Bede Sixth Form College Newsletter

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WINTER 2020

Welcome to our latest edition of the Bede Newsletter. This is our chance to share with you some of the fantastic things happening here at Bede Sixth Form College. Since the new academic year has started, we’ve already had some incredible stories, achievements and events take place.

We hope that you’ll find the inspiration, advice and information that you need to help you with your future.

For more news and events across the College visit www.bede.ac.uk

STUDENTS GO

BEHIND THE SCENES AT PARLIAMENT Politics, History, Economics and Law students and staff from Bede Sixth Form College have been down to London for a trip to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

As part of their visit they enjoyed a tour behind the scenes of the Palace of Westminster, following in the footsteps the Queen herself took recently for the State Opening of Parliament. However, unlike Her Majesty, our students were allowed to enter the House of Commons, as well as the House of Lords.

Hannah, who studies English Literature, Government & Politics and History, said: “The trip gave me a real insight into politics and how the government works, it was engaging and informative and I really enjoyed it.”

Following the behind the scenes tour, the students attended a workshop on electoral systems and alternative means of voting, enhancing their knowledge of the topic, particularly at this location, and during a time of electioneering.

James, currently studying Business, Geography and Government & Politics, said of the trip: “I really enjoyed it, it gave us the opportunity to go and learn in person about a subject we usually only catch a glimpse of in the news.”

Anne Wells, Politics teacher at Bede Sixth Form and organiser of the trip, said: “This trip is another example of both the strength of the four subjects (politics, history, economics and

law), and also of our commitment to broadening our students’ life experience and knowledge of career opportunities. As usual our students were a credit to the College during what was a long but informative and interesting day.”

Aman, who studies English Literature, Government & Politics, and Law, said: “It was amazing! We were able to experience through our own eyes and learn what we have been taught in the classroom. Definitely an experience I will never forget.”

BEDE STUDENT'S WORK PROVES PICTURE PERFECT One of our talented students is already making waves as a young artist.

Joe, 18, has just finished his studies at Bede Sixth Form, and has had a piece of his artwork purchased after having it displayed in an exhibition in London.

Joe’s artwork was displayed as part of the SFCA Arts Exhibition 2019, hosted by the Sixth Form Colleges Association in the East Court of Alexandra Palace.

The exhibition theme “Cloud Land”, was set by Alexandra Palace to add to the celebrations of the restoration and reopening of the East Court and Theatre. The theme was based on exploring the ways in which “Art, Science and Technology came together in the exploits and experiments of early pioneers of aeronautics, and how this is still relevant today”.

Joe, a former student of Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth, submitted his main piece of artwork titled “Wu Xing (Five Elements)” with the help of our Art & Design teacher, Suzy. Another, smaller piece of Joe’s work was featured at the exhibition too.

To his surprise, one of the SFCA representatives expressed that they would like to buy the piece. Joe was surprised and delighted that there has been such interest in his work. He said: “I’m really chuffed that it’s not only gone to an exhibition but an exhibition in London as well, and then on top of that someone wants to buy it! It’s a great feeling, I’m still getting my head around it!”

Suzy, our Art & Design teacher, said: “Joe has consistently been a hard-working student since he started the course, and his work was a natural fit for the exhibition theme. He has worked hard to develop his line work and create really interesting pieces exploring relationships between the elements.”

Looking back over his time at Bede Sixth Form, Joe said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here at Bede. The subjects have been interesting and the teachers have been brilliant – they really made studying here enjoyable.

You’re treated like an adult and it’s a friendly atmosphere. I would highly recommend the College to anyone considering studying here.”

BEDE EXCELS IN RAISING ASPIRATIONS OF LOCAL SCHOOL STUDENTS Bede Sixth Form College is raising the aspirations of local school students with a new extra-curricular programme.

Year 9 students from St Michael’s Catholic Academy, Ian Ramsey CE Academy, and Northfield School and Sports College in Billingham, and North Shore Academy in Stockton, attended the first two sessions of the new ‘Inspire and Excel Programme’ this term.

They kicked off the new venture with sessions exploring debating, with fun activities like; icebreaker bingo (which got everybody talking and learning interesting facts about each other, “Do you like Brussel sprouts?”); the Balloon Debate (Who should be thrown out?); as well as debating randomly chosen topics (Kim Kardashian for president, and replacing teachers with robots were some of the favourites!).

Rebecca Henderson, Careers and Progression Advisor at Bede Sixth Form, said: “We wanted to create something for students at our local schools, to offer them the opportunity to engage in higher level study, and to also get an idea of what college life is like.

“The overall ethos of Inspire and Excel is to help these students develop useful and transferrable skills

and to improve their confidence, preparing them for whichever direction they may choose in the future.”

The aims of the programme are to help students; develop good critical thinking skills; improve their research and communication skills; be confident and independent learners; be able to construct a persuasive argument; and to be able to work effectively and learn from others.

Rebecca said: “These are all skills and qualities that employers and universities look for. Whilst entering the world of work is still far off for these students, taking part in something like our programme now will mean that they are that bit more confident and comfortable in their abilities when they do get to that point.”

