Issue No. 4 – Summer 2015
STOCKTON RIVERSIDE COLLEGE
NEWS SHOUT
ON LOCATION
MASTERCLASS
LONDON VISIT
FLYING SUCCESS
CELEBRITY TREATMENT
JOB SUCCESS MECHANICAL MONSTER !
A BRIGHT FUTURE
CUP WIN DRIVING MATHS
#NEWSSHOUTSRC
WELCOME WELCOME to our summer edition of News Shout, the magazine keeping you up to date with all the latest news and events here at Stockton Riverside College and SRC Bede Sixth Form. There’s been lots going on across the College, so we have chosen a selection of news and success stories to share. Whether you are already studying with us, or are planning to join us this September, we hope you have a fantastic summer. Don’t forget, you can catch up with all of our news stories at www.stockton.ac.uk and follow us on Facebook Stockton Riverside College and Twitter @srcinfo. ENJOY!
STUDENTS’ MUSICAL MASTERCLASS THERE was no need for a ‘Spoon Full of Sugar’ to encourage these Stockton Riverside College Musical Theatre students to ‘Step in Time’. The budding stars of stage and screen were given a unique lesson in putting on a ‘Practically Perfect’ performance by the children’s director of the upcoming Mary Poppins UK tour. Mark Hedges, who is currently working in the same role on the UK tour of The Bodyguard, took some time out from his hectic schedule to help with rehearsals for the Stockton students’ summer show, A Medley of Musicals. Impressed by the standard of the students’ stage work, he said: “The upcoming talent in the North-east is unbelievable.” Having been a performer himself with 15 years of experience, Mark has worked on some of the top stage shows including Les Miserables,
Starlight Express and Grease the Musical, before moving on to the role of children’s director, currently working with theatrical producer, Cameron Mackintosh. Offering a two-day masterclass to Level 3 Performing Arts Musical Theatre students at Stockton Riverside College, he said: “I didn’t have to treat the students any differently to how I would treat a team of professionals, offering them an experience of what it is really like to work in the industry.” Of the workshop, student Will Hargreaves, 18, of Stockton, said: “It is always great to get the opportunity to work with people who are working in the industry.” Kieran Tyreman, 17, of Hartlepool, added: “Working with Mark has been great, I’ve loved it; it all feels very professional.”
NEW SALON GETS CELEBRITY TREATMENT
TOWIE star Chloe Sims paid a whistlestop visit to Teesside to mark the launch of a new salon in Thornaby. Cutting the ribbon on Lux Hair & Beauty on Trenchard Avenue, the reality star was met by staff and visitors. The salon is the new business venture of former Stockton Riverside College Hair and Beauty student, Charlotte Scott. Of the new salon, Chloe, who is a keen entrepreneur with her own salon in Brentwood, but is best known for her role in The Only Way Is Essex, said: “This is really beautiful. Having a salon myself it is always nice to go and see what others are doing.” Pictures by Terry Blackburn
Impressed by the luxury bespoke décor of the new salon she said: “Looking at this place and the turn out today, I think it will do really well.” Delighted to welcome Chloe to Thornaby, Lux Hair & Beauty owner Charlotte said: “It seemed fitting to have Chloe cut the ribbon for our opening, especially since she is in the beauty industry herself.” Situated on the site of the old Spitfire pub, the new salon marks the culmination of years of hard work for Charlotte. She spent six years at Stockton Riverside College developing her trade, studying Hairdressing followed by Beauty Therapy and Nail Services, before moving on to work in the beauty industry.
KATIE’S JOURNEY TO JOB SUCCESS
STUDENTS WELC WORLD FAMOUS R
A WORLD of opportunities has opened up to Stockton Riverside College student Katie Logan. Having completed the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Travel and Tourism the 18-year-old has been snapped up by leisure travel and tourism group, TUI. Working as a travel advisor, Katie is starting her career working from the UK, but as an employee of the multinational firm, she said it could lead to opportunities to work all over the world. “It’s great to be able to get the experience of working as a travel advisor close to home, before going on to work abroad,” she said. Covering all aspects of the travel and tourism industry, from tour operations to retail, marketing to business and events, Katie said the course at Stockton Riverside College can lead to a wide variety of future careers. Delighted to have fulfilled her own ambition of becoming a travel advisor, she said: “I am always recommending the College to other people and regularly volunteered to help out at open evenings to speak to potential students. “The tutors are great and they have really helped and supported me. It is good to know that I am leaving college with a job to go to.”
STUDENTS welcomed an unusual guest to Stockton Riverside College as TITAN the robot paid a visit. The eight-foot robot, which has made appearances all over the world and has featured on TV shows including Big Brother and The Gadget Show, entertained students and staff with its own blend of comedy, street theatre and music. The unique visit was organised by Arriva North East as
COME OBOT
part of the firm’s drive to launch its new line of state-of-the-art MAX buses.” Stockton Riverside College’s Student Services Manager, Julie Wilson, said: “We enjoyed welcoming TITAN the robot and the Arriva North East team to the College. “With free bus travel now available for our students, travelling to and from college, it seemed apt to offer the chance to have a look at the latest in bus technology.”
