UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College

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UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
UPDATE
SPRING 2021            FINE ART STUDENT, WINS
                       PLACE ON THE ROYAL
                       ACADEMY WORKSHOP
                       PROGRAMME

CHEMISTRY TUTOR,JOHN
LUTON, SWEEPS UP YET
ANOTHER AWARD

OUR TRIBUTE
TO THE NHS
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
OUR IT & MEDIA
                                                                                                               OUR FOOTBALL PITCH
FACE MASKS,                                                              running out of vital PPE, 3D Design                                                                                                      TEAM CREATED AN
                                                                                                               BECAME THE CANVAS                                                                                  AMAZING ARRAY
                                                                         student Aidan Maraj and his tutor,    FOR AN AERIAL VIEW                                                                                 OF VIDEOS,
                                                                                                               TRIBUTE TO THE NHS
SANITISER &
                                                                         Sarah Lampard-Sawyer, got to
                                                                         work in their spare time making

VIRTUAL REALITY
                                                                         face visors using the College’s 3D
                                                                         printer. Whilst Aiden researched an

… TO STRENGTH,
                                                                         approved design, Sarah managed
                                                                         to source the acetate and

DETERMINATION &
                                                                         together they both went into mass
                                                                         production. With the help of his
                                                                         mother back at home, Aidan then
ADMIRATION!                              AIDAN MARAJ AND HIS TUTOR,
                                                                         assembled the kits and they were
                                                                         distributed to St Peter’s and St
                                                                                                                                   OUR YEAR 1 A LEVEL
                                                                                                                                   TEXTILES STUDENTS
                                                                                                                                   EVEN TOOK TO MAKING
                                                                                                                                   THEIR OWN MASKS
                                         SARAH LAMPARD-SAWYER AND        James’s Hospices and the Princess
                                         THEIR 3D PRINTED VISORS         Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.
                                                                         MAY 2020
                                                                                                                                                      The Marketing team, along with           meeting all our new applicants
                                                                         The College found its own unique
                                                                                                                                                      our dedicated and passionate             via online interviews and it was
                                                                         way of thanking the NHS by
                                                                                                                                                      tutors, our Media Technician and         great pleasure to see everyone,
                                                                         allowing its currently redundant
                                                                                                                                                      the IT team, rose to the challenge       albeit on screen. We are just sad
                                                                         football pitch to become the
                                                                                                                                                      by creating an amazing array of          that we haven’t been able to meet
                                                                         canvas for an aerial view tribute.
                                                                                                                                                      videos showcasing every subject          everyone in person yet, but look
                                                                         Local grounds maintenance
                                                                                                                                                      on the curriculum, general college       forward to a day soon when we
                                                                         company, SLS, used their line
                                                                                                                                                      videos, a student led video              can.
                                                                         painting skills to create an          NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
                                                                                                                                                      tour, as well as an interactive             Everyone at Varndean College
                                                                         expansive message on the              Throughout November and                360 degree tour of the campus.           is so immensely proud of the way
                                                                         grassed pitch at the front of the     December, lessons continued
Throughout a year which has          Additional IT equipment, such                                                                                    In addition, we also held two            in which our students, prospective
                                                                         college, creating a spectacular       using blended learning, with
been the most unprecedented          as laptops, chrome books,                                                                                        evenings of live Subject Q&As for        students, parents/carers and
                                                                         sight for all to see.                 many enrichment activities also
and challenging ever, we cannot      microphones and cameras were                                                                                     prospective students, as well as         staff have adapted to all the
express how proud we are of our      sourced as a matter of urgency      SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020                taking place online too. You can       participating in many schools’           unforeseen changes during the
students and staff who have          and from 23 March, Varndean was                                           read more about some of the            Q&As.                                    past twelve months and how
                                                                         September saw the long-awaited        activities our students and staff
risen above all expectations         plunged into a world of teaching                                                                                                                          resilient, determined and united
                                                                         return of students to college         have been up to further on in this     JANUARY 2021
to manage and overcome the           never experienced before. By the                                                                                                                          as a Varndean family everyone
                                                                         and the welcoming of our new          publication. Our library continued
difficulties, frustration and        remarkable use of technology, all                                                                                Meanwhile, applications to study         has become. We hope that a
                                                                         cohort of first years, including 23   to operate using a Click ‘n’ Collect
sadness the past year has            lessons took place from tutors’                                                                                  at the College from September            brighter future now lies ahead.
