Eel Pie - Richmond upon Thames College

CELEBRATE
The termly magazine of Richmond upon Thames College
Issue 4 – 2014
A
Taste of
Eel Pie
Historic mu
ral
recreated,
page 2
In this issue...
Outstanding results, page 3
Student Awards Evening, page 4
Naples trip, page 6
Cover
Story
More outstanding results!
In August, A level results at Richmond upon Thames College
were a cause for great celebration for both students and staff.
The overall pass rate was 96% with 64% of students gaining
A*-C grades. 25 subjects examined achieved a 100% pass
rate across the Arts, Media, Humanities, Languages, Sciences,
Mathematics and Social Sciences.
The results for those students who came to the College with
at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C with an average of B or
better, were hugely impressive with a pass rate of 98.3% and
an A*-B rate of 63.2%, with an A*/A pass rate of 30.6% well above the national average of 26.3%.
Local students were amongst those who swept the board in
gaining A*/A grades in three or four subjects. Of those who
had previously attended schools in the borough of Richmond 12 students gained three or more A*/A grades in their chosen
subjects and 43% of borough students achieved A*-B grades.
Results for the BTEC level 3 diplomas were also excellent,
with the Extended Diploma (equivalent to 3 A levels) achieving over
90% pass rate with 20% of students gaining distinctions in all three
of the final grades which is equivalent to 3 A levels at grade A or
above.
Road safety tour debuts at College
On Monday 18 November, TV presenter Sophie Morgan was at Richmond upon
Thames College to launch her new road safety tour - Licence to Kill. The tour, based
on Sophie’s BBC Three documentary of the same name, aims to educate young people
across Britain on the dangers of driving as well as providing an immediate solution via
free educational software, Drive iQ.
Sophie, who was paralysed in a car crash aged 18, gave a powerful talk to over
100 students on the realities facing young drivers today such as distractions from
lively passengers, ignoring the speed limit and not paying attention to the road. The
tour incorporated hard-hitting footage from Sophie’s documentary, as well as a live
demonstration of Drive iQ’s virtual environment road safety software.
A taste of Eel Pie
A much-cherished part of Twickenham’s rich cultural history was brought back to life at the start of
the autumn term, thanks to talented art & design student, Sarah Blackwell.
In September, a mural once found in Twickenham’s historic Eel Pie Island Hotel was recreated by Richmond upon Thames College art
student, Sarah Blackwell, for an exhibition celebrating the island’s unique place in music history.
Sarah (pictured), currently studying an art & design foundation diploma at the College, created the
acrylic-based mural as part of the ‘Eelpiland’ exhibition at The Stables Gallery in Twickenham, after
the exhibition’s organisers approached the College looking for a talented young artist to help with the
project.
Using an old black and white photo of the original mural as her guide, Sarah recreated the jazz band
piece over a three-week period, working on the island itself before the mural was unveiled across the
river at Orleans House for the exhibition’s launch.
“It was an amazing
experience working
on the island with so
many other talented
artists.”
“It was an amazing experience working on the island with so many other talented artists and a
privilege to be involved in such a culturally significant exhibition,” said Sarah. “I’m really pleased with the end result and will be
forever grateful that I’ve had my own personal taste of the magic of Eel Pie Island.”
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Eel Pie Island Hotel gained fame as both a top jazz and rhythm and blues venue and was
visited by a host of music legends including John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton.
The hotel was demolished by fire in 1971 but its history remains preserved in the stories, poems and songs of the old islanders and the
musicians who played there.
‘Eelpiland – The Birth of Rhythm and Blues’ ran at The Stables Gallery, Orleans House, throughout August and September 2013.
2 CELEBRATE Issue 4 – 2014
Sophie Morgan and Drive iQ’s Emma Gardner
It’s your future...
Former students tell us how studying at Richmond upon Thames College helped shape their future.
Catherine Sweet
Former A level student (2005-07)
Catherine came to the College from Fulham Cross School to study A levels
in English, media studies, theatre studies and Spanish. She went on to
study Media & Culture at the University of Roehampton, graduating
with a first class honours degree. She now works as a Communications
Advisor for Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP).
“I originally chose to study at Richmond upon Thames College due to the excellent amount
of A levels on offer. The quality of the teaching in all my subjects was outstanding and the
guidance and advice we received was fantastic. It was thanks to my media studies lecturers
that I began thinking of a career in communications as the lessons were so enjoyable
and really well structured. By the time I left to study media and culture at the University of Roehampton, I already had a good
understanding of my subject, making the transition to higher education feel much smoother.
