UPDATE AUTUMN 2020 VARNDEAN’S NEW £2.9M STEM CENTRE IS OPEN! WELCOME TO VARNDEAN’S NEW PRINCIPAL WELL DONE TO ALL OUR STUDENTS! RESULTS DAY REPORT and that the new Principal, Donna- Marie, will ensure that the value VARNDEAN Varndean College adds to our 16-19 year olds, our adult students and international students will continue COLLEGE into the future. It has been my privilege to work with Donna-Marie for two years; she has shown great APPOINTS ITS focus on the quality of the student experience, our inclusive agenda, FIRST FEMALE our desire to address inequality and the success of students and the institution. Donna-Marie will be well PRINCIPAL supported by our Governors who give of their time selflessly. I wish Following the recent retirement of Donna-Marie, Varndean College its longstanding Principal, Dr Phil its staff and students well for the Harland, Varndean College has future.” appointed a new Principal and Donna-Marie, who is Varndean’s CEO, Donna-Marie Janson, who first ever female Principal in took over the role in September. its history since being founded Phil Harland, who came to back in 1884, had previously held Varndean in 2006 having the post of Vice Principal at the previously been Vice Principal at College for two years. She has over Luton College, has been the key 20 years’ experience as a teacher player behind the College’s ever- “I AM ABSOLUTELY THRILLED and leader in both sixth form continuing success, as well as many TO HAVE BECOME THE NEXT colleges and secondary schools new developments on site. During PRINCIPAL OF VARNDEAN in Sussex and Hampshire. In fact, his 14-year reign, not only did Phil COLLEGE AND TO BUILD ON she will be the first ever female THE EXCELLENT SUCCESSES ensure the students who study at THE COLLEGE HAS ALREADY Principal of a sixth form college in Varndean are happy students, who HAD.” Brighton and Hove. flourish, are successful, and leave Of her new position she said, “I am with fond memories of their time absolutely thrilled to have become here, but also that the entire College first-class education to the youth of the next Principal of Varndean worked harmoniously together as our City and in being a community College and to build on the excellent a community. He can look back in which all flourish. I was appointed successes the College has already on a string of achievements; from as the seventh Headteacher/ had. I will give my best to ensure the major development in 2013 Principal of this wonderful institution that we remain the very special of a second floor ‘loft extension’ and I can honestly say that it has place we are, both as a learning housing additional teaching rooms been everything I had hoped for; environment and as a workplace. and an extensive Library and wonderful staff, wonderful students Varndean is truly unique; we have Careers Centre; a new fitness suite and a truly unique environment an outstanding academic track and changing facilities in 2012, and location. I look forward to my record, as well as a real community to the recent £2.9m two-storey retirement with mixed emotions. I ethos where students thrive and STEM Centre. He also instigated will miss the challenges a leadership where we put student happiness the introduction of the prestigious role provides, I will miss the joy of at the heart of everything we do. International Baccalaureate watching young people exceed their Although it has been a most strange Diploma in 2008, making Varndean own expectations and I will miss the and challenging time to take on the College the only state-funded sense of community and the feeling role of Principal due to the Covid provider in the area. that we are collectively engaged in work that matters - it matters pandemic, it is nevertheless a very Phil said, “It has been an honour because what we do changes lives. exciting time with the opening of and a privilege to be the Principal of our new STEM centre, as well as Varndean College. We ‘Varndeanians’ I will leave Varndean College in the with our growing student body and have a long tradition of providing a knowledge that its place is secure outstanding results.” VARNDEAN OPENS ITS BRAND NEW £2.9M STEM CENTRE September saw the long-awaited opening of the and maths. The College offers a comprehensive range College’s brand new two storey STEM Centre. With its of A Level STEM subjects, including Biology, Chemistry, official opening cancelled back in April due to the Covid Physics, Computer Science and Maths, as well as pandemic and the College closed to all but vulnerable vocational courses in Applied Human Biology, Applied students throughout the Spring and Summer, this was a Science and Engineering. very sad and frustrating time in which to have the launch At Varndean, through our challenging and engaging of a new facility, one which our Science and Maths