                                                                         new international students from       service and some students
presented everyone.                  and students’ homes instead and                                                                                  2021 were flooding in and it was
                                                                         overseas. Life at Varndean wasn’t     were able to sit exams, socially
                                     we learned how to adapt in a way                                                                                 such an honour to know that so
MARCH 2020                                                               what it used to be though; with       distanced of course. Our Year 1 A
                                     never before imagined.                                                                                           many Year 11 students want to
As the country was about to                                              blended learning (one week face-      Level Textiles students even took
                                     APRIL 2020                          to-face, one week online), social                                            become part of our ‘Varndean
enter its first national lockdown,                                                                             to making their own masks.             community’. In January we started
our small IT team rose to the        When it hit the headlines that      distancing, the wearing of masks,
                                                                                                                                                                                                JUSTIN NYE
unthinkable challenge by ensuring    care homes and hospitals were       hand sanitiser, one-way corridors                                                                                      ALSO STARTED
                                                                         and classroom seating plans, all                                               Student Justin Nye also started         FUNDRAISING
that all lessons could                                                                                         daily routine. We even got our                                                   FOR THE NHS
be conducted virtually.                                                       becoming part of our new                                                  fundraising for the NHS by
                                                                                                               own Varndean branded masks
                                                                                                               produced for students!                   undertaking daily training in
                                                                                                                  September and October are             order to compete in the next
                                                                                                               also the time we usually look            Brighton Marathon. The 2020
                                                                                                               forward to greeting prospective          event was unfortunately
                                                                                                               Year 11 students and their parents       cancelled due to Covid, but Justin
                                                                                                               from across Sussex to our Open           is still training, hopefully to take
                                                                                                               Events, but this presented yet           part in this year’s event instead.
                                                                                                               another huge and unimaginable            Justin has already completed the
                                                                                                               challenge when these too had             Half Marathon raising funds for
                            IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER                              VARNDEAN                        to transform into virtual reality.       Macmillan Cancer Support.
                            WE HELD OUR OPEN                                   BRANDED MASKS
                            EVENTS ONLINE
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
SEXUAL HEALTH & CONTRACEPTION
VARNDEAN BECOMES CREATIVE                                                                                                  SERVICES AT VARNDEAN
TO SUPPORT THE WELL-BEING                                                                                                  In support of World Aids Day,        the service couldn’t actually

OF STUDENTS AND STAFF
                                                                                                                           Varndean students were offered       visit the college in person like
                                                                                                                           free sexual health testing           they would normally do, they
                                                                                                                           packs and freebies by the            still arranged for their freebies
We all know what a testing time it’s been for                the best mind possible to face                                Brighton & Hove Sexual Health        and information to be delivered
everyone’s mental health throughout the past year,           today’s challenges. Andrew,                                   & Contraception Service (SHAC)       so as to be available to all
so over the past few months staff at Varndean                who is the founder of Action                                  back in December. Although           students.
College have worked together to create a series of           Your Potential and has spent
Well-Being Sites to help staff and students manage           25 years working in schools,
through these difficult times. In December, a ‘Winter        helps children and young
Break Well-Being Page’ was created which offered             people take a look at the
brilliant tips, tricks and ideas on how to relax over        workings of the human brain
the Christmas break. These ranged from recipes               and use neuroscience and psychology to help them
and crafts to films, music and a whole host more. In         be the very best they can. Andrew has been bringing                                                                                      EARLY YEARS
February, this was then followed up with a further           his neuroscientific approach to the classroom and,                                                                                       STUDENTS UNDERTAKE
Well-Being Site, again with a huge host of ideas and         together with the College’s Well-being team, has been                                                                                    PLACEMENTS ONLINE
links, including fitness, cooking, art, mindfulness          creating excellent ‘Be the Best You’ learning resources
and meditation. As part of their Sport Leadership            to the tutorial programme. These bespoke learning                                                                                        Lockdown for Early Years students
Qualification, the College’s Sports Leaders also             materials include simple steps and strategies on                                                                                         has affected their placements
created their own site, full of sporting ideas, activities   developing daily habits which enhance engagement,                                                                                        as schools moved once again to
and challenges to help improve fitness, health and           well-being, learning and motivation to help transform                                                                                    online lessons. Nevertheless, our
well-being. To find out more and take part, go to            outcomes. Listening to students’ feedback, Andrew                                                                                        students as ever are resilient and
https://sites.google.com/varndean.ac.uk/                     and the tutorial team created bespoke webinars and                                                                                       always up for a challenge.
