The Newsletter December 2013 Farnborough Principal: Simon Jarvis www.farnborough.ac.uk @Farnborough6th

Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year to all our College families! Support for local Step by Step Somehow the year is vanishing and remarkably Christmas time is almost upon us! It Charity seems like only yesterday that the new intake of first year students joined us: excited, Page 2 mildly anxious, fresh out of school youngsters. Now of course they are study-hardened College veterans, having completed their first term, most having adapted successfully to the challenges of post-16 study. At the end of a long term, students (and staff!) are understandably looking forward to the winter break, relaxing in the company of family and friends. Looking back, 2013 has been a busy year which has seen some wonderful achievements by College students – on the fields, in performance, in a multitude of local and national competitions. In this season of good will, I have been proud to see that so many of our students played an active part in civic life throughout the year – serving as volunteers in the community or fund raising for good causes. Over the year, almost 14,000 hours have been invested by our volunteers: a wonderful testament to the Sports commitment and values of our young people. Round Up Winning With this in mind, I do hope that you are able to support our Grand Draw: local companies have Team responded magnificently, freely providing so many fabulous prizes. Our target is to raise over £10,000 for Page 3 The Gaming Zone, an amazing local organisation which works tirelessly to improve the life opportunities for so many children in the Borough.

The year ahead will bring its challenges. You will be only too aware of the difficult economic circumstances in which the country finds itself. In this context, may I add my sincere thanks to the many parents who were able to respond positively to my request for a Gift Aided donation in support of College activities. It really has made a significant difference: every penny received has been invested back in to the facilities enjoyed by our students. Thank you.

If you have not yet made a donation and would like to, it’s certainly not too late: please contact the Finance Office (01252 688212) who will be pleased to help with the very simple process. Christmas May I take this opportunity to offer seasonal best wishes to all our students and parents. A happy new Production year to one and all. ‘The Dream’ Page 4 Simon Jarvis, Principal

The Dell and Library will be OPEN New Parent Governor Monday 6 January appointed and Tuesday 7 January 2014 10 am - 4 pm Following a selection process, Rebecca Harrison was successfully appointed as a Parent Governor If you are coming a long way, until November 2015. phone first to check that the network has no glitches (01252 688271) Our two current Parent Governors are: Mr James Bryant Contents Mrs Rebecca Harrison College Christmas Celebration: Page 1 Friday 20 December, 7.30 pm Important Dates Chamber Choir and Choral Society Concert Page 2 Important Term Dates Important The College presents ‘A Choral Christmas’ at St. Information: Andrew’s Garrison Church Aldershot at 7.30 pm Christmas Vacation 23 Dec 2013 - 3 Jan 2014 Study Leave on Friday 20 December. The College Choral Society Study Days 6 and 7 January 2014 Page 3 is one of the largest of its kind in the country and its Reading Week 17 - 21 February 2014 Careers and Christmas concerts and services are always one of Easter Vacation 7 April - 21 April 2014 Future Events the hightlights of the College calendar. The concert May Day Bank Holiday 5 May 2014 will also feature the Chamber Choir - a group made 2014 Reading Week 26 May - 30 May 2014 up mostly of principal singers. It promises to be an Student Travel End of Summer Term 8 July 2014 (4.15pm) uplifting occasion and a fitting end to the term. Page 4 AS and A2 Results 14 August 2014 Congratulations! Tickets are available from the GCSE Results 21 August 2014 Prospect Theatre website: Year 13 Induction 2 & 3 September 2014 prospecttheatre.farnborough.ac.uk Year 12 Induction 4 & 5 September 2014 or on the door. Full Term starts 8 September 2014 Important Information for all Students and Parents

Study Leave in the Summer Term 2014 Spring Term Consultation Evenings Following publication of the Summer examination timetable, The two consultation evenings, to be held in March, are primarily we have now finalised study leave dates. aimed at first year students and at second year students who are experiencing difficulty. The evenings will be held on: First year students studying AS levels: study leave with begin on Monday 12 May. All other students: will begin study leave Wednesday 26 March 2014 5.30 pm - 8.30 pm on Tuesday 27 May (the start of the Whitsun week holiday). Thursday 3 April 2014 5.30 pm - 8.30 pm A2 lessons will begin on Tuesday 10 June. These will be an opportunity to feedback to parents the results of the mock exams and to finalise actions in the run up to the Mock Examinations summer exam period. College mock examinations in most subjects will take place in Finance for courses the second half of the Spring Term. These exams