A group of Orpington art and design students were recently commissioned to paint a mural at the Second Wave youth arts centre in Deptford. They volunteered their time to transform a dismal rehearsal room -- which the students said reminded them   “of a doctor’s waiting room” -- into a vibrant space for the centre.

Having studied the public works of artists Anthony Gormley and Eduardo Paolozzi, they designed a mural which celebrated  both local and London landmarks.  The students had a £100 budget and spent most of it on emulsion paint. They said the two days spent working on the wall was an “intense” experience, but a great deal of fun.  They each chose three tracks of music to work to – everything from Michael Jackson to “Do the Hustle”.

Christine Eyers, head of visual arts and media, said she was “incredibly proud” of the students and their teacher, Dana Pinto, who masterminded the project.

On Friday the College marked the Year of the Tiger by handing out early morning fortune cookies to students hoping for good luck.  

The Chinese Lunar Calendar differs from the western calendar in that the New Year falls somewhere between late January and early February.  This year it falls on Sunday 14 February.

Students headed to nearby displays learn about their animal signs in the Chinese Zodiac – roosters and rabbits out-numbered the pigs and rats. Student Thi Tuyet Nguyen (pictured above), whose family is originally from Vietnam, says she'll be welcoming in the new year with a big meal at the weekend.  Other students will be celebrating with firecrackers, trips to Chinatown and dim sum.   

Students from GCSE, AS and A Level Psychology at Orpington College all got together to for a morning of phobia-curing. 

As part of the syllabus, students learn about phobias and the ways to treat them. Instead of just telling students about the methods to cure phobias, staff decided to take a different approach as they asked someone from London Zoo to pay a visit to the college. 

Armed with a variety of spiders, from Money Spiders to Tarantulas, John Clifford from the Friendly Spider Programme spent a morning demonstrating how they help to cure people of their Arachnophobia. 

He used psychological techniques to de-condition the phobia of spiders, combining the method of cognitive behavioural therapy and hypnosis. This involves exposing people to the fear, then using hypnotic techniques to relax them. 

It was also an opportunity for GCSE students to interact with A Level students, asking questions about the higher level course and what they could expect if they chose it. 

The day was concluded with a quiz, which included a round testing students on everything they had learned during the day, with prizes awarded to the winners.  

Not only did students learn information relevant to their exams interactively – but some even had their lifelong fear of spiders cured!

Timothy grew up in Catford and attended Malory School, which although since becoming part of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation has trebed its number of passes, at the time of starting his GCSE’s, 6% of students were achieving 5 A-C grades. He achieved enough C Level grades at GCSE to allow him to study for his A Levels. The decision to study in Orpington was taken as he wanted to be further away from his school and area, removing himself from negative distractions. ““I needed a fresh start with a new attitude and work ethic. Orpington College offered to give you your own space and independence which I think empowers you as a student”.

“With the excellent support and provision given to me by my College and more specifically my college lecturers, I was able to turn around the previous handicap I had because of my GCSEs and do well in my A-levels.”

“The course has definitely made me become a more knowledgeable, tolerant and analytical person. I feel it’s given me a heightened sense of ambition and has helped me to become a much more optimistic and hardworking individual.”

 “Out of all the things I most look forward to, I would the say the campus life and the whole experience that is offered by the University of Cambridge in terms of the quality of teaching and different people that I will meet and interact with there, is the main thing.”

“I look to work in Agriculture and possibly Property Development after university. My main aim is to be financially independent and one day become a Philanthropist.”

Timothy will begin his degree at Cambridge in October 2010, where he will be studying Land Economy, which is a combination of Law, Economics and the Environment.

“Governors believe that although a merger of Orpington and Bromley Colleges would offer increased opportunities for students and employers and would benefit both Colleges, the current political and financial uncertainties pose too great a risk to proceed at this time.”

Our two Colleges are benefiting significantly from closer working and wish to look at ways in which we can continue to collaborate to benefit our local learners, employers and communities.

Angela Hands – Chair of Corporation, Orpington College
John Charles – Chair of Corporation, Bromley College
Simon Norton – Principal, Orpington College
Peter Jones – Principal, Bromley College

The ceremony, which took place on Friday 4 December, was held to recognise the academic and personal achievements of students in the 2008/9 academic year, including older learners. Each student was introduced by their tutor and received an engraved glass trophy. 

 Parents, tutors and students celebrated a year of hard work and progress – some students succeeding in the face of huge personal difficulties. Governor John Hunter said he was both moved and impressed by the determination shown by all the students present.

Students from Riverside Special School, St Paul’s Cray, paid a visit to Orpington College for an afternoon of circus skills.  

The event was held as an ice breaker between 6th Form students from Riverside and students from Orpington College as the beginning of a planned inclusion link. Students from Riverside and Orpington plan to visit each other and take part in some activities together.

Beverley Panter, a youth worker from the college, saw a circus skills event as a good way for everyone to meet and get involved with the activities. The afternoon was a great success as it really helped the students to get to know each other.

Carl Edwards, Assistant Head at Riverside, said ‘The circus skills event was an excellent way for the two groups to meet and interact. Our students have been working on a circus project, so this dovetailed nicely. I look forward to a regular link as everyone got on so well and really enjoyed themselves.’

For more information please contact Laura Davis on 01689 899741 or email ljdavis@orpington.ac.uk

Orpington College’s £26 million New Build has finished early, with contractors Willmott Dixon handing over the new building to the College. 

Although originally due to be finished by Spring 2010, the bulk of the building work has been completed 10 weeks early, so students and staff are already enjoying the benefits. 

The College held a competition to name for the new building. Winner Martin Baker suggested The Ozone. Martin is in his third year at the College studying a BTEC National Diploma in Media Production and will be awarded a prize and be invited to the official opening in April when the landscaping is finished. 

Principal Simon Norton was delighted with the results: “The Tower building has been completely refurbished, and the new building “Ozone” is home to a study and IT centre with state-of-the-art computing facilities. All the classrooms have are also the latest Smart Boards and the latest learning resources available to students.” 

The new canteen and social area for students, “The Hive” replaces the previous limited facilities with more space and better quality. 