varndean-college-wellbeing                                   ‘daily life experience’ tasks to be carried out in tutorial                                                                                 Year 2 students Isobel Brewster
https://sites.google.com/varndean.ac.uk/                     lessons and beyond. For more details, go to Andrew’s                                                                                     and Amber Hill both volunteered
varndean-college-sport-leaders/home                          website www.actionyourpotential.org                           IT’S A                               Philosophy support teacher, Zach
                                                                                                                                                                Jacobs, gave a talk on whether
                                                                                                                                                                                                      to help reception teachers at
In addition to this, the College has been continuing         Meanwhile, the College has recently appointed its
                                                                                                                           PHILOSOPHICAL                        Nietzsche was an existentialist.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Telscombe Cliffs Primary school
its successful collaboration with Andrew Wright from         new cohort of Mental Health Champions to support              LIFE                                 All these talks were of a fantastic
                                                                                                                                                                                                      with their Zoom lessons. Teaching
                                                                                                                                                                                                      phonics and maths to 60 children
‘Action Your Potential’ who has been working with our        the well-being of students. Further details to come           The Philosophy programme at          calibre and the discussion was
                                                                                                                                                                                                      aged 4-5 online is no mean feat
students during their tutorial programme to help build       soon.                                                         Varndean has been busy both          fantastic. The programme is also
                                                                                                                                                                                                      though. For obvious reasons, all
                                                                                                                           in and out of lockdown in recent     running sessions on Descartes’s
                                                                                                                                                                                                      mics are muted, apart from the
                                                                                                                           months. Under the auspices of        Meditations and ran a student/
                                                                                                                                                                                                      teacher, so hand gestures and
                                                                                                                           Fleur Hemmings, Philosophy           staff reading and discussion
                                                                                                                                                                                                      facial expressions are used to
                                                                                                                           Society has engaged in a range       evening on Nietzsche. In a similar
                                                                                                                                                                                                      support the children’s learning
                                                                                                                           of talks by a mix of both students   vein, Theory of Knowledge IB
                                                                                                                                                                                                      instead. Isobel also recorded a
                                                                                                                           and staff. From the students,        students have been engaged
                                                                                                                                                                                                      video in which she told a story
                                                                                                                           Dohara De Silva spoke about          in sophisticated presentations
                                                                                                                                                                                                      for the children to listen to. Both
                                                                                                                           ethical obligations to repatriate    that apply critical thinking about
                                                                                                                                                                                                      students have done so well, they
                                                                                                                           works of art and Alex Woodhead       the nature of knowledge to
                                                                                                                                                                                                      have now been asked to come in
                                                                                                                           spoke about capitalism.              real-life situations - considering
                                                                                                                                                                                                      to support keyworker sessions.
                                                                                                                                                                everything from Trump’s tweets,
                                                                                                                                                                                                         After college, Isobel has
                                                                                                                                                                to atheist claims to a better life,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      accepted offers at Chichester
                                                                                                                                                                to ethnocentric bias in musical
                                                                                                                                                                                                      and Brighton universities to study
                                                                                                                                                                theory. Vibrant lively discussions
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Primary Education to become
                                                                                                                                                                are had in all these forums to
                                                                                                                                                                                                      a qualified teacher. Amber has
                                                                                                                                                                encourage students to be critically
                                                                                                                                                                                                      offers at Sussex, Portsmouth and
                                                                                                                                                                minded and ethical thinkers on
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Winchester universities to study
                                                                                                                                                                whatever issues life brings to
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Childhood and Youth as part of
                                                                                                                                                                us whether through academic
                                                                                                                                                                                                      her aspiration to become a play
                                                                                                                                                                literature or musing on the
                                                                                                                                                                                                      therapist.
                                                                                                                                                                ineffable!
                                                                                                                                           THE PHILOSOPHER’S
                                                                                                                                           DOG (PIP)
                                                                                                                                           CONTEMPLATES!