“After graduating from university, I worked in a Marketing Assistant role at the London Wetland Centre before joining RHP as a
Communications Advisor in July 2011. My role is to help manage the press portfolio and includes writing press releases, finding
PR opportunities, producing quarterly magazines and updating the social media channels. It’s a really great place to work.
“Without a doubt, it’s thanks to Richmond College that I am where I am today. It helped shape me both personally and
academically, plus I met some of my best friends there. I look back on my time as a Richmond upon Thames College student with
real fondness and will always be grateful to my lecturers for setting me on the right career path.”
t: 020 8607 8000 w: rutc.ac.uk 3
Christmas card winner
Science students visit NPL
On Wednesday
4 December, first
year BTEC science
students visited the
National Physical
Laboratory as part
of a coursework
assignment in which
they compared
specialist and
non-specialist
laboratories.
Art and Design student Michael Evans was celebrating in December after
winning the annual College Christmas card competition.
His snowman design was chosen by a panel of judges as the stand-out
submission ahead of over 20 other fantastic entries, and was used by
senior management and staff as the official College Christmas card for
2013.
“It’s nice to know it was appreciated by the judges and I’m proud to know
that my card was sent to over 500 people at Christmas!” said Michael,
formerly of Isleworth & Syon School for Boys.
RuTC students Aleksandra Martin, Adam Meeajan and Aidan West were
highly commended for their entries.
The trip saw the students meet some of the NPL’s top scientists,
and receive inspiring presentations on advances in tumour
removals as well as demonstrations of the dramatic effects
of liquid nitrogen. As part of the day, the group also toured
some of the NPL’s industry leading facilities including the mass
measurement laboratory, where they got to hold a rare and
expensive copy of the UK National Standard Kilogram.
Heather is tumbling champ
In November, A level student Heather Cowell won gold for Great Britain
at the 23rd World Age Group Trampoline and Tumbling Championships
in Bulgaria. The seventeen year old gymnast saw off rivals from the USA,
France, Russia and Belgium to take home the gold medal for the first time.
Excellent IB results
Heather, a member of Richmond Gymnastics Association (RGA), has been
tumbling since she was six years old. The discipline involves running down
a 25 metre long spring track and performing skills such as somersaults,
back handsprings and twists.
For the eighth year running, Richmond upon Thames
College has delivered impressive results in the International
Baccalaureate Diploma, a pattern it has maintained since
introducing the course in 2004. During that period, the College
has consistently been recognised as a leading provider in the
state sector.
“This was not my first world age group championships as I have competed
for GB before, but it was certainly the best!” said Heather. “I practise at
the RGA four times a week and couldn’t have achieved my medal without
the support of my coach, Rob Small, and my training partner Hannah
McKnight.”
In 2013 the overall pass mark was 83% compared to a global
average of 78%, and 15 of the 26 main subjects taught on the
programme achieved a higher average score than the global
equivalent.
Once she’s completed her A levels in the summer, Heather plans to study a
sport and business degree at Loughborough University.
This year’s cohort of 58 students gained an average pass
mark of 31.15 out of a maximum of 45 points, compared
to the global average of 29.81 points. A mark of 31 points
corresponds to 413 UCAS tariff points which is equivalent
to over 3 A levels at grade A. 19% of the students achieved
between 38 and 43 points which is equivalent to over 4 A levels
at grade A*.
Students honoured at awards
In September, the College hosted its annual Student Awards Evening
at York House in Twickenham. The event celebrated the successes and
achievements of over thirty students (pictured, right) during the past
twelve months, each of whom were nominated by their teachers for their
dedication and efforts during their time at the College.
By achieving such excellent results, a high proportion of the
2013 candidates secured their first choice degrees and gained
places at Russell Group universities including Cambridge, King’s
College London,Warwick, Edinburgh, York and Leeds.
Guests included governors, staff, students and their families along with
local MP Vince Cable, the Mayor of Richmond, representatives from local
secondary schools, businesses and the Metropolitan Police. The awards
were presented to the students by British athletics star, Nigel Levine.
Our current catering and hospitality students prepared and served a
range of delicious food throughout the evening and guests also enjoyed a
variety of musical entertainment provided by students from the performing
arts department.
