Welcome In This Issue…

Hummersknott Academy - Sporting success

Teesside University - Raising aspirations

Longfield Academy - Literary figures help inspire students

QE 6th Form College - Art students visit New York

The Vibe Awards 2015

The Music Forum - Students search for X-Factor

Education Village - Visit to Nursery and Springfield

Carmel College - Students experience Big Freeze

Darlington College - Navy Engineering sponsorship

Teesside University - Supporting progression conference

Education Village - Careers for young students

Hummersknott Academy - Improving gender balance

Hurworth School - Preparing school leavers

Carmel College - Writer’s lab experience

Darlington College - A bespoke furniture maker

Participation at 16 and 17

QE 6th Form College - Ten tipped for the top

Learning & Skills at the Vibe Awards

Hummersknott Academy - Visit to CERN

Foundation for Jobs - Subsea challenge

Longfield Academy - Pupils dive into subsea challenge

Hurworth School - Careers Week 2015

Learning & Skills at Tubwell Row

Education Village - Year 11 mock interviews and industry

Teesside University - Open days

Longfield Academy - Debate

Foundation for Jobs - Funding

QE 6th Form College - Careers fair for STEM

Darlington College - Holy Cannolis

Darlington School of Mathematics and Science - Cyber Safety

Foundation for Jobs - Hovercraft Event 2015

Carmel College - Education Secretary honours students

Issue 18

May 2015 © Darlington 11-19 Partnership

Darlington 11-19 Practitioner Newsletter

Calvin Kipling

Headteacher Darlington School of Mathematics and Science Chair, 11-19 Partnership

Welcome to this edition of the 11-19 practitioner newsletter.

At the time of writing, partners are entering the main exam season with all the preparation and revision that entails for the staff and students alike. Exam successes are of course an important foundation for future individual successes and I wish all our students well in the coming weeks. This edition highlights some of the other preparatory work that partners engage in in order to maximise each individual’s chances of success.

There are common themes of careers education and guidance which the 11-19 Partnership continues to work collaboratively in conjunction with the Foundation for Jobs and Darlington Partnership to make even better. We have raised awareness of opportunities in different sectors and given the opportunity to students to improve their employability skills and practice interview techniques in "real life" settings. There have been international visits that raise the awareness of opportunities beyond students' everyday experiences. This awareness and the skills gained from the activities are really valuable to our learners as they enter the next stage of their education or as they start their careers.

Though this newsletter is packed full of the great work of practitioners and students, I am acutely aware it remains a showcase that is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is going on day in and day out in all of the partner institutions. Thank you for your hard work – it really does make a difference to the young people of Darlington.

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Sporting success

The Hummersknott Academy boys’ cross country teams recently represented Darlington in the Durham Individual Schools’ Cross Country Championship.

The event was held at Emmanuel College, Gateshead with over 200 runners competing in brilliant conditions for cross country running.

Hummersknott achieved excellent results with the Year 7 team winning their event and the combined year 10/11 team also winning. But not only did the school achieve team success, individual students won both of these races. George Barber, 12, won the Year 7 race and Cameron Stainsby, 15, finished first in the older students’ event.

Alasdair Tatham said “As a PE Department we were delighted with the boys’ achievements this year and pleased with how they have shown great commitment to succeed at every level of competition. The boys are now looking forward to competing in the in the Northern Schools’ event to be held in Manchester.”

Raising aspirations for young people in care Teesside University continues its work to raise the aspirations of looked after children and care leavers, hosting their third annual conference for foster carers, social workers, designated teachers and local authority teams. The conference brings together the key people responsible for shaping the future of our young people in care. The conference offers a chance to discuss ways to work together to encourage participation, achievement and progression in education. The conference opens with a keynote from Dr Samantha Callan from the Centre for Social Justice on the centre’s latest research, and offers the opportunity to hear from the young people themselves at a panel Q&A session.

When is it?

Wednesday 20th May 2015 at 9.00am-3.00pm

Who is it for?

Foster carers – local authority and independent Children’s home employees Social workers Personal advisers Designated teachers Virtual head teachers Local authority teams responsible for young people in and leaving care

How to book

W: www.tees.ac.uk/studentsupport T: 01642 384063 E: A.English@tees.ac.uk

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Literary figures help inspire students

GCSE students have been stirred to action, as they make their final preparations for crucial English Literature exams in May, by a day-long conference aimed at boosting grades.

Longfield Academy of Sport has high hopes for top grades after almost 100, Year 11 English Literature GCSE stu-dents attended an inaugural literature conference at the Blackwell Grange Hotel.

Critically acclaimed award winning British poet Daljit Nagra was among a line-up of influential speakers that also included BBC Breakfast News business presenter Steph McGovern. Year 11 pupils study his poetry as part of the Clashes and Collisions Anthology. In 2007, 2011 and 2013 he was awarded Poetry Book of the Year and he attends workshops and literary festivals all over the country.

He told them, “It is amazing to have students study my poems as part of the GCSE curriculum. I used to listen to a lot of rock music because I loved the lyrics. I found that poetry is like music without the guitar. Daljit told students that he was influenced by his background, as the son of immigrant workers who came to Britain in the 1960s from their home near the Golden Temple, in Northern India. As well as reading his poems, he answered a host of questions about his life, his poetry and the life experiences that shape his work.”

Student Rebecca Simons, 16, said: “Hearing him will really help me remember when I am sitting my exams. Meeting Daljit has helped bring his work alive.”

Middlesbrough born Steph McGovern told students about her life reporting business news in this country and abroad. “My job is about being nosy, about finding stories, stories that are true, but stories nevertheless,” said Steph, who works out of Manchester but still has a home in the North East. “It is hard work but it is a lot of fun. The biggest thing I have learnt is that you have to be true to yourself. Don’t lose your personality. That has been crucial to my career.”

