtual reality kit.

Student Ambassador Thomas added “Everyone really came together to support us. Changing Futures, Dominos, our own IT and facilities departments and our College marketing team. It was a very collaborative event. We are naturally ecstatic to win the PosBo Award for the Best Youth Event in the North East in 2016 as we were up against some amazing, inspiring events. Youth Focus North East stated we won due to the event being an innovate, creative idea that really captured the interest of people across Hartlepool. We’re already planning GameCon 2017 and this has given us the confidence to make it our biggest, best yet!”

Above: Some of the GameCon team after their triumph at the PoSBOs - triple XP all round!

Part of the Student Support Team with some of their recent haul of lovely, shiny things!

Not long afterwards Student Services was assessed for Matrix accreditation. The national Matrix standard is a framework for excellence in information advice and guidance (IAG). Support staff at the College were assessed by Matrix assessor Angela Peacock on IAG, careers advice, financial support and pastoral and welfare services, which offered high praise for the way the team operate.

The report highlighted the welcoming “family feel” of the College, drawing particular attention to the varied roles that exist to support its many learners.

From support in regional schools to creating work placement opportunities for those with special educational needs, the broad-ranging functions of the team were highly commended, as were new developments to be introduced shortly.

Notable enhancements have included a new office space in the College’s Student Services area, which Matrix stated “enables a more cohesive service”, the creation of College Welfare and Retention Mentors (WARMs) and a Welfare Officer role, all of which were praised for their work with learners and external agencies.

Above: The revamped layout and decor of Student Services was praised by the Matrix assessor.

And, in the grand tradition of saving the best for last, the team were voted the very best in the entire country by the National Association of Managers for Student Services (NAMSS) at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool on March 13th. Collecting the award were Service Team Leader Mark Lee and Admissions Officer Christian Williams.

Beating a field of potentially hundreds of similar teams, Darren Hankey said “Student Services is one of the most important aspects of the College, and it goes back decades. The original team, of which I’m delighted to say some are still working here, were real ground breakers. Many of the things they introduced are now commonplace at colleges and universities all over the UK. This huge achievement proves to me that the same mix of dedication to our learners and being able to be flexible and innovative as the world changes are alive and well at Hartlepool College.

You often hear people say casually things like ‘our team is the best’ – well, we actually have official proof that ours is!”

Above: The original Student Services team - we have been forbidden from including the date of this picture by one of the people in it!

The BIG Apprentice Open Evening really lived up to the hype!

Hartlepool College held it’s biggest ever Apprenticeship event on Thursday March 9th. Unveiling a new brand for the provision, backed by a coordinated marketing campaign that used real-world and digital media, over 700 people attended, along with a host of big-name employers.

As you will all know, Hartlepool College was recently officially proven as the second best provider of Apprenticeships in England by the AoC - but what you may not know so much is that the field was out of 209 general FE colleges!

With this in mind, it was decided to make our annual Open Event to tie in with National Apprenticeship Week our biggest and best to date. A new sub-brand was devised by the Marketing Team, S.E.E., which stands for Successful, Established and Endorsed - a reflection of our fifty-plus years of experience, our superb connections with employers across many sectors and also the fact that nearly all of them have stated they would recommend us to others.

With a new sub-brand logo and design style in place, a two-stage co-ordinated marketing campaign was launched using buses, billboards, press advertising, the internet and social media. The first push was to get employers to sign up for the event, which was highly effective. Old friends like Heerema, Babcock, Altec and EDF were joined by first time attendees like Pixel Boy and Infotech - over 40 employers in total.

The second push was for visitors, and that was equally successful. Record numbers of visitors came in - over 700! In fact the event had to start half an hour early because of a large number of “early bird” arrivals - and Ofted inspectors witnessed the whole thing, which can’t have hurt the “Outstanding” our Apprenticeship provision was awarded the next day!

Above: The increased number of employers exhibiting at the event required it to be extended onto the balcony overlooking the atrium, as well as the area usually occupied by Coffee Rapport and Conference 1.

Above: Well-planned and consistent information and materials helped make sure everybody who attended knew how to find what they were looking for.

Above: The HCFE Ambassadors once again did an outstanding job, offering information and co-ordinating groups for tours of the building.

Above: HCFE’s virtual welding kit was a popular attraction, giving people a chance to have a go. Many were surprised at the level of skill it needed.

Above: Business Development Manager Graham Plant was on hand throughout the event, offering expert advice to potential candidates and employers wanting clarification over some of the forthcoming changes.

Above: The first Apprentice Open Event a few years back was limited to just the Atrium. Nowadays Conference 1 is also an essential fixture.

Above: Newcomer Pixel Boy indicated they were genuinely surprised by the scale of the event, and the number of visitors who turned up.

You can view the full photo set at bit.ly/BIGapp You can view the Altec video at http://bit.ly/BIGappvid

Award winning students are building a bright future.

Hartlepool College of Further Education students are celebrating after winning a prestigious industry award for the third year running, as well as getting some invaluable experience of working on a major real-world project.

Students from the College’s School of Construction and Built Environment came out on top in the annual Chartered Institute of Building Student Challenge, after seeing off competition from four other North East colleges.