will be critical in assessing progress and giving students a realistic indication starting after 1 September 2014 of the grades they are likely to attain in the summer. Full-time and part-time students can apply for loans and There is no study leave allocated so we ask parents to ensure grants to cover their tuition fees and living costs. that students take these seriously and begin their revision in Applications for courses starting from 1 September 2014 plenty of time. There will be a special mock period running open in Spring 2014. Full details are available at: from Monday 3 – Friday 14 March 2014. The timetable during https://www.gov.uk/student-finance this mock period will be altered so that papers longer than 90 minutes can be sat within a single lesson. Students who have The presentation from the meeting a mock examination are expected to attend classes before for parents, is available on the College website. and after the exam on the same day. The dates and times of students’ mock examinations will be given to them by their subject teachers. Parents should be aware that not all subject University Admissions – make sensible choices areas will be using this mock period to set their mock papers. Students are advised to be realistic and only to accept a place for which they will be able to meet the requirements. Annual ‘Sleep Out’ raises funds for local We strongly recommend waiting for the results of the mock examinations before making final decisions. charity Step by Step Once all decisions have been received via UCAS, students As the winter weather begins to take hold, with more than one offer have to firmly accept one, known try to imagine sleeping outside with nothing as Conditional Firm (CF) and identify another Conditional to protect you from the elements except a Insurance (CI) offer. If the student does not meet the CF offer sleeping bag and a cardboard box. but meets the CI offer, s/he will go to the Insurance place. This was the experience of College students and staff, when Students should choose their CI offer wisely – it should be they spent a cold November night sleeping outside, on the lower than the CF choice. Personal Tutors will be happy to College grounds, with the aim of raising £10,000 for Step by discuss this with their tutees. Step, a local charity supporting homeless youngsters. Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards Organised, promoted and attended by the 12 strong Students’ Association committee, this annual event gave the 50 students Most universities and colleges offer students direct financial and 5 members of staff help in addition to any student loans and grants through who participated a glimpse bursaries and scholarships. This money helps to pay for of what it is like to be living costs and tuition fees and doesn’t have to be paid back. homeless. Applicants should check with the university to see what is available. Before the “sleepers” hit the cold, damp concrete, they heard directly from College Travel Scholarships two Step by Step clients, who described the Each year the College makes support provided by the charity, through teaching life skills, available a small number of encouraging independence and rebuilding relationships scholarships (maximum £250 between young people and their families as “life changing”. each) to support individual students to travel abroad in Gill Butler, a member of the Step by Step fundraising team, order to undertake project work also gave a brief presentation about the phenomenal work in the services of others. that the charity provides, demonstrating the impact which they are able to make in helping to build a secure, safe and The awards are discretionary, stable future for the young people they work with. intended for those intrepid travellers who are making independent plans to extend their In addition to the sponsorship pledged to the sleepers, scores experience by working overseas on behalf of a good cause. of students were on site busking and collecting funds from Scholarships are not available to support foreign holidays! the thousands of people who visited the College’s two Open Days. If you would like to make a donation or find out more Application forms for the 2014 Travel Scholarships and more about the Step by Step charity, you can do so by visiting their information are available from the Principal’s Personal Assistant; website at www.stepbystep.org.uk. the closing date is Friday 14 February 2014. First and second year students are welcome to apply. The final total raised for Step by Step from the 2013 ‘Sleep Out’ will be announced at the Community Singalong held at Examples detailing the rich experiences of previous beneficiaries the College on 17 December. can be found in our current prospectus. Careers and Future Events 2014 Sports Roundup As holders of the prestigious ‘Investor in Careers’ The season is hotting up for Farnborough Award, the College is proud of the many with the British Colleges South East Regional opportunities offered to students to receive Tournament being held across all Colleges information, advice and guidance on employment, from Surrey, and Sussex. The apprenticeships and Higher Education. tournament aims