Teesside University senior lecturer in English Dr Rob Hawkes, who specialises in modernism, discussed the importance of English literature in future careers and life skills. Teesside University senior lecturer in English Dr Helen Davies, who specialises in Victorian literature, gave a lecture on the Victorian Gothic, widening delegates’ appreciation of the context and themes in Jekyll & Hyde, in preparation for their prose exam. The day was organised by assistant curriculum leader for English and literacy Louise Mower and faculty leader Louise Laver, just as the school received its early entry English GCSE results revealing an 81 per cent pass rate, up from 75 per cent last year. Mrs Mower said, “The day was absolutely fantastic for staff and students. We have so many ideas of how it can be followed up, and the students were truly inspired by some incredible stories and sound advice. Taking students out of the classroom succeeded in widening their experiences and appreciation of literature. I am convinced every one of them will think back to the conference when they are sitting their exams and this will boost their levels of achievement.”

Year 11 pupils from Longfield Academy prior to the event

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Art students visit New York Forty art students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College recently returned from a study visit to a very frozen New York where they researched ideas for their art and design coursework. Whilst there, the students recorded the city through drawing and photography and observed the work of many artists and designers to assist with the development of their own work.

Despite delays to flights due to bad weather, the group arrived in time to travel to the top of a very atmospheric Empire State Building surrounded in mist and fog. The students visited other famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square and Central Park with the wintery conditions adding to the experience. They also went to Wall Street and the World Trade Centre site where there was notably a more sombre mood as they remembered the victims of the 9/11 attacks on New York.

Visiting galleries such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Fashion Institute of Technology provided a wealth of information for students. The exhibitions allowed them to get up close to record the work that they had only seen in books and on the internet. Highlights included “Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs”, “Yves Saint Laurent & Halston: Fashion the 70’s” and “Cubism”. In addition, they were lucky enough to catch sightings of actors Hugh Grant and Colin Firth!

The trip was an exciting and stimulating learning experience which was very much appreciated by students. Student, Sophie Gowling, said, "It was a fantastic opportunity to experience the culture - it's a world away from looking at photos to actually being a part of the city."

Livy Thompson added, "I really gravitated towards the raw grittiness of the city. I found myself infatuated with the graffiti that danced around the walls, aligned with thought-provoking words that were beautifully exposed, allowing the people of New York to stop and listen."

Art teacher, Sarah Steel, concluded, "The study visit was a valuable, vibrant and visual experience and one that will greatly influence the students’ creative studies. They will remember it for the rest of their lives."

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The Oscars go to………. The Vibe Awards 2015 The Vibe Awards which celebrate the very best of young people in Darlington is an annual event that has been running in Darlington for 19 years.

In the last nine years alone over 3,000 children and young people have been nominated and recognised for the tremendous steps they take to achieve their goals to change their lives and those around them.

The Vibe Awards have been previously known as the 'Young Achievers Awards' and 'The Positive Young People Awards'. Young people decided that they would like to change the name to 'The Vibe Awards' about 9 years ago.

On 24 March at Darlington Civic Theatre, 322 young people were recognised for their achievements in the following four categories: Contribution to the community; Contribution to the Arts; Achievement against the odds in life; Achievement against the odds in learning. Following on from the success last year the Awards are continuing with the Oscars theme, and a young people's panel shortlisted 3 nominations in each of the 4 categories for a Special Recognition Award. There was also a Star Vibe Award, for the most outstanding nomination from across all the categories.

Kasia Polkoszek was named this year’s winner of the Star Vibe Award. The 19 year old who attends Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College was nominated for remaining incredibly positive and determined in both her studies and community work despite moving here three years ago from Poland without her parents.

Overall the nominations received for this years awards were truly inspirational and particularly impressive was the amount of money raised by young people for local and national charities.

Comedian Patrick Monahan acted as compere on the evening, for the second year running. Patrick was again a great addition to the evening and had the audience is stitches throughout.

The Vibe Awards also provides young people with the amazing opportunity to perform on the stage at Civic Theatre. This year over 200 young people from Dimensions Dance, Stagecoach, Redhall Dance Company, Inspire Beyond Dance Group and QE Rock Choir performed to a range of musicals from Matilda to Lion King to Queen.

Cyndi Hughes, Darlington Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "The Vibe Awards are a great night and a chance to celebrate all the good work our young people do. These young people are a credit to themselves, their families, their schools and their community. Congratulations to all the nominees." Photos taken by freelance photographer Matthew Wright

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Music students search for the X-Factor In January, Access To Music students in Darlington were given the opportunity to run a local talent search to find the best upcoming musical talent in our area, all on behalf of high-profile record label Island Records.

Island Records, whose artists include Annie Lennox, Jessie J and U2, gave people the chance to create their own artists and repertoire (A&R) Team, and run X-Factor style auditions alongside a panel of local professionals.

A team of industry-minded students volunteered, and proceeded to seek out talent around the area. Much like the real job of working in A&R, this saw them going to open mic nights, local gigs, asking around and building their networks, searching the web and social media, all in search of musicians with genuine potential to take their sound further.

The group spent time compiling all the music they had gathered, analysing each artist’s image and online presence, and listening to their songs before inviting the best of them to make the live auditions, held at The Forum Music Centre. On the day, students sat alongside some local music industry figures including the MD of STAR Radio, and had a blast formulating their best X-Factor style appraisals and criticisms of each artist.

The process of judging other artists like this provides further understanding about what makes a musician’s image or song writing work, and in this respect on top of enjoying themselves, the students no doubt had some constructive ideas to take into their own work. The artists who were chosen on the day had their music passed to the Island Records A&R team, and everyone has their fingers crossed to see what they think!

Visit to Nursery and Springfield

Education Village Year 9 Health and Social Care students have been visiting Springfield School and Early Years and Foundation stage to link what they have learnt in lessons to real life situations.

They have been working on their communication unit and the barriers to communication. All students took a lot from their visits and their coursework has improved due to their experiences.

Miss Foster commented that some learners written comments were fantastic in the reading records! She also commented “Thank you it was a pleasure having the Health and Social Care group in class today!”

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Carmel students experience the Big Freeze Students from Carmel College encountered freezing weather conditions upon arrival in Washington DC, with conditions remaining the same for the entire week.