The five strong team of Jack Ainscough, Jack Anderson, Jack McAndrew, Katy Johnson and Louisa Phillips went up against competitors from Gateshead College, New College Durham, Sunderland College and Middlesbrough College.

Tony Bellamy, Vice Chair of CIOB North East and Senior Site Manager for Interserve, started the competition by setting the challenge at the start of the day. Tony described the brief as “an actual project that Interserve had carried out a few years ago. It involves the creation of a cancer rehabilitation unit at James Cook Hospital. With pressures on access, time and conditions it isn’t as easy as first seems so the students have to really challenge their thinking.”

On completion of the task, each group was then asked to present their proposal to a panel for approval. Hartlepool College came out on top with the group award, whilst students Anya Willis of Sunderland College, and Jack Ainscough of Hartlepool College won the female and male individual awards respectively. The group award signals three consecutive years of winning for Hartlepool.

construction industry that all clearly have. To win this award is a fantastic achievement, but to win it three years in a row is a true testament to the high quality-learning environment of all students and staff involved in this area.”

John Cartwright, Head of Construction and the Built Environment at Hartlepool College, said “This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the talents, team work and knowledge of the

The winners will now attend the annual CIOB North East Ball to formally pick up their team award. Former Northfield School pupil and current BGP Consulting apprentice, Jack Ainscough, who will pick up his individual award, said “The CIOB competition is a brilliant experience as it is real life projects that you have to complete in challenging circumstances.”

HCFE Snapshot | On a wing and a chair...

HCFE Snapshot | Students make themselves heard

HCFE Snapshot | AoC snaps up College photos

Aerospace Engineering have been enjoying some new acquisitions, including a computer-driven laser cutter for making parts. A test of its abilities can be seen in the Engineering display cabinet on floor 2, where a small model of the College in acrylic and wood has been placed. More dramatic though is a Microlite aircraft, which is probably the most open-to-the-elements way of powered flight imaginable, being little more than a seat and an engine strapped to a set of wings. The aircraft hasn’t been flown yet, with the Aerospace team possibly mindful of the old pilot’s adage - “never fly anything that still has paint on the rudder pedals”...

Darren Hankey held another “Voice of the Learner” session on 20th March, allowing students to have a say on all aspects of the College’s operations. Many took the chance to make constructive criticisms of aspects where the College could be doing better, while others offered fresh ideas and perspectives that will be looked into with a view to integrating them into the fabric of day-to-day life here. Although “Voice of the Learner” is a formal, planned event, Darren would like to reiterate that he always welcomes feedback and ideas from students, so if any of yours ever have any please feel free to pass them on.

Late last year the Association of Colleges asked for an image to use with an article they were producing that featured the College, and were so impressed they enquired as to whether we had any more like it. To this end HCFE photographer Gary Kester sorted out a selection of 150 photographs from across all curriculum areas for the AoC to use as a “stock bank” for general use, displaying various activities taking place with an emphasis on high motivation and skills. Tahmina Begum of the AoC said “Thanks so much to Gary for the photographs, they are amazing. We’re happy to give Hartlepool College full credit for any use we make of them.”

After team briefings and tool box talks from the South Tees NHS, each team set about solving the problem and proposing an effective way to carry out the project, all under the support of industry experts from Midas Cladding, Keepmoat, Wilmot Dixon and Felder Gruppe.

College rises above its station As many of you will be aware from recent stories on the local news, the Tyne and Wear Metro is to be extended in a major investment programme - and we can now reveal Hartlepool College is to be one of its new stops!

The current system loops from the centre of Newcastle to the coast (North Shields and Whitley Bay) and Airport, and crosses the Tyne to serve South Shields and Sunderland. The new extensions, planned for 2019, will take the Metro out to Washington and Durham to the west, and Middlesbrough to the south via Stockton and

Hartlepool. The College was selected as a station after the iron roof of the town’s existing railway station proved too low to accommodate the necessary overhead power cables and is Grade II* listed meaning it could not be removed. Engineers instead decided to break the track off from the main line as it passed the Marina, with it running under

the town centre as it does in Newcastle and Sunderland. It would then reemerge on the far side and rejoin the main line towards Seaton Carew. The line will also have brand new rolling stock, the Tillbush-class light tram, which can reach speeds of 90mph.

Darren Hankey said “The College was approached last April, and we’ve had to keep this project under wraps while costings and final details were discussed. But now it looks like it’s really happening, and it’ll be great to be a transport hub for people wanting to use Middleton Grange, or those who just enjoy being taken for a ride.*”

Above: An artist’s rendering of the entry/exitway into the underground Metro station to be built 11 metres below the College, and left, one of the new Tillbush-class trains, which will run every 20 minutes and reach speeds of 90mph.

Archbishop in College to talk Jesus... and Jedi?

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, visited Hartlepool College on Friday March 3rd for an event aimed at sixth form and FE students about the relevance of the life and teachings of Jesus in the modern world. “Talking Jesus” was spread across the entire Durham Diocese from 2nd to 5th March, with the Archbishop attending numerous events in

a very busy schedule. His Grace made a keynote speech about faith, followed by an opportunity for further informal discussion. The Archbishop was accompanied by his Chaplain, The Revd. Dr Daphne Green and Dan Finn, the Director of the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, as well as Reverend Nick Moore of Stranton Church who introduced the event.

