MakingWaves The termly magazine of West Thames College
Summer Edition 2014
Specialist Makeup Shows 2014 pages 6-7.
A Good College with Outstanding features. Ofsted Inspection 2014
West Thames College has a very successful Ofsted inspection, pages 2-3.
The college hosted one of the biggest careers events west London has ever seen, pages 10-11.
West Thames College has been celebrating, following a very successful Ofsted visit, as we are now officially one of the highest achieving colleges in London.
The Ofsted Report, officially published on 18th April 2014, awarded the college an overall grade 2 ‘Good’ with several areas graded as ‘Outstanding’ (grade 1), including Leadership and Management of the college.
Ofsted rates West Thames College Good Outstanding Features. 2
MakingWaves Summer Edition 2014
Achieving an overall ‘Good’ grade with outstanding features is a significant achievement which very few London colleges have accomplished this year. This, along with the college’s improving success rate, firmly places West Thames College as one of the top 5 (of 30) London colleges. Principal Marjorie Semple said,“We are so proud that the talent and skills of our staff and students have been recognised by Ofsted. We work hard to make sure that our students realise their dreams and ambitions and leave us ready to make a positive and valuable contribution to a more prosperous community. So we were pleased that Ofsted saw how our partnerships with employers were benefitting our students, and that our 16-18 year old students are developing English, Maths and employability skills to the level required by business.” “What Inspectors saw is what we see every day of the week: a vibrant, friendly college which provides an ‘oasis of calm’; where the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good and, in some cases, outstanding – one Inspector said, ‘it was the best childcare class I’ve ever had the privilege to observe’.” “We are looking forward to building on this good report and, with success rates rising year-on-year for the last 5 years, we are well on the way to becoming outstanding in all areas.”
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West Thames College is now one of the top 5 colleges in London. phone 020 8326 2000 web west-thames.ac.uk
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CREATIVE ARTS Festival 2014
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MakingWaves Summer Edition 2014
West Thames College’s spectacular Creative Arts Festival took place in June. The two week festival was packed with live performances and exhibitions showcasing the work of costume, specialist hair and makeup, music, media, performing arts, dance, art and design, fashion, photography and animation students.
main photo HND Performing Arts students in their adaption of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
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MakingWaves Summer Edition 2014
Specialist Makeup Shows West Thames College is renowned as one of the best colleges in the world for specialist makeup. Our students regularly win international industry competitions and are snapped up to work for West End theatres, TV and film companies, top fashion magazines and the best makeup retailers after they graduate. Is it any wonder that tickets to their final shows go like hot cakes? Our talented Level 3, HND and BA makeup students had their own shows, presenting their stunning creations to packed audiences of friends, family and industry professionals.
2014
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Sameya Visits Westminster
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Mary Macleod, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, invited a number of young women to Westminster as part of a scheme which aims to introduce young people to the work of MPs. One of the selected students was Sameya Shah who is the Equality and Diversity Officer for the college’s Student Union: “It was a fantastic day”, Sameya recalls. “There were about 20 of us in total and we spent the day finding out more about the work of MPs. We also had a tour of the Houses of Parliament which was really interesting.” Sameya was able to watch live debates during the day too, including one about women in politics. “It was a great experience. I could see how busy MPs are and how they are really working for the people,” she said. “I also discovered how women MPs cope in a predominantly male environment.” At the end of the eventful day, Sameya filmed Mary Macleod giving a message to West Thames students, focusing on why young people should get more involved in politics. The film has since been screened at the Student Parliament.
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MakingWaves Summer Edition 2014
Young Apprentice Winner Inspires Success
Inspirational young woman, Ashleigh Porter-Exley visited students at the Feltham Skills Centre. Ashleigh shot to fame in 2012 after winning the hit BBC TV show, the Young Apprentice – where she was awarded a prize of £25,000 from Lord Sugar to kick start her business career. Ashleigh, still only 19, gave an inspirational talk based on her experiences of the BBC show and her career following her win. She gave four students the challenge of standing up and trying to sell an Easter egg to the audience, before revealing that this was part of her own audition task for the show. Ashleigh highlighted the benefits of apprenticeships, commenting that she preferred vocational study and has recently completed an apprenticeship with her employer. The young businesswoman encouraged the students to be confident, sell themselves and gain work experience to get ahead.
o ing n t er . tio arb er uc 2 B mb ils. rod el pte eta Int Lev s Se r d l 1 d thi fo ve an rt site Le ring s sta web e e rb urs our Ba co See
Our Barbers are a Cut A b o v e. Earlier this year barbering students cut their best styles in a bid to be named West Thames College’s Best Barber. The trainee barbers worked to three themes: historical, fantasy or special occasion looks all trying to come up with an original style. The students had just three hours to transform their models before being judged by lecturer, Simon Marshall-Staddon and Cocoon Hair and Beauty salon owner, Anthony Sarkiss. The students were judged on various criteria: cutting, colouring, technical skills and total look. Guest judge, Anthony Sarkiss was amazed by the skills the students had demonstrated. “The standard of work is outstanding the students’ technical skills are excellent,” he said. “The standard of teaching and learning at West Thames College along with the passion of both the students and lecturers is amazing.” Choosing the three finalists was a difficult job and there was a difference of just three points between first, second and third place! The winners all received prizes from leading kit supplier, Dennis Williams. The winners: 1st Emma Morris, 2nd Jack Holding, 3rd Shokoh Rezaei.