The trip to the USA, in February, was an exploration of American history and culture. In Washington DC, students visited the Capitol building and the Library of Congress to observe the highly extensive range of political progression made in a relatively brief history for such a powerful nation. Students also learned about key figures in America’s history such as Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.

In the capital the group visited a number of museums including the National Air and Space Museum, The National Museum of Natural History, The National Gallery of Art and The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. They also took in the Lincoln Memorial and the awe inspiring Martin Luther King Memorial. “To stand in the actual place where Martin Luther King spoke about equality, tolerance and justice is a great privilege. No-one could even say a word, we were stunned into silence” commented one of the group.

The next place visited by the 49 sixth form students was New York City with its iconic buildings and skyline which wowed the students as they approached the city. Students took in the phenomenal views from the Empire State Building and took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty which had to force its way through floating blocks of ice to get there. The visit to the statue of Liberty gave the students time to reflect on the excitement and hope shared by a wealth of generations who emigrated to America.

The students then spent time at the Chrysler Building, before heading to Ground Zero. Here they were stunned by the silence and level of respect shown both in and around the surroundings of the museum. Members of staff were touched by the intrigue and empathy students demonstrated in this part of the visit and reflected on their own experiences of this tragic event in recent history.

The visit ended with a stroll in the snow covered Central Park and by indulging in some much loved retail therapy. Students left New York with a new outlook on the world, wiser, more cultured and arguably more importantly, with a greater appreciation for a warmer climate.

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Life-changing merchant Navy Engineering sponsorships

Three 18 year old Darlington College students have won prestigious engineering apprenticeships with the Merchant Navy. Matthew Thorman, Connor Burton and Kyle Rooney were selected for the life-changing three year training contract offered to a limited number of young people nationwide.

Now in the final year of the BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering, the students will progress with training split between academic study at South Tyneside College and practical experience on board ship, staged in five phases, over three years.

Each student will receive a £700 per month bursary while learning and will expect to gain a Foundation Degree qualification. Once qualified, these talented teenagers can look forward to a starting salary of around £38k per year. Kyle Rooney from Middleton St George, said: “I am looking forward to the challenge of using the knowledge and experience we have gained from the Extended Diploma in this exciting career.”

This is endorsed by Darlington College engineering tutor Rob Elliott who said: “We have a fine record of successful progression into both higher education and the workplace with our advanced engineering students. Kyle, Connor and Matthew have shown outstanding commitment during their studies and fully deserve this opportunity.”

Supporting progression conference Over 60 key influencers from the region attended the Supporting Progression Conference in March. The annual conference brings together experts to provide staff with the most up-to-date information and advice for tackling some of today’s biggest issues in higher education. This year’s event included a keynote on social inclusion, an update from UCAS on UK education trends and qualification reform, and a range of interactive sessions in specific subject areas. Speakers included Linda Halbert, Principal of Freebrough Academy, Margaret Farragher, UCAS, Zoe Lewis, Principal of Middlesbrough College, Antony Steinberg and Patrick Wilson from Hartlepool Borough Council. For more information and to find out how Teesside University can help you to support your students, go to www.tees.ac.uk/studentrecruitment.

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Careers at the Education Village

In February Education Village Year 8 students were given the opportunity to work alongside business representatives to discuss different occupations and to ask questions of the guest speakers. The speed network involved learners moving around the hall to speak to a discuss different careers and the qualifications needed to succeed. It also gave learners the opportunities to link subjects that they are being taught to the world of work to help support their option choices.

To help support the Year 10 in their future career choices Year 10 Education Village History students went to the Queen Elizabeth 6th Form College to participate in a master class linked to their GCSE History curriculum. Miss Snowdon commented “It was great. The students were all engaged, worked well and were interested in the college as a whole. One girl even asked if we could stay all day! All in all a great experience. This also gave students the opportunity to make a start in looking at local further education providers in their next step after school.”

Improving Gender Balance in Physics Programme On Wednesday 25 February a group of Year 9 girls from Hummersknott Academy visited the SjØvoll centre in Pity Me as part of the Improving Gender Balance programme. The programme is running in school, aided by project co-ordinators from the Institute of Physics and is encouraging students to think about gender balance in different areas.

Throughout the day the girls investigated what it would be like to travel into outer space. They looked at the structure and make-up of the solar system before making model rockets, tasting ‘space food’, seeing first-hand what would happen if there was a leak in your space suit and finally discussing some of the problems which may crop up if you were confined in your space suit for over 8 hours.

The girls returned to school and shared what they had found out with the rest of the Improving Gender Balance group. In the upcoming months the students will be using their newly developed presentation skills to run workshops in local primary schools to encourage younger children to become more involved in Physics.

This term has seen most of Year 11 Hurworth students attend interviews at a College or 6th Form of their choice. We supported the pupils with CV sessions followed by mock interviews. Although some pupils were nervous, they excelled themselves. Interviews were undertaken by local business professionals, who commented on how they performed and provided pupils with individual feedback.

Chief Petty Officer Glenn Gowling MBE (Royal Navy & Royal Marines Careers Adviser) had this to say: “As always the Year 11 pupils at Hurworth School were well prepared to engage with representatives from the world of work. It’s great to hear that many already have clear academic and vocational routes planned for when they move into further education. The “Mock Interview” can be a nervous experience for some but is a vital important part of future employment skill set. I was pleased to see so many pupils appreciate this and were able to learn from the advice myself and others interviewers were able to give. It is always good to pass on good life skill advice.”

Preparing Hurworth 2015 leavers

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Writers Lab Experience

Four year 10 students from Carmel College attended a one off session by the North East Writer’s Lab to delve into their imaginations and take the time to use their creative side. The day, found the group searching the Discovery Museum in Newcastle for ancient maritime relics aimed at sparking the imagination of the students. At the end of the day the students decided that they wanted to continue their creative work.

So the girls brought the idea back into College and created a proposal to inspire creative thinking in primary schools. Although their initial idea to produce a series of creative workshops to deliver in the primary schools did not materialise, another idea of using the transition days to create and inspire was born! The girls successfully applied for funding and received their full asking amount which was used for a planning day at Seven Stories and a session with a writer to bring their ideas together.