Above: Archbishop of York John Sentamu with Rev. Nick Moore and Darren Hankey.

Above: Mark Lee composed and performed a special song for the event, “Talking ‘bout Jesus”.

Above: Following his speech the Archbishop took to the floor for questions, which often brought the house down with laughter.

Above: The Archbishop was a highly animated speaker, and spoke candidly and non-judgementally...

The Archbishop fielded all questions thoughtfully and often hilariously - when asked what he thought of people who believe Jedi should be a religion, he replied that in his cloak he often got mistook for Darth Vader, so “bring it on!”

Another student asked why all of Jesus’ apostles were men, to which His Grace replied “Twitter and Facebook are only new, but gossip isn’t. Imagine how people would have talked if an unmarried man had spent all his time hanging about with women!”

Despite a light tone (such as gleefully stating that his favourite Bible story is where Jesus turns water into wine), there was a serious side to the event.

The Archbishop said “Jesus came to bring the very life of God as a gift to all of us. His resurrection makes it possible for us to live the life he lived.

The heart of the Christian faith is about having an encounter with Jesus... an encounter which transforms and brings hope and love”. His final point was that he didn’t care what religion a person was, their true measure was whether they live with compassion and kindness. Amen to that!

Above: ...though he did make many salient points about the distractions of modern life that can undermine thoughtfulness and personal awareness.

*This is of course our April Fools story, and yes, we know it’s late - but in it’s defence, it is about a train so that’s quite fitting!

College student’s skills are literally life-changing in Tanzanian slums A proud former Hartlepool College student has returned home after helping to improve the lives of people in one of Africa’s most deprived areas.

Adrian Gray, who completed his Level 3 Carpentry apprenticeship at Hartlepool College of Further Education, used his skills to help build toilets and water sanitation in Tanzania – assets which will not only change the lives of the recipients but literally save them.

The 21-year-old set off on his three-month adventure of a lifetime in September, and returned to the north east last month with a wealth of experience.

Along with 95 other UK volunteers Adrian travelled to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania but very much a place of social division. While the city is an important centre of business, it also has the highest population

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of any in East Africa and, according to United Nations estimates, around seventy percent of the city’s population lives in slum conditions with no regular access to utilities.

Before Adrian embarked on his adventure he managed to raise £800 by gardening, doing household tasks for friends and various other activities.

Adrian took part in two projects, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Livelihoods. His team consisted of eight UK volunteers as well as eight Tanzanian volunteers. Children were taught about the importance of sanitation and hygiene as toilet blocks were built for a local dispensary.

He also sold his own carpentry and wood-turning gear so he could go out to improve the lives of people in Tanzania, and also help other young people to go on the same journey.

For the duration of his stay, Adrian lived with a local family, which included six children. He said: “It was very basic living and quite chaotic. I had to adapt to no electricity, getting water every day from a well in the garden as well as a bucket shower outside without a door or roof. The toilet was scoop, flushed with water from the well. This was an eye opening experience and it made me appreciate the things we take for granted.””

Adrian was able to take part in the project through International Citizen Service (ICS), which is a programme that enables 18-25 year olds to volunteer overseas.

Now that Adrian has returned, he hopes to take part in further action at home by raising awareness to help inspire other young people to get involved with the project and to challenge themselves to help others in desperate need.

College support helps Dinna towards her nursing ambition As regular readers of the Briefing will know, Graeme and Bev Fallowfield are heavily involved in the Meserani Project (meseraniproject. co.uk), a charitable organisation which helps to improve education resources and opportunities in Kenya and Tanzania. Staff and students around the College have been incredibly supportive of the initiative, and earlier this year we received a firm reminder of how much difference that support can make.

Now 13, Dinna Petro’s father died when she was five. The sixth of seven children, her mother supported her family by breaking rocks.

Thanks to the Meserani Project Dinna attended the Meserani Juu Primary School and ended final year in tenth place. Dinna enjoys playing Netball, and her favourite subjects are English, Mathematics and Science.

Her real ambition though is to one day be a nurse, and thanks to the sponsorship of the College’s Health and Care School in January she started her secondary education at Irkisongo boarding school. She sent the letter opposite to thank the students and staff who made this huge opportunity possible:

MONDULI 10TH Jan 2017 Dear Hartlepool College, I hope that you are fine all . Me I am too fine, also our family are too fine. We are seven in our family, 2 sisters, me and Dora, and 5 boys, Paul , Raphael , Dany, Loota and Thomas.

The aim of this letter is that I would like to thank all of you for support me in my studies. And my aim is to become nursing. Now I am 13 years old I am going to start secondary education at Irkisongo secondary school and my favourable subjects are Biology and Maths.

I haven’t more to say more than thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely Dinna Petro

100 Squadron film unearths a “Ton” of history One of the RAF Squadrons that Hartlepool College Aerospace students visit, No. 100 based at RAF Leeming (known as “the Ton”), reached its centenary in February. To help them celebrate major College partner Babcock, who maintain the Squadron’s Hawk jets, asked if we could produce a film of their long history - and what a history it turned out to be!

