1. 1. week of 29 June 2015 StaffBulletinDiarydates admin week Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July If you will be working over the summer break, please see information about college opening hours on page 2. aspire 2015 Tuesday 30 June, 10am-4pm Feltham Skills Centre Please see the college website for details. taster day Thursday 2 July, 9.30am-2pm Please contact Ann Hoggan on x2242 or by email for details. booked Interviews Monday 10 August to Monday 17 August inclusive a level and btec level 3 results Thursday 13 August As to A2 re-enrolment Friday 14 August college development day Tuesday 18 August Details will be sent out by email so please check your inbox for more information nearer the time. GCSE and btec level 2 results Thursday 20 August Main (open) enrolment begins Friday 21 August Achieving excellence A Staff Awards Ceremony was held on Friday 26 June to acknowledge and celebrate the many outstanding contributions and achievements of colleagues during 2014-15, and to say farewell to members of staff who have recently left or are about to leave the college. Staff were congratulated for achieving 27 qualifications.This demonstrates a great commitment by these individuals to develop their skills and knowledge to enhance their work with students and colleagues. The highlight of the ceremony was the Not the Oscars, WestThames Colleges unique awards event.Thirty- seven members of staff were nominated for this years five staff awards.Well done to everyone who was nominated and congratulations to our fiveNot the Oscarswinners. Marjorie Semple And the winners are Neil Grigg Best Newcomer Neil has made delivery of the Public Services course fun, exciting, informative and relevant. He increased success rates and supported 8 students to become crown servants this year 6 police officers and 2 government employees. Linda Kubie Best Supporting Role Linda truly excelled this year. She is highly organised, reliable and 100% committed to students. Her student award scheme is excellent and she is an asset to the newly formed Foundation Learning area. Bashir Salih Best Actor Bashir delivered a large number of unfamiliar units to Level 3 Engineering students this year, producing new assignments and materials whilst also working towards his PGCE. He always has time for students and staff and has an air of positivity and acan doattitude. Julie Bennett Best Director Julie has been namedBest Directorfor being a role model for the colleges values and principles. Colleagues described her working style as dedicated, trustworthy, hardworking, direct, caring and very supportive of students and staff. Karen Champion Lifetime Achievement Award This award recognises Karens knowledge and the helpfulness, as well as the training and support she has provided over the years to those she works with. 2015StaffAwards:KarenChampion(lifetimeachievementaward),LindaKubie(bestsupportingrole), NeilGrigg(bestnewcomer),JulieBennett(bestdirector)andBashirSalih(bestactor).
2. 2. week of 29 June 2015 | page 2 Notices College opening hours From Monday 29 June, the college will operate out of term time opening hours. Unless evening activities have been pre-arranged, both campuses will be open from Monday to Friday, 8am-5.30pm. If you will be working in an isolated part of the college, please ensure that you have told other staff members and the security team where you are. Lone working staff can sign in at the Information Centre if they wish. Security staff will check locations of lone workers throughout the day. Please remember to sign out when you leave, so that security staff do not waste time looking for you at the end of the day. At Isleworth, the fire alarm will sound briefly ONCE at 5.25pm. Staff MUST leave the building immediately on hearing this alarm so that buildings can be checked, locked and alarmed.When activities are scheduled for the evening at Isleworth, staff who are not involved in these activities but wish to work past the normal closing time must inform security at the main entrance (x2062) before 5pm.You will be asked where you are based and what time you will be leaving. Michael Michaelides Catering services Isleworth campus From Monday 29 June until Friday 3 July the canteen will be open from 8.30am-2.30pm, with lunch served from 12-1.30pm. The canteen will reopen on Monday 17 August. The Atrium Caf will close onThursday 25 June and reopen onWednesday 19 August. The Skills Centre From Monday 29 June until Friday 3 July the Caf will be open from 9.30am-1pm.The Caf will reopen on Wednesday 19 August. All catering services will be closed over the summer break. Denise McMeel Print Room opening hours Mon 29 June Fri 3 July: 9am 4pm Mon 6 July Fri 31 July: 10am 3pm Mon 3 Aug Fri 7 Aug: 10am 2pm Mon 10 Aug Fri 4 Sep: 10am 3pm In order to avoid disappointment and ensure that all staff work is completed for the start of the academic year, please try and submit work to the Print Room during the summer period. Many thanks in advance for your support. Mary Fitzgerald LRC induction bookings For Foundation, L2 and L3 Adult, ESOL, Access and HE