As the students wanted to run more than one session, they invited others from their English class to help with the project. Pulling together all the ideas, they finally had a session to deliver to the year 6 pupils – creation of a modern Fairy Tale. The group had taken ideas from the Seven Stories day and made it school friendly. Although extremely nervous, the group did a fantastic job incorporating literacy and elements of drama from which the year 6 students created a re-modelled and updated version of Goldilocks and the three bears.

Feedback from the supporting teachers commented on the confidence of the presenting groups and the enjoyment of the children. It really helped ease any worries the year 6 students had about the day of ‘big school’ they had ahead. In the de-brief all of the group passed on how much they enjoyed teaching and working with the younger students, bringing back quotes from the year 6’s such as ‘I think I’m going to really enjoy English classes here’ and ‘I really didn’t like English in Primary but you have made it fun again!’ leading to the conclusion that

creativity is so important in recapturing a young minds.

The final presentation loomed as the initial group

went back to the Discovery Museum, to feed back

their experiences and findings. Lead by Nick

Malyan, the senior project manager of New Writing

North said the girls spoke with confidence and flair;

really showing the fun and experiences again. They

received their certificates and are now fully fledged

members of the Cuckoo Press; a young writers’

organisation, where they have developed skills and

contacts within the areas of professional writing,

journalism and media.

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Former Darlington College student—A Bespoke Furniture Maker

A bespoke furniture maker with links to royalty and the world’s elite is urging young people to think about carving out a career in cabinetry. Former Darlington College apprentice Heath Chadwick is appealing to young people to help halt the decline in the numbers of skilled cabinet makers. The co-director of Mark Asplin Whiteley Limited, the 37-year-old is at the helm of a company that has been crafting high quality bespoke pieces of furniture for clients all over the world, including members of the royal family.

The Whitby-based company, which employs 20 staff, works with a number of interior designers and architects to produce custom built furniture for high-profile and celebrity clients. The business has also worked for over a quarter of a century on commissions with the Queen’s nephew and exclusive furniture maker Viscount Linley. Dealing with top end clients has recently seen the company take on commissions to fit out multi-million pound celebrity super yachts, create a bespoke Zebrano Oak and Walnut cigar cabinet and matching gun cabinet for a prominent Russian dignitary and fly some of its skilled craftsmen to Connecticut in the USA for eight weeks to create a bespoke two-storey library. “It’s very difficult to get young skilled workers within our industry,” said Heath. “Young craftsmen need to have a passion for the job and the drive to work in an environment where they are constantly learning and producing furniture to the utmost standards and quality. In return they could be looking at long-term well paid jobs that are extremely rewarding.”

Heath, who originates from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Cleveland, began his own career as a cabinet making apprentice at furniture makers Treske, of Thirsk, studying once a week at Darlington College. “I enjoyed woodwork at school and knew that’s what I wanted to do and I wanted to work with my hands and make things. It was great being an apprentice, being able to earn as I learned a trade and I really enjoyed college, although it was a long walk to the station after finishing at 7pm. For the first two years at Darlington College we studied cabinet making, with theory work in the morning and a practical session on the afternoon. Then I chose to stay on for an additional year looking at wood machining as I wanted to learn as much as I could.”

After completing college and spending four years as a cabinetmaker at Treske, Heath decided to branch out and start his own fine furniture making business in Loftus. “The distance from home to work was becoming an issue and I thought that after four years I was fully trained and knew what I was doing,” said Heath. “I was later to find out that I really didn’t. I worked for myself for about 18 months finding my own clients and getting commissions but it was difficult to build the business and I realised I still had a lot to learn.”

In 2000, after deciding he needed the certainty of a steady regular income, Heath applied for a job as a cabinetmaker at Mark Asplin Whiteley Limited. “I worked for nine years on the bench here as a cabinetmaker and then as team leader before the opportunity arose for myself and a colleague, Florian Krenn, to take up directorships within the company. It was quite nerve-wracking taking on such as responsibility but Florian is a third generation cabinetmaker in his family, we have a good team around us and with Mark Whiteley showing us the ropes the company has continued to go from strength to strength. I would advise any young person thinking about cabinetmaking as a career to try and get some work experience to see if it’s what they expect,” added Heath. “And also to apply to different companies and get on a good college course, like I did. Bringing in more young people through apprenticeship schemes like this means that we can help to maintain and secure the skills base needed in our industry in the future.”

Mark Asplin Whiteley Limited, is based at Fairfield Way, Whitby Business Park, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4PU, telephone (01947) 821911, www.markwhiteley.com.

Former Darlington College apprentice Heath Chadwick, 37, now co-director of bespoke furniture makers Mark Asplin Whiteley Limited, of Whitby

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Participation at 16 and 17 All young people are now required to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. This does not necessarily mean staying on in school. Young people can choose how they participate post 16, which could be through:-

a) Full-time education such as school, college, other training provider or home-education (a minimum of 540 hours per year).

b) An Apprenticeship. c) Part-time education or training if they are employed, self-employed or volunteering for 20 hours or more a

week.

The latest data for participation (December 2014) shows that 96.7% of 16 year olds and 88.8% of 17 year olds in Darlington were participating in education or training. These figures are above both the national and North East averages.

Darlington is now ranked 29th out of the 151 local authority areas for participation and we now have only 178 16 and 17 years olds, out of the cohort of 2,440, who are not participating. An outstanding effort from everyone involved in supporting these young people, well done.

Ten Tipped for the Top

Ten students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College have won places at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Competition for prestigious Oxbridge places is intense with only the highest achieving students gaining offers after undergoing challenging interviews. Two of the students have unconditional offers but the other eight places are dependent upon the students attaining top results in their final A Level exams.

Eight of the QE students have offers from Cambridge University and 2 have places at Oxford. The two students off to Oxford are Max Goodall to read Music at Homerton College and Amy Robson who has an unconditional offer for

Geography from St Anne’s. Of the eight going to Cambridge, Alex Sowerby, Wesley Chow and Joe Wall will study Mathematics whilst Jasmin Abbott has a highly coveted place for medicine; Jessica Dobson will read Geography, Nick Heitler’s subject is Philosophy, whilst Alex Wall’s degree will be in History; Eve Crawshaw will take up her unconditional offer for Politics, Psychology and Sociology at King’s.