The College’s Creative Director, Gary Kester, was tasked with producing the film, and spent a number of days at RAF Leeming researching in the Squadron’s history room, gathering archive materials, and filming flightline and operational sorties of the Squadron’s current Hawk T1As. The final film also utilises material from sources like Pathe News and the Imperial War Museum, and footage shot in the air by current pilots.

The finished film is a fast-paced, visual telling of the Squadron’s varied and combat-laden history, set to specially selected dramatic music.

It was used as part of a centenary event in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall on March 18th at RAF Leeming, playing on a large screen throughout the day, and it also ran during a special evening celebration dinner which was attended by Darren Hankey as a guest of Babcock.

Gary said “The Squadron’s story is an amazing one, with real heroism and so much tragedy.

Through both World Wars and the Cold War, they really gave it their all, and still do today. I wanted to capture the drama and emotion of their experiences, and also reinforce the kind of people they are - the last fatalities of the Squadron, in 1999, were two Hawk crew who died when they refused to eject from their stricken plane to steer it away from the village of Shap.”

Above: Gary Kester with Squadron Leader Phil Stewart (immediately left) and some of the pilots of 100 Squadron and, inset, one of the squadron’s Hawks in its special 100th anniversary markings.

Wing Commander Andy Wright, officer commanding 100 Squadron, was especially impressed by Gary’s meticulous research, and noted “It is excellent. There were things in the film I wasn’t aware of about the Squadron. The end result made us very pleased and very proud.”

Babcock Chief Engineer at Leeming, Terry Tucker, added “The film is outstanding, and very emotional.” Gary delivered a BluRay master of the film on 30th March, so the pilots could all be pressed a copy, and was surprised when the Squadron turned out to thank him for his work. Squadron Leader Phil Stewart then presented Gary with a limited edition signed print (inset left), which will find a pride of place on display in the College.

HCFE staff with an interest in history and aviation can view the film on the private link below, but please be aware that some archive material is Crown Copyright and not for general use so please do not share or publish it publicly: bit.ly/100Sqn

Above: Models of a BAE Hawk T1A of No. 100 Squadron and Shorts Tucano of No. 72 Squadron can be seen in the Engineering display cabinet on floor 2, shown in special anniversary schemes. They were built and donated by Gary, and are the two types of aircraft HCFE students have close contact with through Babcock.

Above: A screengrab from the animated sequence that opens the film.

Above: One of the shots filmed at Leeming for the project, catching a BAE Hawk heading out for a sortie 100 is currently the RAF’s only “aggressor” squadron.

Above: Manfred von Richthofen, the infamous “Red Baron”, was nearly killed by 100 Squadron when they dropped a bomb close to where he was sleeping on their very first mission, 5th April 1917.

Above: 100 Squadron flew obsolete Vickers Vildebeest torpedo bombers against the Japanese in the Far East.

Almost the entire squadron was annihilated attacking enemy ships at Singapore, Malaya and Java.

Above: The squadron was reformed as part of Bomber Command in late 1942, losing 113 Lancasters and 594 men to enemy fire - and British weather! Four crashed in thick fog on what became known as “Black Thursday”.

Above: During the Cold War 100 squadron carried nuclear bombs and missiles in the mighty Handley Page Victor, though thankfully they were never called upon to use them beyond tests.

Silversea visit reminds students that success in the cruise industry isn’t always plain sailing At first thought working in the cruise industry, or even aboard a luxury ship might seem an ideal job. But, as students on the College’s Travel & Tourism programme found, it’s far from a relaxing vocation!

Welder Jessica makes sparks fly with top awards Former Hartlepool College of Further Education Fabrication and Welding student Jessica Hough has showed she has the right mettle to succeed in a traditionally maledominated career by winning not one but two prestigious awards. On Friday 27th January 2017 she was voted Welding Student of The Year by both The Welding Institute’s Northumbria Branch and GE Oil & Gas. Jessica started at Hartlepool College in September 2013 and secured an apprenticeship with Caterpillar in Peterlee, which she completed earlier this year.

Throughout her apprenticeship she demonstrated her diligence and dedication by consistently achieving high grades, with all members of teaching staff recognising and admiring her abilities and work ethic.

Also a HNC graduate, Jessica is now fully employed at Caterpillar’s Peterlee plant.

Above, Lecturer Sara Paterson with Julie Nunes of Silversea, with some of the Travel & Tourism students

Silversea Cruises delivers what it describes as “the ultimate all-inclusive travel experience”.

Recognised as an innovator in the luxury travel sector, Silversea runs ships that are smaller than the huge cruise ships of the main lines, but unlike those has a standard all-suite offer rather than differing levels of accommodation based on price factors.

Sailing to over 800 destinations, the most of any line in the world, the company encompasses all seven continents, and also includes three expedition ships that sail to some of the most remote places on Earth like Antarctica.

With an accent on space and privacy, the atmosphere is one of unhurried elegance and there are no extras - all aspects of the cruise are included in the fare, including à la carte dining in association with Relais & Châteaux.