The entrance the College has been moved and is now on Lychgate Road rather than the market square. 

This successful re-development to Orpington College will see it provide state-of-art learning facilities for the community.

Today more than twenty students, including fifteen 14-16 year olds on the Bridge to Achievement course, were awarded a Level 2 Certificate in "Introduction to Counselling". Principal Simon Norton presided over the awards ceremony.

The students illustrated their new listening skills by role-playing a counselling session with course organiser, Duncan Lawrence.  Duncan received much-needed help to over-come delusional fantasies involving his membership of the boy-band JLS.

Carolyn Day, the course’s co-organiser, says she was thrilled by the students’ hard work and commitment over the course of the week. Duncan commented:"I was struck by how humble and honest most of the learners were. At least half could benefit from the next Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills."
 

One student added: "I feel the course has been good and has taught me how to communicate better with people."

Orpington College have restored the lives of up to 500 African people, simply by drinking water.

The College have sponsored a well in the Manicaland Province of trouble torn Zimbabwe, by entering into a unique partnership with the charity Pump Aid, and Surrey based AquAid water coolers. The scheme simply means that for every four water coolers we have at the college, we earn the right to have a well installed in Zimbabwe with the inscription of our name on the well itself. Each well takes approximately 4 months to construct, and each village are given education as to how to maintain the well should anything go wrong.

The scheme was the brainchild of Ian Thorpe CEO of Pump Aid, who designed the Pump based on ancient Chinese technology. Mr Thorpe saw children dying in schools when he visited on a gap year. He set to work to solve the problem of the 1.2billion people who do not have fresh water and consequently die from many water borne diseases. So far over 2 million people have been assisted with support from people like Orpington College.

Liz Watson from the College said "We are delighted to be part of such a unique scheme. To think that we are saving lives in another part of the world is quite staggering. We love the partnership idea, and want to encourage our students to think about the wider aspects of helping other people also. Long may the relationship with AquAid and Pump Aid continue."
 

Linda McCarthy, Sales Manager at AquAid  said "We are privileged to be a part of this scheme. To improve the quality of life locally and globally is quite a tall order. However in this small way, we are able to make a difference. To think that lives can be this affected by water is staggering, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Orpington College for a long time to come".

Since the partnership began some four years ago, Pump Aid have been able to install enough wells to service over 2 million people, as a direct result of the unique relationship with AquAid and their clients.

The college have received a thank you letter from Peter Ganyire, a student from St Matthias School in the Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe, which we have proudly displayed in the college.

For further information on the scheme, please telephone 0208 464 9652.

Social entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Nathan John, returned to Orpington College yesterday to talk to students about his achievements since leaving the college, and also to give a lecture on black history.

Nathan attended Orpington College between 2000-2002, and took courses in accountancy, business and drama. His studies led to a career in the city, and he says his drama A level studies have hepled him cope with public speaking. Founder of Youth Enlightenment Ltd  he has spoken regularly about the challenges facing young people on Channel 4, Sky News and the BBC. He presents his own  Youth Chat Show.

Nathan says he wasn't a high achiever at school – he couldn't get the hang of maths - but made up for lost time while at Orpington. His inspirational talk encouraged students to “aim high” and “think big”. He urged them to remember that black history is not just the story of slavery and civil rights, but also the history of inventors, writers, politicians, entertainers and scientists.

For more information on Nathan his website is: www.y-e-l.com

Overall pass rates for these re-sit examinations were 95% per cent of the exam entries, with 49% of students getting A*-C grades. Overall success rates are up by around 6%.

College Principal, Simon Norton said: "We are very proud of our GCSE students’ achievements. For many of them this has been a second chance after poor results at school. This will set them up for the next stage of their education, as most will be going on to level 3 courses like A levels or BTEC Nationals.

“Many other young people in the area will be weighing up their options in the light of their GCSE grades. Orpington College can help them find the ideal course for their future success. We have a wide range of options at different levels so we should be able to help, whatever grades have been achieved.  And now - thanks to our £26 million rebuilding project, which is nearing completion - we will have first class facilities for them as well as first class lecturers."

For students looking to move onto A level study or their vocational equivalents , Orpington College’s advice lines are on hand to help, just call 01689 899700 or email guidance@orpington.ac.uk.

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For more information contact Sandra Bauer on 01689 899786 or sbauer@orpington.ac.uk

Sidney Copus, 16, of Southborough Lane, Bromley achieved 3 A*s plus a B and will stay on for A levels in Maths and Science subjects before going onto study Medicine.

Peter Burton, 18, of Croydon Road, West Wickham Achieved 3 Bs and 2 Cs and will study A levels in English, History, IT and Business next year.

Federico Boateng, 18, of Oakmore Gardens, Orpington,  achieved B, 2Cs and a D which will enable him to study A levels in English, Business, Law and Politics in September.

Orpington College students are celebrating a year of outstanding success at AS and A level.  

A total of twelve A level subjects achieved 100% pass rates. The overall A2 pass rate once again exceeded 90%.  

These impressive results are testament to Orpington College's strong academic reputation and record of excellent support for students.   

Orpington College Principal, Simon Norton says:  “I’m very proud of our students and staff and their tremendous successes. Orpington College encourages all students to exceed their personal targets, and the value of this has been demonstrated today.” 

Another cause for celebration is the College’s soon-to-be completed £26 million campus rebuilding programme.  “Our 16 –19 year old students who enrol with us this September will enjoy more advantages than ever before,” says Norton. “They will benefit from the fantastic new multi-million pound facilities we are creating here. They will also get free use of the gym and pool at the Walnuts sports centre next door.”   

Orpington offers academic and vocational courses suitable for a very wide range of students, preparing them for success at university or in the workforce. Over 300 students each year go on to university and many more secure entry into a range of good careers.

Orpington College were lucky enough to have the Olympic Torch pay a visit. The original torch from the 1945 Olympics was transported by sports students at the college, who collected the torch from St Olave's Grammar School, ran to Orpington College for our ceremony and then passed it on to Blenheim Primary School.

Each school and college who received the torch were given a country to represent, and Orpington represented Cuba. There was Cuban food, music, costumes and decorations for students, staff, and members of the public to enjoy. 

