September 2010 How to use this feature: Simply click through to the stories you would like to read using these arrows to the left and right Or click in the main body of the feature to enter full-screen mode
In this month’s news:
A Level Results Accountants Hit the Numbers e2e Pamper Day in Bury Park e2e Summer Course Awards Staff Awards First Central Beds College Wedding! HE Centre New Improved Refectory
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12
2
A Level Results Central Bedfordshire College is pleased to announce another successful year for its A Level students. Many of the A2 students are now progressing on to their chosen university around the country. Some subjects such as AS English Language, Psychology, Photography and Accountancy; and A2 Sociology, Psychology and Economics, achieved 100% pass rates, across both the full and part-time modes of study. This highlights the diversity of academic and vocational A levels offered by the College and how students are benefitting from the option to study on a full or part-time basis. Jade Stewart achieved two A* grades in A2 Sociology and English Language, as well as an A for AS English Literature. She is returning to the College in September to study and aims to attain 3 full A Levels and 2 AS Levels before applying to university next September. These results are a great achievement for Central Bedfordshire College and the students involved.
3
Accountants hit the numbers Central Bedfordshire College AAT and City and Guilds Book-Keeping courses have gained excellent success rates for this year. The AAT course achieved 100% success, with the Level 1 Book-Keeping achieving 92%, and Level 2 Book-Keeping achieving 76%. These results are a tremendous achievement for students and staff, and provide an excellent basis for the students to progress with their career or to further their studies at the College. The 12 week City and Guilds Book-Keeping courses generate an interest and provide an insight into accounts, and enable students to progress onto the AAT qualification. The AAT courses are 30 weeks and provide learners with the skills to complete their own accounts if they are self employed, to work within larger companies or to become self-employed. Lynda Campkin, Course Team Leader for Book-Keeping commented, “The success of these courses over the past year has been great. The students have worked really hard to achieve these results and now have the opportunity to transfer their skills into industry or to continue with their learning”. AAT Programme Manager Steve Taylor added, “These courses are ideal for those looking to develop their career over the coming years. They provide students with the necessary skills and qualifications to work within accountancy”.
4
e2e Pamper Day Success in Bury Park Chiltern Business Training’s e2e students held a Community Pamper Day to mark the end of their summer programme. The students were all studying vocational courses, including Hair & Beauty, throughout the summer to gain new skills and extra qualifications. The programme is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and allowed the students to have a real insight into new career paths. The annual community pamper day at the Bury Park Community Resource Centre in Luton was on Tuesday 31 August. The event, organised in association with Luton Borough Council, attracted over 100 people for free beauty treatments from manicures to hairstyles. The students were also collecting donations for the Pakistan Floods Appeal and raised over £100 during the four-hour event. Junaid Ahmed from Luton Borough Council commented on the success of the event, and also the opportunity for young people in the community to meet, “The event has given youngsters in the Luton, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard areas a chance to integrate, and remove boundaries to meet new friends from different backgrounds. This is the first event we have done with the College, but we are hoping to help organise more in the future to replicate this achievement.” Mev Ahmed, e2e Coordinator, added “The students have really relished in the opportunity to give something back to the community, as well as raise money for a good cause.”
5
e2e Summer Course Awards Central Bedfordshire College hosted a summer Entry to Employment (E2E) Programme with the hope of helping students to progress personally and academically. The main aim of the programme is to help students who are unsure of what they want to do with themselves, to make an educated decision on their futures. Over 400 learners joined the programme at the beginning of the summer and took part in courses ranging from construction to hair and beauty. Students on these courses got a real feel for what it would be like to work or continue studying in these areas, with some students opting to do more than one course so they could make an informed decision about what to do next. The E2E programme also provides learners with accredited qualifications and certificates in certain disciplines. Helping students who did not achieve in school to have something to show for themselves academically and a foundation from which they can progress. The programme celebrated the students’ success with two awards ceremonies, the first being held at the Lifelong Learning Centre in Luton on 1st September, and the second at the Central Bedfordshire College’s Houghton Regis campus. The students studying in Luton were taught skills from sewing to clothes making, with many wearing the garments they had made to the ceremony. Five students in particular, Uzma Aftab, Faiza Akhtar, Sumbal Hafeez, Nadia Malik and Aanchel Rathore were commended for their commitment and received medals for their efforts. The main awards took place on the 2nd September as the E2E programme was coming to an end. The ceremony was hosted by College Vice Principal Robert Shore and the E2E Co-Coordinator Mev Ahmed with course tutors on hand to show their support and recognition of the students’ achievements. All students that completed the course received certificates to commend their success and hard work over the summer, with outstanding students receiving special accolades. Students Luke Hall 16, and Thomas Holliman 16, said “The e2e course has helped a lot over the summer and given us the confidence to do a full time course in Football Development. It has also been a good way of meeting people that will be joining the College full time, and has kept us fit over the summer”. While on the course Luke and Thomas achieved a certificate in first aid, got to find out more about the course they were interested in and what it had to offer. Both students went on to enrol full time on the BTEC Football Development Programme. The E2E Summer programme was deemed a great success this year by all involved with many other students starting full time courses in September to continue their studies.
6
Staff Awards Congratulations to all staff who were awarded at the end of year Staff Conference in July 2010. Hero of the Year - Eamonn Egan Resources Team of the Year - IT Workshop Resources Contribution to Student Life Team of the Year Student Welfare Congratulations also to teaching staff who received their Commended and Highly Commended certificates.
7
First Central Beds College Wedding! Congratulations to Lindsey and Craig, who got married in May.
8
HE Centre As many of you will be aware the College has acquired Unit 1 Grove Park (opposite the Kingsway Campus) for a new HE in FE Centre. The Centre will house Creative Arts courses on the first floor, and IT courses (ex-Learning Shop, Computing and Apple) on the ground floor. Students will begin moving into the Centre in October, and we have set a date of Friday 26 November for the official opening launch. The name is due to be announced this week!
9
New Improved Refectory For staff who haven’t yet been to the refectory at the Dunstable Campus, here are some images of the improvement work that was undertaken during the summer.
10