courses The Learning Resources Centre is ready to book your LRC inductions for September.To avoid disappointment we invite you to use our online booking form, which you should have already received.You can also find the booking form onThe Bank in the Document Library (search by keywordbooking). Alternatively, please contact your subject librarian. Bookings are required only for the groups mentioned above. If your group have a timetabled iLearn session, the LRC induction will be conducted in that slot, so you do not need to book them for an induction. Evening class LRC inductions need to be booked by the teacher with their subject librarian. Payment run dates July-Aug 2015 Friday 10 July Friday 24 July Tuesday 11 August Wednesday 26 August Approved and coded (expenditure code) invoices should be returned to the Finance Office payment tray at least two working days prior to the cheque run date. Please authorise all your invoices and return them to the finance office before leaving for your holidays. Pleasenote:DatesforAugustareprovisionalandmaybe subjecttochangeduetoenrolment. Note: Cheques will only be ready for collection or mailing on the following day. Manual cheques can only be issued outside the cheque run dates in exceptional circumstances. Farah Mustafa Catering students steal the show This year marks the 35th anniversary of Spark!, an organisation which works with schools and businesses to inspire and prepare young people for working life.To celebrate the occasion Spark! invited 230 guests from local schools, volunteers and senior business leaders to aCream and Pimmsthemed event at the prestigious Great Conservatory in Syon House. On discovering that the venue had no caterers, Spark turned to their long- term partner,WestThames College, to do the job.The catering team prepared scones, drinks and delivered the service with confidence and a smile. Spark! Fundraising Manager Rachel McAdam was thrilled with the results. The students were such a credit to the college,she said.Yet again,WestThames College students have done themselves proud at a Spark! event. Menu This week at Isleworth: Monday 22 June Chicken Shack Chilli Con Carne Vegetable Lasagne Tuesday 23 June Eatmex Cumberland Sausage Potato, Leek and Cheddar Slice Wednesday 24 June Hot Baguettes Curry Day Thursday 25 June Chicken Shack Roast Chicken Mushroom and Broccoli Stroganoff Friday 26 June DEVELOPMENT DAY Jacket potatoes, salad and sandwiches are also available. All our soups and desserts are suitable for vegetarians. Menusubjecttoavailability. If you are going to be late for lunch, you can pre-book and pay for food items in advance and we will hold them for you until 2.30pm. The Skills Centre Caf also serves a variety of hot meals from 12 noon to 1.30pm.
3. 3. week of 29 June 2015 | page 3 Higher education awards ceremony Higher education students celebrated in style on the evening ofWednesday 24 June with a grand ceremony in the Sports Hall. About 85 excited graduates in caps and gowns were applauded by families, friends, lecturers and guests as they collected their scrolls.The event was led by MC Catherine Trenchfield, and included a keynote speech from Katrin Lehmann and a closing speech by guest speaker Julia Jarzabkowski, a former student of Hounslow Borough College, now a barrister and part-time judge. Certificates were presented by Bruce Armstrong, Dean of Students at Kingston University andWestThames College governor. Afterwards, guests were treated to light refreshments in the Atrium, where after several years of hard work and dedication they could let their hair down and relax. A big thank you to everyone who gave their time, help and support behind the scenes and onstage, ensuring a truly memorable evening for all. Marketing Student awards ceremony The achievements of 47 of the colleges most outstanding students were celebrated in the Sports Hall onThursday 25 June.The student awards identify not only those who achieve academic excellence, but also students who have overcome difficulties in order to succeed, or have gone out of their way to help others. Our special guest, Leslie Addo a former student of the college and now a professional basketball player presented the awards with help fromTracy Aust. Leslie also spoke to the students and guests about his journey and the people who helped him along the way, especially the motivation he received from Jermaine Purcell, Sports Co-ordinator, and otherWest Thames College staff. Alumni Cherica Haye also gave an inspirational speech about her achievements since leaving the college. After studying Art and Design atWestThames, Cherica went to St. Martins to study textiles before undertaking a Masters degree in Fibre,Textiles and Weaving Art at Royal Arts College. She has since worked with both Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls Royce, co-designing the bespoke Serenity Phantom, and is one of the most sought after designers in the automotive industry. Three students were chosen from the award winners to be the overall Students of theYear 2015.The winners were Jeff Neston Gomes for Academic Achievement, Laerte Spoor Geminiani for Determination, and Maciej Piwowarski for Contribution to the College. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this event such a special occasion for our students, and to our amazing student ambassadors who, although it was their night off as several of them were there to collect awards themselves insisted on helping as ushers, setting up the Sports Hall and signing in guests! Marketing 2015StudentAwards:RuthCadburyMPforBrentfordandIsleworth,MaciejPiwowarski (ContributiontotheCollegeAward), LaerteSpoorGeminiani(DeterminationAward), JeffNestonGomes(AcademicAchievementAward)andguestspeakerLeslieAddo. AlumnispeakerChericaHayesharesher achievementssinceleavingthecollege