phone 020 8326 2000 web west-thames.ac.uk
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aspire
Inspiring West London’s future workforce. “Aspire was really exciting and I was proud to be working with West Thames College and Jobcentre Plus to deliver more jobs for local people - and what better way to do that than at this event.” Mary Macleod, MP for Brentford and Isleworth
Inset photos L to R Local MP, Mary Macleod MP shows her fork lift driving skills. Contemporary/Jazz dance in the Dance Studio proved both popular and exhausting! Premier Inn hosted a bed-making have-a-go, with enthusiastic school students rising to the challenge. Health & Care students invited people to have their blood pressure and lung function checked. Local employer Brompton Bicycles demonstrated their world famous folding bikes. Aspire was supported by The Skills Show, the European Social Fund and the National Careers Service.
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In April, West Thames College, in partnership with Mary Macleod MP, Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service, hosted Aspire: The West London Skills Show Experience. With around 40 top employers exhibiting and well over 2,000 registered visitors through the doors, it proved to be one of the biggest and most successful careers events west London has ever seen.
West Thames College was chosen by the Association of Colleges to host this ‘careers show with a difference’ representing the whole west London region. As the name Aspire suggests, the aim of the event was to bring jobs, skills and the world of work to life; opening young people’s eyes to the many different careers and exciting opportunities available to them, now and in the future.
Aspire gave local job seekers, school children and college leavers the opportunity to meet top employers such as Sky, Premier Inn, London Heathrow, GSK, Tesco, Virgin Media, Barclays, UKTV, Mace Construction and many more. Some employers used the day to recruit for 100s of job and apprenticeship vacancies, giving the more job-ready visitors interview screenings on the spot. National Careers Service staff were also on hand for those who needed help to improve their CV or hone their interview techniques.
Younger visitors from schools were encouraged to ‘Have a Go’ at around 40 different fun activities to get them to think about what they’d like to do for their future career – from forklift truck driving, to DNA testing, to making a Premier Inn bed, to building a Brompton bicycle, to learning DJ skills.
“For me, the highlight of Aspire was when a young man came up to me to tell me he had just been offered his first ever job - on Reception with Premier Inn. He wanted to thank the college for hosting the event.” Marjorie Semple, West Thames College Principal
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Hairdressing Spectacular showcases Apprenticeships.
Local salon owners were invited to Spectacular – an evening showcase event at West Thames College with the aim of developing relations with employers who might be interested in taking on a hairdressing apprentice. Managers from salons including Hair and Beauty at the Lock, Livia, L’Oreal, Grade One, NEO and Court Yard were asked to judge a Spectacular Moulin Rouge-themed student hairdressing competition.
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Before the winners were announced, the visitors were treated to a performance by dance students in the college’s Endeavour Theatre. The salon owners also had the opportunity to learn more about the apprenticeships on offer and received a tour of the college’s commercial salons, where trainees are able to work with real clients. After seeing the quality of work produced at Spectacular, a number of salons have expressed an interest in recruiting more apprentices.
Where are they now? Meet our former students. Zainab Alamili, Optometry student at City University
Nadeem Chatta, IT Co-ordinator at British Airways Nadeem first enrolled at West Thames College as an ESOL student in 2005 before progressing to study IT. “It was a great experience”, Nadeem reflects. “I started at college with a low level of English and worked my way up to foundation degree level.” Before landing his dream job with British Airways, Nadeem undertook an apprenticeship with West Thames College. “The apprenticeship helped me a lot,” he says. “I think the new apprenticeships offered at the college are really important and help so many people find work.” “Stick to your guns”, he advises students. “Study hard and remember, nothing is impossible.”
Zainab Alamili looks back fondly at her time at West Thames College. “I miss West Thames so much,” she says. After leaving in the summer of 2013, she joined City University London to study optometry, getting one step closer to her dream of becoming an optician. Best memory? “I really enjoyed being a Student Ambassador. I enjoy meeting people and it gave me the chance to do this. It also helped me improve my English and my confidence.” “The teachers were really helpful. If I was stuck on coursework they were always there to help me. The college is really supportive and friendly.” Zainab’s advice to students? “Really concentrate on your studies. Don’t leave it all until the last minute. Try to use your spare time outside of class. Doing work experience really helped me. I think if you can do work experience that’s related to your uni course it’s really helpful for your personal statement.”