The line offers what it describes as “unrivalled luxury, with the highest space to guest ratio of any fleet and each suite having an exceptional

Above: At the top end of luxury travel staff are expected to have immaculate appearance and total dedication to their customers at all times.

ocean-view with up to 95% with a private teak veranda”. As this implies, Silversea customers are often of the most exclusive nature and, as well as the ship itself, also demand the highest quality of service.

Julie Nunes of Silversea came into the College to talk to Travel & Tourism students about the reality of making sure such a high-end luxury cruise is as unforgettable as the sales brochures claim.

She discussed the vital qualities required in a person serving as crew aboard such a ship, the most obvious of which was a dedication to the needs and wants of the customer. This included a willingness to be flexible and to perform any task required, no matter how trivial it may seem.

As she pointed out, “a line lives or dies on its reputation, and if you fail to deliver the standard expected it will become known. It’s a market with a number of competitors, so the maintaining of the most exceptional levels of service and quality are essential to attract guests”.

Above: Silversea ships are generally much smaller than those of lines like Cunard, which aids their image of exclusivity and allows them to offer a broader range of destinations.

A popular and highly trusted member of staff, Jessica has also drawn much praise from her colleagues and mentors. Jim Richardson, Rear Chassis Fabrication Manager, said “Due to her positive ‘can do’ attitude she earned the respect of both her work colleagues and team leads. She really went the extra mile to make things happen”.

Rob Thornton, Dump Body Fabrication Manager, described Jessica as “one of the best apprentice welders we have had the pleasure to work with and train”, while Graham Anderson, Fabrication Group Manager, summed up her qualities by saying “Jess is an inspiration, a great example of diversity within the industry we work in. Her attitude, application and dedication are second to none.”

Jessica’s recent awards required all candidates to participate in a thorough selection process carried out by both The Welding Institute and GE Oil & Gas respectively. The judges found Jessica’s welding capability, technical knowledge, understanding and overall commitment to be truly outstanding.

Bong appetit! Ronnie makes this year’s charity Bake Off a bit different...

TV show talks up adult ed

For the third year running the College held its fundraising Bake Off for charity.

Probably won’t next year though, just out of the sheer terror of accidentally upsetting Noel Fielding and Sandy Toksvig...

BBC’s Sunday Politics TV show was back in the College on January 19th, filming interviews for a slot on adult education funding. As well as interviewing Darren Hankey, they captured the opinions and experiences of two mature students, Alan Clark (Access to Humanities) and Catherine Reed (Fabrication & Welding). Both were excellent interviewees and a credit to themselves and the College.

The piece aired as the local segment on BBC1’s Sunday Politics Show on 22nd January, and segments appeared on Look North News.

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The crowd in the background was helped to look suitably busy by Hospitality & Catering students having a cake stall, which also indicated that some New Year resolutions had already gone by the wayside!

Above: The intrepid hopefuls before the baking began. Obviously, some stood out more as master bakers than others.

Defending her crown - quite poorly as it happened - was last year’s champion Mandy Sisson. Up against her were Tina Preston, Cat Wright, Ronnie Bage, Tracey Jukes and Paula McKenzie, all ably assisted by a student helper.

The theme was to create a cake that depicted the area of the College the staff baker specialised in. The event, when combined with others, raised £231.50 - totally smashing the previous year’s total of £104!

Anyway, if you want to see (or relive if you were there) what happened on the day, as well as seeing all the cakes in their glory before the judges from Hospitality and Catering demolished them, you can watch a short film at bit.ly/hcfebake17 The competition ended in a draw, with Tracey Jukes and Ronnie Bage being crowned joint winners. Which, when you know what Ronnie put on his cake, is pretty funny really...

Above: BBC reporter Luke Walton (in pink tie) with Catherine Reed, Darren Hankey and Alan Clark.

Above: Tina Preston and second year L3 Health and Care Student Molly Johnson, with an amazing aeroplane cake acting as a metaphor for student choices.

Above: Metaphors weren’t something Ronnie Bage worried about, assisted by Maisie Cuthbert - his cake would have been very hard to misinterpret!

Above: Darren recording his segment in the Student Lounge area, which was still in use. Students were highly respectful and cooperative of the filming.

Above: The bakers hard at work against the clock!

Above: The moment the winners were announced.

In addition to the Bake-Off a cake sale organised by Student Services raised a further £139.

Above: Catherine Reed in her “work clothes”. She was a former NHS manager who took a massive risk to follow her passion for art and is gaining an excellent reputation for her work. She decided to study fabrication and welding to enable her to construct metal sculptures.

It’s not too late to donate! Go to https://secure.donate.comicrelief.com/

Student Golfers have the right drive to succeed Seven students have travelled to St Andrews to represent Hartlepool College at the AoC Sport Golf Open Championships in March 2017.

The competition is an annual event which is open to all colleges from England, Scotland and Wales, and takes place on the renowned Kittocks and Torrance Courses at the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews.

The Open is at the very top end of student challenges, with competing student athletes required to complete 36 holes over the two days the event runs.

This year Hartlepool College submitted its biggest ever team, with seven taking part. This was only possible thanks to the generous support of one of the College’s partners, Utility Alliance Ltd., which works from Queen’s Meadow Business Park and is a growing name in the field of energy efficiency and consultancy.