QE’s Principal, Tim Fisher, comments: “Once again QE has been highly successful in enabling outstanding young people to gain entry to Oxford and Cambridge, showing that our students can compete with the best in the world. To have ten students with Oxbridge offers is tremendous and testament to the high calibre of the students and the work their teachers do in preparing them for the next stage in their lives. I am exceptionally proud of their achievements.”

Sending students to Oxbridge is a longstanding tradition at the college. Over the last 10 years more than 100 QE students have graduated from Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

6 of the 10 successful applicants

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Learning & Skills at the Vibe Awards

Learning & Skills learners Kelly Ann Medd and James McStravick were nominated for an Achievement against the Odds in learning award. Both have achieved and shown progression in their field of learning.

Kelly Ann, along with 2 other students from Darlington, were nominated for a Special Recognition Award which she won. She received a £20 voucher and a trophy. Kelly started off as a learner with the One Direction initiative, progressing to the Study Programme, then an apprenticeship with the Gardens Care Home, and finally has been accepted to train to be an Embalmer!

James progressed from Elev8 to Level 2 Motor Vehicle Diploma and then progressed on to a Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship and has overcome some personal and social barriers as well as becoming a vital part of the set up at North Rd Garage. He will be progressing to an Advanced Apprenticeship.

Both learners attended the Vibe Awards with family members and friends, including staff from Learning & Skills service Lindsay Ogle and Michaela Peacock.

Hummersknott students hunt for the Higgs Boson at CERN

Students from Hummersknott Academy have been inspired by a visit to CERN, home of the Large Hadron Collider. During the visit in February, the students discovered how CERN is helping to answer some of the most fundamental questions: How did the Universe begin? What are the basic building blocks of matter? Scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of the Higgs boson require experimental machines on the large scale, and the students gained an appreciation of the technical and engineering challenges that the multinational experimental collaborations at CERN face.

One Year 11 student said, ‘CERN was a very educational experience and I would thoroughly recommend a visit to those students who are starting their GCSEs in coming years’.

The UK was one of the founding members of CERN and has been a member since the organisation was founded in 1954. Membership allows British researchers to take a wide variety of roles that contribute to CERN’s on-going success. The students’ visit was led by a member of the CERN community who talked from personal experience about their contribution to CERN’s research programme. The trip to CERN included a visit to the control centre of ATLAS, one of the largest experiments at CERN, and a tour of the “Hall of Magnets” where the famous large blue magnets are displayed and tested before becoming part of the Large Hadron Collider. Students found out how they can be involved in the search for the Higgs boson from their own computers.

As part of the visit to Geneva, students also visited the second largest headquarters of the United Nations. During the UN tour, students discussed many of the ways in which science influences the important discussions held at the UN headquarters and were lucky enough to sit in the room where the Human Rights committee convene.

A trip to the History of Science Museum located in one of the many beautiful parks on the shore of Lake Geneva was an exciting experience where students interacted with a number of different experiments and were perplexed by the many optical illusions and the camera obscura.

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Subsea challenge More than 100 students were given a hands-on introduction to the subsea engineering industry by building their own deep-water robot. Foundation for Jobs in partnership with Darlington based Modus Seabed Intervention and Darlington College held the subsea engineering week to demonstrate the opportunities that exist for young people in an industry that carries out much of its work using deep sea robots known as ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles).

Year eight, nine and ten pupils from Darlington secondary schools, as well as A-level students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form (QE) and Darlington College students took part in the sessions held over four days. As part of the activity students visited the C-State Subsea Training Centre, established by Modus at Darlington College to address potential skills gaps, to see a £4m ROV and mock control room used to train the robots pilots and technicians before building and testing mini ROV kits designed by the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research.

The week culminated with an Oceans of Opportunity open event for students supported by Modus, Teesside University and Newcastle based SMD whose engineers design and manufacture ROVs. Subsea is worth £9bn a year to the UK economy, with more than 50 firms in the North East alone employing 15,000 people and with annual revenues of £1.5bn.

Foundation for Jobs and Modus first started working on the plans for a subsea week more than a year ago, to give young people an insight into an industry sector many had limited knowledge of. Modus managing director Jake Tompkins said, “The hard work and commitment from Foundation for Jobs has turned this into a reality and we are proud to have been able to contribute throughout. Our company is committed to supporting the regions youth development and see initiatives such as the subsea week as being pivotal in helping to inform career decisions and hopefully open up opportunities. This is for the benefit of both the individuals involved and also to a growth industry which is the recipient of new talent.”

The importance of raising that awareness of a major growth area for Darlington and the Tees Valley was demonstrated by Ashley Nelson, a 17-year-old A-level student at QE, who took part in last week’s sessions. Ashley first became aware of the industry sector two years ago when he participated in a Foundation for Jobs organised visit to subsea firm DeepOcean in Darlington while he was still a pupil at Longfield Academy. As a result he is now studying Maths, Physics, Business Studies and Chemistry and is keen to enter the subsea sector if he follows an engineering path. Ashley said, “I wouldn’t have taken the same A-levels if I hadn’t been exposed to it then. That trip made me aware of the subsea industry and engineering in general. Giving young people that insight is very important. It got me onto the career path I have now chosen.”

Foundation for Jobs chairman Councillor Chris McEwan said, “Many of our young people are unaware of subsea and the opportunities it offers, so our aim was to demonstrate the opportunities that exist for them in this exciting industry sector.”

Now a national award-winning project, Foundation for Jobs is a joint initiative to tackle youth unemployment involving The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership of private firms and public sector organisations, which has also enjoyed support from businesses and industrialists across the whole North-East region. It has worked with more than 4,000 young people since it was launched in January 2012.

For further details contact owen.mcateer@darlington.gov.uk or go to www.foundationforjobs.co.uk.

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Longfield pupils dive into subsea challenge

Scientific students from Longfield Academy participated in the subsea challenge.