Congratulations to all our 2013 winners! Amelia Jones, Amy
Barber, Amy Scott, Ashley Ollington, Azamat Ataev, Barry
Leonard, Charlotte Gould, Chris Frost, Edward Burkin, Ellen
Woolf, Florence Concepcion, Freya Strutt, Gamile Mitchell,
Gursharan Singh, Habibur Jubel, Isabella Lindsley, Jocelyn
Major, John Alexander, Julie Meyring, Khadija Lewis, Konrad
Demianko, Luke Penney, Maria Toichoa, Nasra Ahmed,
Olivia Kersey, Olivia Shotton, Oluwadamiola Omole, Rachael
Cowderoy, Rosie Buckle, Sana Ghani, Senami Fall, Tae Kim,
Tamiza Tudor, Taylor Campbell, Tom Churches, Zainab Yusuff,
RuTC Women’s Volleyball Academy.
Richmond Youth Council
(L-R) Emma Ling and Iona Duncan
A level students
Iona Duncan and
Emma Ling have
been making a real
difference to the
local community
this term as
members of the
Richmond Youth
Council. In 2013,
Iona was elected as
a representative for
Heathfield, Whitton and West Twickenham whilst Emma was
voted in as chair of the council. Iona is also the media and
communications representative.
Attending weekly meetings, their roles include participating in
working groups that address physical health, risky behaviour
and emotional health and wellbeing as well as providing the
young person’s voice at Richmond Council meetings.
Student spotlight
RuTC students tell us something we don’t know!
Name: Mahan Jahromi
A level student, basketball
fan and member of the
Student Union.
You’re the SU’s Education
Officer, what’s that like?
“It’s actually pretty cool. I
get to help students with
problems they’re having on
their course and hopefully
make a difference for the
better. The SU is a great
thing to be a part of.”
Didn’t you host the Black History Month talent show?
“Yes, that was me! The SU helped to organise the event and I
volunteered to MC it. I’m quite laid back and the audience were
good fun so it didn’t feel too scary!”
What’s your favourite sport?
“Basketball. I play point guard for the college team and for the
Hampton Jaguars. I love watching the NBA and am a big LA
Clippers fan.”
Did you dream of being a basketball player as a kid?
“I only started playing in year nine so didn’t think about it
when I was younger. I did want to be Spider-Man though!”
Obviously! So what will you do after your A levels?
“I plan to study maths at university.”
Finally, what music are you currently listening to?
“I really like old-school music like LL Cool J, the Wu-Tang Clan
and A Tribe Called Quest. Any classic hip-hop is good to me.”
(L-R) Athlete Nigel Levine and music student Steven Giles
4 CELEBRATE Issue 4 – 2014
t: 020 8607 8000 w: rutc.ac.uk 5
Cross-curriculum trip to Italy
NewsWire
In November, students and staff from geography, geology and classical
civilisation headed to Italy for a residential in the Bay of Naples. Based in
Sorrento harbour, the group visited archaeological sites at Pompeii and
Herculaneum, observing the dramatic effects of the eruption of Vesuvius
in AD 79 whilst also considering the key features of the Roman towns and
contrasting them with later urban development.
Black History Month
Students celebrated Black History Month in October with a mix
of dance, spoken word and music performances in the College’s
Edmund Kean Theatre. The event was organised by members of
the College’s Student Union and student services.
The group also walked to the crater of a steaming Vesuvius - now long
overdue for another cataclysmic eruption – where they witnessed the
conurbation of Naples spread below them, next to the most dangerous
volcano in Europe.
Jack Petchey Awards
In November, RuTC students were honoured with prestigious
Jack Petchey Achievement Awards at a special ceremony held at
Richmond Theatre.
Supported Learning students Alex De Araujo, Lewis Giger,
Damien Jones, Errkollins Patacsil and Natasska Wanuragala
received their awards along with over 100 other students from
schools and colleges across Richmond and Kingston. College
staff member Pete Williams received a special Leader Award.
Further activities included a trip to Amalfi and Positano to look at the
impact of tourism on the region plus a visit to the Greek temple sites at
Paestum, built over 2500 years ago.