This torch’s journey is not only to celebrate the Olympics coming to London in 2012, but also in aid of National Sports Week. The aim was to motivate young people to be more active by encouraging them to make a pledge to take on a new activity and do more exercise every week.

We believe in raising awareness of healthy living and keeping active and were proud to promote this scheme to our students and people in the area. Orpington College students even receive a free gym and swim membership to the Walnuts Leisure Centre next door - so they have no excuse!

Orpington College students on various art, design and media courses got the exciting chance to exhibit their work at Bromley Museum in Orpington.

The display featured the work of those studying Art, Design and Media courses at the College, including Foundation Diploma 14-19, Art and Media A and AS Levels and Art and Design First and National Diplomas.

The free display was open to the public, who were very impressed with the quality of work shown by such young students.

There was a real sense of community at the exhibition, as people from the local area got the opportunity to meet our students. Visitors, including some of our Governors and members of staff, said they were not only impressed by the effort students have put into their coursework, but also into setting up and promoting the entire exhibition.

As the professional body for teachers and trainers in the further education and skills sector, IfL is responsible for conferring QTLS or ATLS status, a new requirement for those joining the sector after September 2007, and open to all teachers and trainers across the sector.

The first round of applications resulted in 111 successful award. Sixty-six of the pioneers attended the ceremony, with their guests, to receive their awards from the chair of IfL's Council, Sue Crowley.

Malcolm Harker, Head of Business Studies at the College, said: "I feel it is very important to have established standards for adult teaching practice. Although I feel that there are a lot of excellent teaching standards in further education already, this is an important step towards parity with our peers in schools. “

L-R Anne Carey, Deb Ebdon and Sandra Baylis (Learndirect Staff). Winner Katyia, Wendy Taffs and David (both Centre staff)

The London region Learndirect Achievement Awards were held at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Thursday 9th July.  The awards, now in their 3rd year, were set up to recognise and celebrate the achievements of learners.

Orpington College’s Learndirect Centre nominated 3 learners – Katiya Mons-Rushby, Sheila Whitley and Michael Newman.  Sheila Whitley won the Skills for Work Award, with Michael Newman a runner up and Katiya Mons-Rushby won the Outstanding Learner Award.

Sheila has overcome many personal problems and was very nervous when she first came to the Learndirect Centre.  However she overcame these and despite being diagnosed with dyslexia, has gained a literacy qualification.

Michael had not used a computer when he first came to Learndirect but worked through several courses at different levels and achieved qualifications in literacy and numeracy.  He now works for the College as an assessor for the Passenger Carrying Vehicle Driving NVQ Level 2.

Katiya suffered a brain haemorrhage in April 2006 and was instantly paralysed down the left hand side.  She was in hospital for 4 months and when she left, had to relearn how to walk and write, having lost 20% of her brain.  She was determined to fight back and 3 years on has made tremendous progress in rebuilding her life.  She has achieved qualifications in literacy and numeracy and her ambition is to write a book.

Centre Manager Anne Carey, says “All 3 learners put their success down to their own hard work and determination and the support, encouragement and help given to them by staff at our Learndirect Centre. I’m delighted that their achievements have been recognised in this way”.

Both Katiya and Sheila will now be invited to attend the National Awards Ceremony in London in October.

Matt Dawson, the former England rugby star and World Cup Winner-turned TV personality, hosted the Skills for London Awards for a packed audience of over 350 employers, finalists, guests and leaders from London’s education and skills sector.
Held at The Natural History Museum, Kensington, the Skills for London Awards 2009, are organised by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to celebrate the achievements of learners and businesses across the Capital.

Orpington College’s Joe Francis, who nominated Andrew says: “Throughout his two year Modern Apprenticeship with Millwall FC Andrew was considered one of the most accomplished right backs at the club and signed a one year professional contract at 17.  He played for the Irish International team at U-16 and U-17 levels and in his first year was a consistent member of the Academy side and Reserve team at Millwall.  Throughout his course Andrew demonstrated an excellent work ethic and outstanding academic ability. At the beginning of his 2nd year Andrew suffered a long term injury – but he did not let it affect his studies.  This illustrated Andrew’s determined focus and also his mature approach to the importance of his education.

“Throughout this year he has also been working to set up his own soccer coaching school and pursue a level 3 Coaching Certificate.  He will complete this in the summer, and has also been coaching at a primary school in Welling. This all shows how Andrew has made the difficult adjustments to ‘real life’,  Andrew has expressed a keen interest to follow the PFA Sports Science course at Roehampton University, which will allow him the opportunity to continue to work / coach, study and play semi-professionally. “

Simon Norton, Orpington College’s Principal, says:  “Andrew was an exceptional candidate for Apprentice of the year, displaying all of the necessary life skills required to deal with disappointment and trauma. He has bounced back and is determined to make a success of his career wherever that takes him. Having spent time with him, I know he will achieve this and go on to great things.”

The awards ceremony took place on Thursday 21st May 2009 in the sumptuous surroundings of the House of Lords.

The awards were presented by Chris Wright, Area Director for London Central and London South Learning and Skills Council and sponsored by COSLP (Committee of South London Principals) to recognise outstanding achievements by students in the South London area.

Joe, 19, first came to Orpington College in 2006 and is now studying the first year of a foundation degree in integrative counselling. He is described by his teachers as a true success story of achieving against all the odds.

Simon Norton, Principal, says:  “Joe is an extremely determined and motivated student, and I am delighted that his hard work has paid off, and he is receiving the recognition he deserves”.

Steven, who is studying AS Graphic Design, produced artwork which incorporated photographs he had taken himself at the gym, along with the use of “acid” colours.  It was these dramatic effects which impressed the judging panel, and led to his artwork being printed on 2,000 postcards to promote the College’s innovative offer to its students of free gym and pool use at the nearby Walnuts Leisure Centre.

Steven, who is currently studying for AS-levels in ICT, Media Studies as well as Graphic Design, was presented with vouchers worth £50 by College Principal, Simon Norton.

Simon, said:  “We really enjoy getting students involved in this sort of activity, and we are very proud that one of our students has come up with something so eye-catching.  Steven has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into this and it illustrates the high quality of work produced by the design students.”