RICHARD’S ROUTE TO THE SKY THERE’S no such thing as a “typical 9 to 5” for student, Richard Easter. A regular working day can often see the 21-year-old jet setting across Europe. A member of cabin crew with British Airways (BA), the former Stockton Riverside College student is first to admit it is hard work. But Richard couldn’t be happier, after all his head is in the clouds having landed his dream job. “I still love flying every day, it’s wonderful,” he said. “Working in cabin crew was my ambition when I took the decision to study Aviation at Stockton Riverside College.” It wasn’t until he started on the course that he discovered there was so much more to the industry. His own career started working as ground coordinator with Lufthansa and Swiss, before moving across to the same role with BA. He said: “I was happy on the ground and gained experience of what operations are like before flying.” Still keen to pursue a career in the sky it took Richard three attempts to land his current position. “You have got to be determined and work hard for it,” he said. Looking back at his time at Stockton Riverside College, he believes the teaching and support he received gave him that extra push. “I loved every minute of it, the tutors are so supportive and they gave me the guidance I needed to ultimately help me get the job I wanted.”
LONDON VISIT PROVES TOP CLASS IT is amazing what you can squeeze in to four days. Just ask this bunch of SRC Bede Sixth Form students. The English Language, English Literature, Theatre Studies and Art students paid a visit to London to see some of the cultural highlights of the capital. “The aim of the trip was to help develop the students’ cultural awareness by visiting galleries and historical landmarks,” said Teacher of English Language and Classics, Hannah Petheram. During the annual excursion a wide range of educational theatre, art gallery and museum visits, brought lessons learnt in the classroom to life. In the whistle-stop tour of the capital students visited venues including the Tate Modern, The Globe Theatre, Madame Tussauds, The British Museum and London Zoo, to name but a few. And of course the group made time for a spot of souvenir shopping. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves,” said Hannah. “And we certainly managed to fit a lot in.”
DRIVING UP MATHS SKILLS WHEN it comes to supporting her students, maths teacher Julie Barker has proven her dedication knows no bounds. Keen to offer her students a revision session to remember, the SRC Bede Sixth Form teacher transformed her own car. Labelling it the “Maths Mobile”, Julie covered her black Ford KA in mathematical equations, before inviting students to come and do the maths. “This is the first time I have put equations on my car,” said Julie, who regularly daubs numerical conundrums on windows around the College, using special pens that easily wipe clean. “I started years ago, just as a way of making students think, and it also looks quite effective,” she said. Sums on the windows of the College’s Learning Resource Centre, regularly get students, staff and even visitors, testing their knowledge. With exam time approaching Julie decided to take the idea one step further and started writing on her car. “It was something a bit different,” said Julie, who cleaned the car before going back on the roads. Hopefully, when it came to the exam room, it proved a lesson well learnt.
PENALTY WIN SECURES CUP FOR TOURING TEAM STOCKTON Riverside College added another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet as the Football team returned from France with the top prize of the A.S Audruicq international tournament. The victory followed a penalty shootout win in the final against French opponents and comes hot on the heels of last year’s table topping performance in the ECFA North East category.
An impressive run of form saw the team claim the title without conceding a goal and with six consecutive wins against high-quality opponents. The annual tournament based in Audruicq, near Calais in North-East France, saw 20 teams from across Europe compete for the title. The Stockton Riverside College team held their nerve in the final, coming out on top against Calais Racing Union
Football Club on penalties following a 0-0 draw in normal time. The final followed a bruising encounter against fellow English opponents, Faversham Strike Force, in the Semi-Final. Karl Johnson, Programme Area Leader for Sport & Public Services, coached the team to their victory. He said: “It was brilliant to see our team win the tournament after all their hard work this season.” Stockton Riverside College student, Luke Fisher, added: “Absolutely so proud to be part of the team, an incredible bunch of lads who deserved to win the tournament.” Level three sports student, Ross Nicholson, summed up the victory. He said: “I have never really felt anything like it when that final penalty went over. It is something I’ll never forget. It was an amazing experience and something that will be with me forever.” The College has recruited former Hull, Middlesbrough and Newcastle midfielder, Billy Askew to coach the football development centre as part of a series of specialist sports programmes launching this September. Keep up to date with the latest news from our teams by following our Sports and Public Services team on Twitter @SRCSports.
Picture by Ian Derry, courtesy of BAFTA.
FAYE’S DESIGN FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE THE future is looking bright for Art and Design student Faye Hadfield, who has her pick of university offers after impressing with her creative skills. The 18-year-old from Yarm said: “It is a nice position to be in.” Though she admits it has proven a difficult choice. With conditional offers at the University of Sunderland, Nottingham Trent, the University of the Creative Arts in Farnham, the University of the West of England and Bath Spa University, Faye opted for the latter. Off to study Contemporary Arts Practice, she said: “I can’t wait to get started now, I feel ready to move up to that level.” The former Conyers School pupil believes studying BTEC Level 3 Art and Design at Stockton Riverside College has given her the grounding she needs to progress. An incredible 100% of Level 3 Art and Design students at the College, who decide to continue their studies, go on to first choice universities. Hoping to eventually go on to work in art therapy Faye said: “I have loved the course here because you get to work with so many different mediums and that is what I enjoy.” Faye’s work will be displayed at Stockton Riverside College’s End of Year Art and Fashion Exhibition from Wednesday June 24 to Friday July 31.
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THE SKILLS ACADEMY It’s in your hands
New, opening in Billingham, September 2015, offering courses in Creative Arts, Media, Construction, Caring for Children and Vocational Skills. FREE TRAVEL www. stockton.ac.uk/skillsacademy t. 01642 607 464 info@stockton.ac.uk
WHEN YOU STUDY WITH US AT STOCKTON RIVERSIDE COLLEGE & SRC BEDE SIXTH FORM