Foundation for Jobs coordinator Owen McAteer said: “Here in the North East we have the highest youth unemployment rates in the country and yet we also have highly skilled industries that cannot recruit due to massive skills shortages. We need to try and address this shortfall by getting students interested in science, engineering and technology subjects and letting them know about the vast range of well paid carers available right here on their doorstep. Subsea engineering is a massive growth industry within the North East, with a number of world leading companies based in Darlington and the Tees Valley,

offering excellent career opportunities for our young people interested in engineering.”

Longfield science teacher Claire Graham said, “This event is a great opportunity for our students to broaden their horizons and raise their awareness of the job opportunities available to them in our local area. They really enjoyed the robot building exercise which challenged them to work in their teams but also showed them that science and engineering can be fun.”

Student Matthew Dixon, 14, of Darlington added, “Science isn’t usually my favourite subject but I’ve really enjoyed putting together the underwater robot today and testing it.”

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Hurworth School Careers Week 2015 Pupils across the whole school have been having a busy time finding out about post 16 choices and the local labour market. Step into College Day provided pupils from Years 7 to 10 the opportunity to Step into College for the day.

The support from local Colleges of Further Education and 6th Form Colleges was brilliant. The event was interactive and truly inspiring for the younger pupils. This was followed, later in the week by a World of Work Day (WOW).

Pupils from each year group had the opportunity to interview local employers and Apprenticeship providers about opportunities available within the business or sector. The focus of the day was also about Employability skills. Pupils discussed with employers those skills and qualities that all employers look for when recruiting.

Learning & Skills at Tubwell Row The Learning & Skills Service’s new training centre at Tubwell Row was officially opened by Councillor Cyndi Hughes on 16th March. Councillor Hughes also presented certificates to the three learners (Connor Wright, Mary Kate Welsh and Bridget Welsh) who produced the artwork for the reception area. The centre mainly provides for young people on the Elev8 programme and the central location has made it very popular with the young people. It has two teaching spaces and a flexible reception area, with kitchen, that can also be used for teaching. The centre has Wi-Fi throughout with a suite of wireless laptops and netbooks.

If you would like to view the centre please call in advance on 01325 406422 to arrange a visit.

Year 11 Mock Interviews and Industry Year 11 Education Village students were given the opportunity to experience mock interviews and have personalised feedback given to them from staff from Cummins, Darlington and Middlesbrough Colleges, Department of Education, to name a few. This provided the students with an excellent real life environment and support in their future interviews at colleges, apprenticeships and future employers. Schools from the Education Village Academy Trust came together on Friday 13th February to participate in our school Enterprise Duck Days. Students from Gurney Pease, March Bank, Springfield, Beaumont Hill and Haughton Academy joined to participate in an Enterprise day. This involved students working in groups to develop their teamwork skills. The students had to create ducks in different colour paper which sold at different prices. They had to work efficiently, together and meet the required deadlines and all had a great time, with winning teams achieving profit of over £1,000 duck pounds with a start up of £50.

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Teesside University Open Days Part-time open day:

We recognise that part-time study is often fitted around your work, family and lifestyle commitments and that you will undoubtedly have a range of questions and individual requirements that you will want to discuss with our specialists. This popular event gives you the opportunity to meet with subject specialists and get all the information you need to know about our courses and the fantastic facilities we have here at Teesside University.

Postgraduate open day:

Whether you are considering further study to change career, enhance your CV or just for fun, we have a wide range of courses to suit you, ranging from digital animation to clinical psychology, forensic science to fraud management. Our staff are available to give you information on our taught postgraduate courses and research degrees, available full-time and part-time. We will also have staff and students on hand to give advice on applications, careers, funding and much more. The above open days are to be held on 15th July , 2pm - 7pm at our Middlesbrough campus.

Full-time undergraduate open days:

Teesside University is dynamic, energetic and innovative, inspiring others to grow. If you are thinking about studying full time at Teesside, come and visit us - it could be your University. You can design your own day by choosing the talks and tours you are interested in. It’s a great opportunity to meet with staff and students and get all the information you need about our courses and the fantastic facilities we have here at Teesside. Student Finance, Students' Union and Disability Services will be on hand to offer advice and support all day.

Our full-time open day will be held on 10th June, 9am - 3pm. For more information about our open days or to book online visit www.tees.ac.uk/visitus or telephone the Department of External Relations on 01642 342275.

Students and Deputy Chief Constable debate The Deputy Chief Constable of Durham Police shared his thoughts on capital punishment, gangs and the purpose of policing with students at a lunchtime youth church group. Michael Banks was special guest at Inspire, the club hosted by the RE department at Longfield Academy and run by the Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry to encourage young people to discuss topics affecting the world today.

The students spent more than an hour questioning Mr Banks, who said, "I was really impressed with the depth and breadth of the questions posed by the students, they have obviously thought through issues relating to crime and punishment and the moral dilemmas of modern policing. Their opinions on criminality and disorder were insightful and perceptive."

Martin Stand, project director of Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry, said, "We were so grateful to the Deputy Chief Constable for giving up some of his valuable time to come and meet the students we work with each week at Longfield Academy. It is not everyday young people are given the opportunity to ask any question they like to a senior member of the local police force. Michael, as a practising Christian, was not only able to answer their questions from the perspective of a high ranking police officer but also from a moral and ethical viewpoint. I am sure his visit to Inspire would have both informed and inspired students in all aspects of modern day policing."

The Inspire group has been run for four years by Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry. Students discuss a range of topics including sexism, poverty, racism and the work of Christian Aid.

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Foundation for Jobs funding A leading community charity and a partnership providers of 11-19 learning have pledged funding to ensure a national award winning initiative to tackle youth unemployment continues to flourish. Foundation for Jobs has been awarded significant funding of £25,000 each from both the County Durham Community Foundation and the 11-19 Partnership.

Foundation for Jobs, an initiative set up by the Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership of private firms and public sector organisations, works with young people from the ages of 10 to 24. The major strands of its work include working with firms to develop new apprenticeships, organising work experience and internship places to give young people skills that enhance their chance of securing work and linking industry with schools to inspire young people to consider careers that offer them the best chance of rewarding futures.