teaching, we hope to inspire and motivate the next Department had been looking forward to for quite some generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and time. mathematicians. But at last, our students and staff are able to enjoy this new £2.9m new building, which houses four huge Science labs, six large teaching rooms, generously sized prep rooms, as well as a fabulous central foyer and atrium. The Centre also provides accessible facilities for those students with disabilities, under floor heating, as well as additional office and toilet facilities. Varndean College is now at the forefront of offering the finest opportunity to those students wishing to pursue careers in the field of science, technology, engineering COMPETITION TIME … A strong team of A Level Chemistry students were once again entered into the Royal Society of Chemistry’s annual Chemistry Olympiad earlier this year, with 15 students winning Silver awards and 10 students with Bronze. The competition consists of two rounds of extremely demanding exams, in which only 25-30 students throughout the UK being shortlisted to the second round. Well done to everyone. CHEMISTRY NEWS CHEMISTRY TUTOR, CAMBRIDGE JOHN LUTON, WINS CHEMISTRY EXAMS IOM3 EDUCATION CONTINUE DESPITE AWARD LOCKDOWN Congratulations go to Varndean In June this year, Varndean students College’s longstanding Chemistry competed in Cambridge University’s tutor, John Luton, who has been annual C3L6 Chemistry Challenge. awarded The IOM3’s (Institute of These were the first exams to be held Materials, Minerals and Mining) Sir in the College since lockdown took Colin Humphreys Education Award. place in March and represented a significant achievement on behalf John has been a member of the of the College and the students to Schools Affiliate Scheme since 2002 allow it to take place. and has taken an active role in the The C3L6 competition is open to organisation’s activities, attending any UK student in Year 12 studying a number of SAS conferences for either A Levels or the International teachers, arranging visits by guest arranges visits and talks with Baccalaureate and takes the form of speakers to Varndean College, as Brighton & Sussex Medical School; a 90 minute written paper. Students well as attending a Polymer Study coaches students for competitions who do well in the competition are Tour. He has represented the Sixth such as the RSC Chemistry sent certificates of achievement Form College sector and Chemistry Olympiad, Analytical Competition (either a copper, silver or gold award), on their Education Committee since and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and those who perform best win 2013 and has made many valuable and runs the College’s own weekly an invitation to a residential camp contributions in that time. ChemSoc Society. at the University of Cambridge. John, who has taught A Level John has seen many changes Once again, our students won an Chemistry at Varndean since 1993, and developments take place at impressive array of copper, silver has also been the lead organiser of Varndean throughout the years, and gold awards, with 30 students the annual Chemistry Conference but with the opening of College’s being granted awards; 5 gold, 10 at Brighton University for the past new £2.9m STEM Centre this year, silver and 15 copper. Congratulations 20 years; offers students invaluable the future of Science teaching at to everyone, particularly under the support each year with their BMAT Varndean is an exciting journey for extenuating circumstances 2020 exams for entry into medicine; the future. Congratulations John. has presented. CHILDCARE STUDENTS GET FIRST AID TRAINED First year students from the Level 3 further six hours in the classroom. Childcare and Development course Even with Covid restrictions, the are now fully trained in first aid, students had fun and gained having completed a twelve hour loads of useful knowledge and blended learning certificate with experience which will be invaluable Daisy First Aid. Each student spent when they finally get into one day working online and a placements. ADULT LEARNERS Varndean College isn’t just about providing education and skills to 16-19 year olds, read about one of our adult learner success stories: My name is Letitia … I started my Teaching Assistant journey back in 2018 when I joined the Level 1 ‘Working with Children’ course at Varndean College. Joining this course was really fun, so I decided to move onto the Level 2 ‘Supporting Teaching & Learning (STL) in Schools’ course where I met some lovely supportive women who supported me throughout the year, encouraging me then to join the Level 3 STL course! At times, both Level 2 and Level 3 were difficult, with Level 2 I found putting pen to paper challenging and WHAT A ‘UNIQUE’ YEAR with Level 3 it was the ICT.