The packed trip also saw visits to the volcanic Phlegraean Fields, the
fissures at Solfatara, the amphitheatre of Puteoli, the volcanic Lake Avernus
(which the Romans thought was the entrance to the underworld) and the
temple of the Cumaean Sibyl. The students also experienced the delicious
foods of the Mediterranean and explored the beauty of Sorrento and the
south west Italian coast.
Sporting success continues!
Travel and tourism trip
The College’s sporting stars were celebrating once again in November
after successfully qualifying for the British Colleges Sport national finals.
Victories in rugby, badminton and volleyball saw the RuTC teams qualify in
style for the championships – to be held at the University of Bath in April.
Jack Lumb (pictured) qualified in first place at the BCS regional golf
championship - dominating the event despite wet
and windy conditions throughout. In the cross
country championships, AS level student Daniel
Pinn and BTEC sport student D’yon Christopher
finished second and fourth in the boy’s 7.5km
race, ensuring that they too will be representing
both the College and the London region when
the team heads to Bath this spring.
Travel and tourism students headed to the Sussex coast
in October for a week long residential researching visitor
attractions. The level 3 extended diploma group visited Hastings,
Battle Abbey, Beachy Head and Sea Life in Brighton. They also
walked part of the South Downs Way and listened to talks from
Haven Holidays reps.
(L-R) Natasska Wanuragala, Councillor Meena Bond (Mayor of
Richmond), Pete Williams, Lewis Giger and Errkollins Patacsil
Aerial dance master class
Dance students were treated to a master class in October from
elite aerial performance company, Upswing. The day-long
session saw students receive training from artistic director, Vicki
Amedume, on both the aerial cocoon and aerial ring, allowing
them to develop new performance techniques via a medium that
uses circus skills as an expressive vehicle.
Cross country stars Daniel Pinn and D’yon Christopher
A creative end to the term
In December, students from both art & design and performing arts served
up a host of performances, shows and exhibitions to end the year on a
creative high. IB and A level music students performed an evening concert
for friends, family and fellow students, whilst BTEC music students hosted a
Christmas charity concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Madame Playfair visit
In November, the College’s French society celebrated the
centenary of writer Albert Camus’ birth by inviting the French
Cultural Institute’s Madame Line Playfair to the College.
Later in the month, dance students performed their show Remember My
Name to a packed theatre whilst the art & design department held its
annual winter exhibition, opening up their studios and finishing the year
off with an eye-catching fashion show.
Madame Playfair gave a captivating and well attended talk on
the life and works of Camus and also debated the Nobel Prize
winning author’s ideas and philosophies with the College’s
French A level and IB students.
See highlights from all the shows and exhibitions:
Facebook/RichmonduponThamesCollege
Madame Line Playfair (centre) with IB French students
Sarah Edwards and Caroline Walter
(L-R) Vicki Amedume instructs RuTC dance student Amelia Keane
Above, centre image taken by AS photography student, Molly Hill.
6 CELEBRATE Issue 4 – 2014
t: 020 8607 8000 w: rutc.ac.uk 7
OpenEvent
Come along and find out more about one of
London’s top performing colleges.
Thursday 24th April 2014
5pm-8pm (last entry 7.30pm)
Register your details at www.rutc.ac.uk
Please bring your email confirmation with you.
You will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Enjoy a delicious three course lunch or dinner
at Richmond upon Thames College’s
outstanding training restaurant.
Want to find out more about the
Lunch from £8.50 // Dinner from £12.50
International Baccalaureate?
Book now: meritsrestaurant.co.uk / 020 8607 8164
Then come along to our
Information Evening
Follow us!
Visit our social media pages to find out what’s
happening at Richmond upon Thames College.
Tuesday 25 February 2014
7.15pm-9pm
Register your details at www.rutc.ac.uk
We want your feedback!
www.facebook/RichmonduponThamesCollege
www.twitter.com/RuT_College
www.youtube.RichmondCollegeUK
If you have any comments, ideas or questions about
Celebrate magazine then we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us by emailing: [email protected]
Egerton Road, Twickenham,
Middlesex, TW2 7SJ
Richmond upon Thames College is one of London’s most
successful colleges for 16-19 year olds and has a strong reputation
for achieving excellent results whilst providing a friendly, supportive
and secure environment. The curriculum offer includes AS/A2 levels,
the International Baccalaureate Diploma, BTEC Diplomas at different
levels and a number of vocational courses and apprenticeships.
t: 020 8607 8000
e: [email protected]
w: rutc.ac.uk
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