Since its launch it has secured a national award, drawn praise from Prime Minister David Cameron and been visited by HRH The Duke of York. County Durham Community Foundation Development Manager Jane Robson said, “We are delighted to support Foundation for Jobs, it is a fantastic initiative. We have watched it grow over the last three years and are very aware of the work it has done. When the opportunity arose to support Foundation for Jobs, given that it aligns very well with our links with the community, it seemed an ideal opportunity. We are celebrating 20 years of charitable giving and we will be making more than 1,000 grants this year. The way Foundation for Jobs matches the needs of young people in the local community with the future needs of business here in our region means it is an excellent project to support.”

Speaking on behalf of the 11-19 Partnership Calvin Kipling, headteacher of Darlington School of Maths and Science, said, “The 11-19 Partnership agreed to fund Foundation for Jobs because it offers the chance to collaborate on enterprise activities which would be difficult to replicate on an individual school basis. Having a single point of contact for employers means that we as schools maintain better relationships with those employers through Foundation for Jobs which benefits all sides.”

Councillor Chris McEwan, chairman of Foundation for Jobs, said, “We are delighted that the County Durham Community Foundation and the 11-19 Partnership have seen the value of Foundation for Jobs and are supporting the project both financially and through the guidance they can offer us as it continues to evolve. One of the key features of Foundation for Jobs is that those involved play a key role in driving its development, which means it is targeting their needs precisely, which in turn will build a better future for our young people here in Darlington.” Continued...

Picture courtesy of The Northern Echo. Dean Judson, Headteacher of Hurworth School, Jane Robson, County Durham Community Foundation, Calvin Kipling, Headteacher of Darlington School of Maths and Science, Seth Pearson, Darlington Partnership, the parent body of Foundation for Jobs and QE Sixth Form College Principal Tim Fisher

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Foundation for Jobs funding cont... County Durham Community Foundation is an independent grant-making charity which brings together donors with their chosen causes, through well-targeted grants that make a genuine difference to the lives of local people. Foundation for Jobs works with firms to address reasons they may not previously have taken on young people and helps them to develop new apprenticeship places, as well as sourcing and developing interview-ready candidates for these roles.

Its internships and work experience programme has given many young people a first taste of a workplace or highlighted their skills to employers, leading to employment for many. By working with schools and colleges it aims to enhance students’ awareness of which industries are set to create the most jobs in the North-East in the years to come and challenge outdated perceptions they may have of those industries.

Foundation for Jobs therefore works with industry to match young peoples’ aspirations with the North-East employment market through a programme of inspiring practical activities. It has been proven that young people who have contact with industry while at school are up to five times less likely to be unemployed at the age of 25.

For further details on Foundation for Jobs please contact project co-ordinator Owen McAteer at owen.mcateer@darlington.gov.uk

Careers Fair for STEM Over 60 students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College’s partner schools at Hurworth, Sedgefield and Darlington School of Maths and Science were able to try their hand at building a model of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car at the College’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Careers Fair.

The event was attended by a range of employers, universities, the REME and Royal Signals as well as professional bodies including the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Students found out about the build and design of Teesside University’s racing car which was designed and built by their undergraduate mechanical engineers. In addition, academic staff from Dundee and Teesside Universities gave talks on the future of civil engineering and biomechanics. All of this enabled students from QE and the schools to gain information about the range of engineering and science opportunities in local companies both as a graduate and as an apprentice. This very much links in with the college’s award winning Future Engineers Scheme.

Darragh Blennerhassett from Johnson Matthey said, “It was good to see that so many students from the College already know what chemical engineering is and that they are very interested in it. They asked us some really great questions.”

Jessica Corrigan from Nissan added, “The students were all really keen to talk to us. Some of them knew exactly what they wanted to do and we had lots of questions about entering the industry through the apprenticeship route as well as graduate entry. Attending the event was definitely worthwhile.”

Tom Urwin from Sedgefield School summed up, “Our students thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon at QE. It gave them a real insight into engineering and has made them aware of how their maths and science subjects link into real life applications – a thoroughly inspiring experience.”

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Holy Cannolis

A catering student has taken the biscuit after challenging a global phenomenon to a trans-Atlantic bake-off. Darlington College student Tomas Wood is honing his recipes and is taking a life-changing trip to New York. The 17-year-old apprentice, of Eggleston, Teesdale, is among a party of 42 catering, media, games design and art students who are travelling to the Big Apple. His study trip will see him and 18 other Level 3 patisserie and confectionary students visit Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, the home of the legendary ‘Cake Boss’, Buddy Valastro.

Since 1910 the Carlo’s bakery has been creating pastries and desserts including the popular cannoli biscuits, a cylindrical pastry with a creaming filling. With the help of Darlington College journalism student Carl Simmonds, of Richmond, Tomas has sent a video to the bakery challenging Buddy to a UK v US bake-off during their five-day trip.

“Buddy is a complete legend, a God of confectionary,” said Tomas, who works at Eggleston Hall. “I have all of his TV programmes and books.”

“If he accepts the challenge I would love it if we could both make a batch of cannolis and see which ones customers like best. It would be like meeting your hero and I would be lost for words. I would love to get a job over there one day or have my own bakery.”

Inspired by Buddy’s book, ‘Baking with the Cake Boss’, Tomas has perfected his own recipe and has sold more than 1,000 of the tasty treats to finance his once in a life time trip.

Catering students will visit one of several Carlo’s Bakeries in the US as part of an ambitious programme that will also see them tour Mast Brothers chocolate factory, the Antique Bakery, Fiore’s, Lisa’s, Grimaldi’s and Empire Coffee and Tea.

Students have adopted a travel companion, a stuffed bear, which they have called Buddy in homage to the popular baker.

Darlington College catering tutor Donna Joyce said: “This is the first international trip we have staged in almost a decade and the students are incredibly excited. Tomas has done really well baking more than a thousand cannolis to raise enough money to go on the trip. He has the drive and ability to take on Buddy and the whole experience will be an inspiration to us all.”