Although Chantelle did not get through to the next round of the competition, she was presented with a nomination certificate by Orpington College Principal, Simon Norton.

Orpington College directly employ 10 apprentices to work for the college each year, as well as running the programme for many other employers throughout the borough.  The scheme enjoys a high success rate, and apprentices go on to find work, and some onto further study and university.

Tara Holt, Learning Shop Manager, says: “Chantelle is an outstanding employee, I have been delighted by her progress, and from day one her commitment to the role has been excellent.  Working in the Learning Shop means that our apprentice’s customer service skills must be second to none in order to give adult guidance effectively. I am pleased to say that Chantelle is a winner in this category!”

We'll have light refreshments, a prize draw, and copies of our prospectus for you to take away with you.

Look forward to seeing you at 42 The Walnuts, Orpington

for more information: 01689 885358

Staff members behind the scenes clutched champagne, flowers and celebration balloons ready for the crucial moment when they and the photographers could rush in.

"It was a huge surprise," Lisa said. "I didn't suspect anything. When I found out all these people were in on it and hadn't blown the cover I was amazed."
 
Kabu agreed: "She was beyond surprised; you could have knocked her over with a feather."

The secret is now out: she said "yes." The couple plan their wedding for September 2010!

The new building has a metal structure and floors are now being installed, so it was a good opportunity for students to go onto site, dressed in hard hats, high vis jackets and boots to look at progress.

The group spoke to Duncan Purvis, Construction Manager for Willmott Dixon who was pleased to tell them that not only was the project within budget, but was a week ahead of schedule.

Students were amazed to see how much computer technology is used on a building site – for example, each day; workers access their areas via a handprint recognition system – with PIN access codes. They were also impressed by the clean and tidy environment, which, it was explained to them is key to keeping people safe whilst they are working.

Lecturer Des Boggans said “I was really proud of our students. Not only were they well behaved, but they asked lots of intelligent questions and took a keen interest in the IT aspects of both project management and health and safety. I’m looking forward to revisiting the site with the next batch of students to see the next stage of the build”

PRESS RELEASE

COLLEGE STUDENTS VISIT BERLIN AND KRAKOW

For the third year running, Orpington College students recently attended a successful student trip to Berlin and Krakow. The trip is to support their war time studies on A level History and Politics.

The guides once again praised the students for their mature behaviour and positive attitude, despite the heavy snow conditions. The 25 students also visited the former concentration camp, Auschwitz. Between June 1941 and January 1945 about one million men, women and children perished in the three Auschwitz concentration camps: Auschwitz proper, Birkenau and Monowitz.

The main guide was impressed with the interest shown by the students, and described the group as “one of the most attentive I have ever taken on the tour”.

Helen Hall, one of the lecturers who went with the group said “Considering these students were born more than half a century after the atrocities in the concentration camps, the plight of the prisoners had a profound effect on them.  I’m very proud of the group and was pleased by the intelligent questions they asked.”

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For further information, please contact:
Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786  

To help address this, Orpington College has launched a new free* training course for Taxi drivers, chauffeurs and community transport drivers. The course will provide essential training in Health and Safety, Customer Service, providing assistance to passengers and safe driving skills.

Noel Perrier, a retired police officer, now drives a limousine for a living and is the first candidate for the Road Vehicle Passenger Driving course. Noel said “I want to improve the standard of service I can offer my passengers and I believe the RPVD is the perfect training programme for me to learn how to do this”.

The course is supported by GoSkills the Sector Skills Council for transport and is designed to improve the standard of service provided by public hire vehicle drivers.

Reg Clarke, the Programme Manager for the course said “the Road Vehicle Passenger Driving course is *free to eligible candidates under the Government’s Train to Gain initiative”. He went on “the training programme provides a great opportunity for public hire drivers to improve their customer service and vehicle management skills to the benefit of all road users”.

Further information about the RPVD course is available from Futures on 01689 885364 or email tarmstrong@orpington.ac.uk

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For more information, please contact Sandra Bauer – sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or call her on 01689 899700

Stephen Smith – (South East Regional Director for the National Skills Academy), said “by undertaking an apprenticeship, you can get industry recognised qualifications without having to make the choice between work and study”  

Nemesia Willis – (Learning & Development Consultant – Chaucer Insurance), said
“Our people already invest a lot of time and effort in their learning and the apprenticeship will both support and reward this, as well as providing an industry recognised qualification.”

Successful apprenticeship candidates will achieve two industry recognised qualifications from the Chartered Insurance Institute, an NVQ in Retail Financial Services which demonstrates competence along with key skill qualifications in communications and the application of numbers.

Mike Smith – (Group Learning & Development Manager – Chaucer Insurance)
“I have been really enthused by the efforts of the National Skills Academy and Orpington College, who have been really helpful in setting up our first programme. We expect this to be the first of many apprenticeships and will be looking to expand its reach to more and more staff; both new and existing.

This initiative is also picking up on the Government’s push to tackle what they see as a shortage of skills in the country.  In a speech in January 2008, Gordon Brown spoke of his desire for Britain to have ‘the world’s most highly skilled workforce’ and apprenticeships are one of the ways this will be delivered.”

For more information:

Maria Maxwell
Marketing Co-ordinator
Chaucer Insurance

Tel: 01227 284772
Email: maria.maxwell@chaucerplc.com

Notes to Editors:

Chaucer Insurance is the UK Motor Division of a Lloyd’s syndicate managed by Chaucer Syndicates Limited, part of Chaucer Holdings PLC, a specialist insurance group listed on the London Stock Exchange, which provide the capital and management required to undertake business at Lloyds, the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance market.

Chaucer Insurance employs approximately 300 people at its Whitstable office.

The ceremony, which took place on Friday 5th December 2008, was held to recognise the academic and personal achievements of students in the 2007/8 academic year.  Each student received a framed certificate and a cheque.