to find the top athletes to represent the South East in the National Spring Term 2014 Finals, which this year will be held at Bath University in April. A series of talks are planned on Tuesdays, with a focus on Eleven regions, including Scotland and Wales, will compete future employment opportunities and on Thursdays, about for the Wilkinson Sword title. Higher Education. Talks are at 12.15 pm in the Lecture Theatre The College Women’s (unless otherwise stated). Sign up outside iPoint. All talks are Team won all their games open to first and second year students. The exact dates will be convincingly and faced Henley advertised to students via the weekly Moving On Update and College in the final. We finished to parents via the Parent Portal. runners up but set the bar for others to follow. So you want to be a Lawyer? - So you want to be a Pilot? - TAG Farnborough In Tennis, Cem Ortel and Rebecca So you want to be an Engineer? - Fluor plc Howard competed in the singles So you want to be a Vet? - Royal Veterinary College competitions. In Badminton Connor McCartney reached So you want to be a Doctor? - Queen Mary, University of the semi finals after a tough first game against the England So you want to be a Teacher? - number one; Ben Churcher and Thomas Burnell comfortably So you are thinking of a Gap Year? - tbc made it through the pool stages but lost to the Peter So you want to be a Counsellor? Symonds pair who went on to win. Steph Thomas and Jenny So you want to be an Architect? Pearson just missed out in the Finals and were beaten by Stay local and get a degree with less debt - Farnborough College Henley College. Captain George Otuzalti and his partner of Technology Lisa Pearson demonstrated calmness under pressure and Accountancy Training, Apprenticeships & Scholarships - Kaplan secured Farnborough’s first win. & Deloitte Sponsored Degrees in Business Management and IT - CGI In the Swimming the Farnborough boys dominated placing Apprenticeships at your local College - Farnborough College of in numerous events and winning the relays. Oliver Weedon Technology won the 50m and 100m Backstroke, Kieran Brunt won the 50m Freestyle and Oliver Waldram won the 100m breaststroke. Special Events: The Netball Team won all their pool games confidently, Friday 21 March - UCAS HE Convention, University of beating Itchen College 20-8 in the Semi -Final and won against Portsmouth 22-12 in the Final. A must for all first year students thinking of university. Full details will be circulated to students in Tutorial lessons. The last day of events saw the Men’s Hockey Team finish 4th Tuesday 25 March - Introduction to Oxbridge and Eloise Millbourn win the Women’s Cross Country with Carolin Crawford, Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Lizzy Beth Heddle 3rd. Emerson, St. Hugh’s College, Oxford - 1-3.30 pm, Prospect Theatre. Toby Starling finished Thursday 1 May - Higher Education Information Evening for 3rd in the Men’s Cross parents of first year students Country and Brogan University of – 7.00 pm. Admission by (free) ticket McCawley 8th, which only, available from the Student Services office. should see all these Thursday 3 July - Moving On Day - Careers seminars, talks and students qualify. George exhibition for all first year students. Otuzalti, Lisa Pearson, Wednesday 24 September - College deadline for medicine, Kieran Brunt, Oliver veterinary science and Oxford and Cambridge UCAS forms. Weedon and the Netball Students applying to popular courses at oversubscribed Team will all represent the South East at the National Finals. universities should consider meeting this deadline as well. Student Travel via Public Transport Student car drivers When students experience problems with the Please emphasise to your son/daughter that, if parking bus or rail service, it is helpful if they inform in the Student Car Park or the Farnborough Football Club Mary Marsh in the Student Services Office or ground, it is entirely at the student’s own risk. send her a message via email: [email protected]. • There are minor incidents in the Student Car Park almost every day, caused by the large number of All complaints are forwarded immediately to the appropriate inexperienced drivers all in one place - and parking can be a bus or rail company. difficult manoeuvre. The College accepts no responsibility for dealing with these accidents, which should always be Parents’ cars - and road safety referred to the insurance companies. We are increasingly concerned about road safety in and around the College, particularly at 4.15 pm when there is a large exodus • If your son or daughter would find it distressing to from the College. deal with minor damage to a car, he or she should think seriously about leaving it at home. If you give your son or daughter a lift to College, please set down at a safe place outside College. When picking up, it would • The College will, of course, continue to treat dangerous be helpful (and probably quicker) if the student walked along driving on the College site very seriously by suspending Sand Hill beyond the bus bay to meet you. Please note that it is any student seen driving in that manner. illegal to wait in parked cars for students