The tournament comprised of Team and Individual competitions, from both Gross and Net scores.

The College entry was made up of Nathan Wood, Kristopher Ball, Lloyd Thrift, Harry Linighan, Matthew Booth, Harry Booth and Matthew Neill.

Day one proved a tough start for Nathan Wood, who showed spirit and determination to recover for a fantastic 79 (+7) gross score - just three strokes behind the top ten individuals in the country.

Lloyd Thrift finished day one tied for second in the net competition after shooting a net score of 68 (-4), and Kristopher Ball shot a respectable net score of 74 (+3). However, this stunning first day would prove hard to repeat as nature reared itself to work against the team.

On day two conditions took a turn for the worse as 40mph winds swept across both courses, making the Kittocks in particular very difficult to play.

Both Nathan and Lloyd struggled to recreate the form they had displayed on day one because of the high winds, though Kristopher Ball fared much better with an incredible net score of 67 (-5). This took Kristopher’s overall score for the net competition to 141, which saw him finish tied for first place.

Dan Farman, Sports Maker at HCFE, said ‘It’s been another great experience at this fantastic competition! We’ve had a number of great individual moments, with Kristopher’s second round score

Young footballers fly the flag Two Hartlepool College of Further Education footballers had a dream come true when they represented their country as part of the English Schools Football Association squad. Connor Short and Shahban Mohammed both belong to the College’s Football Academy, an innovative and highly successful scheme that allows student athletes from all over the College to combine their normal studies with high quality sports coaching.

Gaining places on the English Schools squad involved a thorough selection process, but the teenagers both showed the dedication, skill and hard work needed and faced Australia at St, George’s Park, the home to the England Football Association, before facing the home nations in the three game Victory Shield.

Ian Clark, Head Coach at the academy said “Connor and Shahban are a dream to coach, very hard working, always listening and real team players. This is a fantastic achievement for any young footballer.”

Darren Hankey added “To succeed in sport takes focus, persistence and a willingness to keep trying no matter what, and these are all qualities that are also essential on our courses too. With this in mind it makes perfect sense to support students who have sporting as well as career ambitions in a way that combines both”.

being the highlight. The best part of the past two days for me though has been seeing all seven of the team represent the College with such distinction. I’m very proud of all of them!’

Clifford Jackson, SCGC professional and HCFE Golf Academy Coach, added ‘I’m so happy for Krissy.

He works so hard on the practice ground all week long and it was great to see all that practice come together for him during that second round. All of the team can be proud with how they have carried themselves during these two days of competition and I know that everyone at Hartlepool College and Seaton Carew Golf Club is very proud of them.”

College hits the road with revolutionary car hire scheme Co-wheels is a pay-as-you-go car club, with vehicles available to hire in convenient locations in Hartlepool and across the UK, and the College is currently looking at how we can utilise their services.

Co-wheels Hartlepool car club members can book any of their cars online or over the phone, and use a smartcard to access them.

At the end of the booking the car is returned and a debit card associated with the card will be charged. Co-wheels cover all insurance, cleaning, servicing and refuelling, making it quick and easy to access a vehicle when needed.

You can take a look at their website for more info, as well as a short promotional video: www.co-wheels.org.uk/hartlepool/ www.youtube.com/ watch?v=oUQy-tU9wuE

Lady Milena lines up Prague visit for helpful staff Over the past year Briefing has been bringing you updates on how three members of College staff have been helping Holocaust survivor Lady Milena Grenfell Baines to set up a memorial to the man who saved her life, and that of 668 other children in 1939 - Sir Nicholas Winton. Now the project is in its final stages.

Lady Milena devised an idea to have a sculpture erected on Prague Railway station, from where Sir Nicholas’ life-saving Kindertransport trains departed. To raise awareness and funding Lady Milena had merely been using a pencil sketch of the concept, as a maquette (a scale model) had been quoted at £4,000 by a company she had approached.

Having worked with Milena on a film he made in late 2015 and created multimedia materials for use on her worldwide lectures, Gary suggested she approach College Engineering lecturer Mark Elliott, who also quickly volunteered his time. Starting with the sketch and doing some research on period European railway carriages, Mark brilliantly modelled the sculpture using Autodesk Inventor and arranged for it to be 3D printed using the facilities at Teesside University.

Milena was delighted with the final result and it has been used all around Europe and on national television to raise awareness of the project. She also presented it to fellow survivors at a special gathering in London to honour the memory of Sir Nicholas, who passed away in 2015 aged 106.

To promote the sculpture and raise funds, Brian Barnes created a multilingual website, and earlier this year the funding target was reached!

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RESPECT FOR EVERYONE.

Above, L-R: Gary Kester, Mark Elliott and Brian Barnes with one of the maquettes produced by Mark.

Helping to further refine the design by working with specialists in Czechoslovakia via email, Mark created an additional maquette, this time using CNC and laser cutting techniques to shape and etch metal, wood, acrylic and stone for the final revisions to the design, which Milena presented to Prince Charles on February 9th at a special event for projects of which he is patron. Impressed, His Royal Highness asked for a personal copy, which

Mark produced and delivered to Milena in person on March 24th. The Sculpture is set to be unveiled in Prague at the end of May, and Milena is very kindly covering expenses for the HCFE volunteers to be present, though unfortunately, as it clashes with his little girl’s birthday, Gary is unable to go.