It’s not just the younger students who are benefitting from the programme – our own students here at the College are getting involved too, acting as mentors and positive role models for our visitors.

“Being an Inspire and Excel Mentor gives students the opportunity to act as a positive role model and share their first-hand experience of college life. This is a great experience, especially for those students who are considering careers such as teaching, as

they will develop a range of key skills that will greatly benefit them and enhance their CV and personal statement.”

Bede student James has been helping out as a mentor on the programme, he said: “I have found that being an Inspire and Excel Mentor has been a very good experience. It is nice to be able to have a positive influence on the Year 9 students, some of whom went to my old secondary school. It has been interesting to see them debate and raise strong arguments against each other.”

Natalie, Gifted and Talented Coordinator at Northfield School, said: “The Inspire and Excel Programme for Year 9 has been a fantastic way to encourage and motivate our most able students at Northfield School!

From the outset, students have been enthusiastic towards the range of subjects on offer, especially subjects such as criminology and photography. I strongly believe that this programme will contribute to setting students up for life after secondary school by developing a range of critical thinking skills, boosting confidence and offering a flavour of what college life will be like.”

Ben Robinson, Campus Principal of Bede Sixth Form, said: “I am delighted that we are working so closely with our partner schools and are able to help equip these young people, many of whom may be students of Bede in years to come, with the skills they need to be successful learners. It’s a pleasure to support such a talented and enthusiastic cohort and I am looking forward to seeing the programme grow and the impact it will have on the students in achieving their ambitions.”

The students from our local schools taking part in the programme will make their way to Bede Sixth Form once a month, attending the subject strand of their choice out of STEM, The Business World, Literature and Culture, Health and Social Sciences, Sport and Public Services, and the Creative Industries.

Pictures: Our student visitors enjoying the different tasks and activities of their first session

ENGINEERING

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FUTURE CAREERS

Students at Bede Sixth Form have just completed the College’s first extra-curricular programme focussed on offering students insights into the engineering industry.

Created in collaboration with engineering training provider NETA Training, this unique enrichment opportunity has been designed to offer students considering future careers in engineering the chance to take the theory they’ve learned in the classroom, and turn it into practical experience.

Running alongside their first year of study, students who are studying physics, maths, and chemistry have attended eight dedicated ‘Aspiring Engineers’ sessions at NETA’s purpose-built training facilities.

The sessions have covered practical skills in mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems, and included informative talks on renewable energy and health and safety. The group have also completed their own projects focussing on a current growth sector within the Tees Valley.

Dave Thompson, the teaching lead for Aspiring Engineers, said: “The programme was designed to give students insights into what engineering is and to support them with their UCAS applications. This is the first time we’ve ran the programme and it has all gone

really well – the students have been engaged and fully committed to the journey.

“Their last task now is a presentation to our senior managers and governors, sharing the work they’ve done on their projects and what they have learnt about a real-life challenge in the wind energy sector.”

Bede student Tom, who is hoping to work in aerospace or aeronautical engineering in the future, applied to join the Aspiring Engineers programme to develop his knowledge in different engineering disciplines.

He said he has found the sessions invaluable: “The sessions on hydraulic engineering and metalwork, two totally new topics of study for me, meant I could gain a new perspective on the industry as a whole.

Learning the detailed theory and fundamentals of the field of hydraulics and how to put a system together on NETA’s training equipment was a valuable part of the programme.”

Hayley, currently studying physics, maths, and chemistry said: “From this project I hoped to gain hands-on experience and to find out how the theories we have learnt about in the classroom link to real-life situations.

“My favourite part of the programme was hydraulics, as it was very interesting to find out how they work and are used in everyday life. I enjoyed building our own hydraulic circuits and seeing how we can control the flow of oil to different parts of the system.”

Noah also expressed how useful it has been to gain real-life insights into engineering, he said: “We managed to touch on many sectors in engineering and learnt many techniques that can fit into all aspects of the field. What I found best was seeing how what I learn in the classroom in my subjects, particularly in maths and physics, fits into the industry and world of work.”

As well as the hands-on training and practical sessions, our students had the exciting opportunity to visit working sites Wilton Engineering and EEW OSB, which included an overview of what the companies do and a behind-the-scenes tour.

Tom, who is studying history, maths and physics, said: “The visits to Wilton and OSB were certainly the highlights of the programme – being put into a real industrial environment was particularly informative due to being able to see first-hand the heavy-duty, large scale work being carried out.”

Bill Scott OBE, CEO of Wilton Engineering, who led our students on a guided tour of the site, said: “We had a great day with the students, who were really engaging. It’s important that we inspire the next generation and give them the chance to be the best that they can be.”

Thomas, who is studying computer science, maths and physics at Bede Sixth Form, said: “Both tours were brilliantly informative, and quite inspiring to say the least, especially the fact that the CEO of Wilton came to speak to us in the same place he spoke to Boris Johnson a week earlier!”

“Overall the Aspiring Engineers programme has given me a much better idea of the range and scope of engineering. I’ve learnt new skills and met some brilliant people – I’d recommend it to any student with any sort of STEM aspirations!”