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
VARNDEAN SEES THE LAUNCH
                                                                                                                                                                                                  sponsored by the i360 and then
                                                                                                                      EX-COMPUTER                                                                 in the summer of 2019 was one of
                                                                                                                      SCIENCE
OF ITS ONLINE STORYTELLING
                                                                                                                                                                                                  only 11 UK finalists in the British
                                                                                                                      STUDENT JUDE                                                                Academy of Film and Television

SOCIETY AND ETHNICITY &
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Awards’ (BAFTA) nationwide
                                                                                                                      BIRCH WORKS                                                                 competition to find the country’s
                                                                                                                      ON GAME FOR
IDENTITY DISCUSSION GROUP
                                                                                                                                                                                                  best young game designers. Jude’s
                                                                                                                      LEGO                                                                        submission in the ‘15-18 years
                                                                                                                                                                                                  Game Making’ category was a
                                                                                                                      Ex-student Jude Birch, who left                                             futuristic adventure game called
                                                                                                                      Varndean in 2019 and took a                                                 ‘Space Core’ using Unity.
                                                                                                                      year out to gain work experience                                                Jude, who is now at the
                                                                                                                      before going on to university, has                                          University of Sussex studying a
                                                                                                                      been working as a Programmer                                                BSc in Computer Science, said:
                                                                                                                      Intern for local computer games       themes/vidiyo/about                   “I feel really lucky to have the
                                                                                                                      company Near Light and has been          Jude is no stranger to success,    opportunity to have worked on
                                                                                                                      helping to develop an exciting        as in February 2018 was one of the    the game, I was able to learn
                                                                                                                      brand-new game for LEGO! The          winners in Google’s annual Code-In    so much from my boss and
                                                                                                                      game called ‘VIDIYO’, which was       competition winning himself a trip    co-workers. At Sussex I’ve been
                                                                                                                      launched on 1 March, is a free app    for two people to San Francisco       developing more games in my
                                                                                A LEVEL TEXTILES                      where users can create their own      and Google’s Headquarters at          spare time and am planning to
Some of the country’s top                launch of the College’s Ethnicity
                                                                                STUDENT WINS FIRST                    music video using animated LEGO       Mountain View, California! An         submit one game for a university
storytellers, including Xanthe           and Identity Discussion Group
                                                                                PRIZE AT KNITTING &                   characters and props and can be       overall total of 3555 students        game development contest. I’ve
Gresham-Knight, Amy Sutton, Josh         that meets online at 12pm every
                                                                                STITCHING SHOW                        downloaded from the App Store         from 78 countries took part in the    also been participating in more
Crisp and Joanna Gilar, have all         Monday. Our first week began           Congratulations go to Year 1          or Google Play. Further details are   competition. Later that year, Jude    programming competitions
been invited to tell at Varndean’s       with an engaging discussion            Textiles student Chantelle Avery-     available from the LEGO website       won The Argus’s Youth in Action       within uni and also against other
Storytelling Society throughout          about Terminology. Students            McNeill who in December won first     at https://www.lego.com/en-gb/        ‘Innovator of the Year’ award         universities.”
last term. The group has been            discussed terms they prefer to         prize in the 11-17 years category
a great success, with students           use to describe themselves, terms      for the Self Portrait Competition,
listening in live, either from college
or from home, to Tellers who were
                                         that they think they should use to
                                         describe others, and terms others
                                                                                ‘Part of Beyond’ at this year’s
                                                                                Knitting & Stitching Show. Judges
                                                                                                                        CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY                                          Cameron Myres, Natalie Symes,

zooming in from their homes. We          ascribe to them which they don’t       Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn’s        WORKSHOPS - LED BY HANNAH COE                                            Dan Bodsworth, Nevaeh Worrell,
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Moad Amar, Anesu Maindidze,
were even delighted to welcome           like. The quality and diversity        comments were ‘A compact                OF UNIVERSITY OF GUILDFORD AND                                           Yasmin Alharbi, Frano Ricci,
one of our Japanese International
Students who attended every
                                         of views were very enlightening
                                         and enjoyed by all. The following
                                                                                composition with a mix of freely
                                                                                worked hand and machine
                                                                                                                        READING                                                                  Olly Rodhouse and Spencer
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Maskell for their excellent and
session from Kyoto.                      week, Dohara De Silva delivered a      stitching that exudes personality.’     All our Business Studies students   as well as how new businesses        knowledgeable contribution
     It is the aim of the Storytelling   cracking talk on Colourism. Future     Well done Chantelle.                    were treated to an enthusiastic     could develop their CSR              to the session. We are also
Society to ‘Story the Curriculum         topics for discussion this term are                                            and informative workshop in         statement and activities in          of course extremely grateful
and the People Who Make Use of           Cultural Appropriation, the Wind                                               February covering the topic of      order to compete. Particular         to Hannah for offering these
It’. This Spring we have a ‘Story for    Rush Scandal, Immigration and                                                  Corporate Social Responsibility     mention and thanks went to           sessions and to all the students
Business Studies’ by Stacia Keogh        Sexism in Communities.                                                         and Greenwashing. Hannah,           students: Hugo Tibbs, Ryan King,     who attended for their efforts.