However, we’ll be bringing you a special report next issue on how Mark and Brian get on.

RESPECT Inspirations

Prevent & Safeguarding

Now available on the College’s website is a guide to the work of the College’s RESPECT team which also features an extensive list of annual activities and special days throughout the year, which, as the name suggests, we hope will inspire you all for tutorials. To further inspire you there is a gallery of previous activities and a feature on the Big Picture, one of RESPECT’s main resources.

A reminder that the College has produced a brochure aimed at making sure employers who receive our students on work experience placements or apprenticeships are aware of our commitment to Safeguarding, and what measures are in place. The brochure also features information on Prevent, and this information is also available as a separate flyer if needed.

There are four main suggestions for each month of the academic year, plus additional dates highlighted at the end of the document.

The brochures can be accessed online in PDF format at:

The guide also contains links to a variety of College-produced short films, made for a variety of events such as Remembrance Day, Holocaust Memorial Day and Workers’ Memorial Day.

The document is here http://bit.ly/ResInsp

PREVENT http://www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/ prevent-flyer.pdf

@hartlepoolfe #HCFER espect

@hartlepoolfe #HCFERespect

Hartlepool College Hartlepool College

of Further Education

of Further Education

RESPECT RESPECT “INSPIRATIONS”

Safeguarding for Employers http://www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/ Safeguarding_employers.pdf

“INSPIRATIONS”

IDEAS FOR THE SHARI NG OF EQUALITY, DIVER SITY & SOCIAL RESPO NSIBILITY

IDEAS FOR THE SHARING OF EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

HISTORY CURRENT AFFAIRS SOCIETY CULTURE HUMANITY MORALITY RIGHTS BELIEFS

Hair and Beauty talent goes head to head Hartlepool College once again hosted the annual Inter-college Skills Competition for Hair, Beauty and Media Make-Up and, despite being one of eight competing colleges, this year it was very much a two-horse race!

Front Row, L-R: Hair winner Sarah O Donovan (Hartlepool College with model Holly Foley); Media Make-Up winner Katie Pounder (Hartlepool College with model Jasmin Cairns); and Beauty winner - Vintage Hollywood Make-Up Leila Pryszlak (Middlesbrough College, model name unknown). Back Row, L-R, judges Anna Campbell of Anna Campbell’s Hair Salon Hartlepool (Hair judge); Sherilyn Oliphant from Stand Out Make-Up (Media Make-Up judge); and Louise Godsill from Ellisons Wholesale/Training Academy (Beauty judge).

On March 27th students from across the region competed in a number of inter-college competitions to test their skills in the fields of Hair, Beauty and Media Make-Up. The annual skills competition took place at Hartlepool College of Further Education. Facing the hosting Hartlepool team were competitors from East Durham College, Stockton Riverside College, Middlesbrough College, New College Durham, Gateshead College, Darlington College and Bishop Auckland College, all contesting the three categories.

Starters & Leavers As always, our warmest welcome to those joining the HCFE team, and for those leaving us our best wishes for your future careers or retirement.

In the Hairdressing section students were given the freedom to create any overall look on the competition floor, with no stipulation as to hair being up, down or a combination of both. Abbey Johnson of East Durham came in second place behind winner Sarah O’Donovan of Hartlepool College. Independent judge Anna Campbell, of Anna Campbell Hairdressing, said “This was a fantastic competition and it’s great, from an industry perspective, to see so many students showcasing their skills. I have been overwhelmed by the high standard of entries.”

The Beauty section was dominated by Middlesbrough College, who took both first and second place with students Leila Pryszlak and Zoe Lane picking up the awards respectively.

Judge Louise Godsill from Ellisons Wholesale/ Training Academy was impressed by their high standards in creating a Vintage Hollywood facial Make-Up look.

Katie Pounder from Hartlepool College took the top prize in the Media Make-Up section, with Kadie Johnson from Middlesbrough coming in second. Independent judge Sherilyn Oliphant from Stand Out Make-Up assessed their skills in answering the brief ‘Changing Faces’ Glamour on the Red Carpet.

Event host and Hartlepool College Hairdressing Lecturer Mandy Sisson said, “It’s great to see this event grow in terms of colleges taking part and the number of students competing. A huge thanks to our employer links that gave up their time to support the event and to give such worthwhile feedback.”

More photos of the event and the students’ entries can be found here: bit.ly/2n9lXMO

Starters Katie Bennett - Receptionist - Casual, Learner Services Kevin Calvert - Part Time Lecturer - Brickwork Lia Sze Chan - Receptionist, Casual Jason Emmerson - Internal Verifier Alicia Iman - Catering Assistant, Casual Bethany Muldown - Financial Administrator Brennan Murphy - Catering Assistant/Cook Graeme Southward - Instructor/Assessor Carpentry and Joinery Stephen Vaughan - Skills Academy Technician Leavers Laurence Brown - Bar/Waiting Staff - Flagship Restaurant, Casual Simon White - Lecturer - Carp & Joinery Abbi Veitch - Apprentice - Reception

Above: College and visiting staff with the winners and runners up, their models and the guest judges.

on RESPECT

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This regular section of the staff Briefing aims to provide a platform for staff to share resources, tips and good practice which will complement the face-to-face CPD offer, as well as important information which may have an influence on learning. The ideas forwarded won’t necessarily suit all lessons, but, as mentioned above, the aim is to provide a platform for professional development and an enhanced learning, social and progression experience for our students. Feel free to send your good practice tips, suggestions and ideas to the Briefing team.