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Students have come face to face with the potential perils of social media in a series of hard-hitting workshops designed to keep them safe. Cyber safety experts spent the day at Darlington School of Mathematics and Science highlighting the potentially negative physical, social and psychological consequences of using the internet.

Around 120 Year 8 students were introduced to Andrea Jennings and David Duckling of Harbour Support Services, an organisation that works in Darlington providing outreach programmes for the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. They also worked with Durham Police cohesion officer Chris O’Brien and town centre beat officer Alice Turner looking at the impact of hate crimes.

Durham Police neighbourhood policing team officer Kathryn Davies and beat officer David Gibson delivered the third workshop addressing inappropriate use of social media including sexting and how easy it was to fall foul of the law.

DSMS assistant Headteacher Emma Hickerson said: “As a resource the internet is as incredible as it is dangerous and it is vital our young people know how to use it appropriately. They live in a cyber-world and the speed of technological development is breath-taking. We have to make sure they are fully equipped to utilise the incredible benefits of the internet but also stay safe from the many pitfalls.”

Mr Duckling explained that domestic violence could be physical, emotional, financial and sexual. It affected men, women and children, and Harbour was there to support victims and work with perpetrators. Students heard that hate crimes often turned prejudice and discrimination into persecution, hatred and destruction when society should be celebrating diversity.

PCSO Gibson stressed the importance of young people keeping their online profiles private. “Older people often befriend younger people on the internet to exert control over them,” he said. “Often in chat rooms people are not who they say they are and could be paedophiles so you need to be 100 per cent sure of who you are talking to. The impact on young people’s lives can be huge and it also affects their families and friends.”

He urged students to either click the CEOP button on their computer if they had concerns or approach an adult they could trust. He warned that inappropriate images, even when they were taken as a joke, were likely break the law and anyone who sent them could find themselves charged with distributing indecent images. Students were also shown poignant videos covering a variety of cyber safety issues and hate crime scenarios.

Cyber safety

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Scores of pupils were given an insight into the skills needed for an engineering career as they spent a day building working hovercraft. Eleven teams from seven Darlington secondary schools attended the Foundation for Jobs backed event, which is hosted and organised by Queen Elizabeth (QE) Sixth Form College. The event aims to inspire young people’s interest in engineering careers by demonstrating how the subjects they study in class are used on a daily basis by professionals employed in the sector.

Stephen Hunnisett, Vice-principal at the college, which is a partner organisation in Foundation for Jobs, works alongside a specialist team from Bradford University’s School of Engineering, Design and Technology, to develop and run the event. Mr Hunnisett said, “It was a tremendous event again and allowed students to use their maths and science skills to design a functioning hovercraft, helping them to see that what they do in lessons has applications in the world of work. There are many rewarding jobs in science, technology and engineering but a number of firms in the North-East are reporting difficulties in recruiting skilled graduate engineers so if we can contribute to young people looking to these careers we will contribute to the growth of the region.”

Each school team, comprising eight pupils, had to build a working hovercraft from scratch that was capable of carrying a pilot and then race them.

The winning team, judged on both design and race performance was St Aidan’s C of E Academy.

Encouraging young people’s interest in engineering and other sectors where a large number of jobs are to become available in the North-East, and which are facing significant skills gaps, is a key focus of Foundation for Jobs.

It is widely acknowledged that as a country the UK needs more engineers, and for areas such as Darlington, the Tees Valley and the wider North-East which have a long heritage of world leading engineering companies, this is particularly important.

Hovercraft event 2015

Jane Robson from Foundation for Jobs partner the County Durham Community Foundation, and Dean Judson, Headteacher of Hurworth School talk to students at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form as they take part in the hovercraft construction competition at the Sixth Form College. Picture by: Andy Lamb

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The next issue of the 11-19 Practitioner Newsletter will be published in October 2015. If you have anything you would like to be featured in the next issue, please send text (and photos if you have them) to:

reshma.begum@darlington.gov.uk by Friday 18th September 2015.

Education Secretary Honours Students A college’s star performers have won high praise in a prestigious national awards scheme that recognises outstanding academic and civic achievements. Carmel College students Liam White and Robyn Errington-Coates were highly commended by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan after becoming runners up in the Lord Glenamara Memorial Prize.

The duo travelled to University College London, to receive their awards at a prestigious ceremony. The scheme was set up in 2012 in memory of former Education Secretary Lord Glenamara, who was raised in the village of Warcop, east Cumbria, in order to recognise the achievements of young people with active interests in history, politics and public life in the North East.

Reflecting on the importance of the award, Mrs Morgan said, “This award not only champions high standards in education, but also encourages activities that build character, essential qualities that help prepare our children for life in modern Britain.”

For Liam the ceremony was another opportunity to head to the capital. The 16 year-old is part of a working party asked to develop a national manifesto on child poverty which has held discussions at the Houses of Parliament. The GCSE student also sits on working groups within the local authority and is vice chairman of the Darlington Care Crew, which represents the interests of young people and influences local decision makers. Liam is a Darlington Young Inspector visiting services in the town for young people and feeding back views.

He said, “It was an incredible honour to be commended by the Education Secretary particularly as it recognises the importance young people’s efforts and views.”

Carmel College Principal Maura Regan said, “Liam is an excellent student and a wonderful role model with a highly developed sense of social injustice, which is he fully prepared to campaign against.”

Robyn’s academic achievements earned her high praise too. The sixth former achieved six A*s and five As at GCSE and has been part of various gifted and talented programmes. The 17 year-old has also involved herself in local affairs, writing to the council about and helping to resolve road safety issues. A talented musician and a volunteer, she is part of the Sixth Form Leadership Team and contributes to the music society and charities group, including fundraising for the Uganda Choir. She said, “I do feel it is important to be involved in community life. Young people have a great deal of energy and can make a real difference.”

Miss Regan added, “Again, Robyn demonstrates a strong senses of justice and recognises that ordinary people have a duty to become involved in order to do what they can for the local area and community at large. She is an absolute credit to the college.”

Honoured for their efforts, Carmel College students Liam White and Robyn Errington-Coates with Pastoral Learning Manager Sarah Thornton