Principal, Simon Norton, says:  “It is a real pleasure to be able to celebrate these amazing achievements with our students – it just goes to show how education can change lives. This is a wonderful event and one I hope the winners and their families remember for a very long time”

Our winners are: 

Simone Williams	John Garside Award
Sheila Whitley	Overcoming Obstacles to Learning
Tom Weston	Outstanding Achievement - work based earning
Michael Newman	Outstanding Achievement at Level 1 learndirect
Hayley Gibbons	Outstanding Achievement - Entry Level
Katiya Mons-ushby	Outstanding Achievement - Learndirect
Joe Merrell	Outstanding Achievement - Level 3
James Rugg	Outstanding Achievement - Older Learner
Shanna-Kaye Henry	Outstanding Achievement - Level 2
Rebecca Bright	Principal's Award
Comfort Olaribigbe	Outstanding Performance at A level
Emma Nissen	Outstanding Performance at GCSE

 Staff and students at the College spent the day raising money by wearing fancy dress and collecting money for the appeal.

Particular highlights were dances performed by the Fairy and Jester – for a contribution of just £5 a time! Youth Worker Beverley Panter commented, "We are simply astonished by peoples' generosity. We have already raised over £260, and it's still coming in – we expect the final total to be between £7-800! We’ve been so pleased with the level of participation from students, who really believe in the Children in Need Appeal!" 

College Principal, Simon Norton, was not spared a visit from the fundraisers and is pictured here, after giving a suitable donation to the appeal.  “I’m really impressed by the organisation that has gone into this year’s event.  The students were really throwing themselves into their part and it seems a great success!” 

Photograph:  student fundraisers, with Simon Norton (Principal) middle front 

Workmen at Orpington College discovered the shelter as they cleared the way for a £26million rebuild of the town centre site, including a new hi-tech five storey block.

The Anderson bomb shelter would have helped protect residents in Orpington from German bombing raids during the Second World War.

College principal Simon Norton says that the bunker would have been buried after the Walnuts Shopping Centre was built.

He said: “Finding the shelter was a bit of shock because when the original survey was done they didn’t pick it up because it was so deep in the ground.

“We think when they built the Walnuts Shopping Centre they thought ‘what do we do? Break it up or bury it deeper?’”

“The waste spill from the Walnuts probably got pushed on top of it and it was just buried deeper.”

He added: “Workman had to break it up and drill it out, it is a relic from the past.”

The plans for the college will see its 11-storey tower block revamped while the sports hall will get a new roof and other major improvements.

The college is also set to merge with Bromley College of Further and Higher Education as part of a larger £50million project.

The work on Orpington College, which will eventually cater for 12,000 students, is set to be completed by 2010.

Mr Norton hopes the project will breathe new life into Orpington town centre.

He added: “Work has been storming ahead and is slightly ahead of schedule.

“We have demolished the horrible old timber cabins and built a set of temporary classrooms that are of high quality.

“Its a major undertaking and hugely important. We want students to have the absolute best, that's what this £26million is all about.”

Orpington College is being given a £26m revamp to provide state-of-the-art facilities and demolish older temporary buildings, some of which have been around for 30 years.

The college's landmark 11-storey tower block overlooking Orpington town centre is also undergoing a major refurbishment programme.

Excited Principal, Simon Norton, says building work will not cause disruption to the running of the college.

He said: "Work has started and is steaming ahead at full speed.  We have got it very carefully planned and phased out. A lot of work is being done during vacations and more fine detail work during term."

Upgrades will also include a new reception and refectory for the tower block, a new roof for the sports hall and state-of-the-art IT facilities.

Work is expected to be completed by spring 2010.

Mr Norton says the redevelopment will be a great boost to Orpington with facilities which will be open to local people.

He said: "We are right in the heart of the town centre and there's a real need to regenerate it.

"This £26m investment to upgrade facilities is a real boost for the quality of the environment in Orpington.

He added: "We deal with a wide range of students from age 16 upwards, whether young people or adults, and there will be benefits for them in having high quality facilities.

"The facilities, the buildings, the equipment, the furniture will be a much higher standard."

Most of the funding for the merger comes from a Government grant with the remainder borrowed.

Held annually, the QIA STAR Awards recognise and reward the unsung heroes of the further education and skills sector who have made a difference to the quality of learning that millions of people across England receive every day.

Janis Kent, Alison’s boss said: "I'm so pleased that Alison has got onto the shortlist - she really deserves the award and I hope she makes it through to the next stage.  It has been great working with Alison and I’ve found her to be an exceptional teaching practitioner who gets a huge kick out of her work - and her students love her.”

Since being nominated for this award, Alison has had her “star qualities” recognised by another employer and is now managing the Skills for Life department at Mid Kent College.

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For further information, please contact:
Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786
Press Release reference: 08/157

Photograph:  L-R, Alison Gardiner and her nominator, Jane Smitten

Road Safety week was held at the College to highlight the dangers that young drivers, passengers and pedestrians face.  Government statistics uncovered by Brake reveal that 22 young people are killed or seriously injured in vehicles every week on roads in the South.  The week-long list of activities included an accident reconstruction, talks, plays and the competition.

Sarah beat other students to the prize by writing the best piece about how the Road Safety Event had impacted on her and how she would make her life safer – as a pedestrian, car driver and passenger.

Her prize was presented by College Principal, Simon Norton: “I think these events on road safety have been very successful and have had a positive effect on the students. I think Sarah has done really well to win this prize – she was picked out of hundreds of entries to be the winner”.

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For further information, please contact:
Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786
Press Release reference: 08/156
Photograph:  L-R, Simon Norton (Principal), Sarah Carey

Reba Brown-Eyers, 12, recently spent an entire day at Orpington College learning from both teachers and students.

Reba, who attends Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls, came in with her older sister Christine Eyers as part of her college’s “take your daughter to work” day.

Traditionally work placement is offered to older students in years 10 and 12, but for one day students in year 8 were offered the chance to spend one day in the workplace.

While shadowing Christine, who teaches BTEC National Diploma students (yr2) in the Media Department, Reba had the opportunity to find out about the software used by observing lessons and asking students. Reba also had the chance to work with professional industry standard cameras when she helped the students with filming for their projects.

Finally Reba assisted her older sister with organising a revision workshop for A-Level Media Studies students.

Christine said: “It was great to have Reba here to see what the job really entails. She had a full day and got to meet lots of students. It’s important that youngsters of this age get a taste of work and a better understanding of life in a busy environment. I’d like to thank everyone at Orpington College who took the time to talk to Reba.”