Rules and common sense keep the pressure on!

Art imitates life (on the breadline)

Badges - not an option!

Fire alarm = smoke break?

After the recent tragic events of London, Prevent is once again in the spotlight and reminds us that the College has to remain vigilant to any persons who are showing signs of radicalisation or extremism.

The ID badges that must be worn by all members of staff, visitors and students above the ground floor are an effective security tool as they show at a glance that a person is authorised to be on the premises. There has been a recent concerted effort to ensure that all students comply with this rule, but there is still room for improvement.

As you’re probably aware from a/ Darren’s emails and b/ having to stand outside in the cold for 15 minutes three times, there have been three false fire alarms in the past month, and all have been linked to students using electronic cigarettes or similar devices in toilets. A more hard-line approach was taken via new posters (below), and the lack of further incidents to date hopefully indicates that students have got the message.

Following on from last issue’s report on poor diet and/or malnutrition affecting learning ability, and the rise of food bank (from 40,000 a year in 2010 to well over 1,000,000 now), the College hosted a special showing of Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winning film I, Daniel Blake in early March.

The screening was sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as part of the Hartlepool Action Lab, which aims to bring people together to tackle poverty in Hartlepool.

However, these highlighted another issue, in that many students appear to treat evacuations as a smoke break. Many light up or begin vaping amongst the crowd, showing a gross disrespect for those who don’t smoke, and a disregard for any persons who may have medical conditions. If anyone in your group begins to do so, stop them (the same rules apply to vaping as smoking, if a student argues that e-cigarettes don’t count!)

The film highlights the spiralling series of obstacles faced by people who need to resort to state aid. Daniel, played by Dave Johns, is a joiner who has suffered a massive heart attack.

Despite all medical evidence from the NHS, a Department of Works and Pensions assessor with no clinical experience passes him fit for work on questionnaire criteria not relevant to his condition.

There are of course some areas where students are allowed to remove badges for safety or practical reasons, which are pre-approved.

However, in most instances students are expected to be wearing them - and visibly - at all times.

Unfortunately, some “walking checks” have revealed a number of students not doing so, and lecturers not enforcing the rule. Please remember, and remind your students, that the badges are for all our protection, as somewhere like the College is not beyond being a target - the Prevent poster below highlighted the case of Liam Lyburd, who planned an attack on Newcastle College.

In the end this poster remained unused as it was felt it may give the impression we are not a secure or safe environment. Of course we are, but only if we implement all of our security procedures diligently - badges being one of them!

In addition, ALL persons need to move away from the building, as far back as possible, and you need to make sure this happens. Some tutors were witnessed allowing their groups to stay very close to the building, but this presents a severe risk, especially from glazed areas. If a fire is real, there are many things within the College that present an explosion risk, and in that event debris and broken glass will easily reach people in close proximity. Please move everyone as far back as possible, as far as the dual carriageway wall. The next evacuation will be monitored closely.

Hartlepool College of Further Education

That crafty vape in the toilets WILL cost you more than you think...

£250

100%

100%

...is how much the College is charged by the Fire Brigade for every false alarm they have to come out to.

...of people who have set off fire alarms by vaping in the building have been identified by crossreferencing CCTV recordings and fire sensor logs.

...of those people have been disciplined, had their parents/ families informed AND have had to pay the £250 charge.

The use of Electronic Cigarettes is not allowed in the College building. People who try it ARE ALWAYS caught.

Daniel finds himself navigating a system designed to deter and intimidate claimants - for example he is expected to do all his job-seeking online, but has no computer experience. He is told there is a telephone helpline for such people, but he cannot be given the number - he must find it himself “by going online”.

Daniel meets a single mother (Hayley Squires) who has been sanctioned and lost all her benefits for several weeks for being a few minutes late for an appointment. In arguably the most distressing scene of the film, which was filmed across the north east and often used real people instead of actors, hunger compels her to desperately tear into a tin of cold beans at a food bank.

As was discussed last issue, a poor diet can have massive and detrimental impact on the ability of a person to concentrate and learn, as well as their physical health. Pride leads to a lot of people who need help not seeking it, or concealing or glossing over any symptoms. If you suspect a student isn’t eating properly, please contact Ronnie Bage who can advise you in confidence and, if needed, discretely assist any students who are in this situation in a non-judgemental, non-stigmatic way. You can call Ronnie on 4135 or mobile 07931 360836.

PS - Some Conservatives have dismissed I, Daniel Blake as a “work of fantasy”, and there are indeed parts that aren’t accurate. For example at one point Daniel is given water from a cooler when he takes ill at the Job Centre. In fact water coolers were removed from all Job Centres years ago as part of austerity “efficiencies”...