4. 4. College nursery Ofsted inspection The college nursery had its routine unannounced inspection onTuesday 23 June.We are pleased to announce that the overall judgment isGood.Thank you to the nursery team for their contribution to the inspection process and for the extensive support given to children in supporting their learning and development. Areas of strength identified by the inspector include: staff have secure knowledge of childrens learning, support for children with SEN is comprehensive and effective, staff promote childrens independence, literacy skills are supported well and the nursery keeps parents informed of childrens progress. Carolyn Moncrieffe Welcome Matthew Flett, Education and Quality Manager, starts 1 September Farewell Najlaa Alaian, Lecturer in Maths, leaves 31 August Ozzy Burn, Estates Assistant, leaves 31 August Karen Courtney, Lecturer in Art & Design, leaves 31 July Zory Dirwai, Publicity and Events Officer, leaves 18 July Michelle Gates, HE Administrator, leaves 31 July Ross Gouldie, i-Learn Assistant, leaves 3 July Sandra Harding-Deans, Education and Quality Manager, retires 31 August Neal Hook, Lecturer in Catering, leaves 31 July Raissa Kohli, Lecturer in Maths, leaves 3 July Terry Lewis, Lecturer in Functional Skills, leaves 31 August Raff Rollings, Skills Centre Security Supervisor, left 11 June Dhiraj Shiyani, Lecturer in MotorVehicle, leaves 31 July SarahTaylor, Lecturer in Health and Social Care, leaves 3 July RachelWyatt, Lecturer in Beauty, leaves 31 August Vacancies Head of the Skills Centre closes 5 July MIS Developer and Analyst closes 7 July Lecturer in Engineering closes 9 July Lecturer in MotorVehicles closes 9 July Technician in Engineering closes 9 July Employability Advisor closes 9 July Curriculum and QualityTeam Manager for Health & Social Care closes 9 July Full details of these vacancies are available from the college website or Human Resources. Changes for 2015-16 The consultation period has now ended and the final paper setting out changes for 2015-16 is available in the Document Library onThe Bank (search by keywordchanges). Student Support Assistant opportunities As confirmed in the Changes for 2015-16 paper, we will be advertising permanent Student Support Assistant roles (4 posts at 30 hpw for 38 weeks and 2 posts at 15hpw for 38 weeks). Please contactTobi Ojuri in Human Resources on x2294 or by email, to register your interest and an information pack will be issued to you shortly. Staff survey now live Our 2015 staff survey is now available on Survey Monkey for you to complete and will remain open until Friday 10 July.We really value your opinion and completing the survey should only take 15-20 minutes. It will help us to identify your views on working at the college and any areas for improvement.This year we have continued to focus on quality improvement and the staff survey will help us to identify any areas where you feel we could still do better. It is therefore vital that everyone has their say.The questions remain unchanged from last year. Please take time to complete this survey (via tinyurl.com/ncsudtn) and tell us what you think. week of 29 June 2015 | page 4 Next bulletin: 17 August Please send your news toTerriTrimble in Marketing on x2277 or by email. Moving house? Dont forget to let us know your new address if youll be moving house over the summer. Please also inform us of any other changes to your personal details e.g. phone number, name, marital status or bank details. Human Resources Media students visit Prague Media students visited Prague last week, putting their production skills to test by producing a documentary and promotional video. As part of their filming, interviews were arranged with the Managing Director of Barrandov Film Studios and the Press Officer at the CzechTelevision Station. The studentsprojects will explore how Prague has in the last 15 years attracted Hollywoods filmmakers to shoot their films especially at the KarlovyVary, where segments of the 2006 James Bond film CasinoRoyale were filmed. Karim Ngobi A battle of strength! On Friday 19 June students and staff at the Feltham Skills Centre took part in a tug of war competition. Great fun was had by all although some took it more seriously with one on one challenges! Level 1 Engineering student Ronaldo Andrade reigned supreme, a deserving winner and a good sport. SamanthaWilliams