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For further information, please contact: Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786

Press Release reference: 08/159

MIDFIELD CENTRE

The first year BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners students performed a “mime” to the annual conference of Career Academies UK at Canary Wharf. The performance showed how the brain of a computer steps through a simple addition program.

Their tutor Don Benjamin said: “Conference delegates at the workshop were impressed with students on their well-presented and imaginative demonstration. The performance went down very well, and they received a lot of positive feedback”.

Through the College’s IT and Business Career Academy, these Orpington College students will each work for six weeks this summer at such prestigious City firms as Ove Arup and Credit Suisse. They will be paid a salary for the work and will give them a deeper insight into how their studies can be applied in the workplace.

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For further information, please contact: Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786

Press Release reference: 08/158

Pictured [L to R] Andrew Jarvis, Natasha Smith, Martin Klosi, Shabbih Waiz, Charlie Davies, Michael Mici.

A runner-up in this year’s Times PA of the Year Competition, Leigh was happy to come back to Orpington College recently to share her experiences with eager secretarial students.

Leigh who lives in Biggin Hill has continued learning and is currently studying for a degree by distance learning “PAs shouldn’t be afraid to ask for training — and if I can do it, anyone can. I didn’t enter PA of the Year because I thought I was better than my colleagues — far from it — but to illustrate how continuing self-development pays off. It has enhanced my confidence and sense of professionalism”.

Chris Dwight, course leader, says: “The students were inspired by what Leigh had to say – her hard work has paid off and she is living proof of what this can achieve. She has given the students a lot to think about and some good advice for their futures!”

The awards ceremony took place on Thursday 22nd May in the sumptuous surroundings of the riverside dining room at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Tope.

The awards were presented by famous artist Christian Furr and sponsored by COSLP (Committee of South London Principals) to recognise outstanding achievements by students in the South London area.

Natalie, 20, came to Orpington College after having had a difficult time at school, and leaving with no qualifications.  She started on the College’s Skills for Working Life programme, and then progressed to a Business Administration course.  She didn’t have an easy time at first, but was determined to do well – which she did, achieving a distinction and helping others to do well too.  She then attended a College event with employers where she met up with representatives from The Moat Housing Association.  She landed a job with them last summer and is now close to completing her Apprenticeship in Business Administration at the Housing Association, which has nominated her as its Apprentice of the Year.

Simon Norton, Principal, says:  “Natalie has overcome a huge number of obstacles to achieve what she has done. I’m delighted that her hard work has paid off, and she is receiving the recognition she deserves”.

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Sandra Bauer, sbauer@orpington.ac.uk or 01689 899786

Photograph:  Christian Furr presents Natalie with her certificate and prize

Bloomberg is a global, multimedia-based distributor of information services, combining news, data and analysis for financial markets and businesses. Bloomberg provides real-time pricing, data, history, analytics and electronic communications 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is used by over 250,000 financial professionals in 90 countries worldwide.

Michael R Bloomberg, who is currently the Mayor of New York, has offices throughout the world, with the head offices being in New York and London.

The students, along with their Curriculum Manager, David Fagan, were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the building where they were lucky enough to view live television broadcasts, and see the offices where the journalists and the researchers work.

David Fagan said “The students found the visit inspirational and helped them appreciate what personal skills they need, in addition to their business and financial services qualifications.  Our two tour guides had recently joined the Bloomberg’s graduate programme and were most helpful in providing guidance of how to apply to the company and what Bloomberg can offer successful young people in terms of a career.  We find these opportunities to see real businesses in action invaluable in helping students appreciate the relevance and purpose of the theory they learn in the class”

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For further information, please contact Austen Basleigh, abasleigh@orpington.ac.uk – 01689 885367

 A Council spokesperson said, “It was excellent to see so many businesses at the Boost Your Business event, and that it was so well supported by partner organisations.   The success of the event demonstrates that there is an important role for the Council in bringing together providers of business support to help small and medium businesses in the area.” 

For more information about other business support events and initiatives in Bromley please visit www.bromley.gov.uk/business or telephone 020 8461 7897. 

FUTURES held an open event at which employees were able to sign up for training.  The training includes a relevant NVQ Level 2 together with English and Maths, giving them the opportunity to achieve nationally recognised qualifications.  This initiative is supported by Unite the Union, as well as the management of the garage.

FUTURES unveiled a fully equipped dedicated on-site learning centre, which allows employees to study at the garage, despite having busy and variable shift patterns.

Training of this kind has been proven to boost the confidence and productivity of workers.  Orpington College are not new to this sector and have won several awards for their work with First Bus in Orpington.

Miluska Wiebkin, Project Coordinator, said “the event was a great success – staff at the Metrobus depot demonstrated a real desire to learn and develop new skills.  I look forward to seeing their progress in the coming months”.

Any employers interested in free training initiatives please contact Tracy Armstrong on 01689 885364.

Pictured: Miluska Wiebkin and Union Learning Representatives Paul Goldsmith and Sean Elliott at the open event on the 5^th February 2008.

Simon Norton, College Principal says ‘I am extremely proud of the achievements of these students and they thoroughly deserve recognition for all their hard work. It is an absolute pleasure to be able to present them with these awards.’

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For further information, please contact Shane Clancy, on 01689 899786 or email sclancy@orpington.ac.uk

Students were required to apply problem solving skills, clear thinking and logical analysis in order to answer difficult questions covering a broad range of mathematical topics. Gold, silver and bronze certificates were awarded to 40% of participants nationally and the most successful participants at each level were encouraged to enter further examinations. Rhys Mills achieved an outstanding score of 81 marks out of 100, which was six marks above the threshold for the prestigious gold award. Daryl Ricardo, who is also a student at the college, achieved an impressive score of 59, to which he was awarded a bronze certificate.

Sheila Lake, Curriculum Manager at Orpington College says, “We are extremely proud of what both students have achieved, they have demonstrated the skills needed to tackle what is an extremely challenging area. Their results show that Orpington College is capable of producing students of the highest level and sets an excellent example for others to follow’.