in Whitehouse Close. College Christmas Production Congratulations! ‘The Dream’ Nicole Pilsworth and Jago “The Greatest Show on Earth”, “Roll up Roll up for The Thornton, both second year Dream” – from the moment that Philostrate (Benjamin students, who recently came third Stone) heralded the beginning of the show, in the Foyer of and fourth respectively in the the Theatre and Theseus (Cameron Moreton) and Hippolyta Chopin International Festival and (Monique Koekemoer) appeared, there was an atmosphere Piano Competition in Sulechów, of anticipation of an exciting evening’s entertainment and Poland. Rohin Dale, George Bowen a twist on the Shakespeare tale. and Zoë Geddes also took part The audience were enticed into in the competiton and received the Prospect Theatre auditorium, Masterclasses from international or was it a circus ‘Big Top’ and the performers as well as giving a number students immediately swept us up of performances during the festival. in a spectacle of colours, sound, light, music, dance and drama. Matthew Ashford, Thomas Charles, Cameron Gaul and Benjamin Selwyn recently collected their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards from St. James’s Palace. The awards were ‘The Dream’, which played over presented by Sian Williams, TV and Radio Presenter. 3 nights, 11-13 December, in the Rebecca Steer who came in the top 1000 in the country in the College’s own Prospect Theatre, National Maths Challenge. She has been invited to participate showcased the diversity of skills in the British Mathematics Olympiad. across the performing arts enrichment courses. Chamber Orchestra and Big Band delight audience The 4 young lovers Hermia (Alice Tomlinson), Helena (Hannah Stokes), Lysander (Joseph Alexander) and Demetrius Students of the College’s Chamber Orchestra and Big Band (Jack Fairey) gave us witty expression and physicality in delighted a packed audience in the College’s Prospect their performances and the Gothic fairies bewitched both Theatre on Thursday 21 November with a lively and varied characters and audience alike. programme, demonstrating real musicianship and maturity. The evening began with an Oberon (Matt Bevan) assisted by Puck, (cleverly interpreted in eclectic journey through 3 incarnations as Hannah Mattey, Maria Sandler and Taylah American music of the twentieth Schofield) gave a powerful and sometimes almost sinister century, with the Chamber performance, which softened as his mischief-making relented Orchestra, conducted by Harry towards a happy conclusion for all. White, exploring a diverse and challenging repertoire, Elaborate and subtle make-up was used to maximum effect including concert songs by with black lips and eyeliner, ivy and cobwebs on cheeks for Samuel Barber and Charles the fairies, clown-like effects for the Players and a more Ives (sung by A2 musicians Jemma Mitchell and Beth Mabin understated palette for the Athenians. respectively). Impressive student solos were also heard from The illusion of a night at the Jago Thornton (piano), Charlie Chart (xylophone) and an all- Circus was created through female close harmony quartet (Eleanor Stevens, Martha the collaboration of dance and Woodhams, Maddy Jewell and Beth Mabin). musical numbers together with The second half saw a selection of toe-tapping favourites performed costume and props including with fabulous drive red noses, scooters, hoops and and energy by the ribbons and a ladder from which College’s Big Band Bottom (Prem Coles) practises under the expert his speeches. Coles’ portrayal direction of Ben of the death of Pyramus, shortly Dowsett. Jazz has followed by the violent demise never been stronger of Thisbe (Beau Lawson-Syer), at Farnborough and had the audience in no doubt the audience were that this was a comedy. The also wowed by two phenomenal smaller Jazz ensembles, intricate and atmospheric score Time Out and 7th Street. 80s classics such as the theme from really underpinned some of the dark themes performed with the ‘A Team’ and Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ were juxtaposed against melodic panache by the ensemble. more experimental, new jazz works played with great verve and style. The ingenious and at times ethereal choreography enriched the fast flowing narrative; from clowns to hypnotic dream The Music Department looks forward to many more exciting like figures the staging and movement more than blended musical moments this year. seamlessly with drama and song. Feedback The clever use of props continued as a canopy on wheels was transported by the fairies to provide shelter for Titania It is always very helpful to receive feedback on your perception (Francesca Newton) during the time that she is besotted by of the College - if you have any comments concerning the the donkey. quality of education, we would be very pleased to hear them. In particular, please do not hesitate to let us know if you have Magic and mischief filled the air and the projection of colours any concerns. across the stage, adeptly controlled by the lighting team, drew the eye around the variety of happenings across the We would also like your thoughts on this newsletter; please performance. email [email protected].