and ‘Oedipus the King’, by Joshua           Everyone is welcome, although                                               from the University of Guildford
Crisp, a must for any student            we hope to invite minority                                                     and Reading, delivered two
studying the Arts and Psychology.        students in the first instance so                                              energetic and fact packed
Towards the end of term, Amy             that minority views can be heard                                               online presentations looking
Sutton will tell the story of ‘The       without having to always respond                                               at key points, including how
First Non-Binary God’. Students          to majority view questions. The                                                businesses incorporate CSR,
can join our Google Classroom            group hopes to put on events in                                                why they do it and what
for resources and contact Fleur          the summer term to celebrate                                                   are the benefits. Hannah
Hemmings for more details, email         the diverse culture of the student                                             engaged students by giving
fms@varndean.ac.uk. Storytelling         body. To join, again see the link in                                           them the opportunity to interact
Society takes place at 12pm              the College Events Calendar for                                                with the workshop through the
every Thursday lunchtime, see the        more info and excellent resources                                              chat function. Discussions
College Calendar for the Meet Link.      join the Google Classroom or                                                   included key buzzwords used
     This term has also seen the         email fms@varndean.ac.uk                                                       within business CSR terminology,
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
CHEMISTRY NEWS                                                              exams students have been allowed
                                                                                                                                                                                                 to take during the pandemic.
                                                                                                                                                                                                     The Chemistry Olympiad is
                                                                                                                                                                                                 open to all schools and colleges in
                                                                                                                                                                                                 the UK, aimed at those students
                                                                                                                                                                                                 in their last year of study before
                                                                                                                                                                                                 higher education. The competition is
                                                                                                                                                                                                 designed to challenge and students
                                                                                                                                                                                                 should see it as an opportunity to
                                                                            VARNDEAN WELCOMES                      JOHN IS PICTURED
                                                                                                                                                                                                 develop their thinking and problem-
                                                                            INTERNATIONAL                          HERE WITH HIS IOM                                                             solving skills, and to test their
                                                                            STUDENTS                               AWARD WON IN JUNE                                                             existing knowledge of chemistry in
                                                                                                                   2020 ALONGSIDE                                                                real-world situations. We currently
                                                                            Despite the challenges and             THE CHEMISTRY
                                                                                                                   DEPARTMENT’S                                                                  await the results with baited breath.
                                                                            complexities of Covid-19, we still     CHRISTMAS ADVENT                                                                  Only 25-30 students are
                                                                            welcomed 23 new International           CALENDAR!
                                                                                                                                                                                                 selected to progress onto round
                                                                            students to the Varndean                                                                                             two in late March, which involves
                                                         REGGIE WARD        community in September 2020

SPORTING NEWS
                                                                                                                                                                                                 a long weekend of training and
                                                                            ... from Hong Kong, Russia,              CHEMISTRY TUTOR,                       Competition and Cambridge
                                                                                                                                                                                                 assessments (this year online)
                                                                            Singapore, Iran, Switzerland, Italy,     JOHN LUTON, SWEEPS                     Chemistry Challenge and runs the
                                                                                                                                                                                                 with a final theoretical test.
                                                                            Norway and the Czech Republic.           UP YET ANOTHER                         College’s own weekly ChemSoc
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Four students are then chosen
                                                                                                                     AWARD                                  Society.
Congratulations go to four            RED JANUARY                                Cheerful and enthusiastic, they                                                                                 to represent the UK at the
Varndean College students,                                                  have been really pleased to be
Nicholas Lauteri, Reggie Ward, Ben    Throughout January, although we       here and we admire their intrepid
                                                                                                                     As well as winning the Institute of    CHEMISTRY                            International Chemistry Olympiad.