Rhys says, ‘I really enjoyed taking part in the UKMT senior challenge and I am delighted that I managed to achieve the gold award. I would definitely encourage others to get involved as it is a great opportunity to test and improve your math skills’

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For more information, please contact Sandra Bauer on 01689 899786 or email sbauer@orpington.ac.uk

Ref: 07/149

Karen comes from Smithfield High School in Virginia, USA and taught 14-18 year olds. The School is over 100 years old and has 1,232 students. She saw the Fullbright[1] Exchange programme advertised on a poster in the copying room and applied to “swap lives” with somebody from the UK.

Karen was able to match with Winsome Glave who is a member of the IT teaching staff at Orpington College, and their new living arrangements were agreed. Karen is living in Winsome’s house, but this arrangement didn’t suit Winsome, so Karen was able to secure an apartment for her close to the School in Virginia.

Coming from Virginia to suburban Orpington, Karen has had to adapt. For instance, she drove everywhere in the US, and now she is using public transport - which she quite enjoys!

Karen came over in August and started teaching in September. She finds that her students over here have similar issues to her students in America with regard to keeping their attention and making learning interactive.  Karen says:  “My students have had some fun with me over explaining festivals like Bonfire Night, which of course I’d never heard of before!  Plus we’ve had a giggle about some words which have different meanings in the UK from the US!”

Integrating into the area is ongoing, and Karen says: “I’ve found the college friendly and supportive and my social circle is increasing. I’m also looking to find out how I can indulge my hobby – which is belly dancing – in the local area. I’ve also got involved with a Church – another big difference from the US is that my church congregation here represents 30 different countries!”

While there have been many ups and downs since first arriving in England, Karen feels that the overall experience has been quite worth the move.  She states, “The opportunities for professional and personal growth are endless and I intend to take full advantage while I’m here.”

REF 07/148

The students embarked on their course with Orpington College in 2005 and have been able to continue with their jobs whilst attending College on a part time basis. 

Now, two years on, these students have completed the course and were able to celebrate their success together at a graduation ceremony, held on 24th October 2007 at the University of Greenwich.

Orpington College Principal, Simon Norton says: “We are very proud of the achievements of our first cohort of students on the Foundation Degree in Teaching Support. They have been truly inspirational – particularly as most have had to juggle their studies with full-time employment and family commitments. I am delighted with their success."
 
If you would like to follow in the footsteps of the Foundation Degree students please contact Orpington College for more information on 01689 899700.

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For further information, please contact
Sandra Bauer
sbauer@orpington.ac.uk
01689 899 786
ref 07/

The Certificate in Financial Studies has been running at Orpington College for three years and has had a great success rate with 92% of the students passing the course.  But Dan surpassed his predecessors and was awarded £200 for gaining the highest final exam mark in the country.  Dan was also awarded a further £75 for being the third highest overall achiever in the country.

To celebrate his success, Dan was presented with a certificate of achievement and a cheque by Orpington College Principal Simon Norton as he returned to study A level Finance and Accounting at the College.

Dan said “I was really happy to hear that I had performed the best in the country in the final exams, and it was great to be presented with a cheque when I came back to study in the second year.  The teaching staff are really supportive at Orpington and the facilities are excellent, it has really helped me achieve what I have.”

The Certificate in Financial Studies is an ideal programme for students to launch careers in the Financial Services industry and Dan plans to continue his study in this field.

Orpington College holds Centre of Vocational Excellence status for Financial Services and has a range of specialised programmes focused towards the industry that take place in their brand new state-of-the-art Financial Futures Centre.

Dan Haley with Orpington College Principal Simon Norton

 - ENDS - 

For further information,

please contact David Smith,

Marketing & PR Officer

dsmith@orpington.ac.uk

01689 899 785

ref 07/144

Students enrolling at Orpington College this week were given a healthy head-start with a new ‘Healthy Living’ initiative that the College is promoting this year.

At enrolment the students were offered free use of neighbouring Walnuts Leisure centre thanks to a ground-breaking deal with Bromley MyTime.  This deal allows the students to use the gym and swimming pool completely free of charge from 9am to 4pm during term time, meaning they can take advantage of this great offer before, after or between classes.

The nearby Sainsbury’s Supermarket were also on hand at enrolment, handing out free fruit drinks to help promote the healthy eating and drinking to the students.  Sainsbury’s has a wide range of healthy food and drink products on offer and hope that the students will get into good eating habits.

Principal at Orpington College, Simon Norton, was keen that the students get as much help with maintaining a healthy lifestyle as possible: “We are proud to have made partnerships with The Walnuts and Sainsbury’s to offer our students as much as we can.  The balance of exercise and healthy eating is key for anyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy body means a healthy mind, so hopefully it will help our students with their studies too.”

Anna Leadbeater from Sainsbury's Orpington and Orpington College Principal Simon Norton

Orpington College hosted its first annual End of Year Show in July featuring art displays and films reflecting themes of freedom and expression.

Among the guests were students, parents and Governors - they were also treated to a show of African Dance and Music performed by Dance Afreka, plus performances by Prince Logic, David Monteith and Duncan Lawrence. The College’s BME Group (Black and Ethnic Minority Group) won a £2,000 grant from the National Lottery Foundation to put on the show, which illustrated the slavery story. The dancers also provided some audience participation at the end, and had lots of students and their families joining in with them.

The displays featured work from students studying A Level Art and Design, Film Studies, Media and Graphics together with vocational students on BTEC Art and Media courses.  Proud parents and friends of the students viewed the artwork whilst enjoying some Jamaican food prepared especially for the event.

Clare Roach, curriculum leader says: “Our End of Year Show is a tremendous conclusion to a year of extremely hard work by our students. It’s an opportunity to congratulate them and recognise their efforts. The huge range of work on display shows the high standards our students achieve.”

The imaginative new development does away with tired rented and temporary accommodation and replaces it with a 5 storey “state of the art” College building by award winning architects, KSS Design Group Ltd. At the same time the communal student areas are extensively remodelled and the existing landmark 11 storey tower is further refurbished. These developments follow hard on the heels of a £1 million investment to modernise IT facilities for students at the College and an upgrade of its extensive science labs.