The Aspiring Engineers programme will be available next academic year to first year students who have an interest in engineering and are studying physics, maths and chemistry. If you’d like to find out more about enrichment opportunities here at Bede Sixth Form College, please get in touch.

BEDE LAUNCHES INSTITUTE OF SPORT AND EDUCATION Talented young Tees Valley athletes may no longer have to face the difficulty of choosing between their education or sporting aspirations.

In a move to create further opportunities for up and coming young sportspeople, Bede Sixth Form College has launched its new Institute of Sport and Education (ISE).

“Healthy lifestyles, mental wellbeing and positive progression will be the cornerstones of the institute,” said Bede’s Campus Principal, Ben Robinson. “The aim is to enable young athletes to increase their academic attainment and progression while developing their sporting performance.”

Running alongside their full-time study programme, the institute will give students access to a wide range of sports academies, specialist coaching, strength and conditioning training, injury prevention management, healthy living and nutritional advice.

As a former young athlete himself, Ben understands more than most the struggle that young people can face, particularly elite performers who often have to choose between their sporting and academic ambitions.

The reality is, he said: “Sport can be a real vehicle for achievement, giving young people skills that can feed in to so many other aspects of their life.”

It’s not just the elite athletes that can reap the benefits, as Ben said: “It is widely recognised that sport and activity offer an array of wide reaching benefits for students from boosting concentration to stress relief. The whole ethos of the institute is about using sport as a vehicle for positive progression.”

Already holding Dual Career Accredited College status by the Talented Athletes’ Scholarship Scheme (TASS), a Sport England-backed programme, Bede has a number of sport academies already up and running, including women’s football and men’s football, and netball and rugby academies, new for September 2020.

SUPPORTING LOCAL CHARITIES

Our Charity Club was hard at work again leading up to the Christmas break. This time, they were putting together collections for both the Billingham and Stockton Borough Foodbank, and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland.

Their hard work paid off - look at the amount of donations they pulled together!

MEET THE TEACHER:

MATT - FILM/MEDIA Here at Bede we are very privileged to have an excellent and truly talented team of teachers. Not only are our teachers very knowledgeable about their subjects, they also regularly take part in the things they teach.

Amongst them is our very own star director and actor, Film and Media Studies teacher, Matt Fodor.

A former Bede student himself, Matt has been teaching at the College for seven years.

After recently spotting an advert calling for short comedy films on the BBC’s ‘The Writer’s Room’, Matt put together and submitted his own entry to the competition - a two minute-long clip he created with the help of his brother.

“The whole thing was filmed without a script - it’s the first one we’ve done that was totally improvised.

We just had fun with it, not really expecting it to go anywhere.”

Much to his surprise, the pair were then invited to attend the Chorts Film Festival in Islington, London, after being shortlisted out of 370 entries!

Just 20 of the total submitted comedy clips were picked and then screened during the festival.

“It was great! It was our first time submitting anything, and there we were mixing with actors, directors, and producers from all sorts of prestigious backgrounds.”

Watch this space...

EYE OPENING EXHIBITION RAISES AWARENESS AT BEDE

Bede Sixth Form College has been very privileged to host two eyeopening exhibitions from the local charity, Down’s Syndrome North East (DSNE).

The exhibitions, titled ‘Look at me’ and ‘Chromosome 21’, were produced by photographer Kayla Wren. They had originally been intended as one-year projects, but after receiving wonderful levels of support at places like Durham Town Hall and a number of other venues across the North East, the exhibition has continued to run.

Featuring 36 volunteer models ranging in age from a few months to 38 years old, the aims for the project are “to raise awareness with the public of Down’s syndrome and the fact that like us all, children and people with Down’s syndrome are unique, valuable individuals”, and “to raise awareness of our charity… in order to enable more people with Down’s syndrome and their families to benefit from what we are able to offer”.

Caroline, who helped to organise the exhibition at Bede, is one of the committee members of DSNE and her son Leo is one of the models for the exhibition. She said: “I’ve only been on the committee for eight months, but we have been members of the charity since Leo was born. The exhibition just gets such a positive reaction everywhere we go – it’s been so supported.”

Our art and design and photography students were particularly interested in the exhibition, especially the portraits that are the photographer’s twist on classic paintings, like the Mona Lisa and Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Caroline and her son, Leo, admiring the portraits. Leo recognises some of his friends!

Charlotte and Alicia, with the twists on classical paintings behind

Charlotte, an art and design student, said: “My favourite pieces are the traditional artworks with a twist.

“It goes against the wider society idea of beauty and the typical model image that tends to be used in artwork.”

Alicia, who also studies art and design, said: “I like the artist’s take on it all – it’s like a protest, with traditional art being modernised and made into something that raises awareness of Down’s syndrome.”

As well as the information boards, the exhibition is also accompanied by a guest book wherever it goes, where viewers can leave their thoughts and comments on the artwork.

Bede students and staff left comments like: “I love how powerful the exhibition is. The images are meaningful and show the individuals in their full glory”, and “beautiful way to raise awareness of Down’s syndrome and to display equality”.

The exhibition is now on display at Stockton Riverside College and will be there until March.

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