Abbie Gibney, Events Management student at Bournemouth University Former travel and tourism student, Abbie Gibney progressed onto a degree at Bournemouth University after leaving West Thames last summer. Abbie reflects positively on her time at the college: “When studying at West Thames I quickly came to realise that I could get help from anyone I asked, so I was able to do my work relaxed and I made sure I met deadlines. It was a perfect stepping stone between high school and university.” “My best memories are the trips we went on and the friends I made. I will also never forget the respect I had from all my tutors during my time there.” She’s now one step closer to pursuing her dream of working in events management for an international hotel chain. “I am extremely grateful for the help I received at West Thames, because without it I would not be where I am today with such high ambitions!”
Are you a former West Thames College student? Then why not join our new alumni network? The network allows you to stay in touch with us and network with other former students. There are also opportunities to get more involved – we often look to former students to come back to college to talk and give inspiration to our current students. Find our network on LinkedIn ‘West Thames Alumni’
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Getting hands-on work experience is an absolute must these days if you want to improve your employment prospects. Our HND media students have seized every opportunity to do just that by filming events at college and in the local community, producing an excellent portfolio of professional films along the way. We set them a challenge: to create a short professional video promoting the college’s apprenticeship programmes. The students eagerly got stuck into the brief and, after
some creative brainstorming, the filming work began. As part of the brief was to promote women in engineering roles, the main star of the film was engineering apprentice, Joanna Bond, who is now in the second year of her clay modelling apprenticeship with top car manufacturer, Nissan. Media lecturer Karim Ngobi explains, “This was a great opportunity for these media students who will be completing their course in the summer. Being set a filming brief by a real client is excellent preparation for them going into work in the media industry.”
Although the group filmed together, each student edited the footage individually to create their own unique promotional video. The completed films were shown to a panel of judges from the college’s Media and the Marketing departments. HND student Asja Dally (pictured below) was declared the winner and her video can now be seen on the West Thames College website (or just scan the QR code).
On set with our media students. 14 MakingWaves Summer Edition 2014
The Student Voice West Thames College’s Student Union is not only responsible for organising some great social events and activities around the college, it also plays a powerful part in the Student Voice – making sure students’ views are heard and represented. A record 711 students voted in the election back in October last year. We’ve caught up with some of the SU Executives to find out what they’ve been up to since being voted into office. Student Parliament
The Student Parliament takes place three times a year and is attended by SU Executives and Course Reps. It’s a chance for students to discuss any issues they have with the college management team, and for management to resolve any problems and offer solutions. For example, students asked why the gym couldn’t be open for students in the evening and, as a result, the gym is now open on Thursday evenings. SU President, Zobair Shirzad explains: “The Student Parliament is important because it is the democratic voice for the students at the college. The Parliament makes the decisions, and it is up to the SU Executive to put those decisions into action. As Student Union President, the Parliament is my boss!
The last Parliament was really successful. It was really good to have the Principal and the Chair of the Board of Governors there. They’ve come to every Parliament this year, and I think that shows just how important the Parliament is.”
Inthe news
Giving 100%!
Top prizes were up for grabs on 26 February for students with perfect attendance. All students who had maintained 100% attendance throughout the term were entered into a prize draw with the chance to win iPads, Kindle Fires and gift vouchers. The 100% attenders who didn’t win the big prizes didn’t walk away empty handed, they all received a 100% notebook, pen and certificate for their achievement.
Go Clean & Go Green Campaign
Environmental Officer, Gurjit Singh is passionate about making West Thames College a greener place, so he has launched a Go Clean & Go Green campaign: “I’m really keen to make our environment clean and fresh. I’m working with the Campus Manager to improve recycling around the college, which includes putting more recycling bins in the classrooms.” Gurjit’s also been busy on Facebook, trying to encourage more staff and students to do their bit for the environment.
Conferences
SU Executives have the chance to meet and share ideas with other SU members across the country at the Student Enterprise Conference, held at Sheffield Hallam University. Five West Thames students travelled up to the conference during February half term to take part. The two day event explored ideas about entrepreneurship and setting up a business. Students were offered inspirational tips from successful entrepreneurs and business professions, including Steve Pateman, Head of UK Banking at Santander.
Going for Gold
Huge congratulations to performing arts student, Lewis Watts who scooped a gold medal at the Acrobatic Gymnastics European Championships held in Odivelas, Portugal from 16 -28 October 2013. Competing in a team of four, he beat off competition from strong teams including Russia and Ukraine. Lewis trains at Heathrow Gymnastics Club for 20 hours a week with only a two weeks’ holiday allowance each year! His next challenge is to compete at the World Championships in Paris later this year. Lewis (top left) with the rest of the team.
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Open Days 2014-2015
Meet our lecturers and students, ask questions about the courses we offer and have a tour of our fantastic facilities. Feltham Skills Centre
Boundaries Road Feltham TW13 5DR For catering, engineering, motor vehicle and construction trades Saturday 29 November 2014, 10am-12pm Wednesday 18 March 2015, 5-7pm
Isleworth campus
London Road Isleworth TW7 4HS For all other courses Thursday 16 October 2014, 5-7.30pm Saturday 15 November 2014, 10am-12pm Saturday 7 February 2015, 10am-12pm Tuesday 24 March 2015, 5-7.30pm
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020 8326 2000 west-thames.ac.uk