The College, which is recruiting now for courses starting in September, secured detailed planning consent for most of the changes some time ago. However it then had to work hard to win the record levels of Government funding needed to make the scheme happen. College Principal, Simon Norton, says “I’m delighted that we’ve won this prestigious investment for the local community and businesses. It will be a huge asset for students from our local area and across South London and North Kent. We’ve long had a reputation for first class courses and learner achievement - now we will have the buildings to match. Construction work is expected to start in the spring of next year.”

MP, John Horam, has warmly welcomed the announcement: “I’m a keen supporter of Orpington College and know of the good work it does for its students first hand. This major new investment is very good news indeed for local young people and adults studying at the College. It’s also particularly good news for the town centre and the businesses which trade there. Paddy Padmanathan, the Chair of Governors, and the College Corporation are to be congratulated on taking this major step forward.”

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For further information, please contact Sandra Bauer, Marketing Manager

sbauer@orpington.ac.uk

01689 899 786

Ref 07/140

Background information:

The College’s annual turnover is more than £11 million.

Student Age

Under 19 year olds make up 37% of the student body

62% are aged 19+

Full time students 38%

Part time students 62%

The College operates from three sites in Orpington – two serving mainly adult students and the other mainly younger students.  The College also teaches in a wide range of community venues, teaching essential skills up to level 2, and other subjects.  The Learndirect Centre, in the Walnuts Centre is run by the College and offers a fantastic range of courses which can be studied at home or in the centre.

The countries chosen, including Zambia, Tasmania and Slovenia, are all non-mainstream destinations in the tourism industry and holidays to these destinations are not readily publicised in high street travel agents, so a lot of research was involved.  Anthony Liles, 20 from Plumstead, did his project on Cape Verde & Kerali: “The trend towards holidaying to more exotic, unexplored destinations is growing; choosing a destination and getting the information was quite difficult, but once I got into it, it was interesting.” 

Travel & Tourism tutor at Orpington College Catherine Keogh commented on the students efforts: “The students have put in a lot of hard work in this project, from researching the destinations to setting up the exhibition, they have really surpassed themselves.” 

The students are coming to the end of their two year, full time course; many are planning to go to University or to get jobs in the travel industry.  If you would like more information on this course please contact Teresa Roome on 01689 899 751 or email troome@orpington.ac.uk. 

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For further information, please contact

David Smith, Marketing & PR Officer

dsmith@orpington.ac.uk01689 899 785

ref 07/137

Adult Learners’ Week, 19^th – 25^th May, is a national campaign aimed at helping adults from a variety of backgrounds discover how education can help them.  Orpington College is supporting this campaign by inviting adults to come along to their event on 25^th May, 10am – 4pm, to sample a wide range of courses and talk to staff and specialist advisors about adult learning opportunities at the College.

The Learning Shop Manager at Orpington College, Taralee Holt, highlights the importance of Adult Learners’ Week: “Many adults think that it’s too late to learn new skills, but Adult Learners’ Week is a fantastic platform to show them the wide range of opportunities available to them.  Hopefully our event will show people that learning later in life isn’t so daunting, it can improve career prospects, give them new skills, and even be fun!”

Orpington College will be holding its Adult Learners’ Week Event on Friday 25^th May from 10am to 4pm at The Learning Shop, 42 The Walnuts, Orpington, Kent (just off Orpington High Street).  For more information on this event or to find out more about adult courses at Orpington College please call The Learning Shop 01689 885358 or email mailto:learningshop@orpington.ac.uk

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For further information, please contact

David Smith, Marketing & PR Officer

mailto:learningshop@orpington.ac.uk

The aim is to make learning accessible and fun for all its students.

The Orpington College,enjoys a well-established reputation for its results at A level and in vocational qualifications, started its ambitious investment programme during last summer’s vacation.

The pace has been maintained throughout the year, and by this summer’s break over One Million pounds will have been invested in new PCs, interactive “smartboards”, on-line learning materials and a new website.

The Principal, Simon Norton, is keen to stress that the transformation is about much more than new equipment: “Investing heavily in new hardware and software as we have done is clearly important, but the really critical thing is to use it in the right way.

We want to use it to make learning stimulating and enjoyable for our students. That’s why we’ve also built a dedicated Professional Development Centre for our teaching staff, so they can practise using the equipment and develop their teaching materials in a custom-built environment”.

The results can be dramatic. David Fagan, Curriculum Manager at Orpington Colleges’ Financial Futures centre says: “Using a range of multi media resources and internet based activities brings the financial studies courses alive.  Students enjoy this approach which has helped us achieve very high grades on these programmes – way above the national averages”.

Simon Norton, explains the wider strategy: “Investing in technologies for teaching and learning is not cheap, but if we want our young people to thrive in the modern world we need to take a forward-looking approach.  Our investments in this field are part of a much bigger programme to make Orpington a truly outstanding College by 2010

The College does not plan to rest on its laurels. After this year’s investments are completed, it will be working with its private sector partner, RM, to develop ‘fully personalised learning’ facilities for all its students. Simon also points out “Older people can benefit from these approaches too - for example, we offer a full range of user-friendly on-line learning through our Learning Shop in the Walnuts, so nobody should feel left out”.

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For further information, please contact

Sandra Bauer, Marketing & PR Officer

sbauer@orpington.ac.uk

01689 899 786

Ref 07/135

As part of their course, students have to demonstrate skills in communication, IT, teambuilding and organising. To help achieve this they have contacted companies requesting donations for prizes, produced posters and advertising flyers and made telephone calls to staff at the College to persuade them to buy tickets.

The students managed to gain prize donations from a number of local companies including Marks & Spencer, Pizza Hut and Game, with the first prize being a large luxury Easter Egg. The raffle was drawn last week in the students’ last lesson before the Easter break.

Nick Berrie, Curriculum Manager for Business Administration and IT at the College was pleased with the students work: “The students are delighted with their achievement; they have worked hard and managed to generate a lot of interest in their fund-raising activities. Knowing that they were raising money for such a worthy cause inspired them in this project.”

The students will be presenting their cheque to Cancer Research when all donations have been collected.

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For further information, please contact

David Smith, Marketing & PR Officer

dsmith@orpington.ac.uk

01689 899 785

ref 07/133