Whitmore and Sam Wright, who          couldn’t be together in person,       spirit and the refreshing energy
                                                                                                                     Materials, Minerals and Mining’s       STUDENTS AWAIT
have been selected to represent       we could however all still be         and outlook which they bring. In
                                                                                                                     (IOM3) Sir Colin Humphrey’s            THE RESULTS OF     FUNDING FOR ‘LOST
the Sussex Schools FA U18 football    together in purpose by signing up     the words of one student: “It’s
                                                                                                                     Education Award back in June,          ROUND ONE OF THE   LEARNING’
                                      to Red January, a scheme run in                                                Varndean Chemistry tutor John          CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD We are also delighted to confirm
team! All boys are members of the                                           lovely being here, the teachers are
                                      conjunction with Sport in Mind, the                                            Luton has added yet another
Russell Martin Football Academy,                                            really engaging during classes and                                              Seventeen second year A Level        that Varndean’s Chemistry
                                      mental health charity that uses                                                accolade to his name, ‘The 2020
one of our Sports Performance                                               the students are so friendly.”                                                  and IB Chemistry students sat        Department has applied for and
                                      sport to empower and improve                                                   Award for Lifetime Achievement’,
Programmes which students                                                        We also welcomed back some of                                              the first-round exam of the 2021     received funding from the Royal
                                      people’s lives.                                                                one of Pearson’s National Teaching
can train in alongside their other                                          our Year 2 International students                                               RSC Chemistry Olympiad in            Society of Chemistry to fund
                                         Participants could run, cycle,                                              awards.
studies. Very impressive, well done                                         from China, South Korea and                                                     January. This, and the Cambridge     ‘lost learning’ tutors who are now
                                      walk, or simply choose their                                                       Pearson’s President, Michael
guys.                                                                       Russia. They left us in a whirlwind                                             University’s C3L6 Challenge back     delivering extra tuition to students
                                      favourite fitness activity and at                                              Morpurgo said about John: “The
   Extra congratulations also go to                                         of madness in the Spring; battling                                              in June, have been the only public   throughout the week.
                                      the same time help raise funds                                                 work you do, day in and day out,
Reggie Ward who made it through                                             closing borders, paying insane
                                      for Sport in Mind. Each day                                                    is life-enhancing, life-changing.
to the 2nd Stage of the ECFA12
football trials held in December.     throughout January, our Sports
                                                                            prices on overfull planes, self-
                                                                            isolating in their home-countries,
                                                                                                                     For a child to have a great teacher     ‘UPWARDS THROUGH BUSINESS’
Unfortunately the trials were         Department came up with a
                                      suggested fitness challenge
                                                                            often in designated ‘hotels’ before
                                                                                                                     like you is so important. You open
                                                                                                                     doors, shine a light. You spend your    AWARDS CARRY ON DESPITE COVID
postponed due to the pandemic,                                              being able to go home, and then                                                  One of the key qualities of a       quality of work, research skills
                                      posted online, which participants                                              working life passing on to children
so we eagerly await for them to                                             adapting to online learning                                                      successful business is the art of   and meeting deadlines. The
                                      could then record on their Red                                                 all that you know and love.”
resume to see how Reggie gets on.                                           with the additional challenge of                                                 adaptability. In this spirit, the   event was held online using
                                      January log, with everyone who                                                     John, who has taught A Level
Reggie is currently studying the                                            different time zones. Well done to                                               Business Studies programme at       Google Meet presented by
                                      completed the challenge winning                                                Chemistry at Varndean since 1993,
Level 3 National Diploma in Sport                                           all of you.                                                                      Varndean have continued with        College Principal, Donna-Marie
                                      a prize.                                                                       has also been the lead organiser of
at Varndean.                                                                                                                                                 their termly ‘Upwards Through       Janson and Jayne Hems,
                                                                                                                     the annual Chemistry Conference
   The Sports Department are also                                                                                                                            Business’ awards - virtually!       Assistant Head of Business
                                                                                                                     at Brighton University for the
delighted to announce the recent                                                                                                                             Forty-six students across           and Economics. Students were
                                                                                                                     past 20 years; offers students
collaboration with Woodingdean                                                                                                                               both year groups, studying          thanked for all their efforts,
                                                                                                                     invaluable support each year
Wanders Football Club women’s                                                                                                                                either A Level Business or BTEC     particularly during the current
                                                                                                                     with their BMAT exams for entry
side who have teamed up with                                                                                                                                 Vocational Business courses,        challenging educational climate,
                                                                                                                     into medicine; arranges visits
Varndean College to assist with                                                                                                                              were recognised for a range of      and Certificates of Achievement
                                                                                                                     and talks with Brighton & Sussex
the development of our female                                                                                                                                individual qualities; including     posted home. Well done
                                                                                                                     Medical School; coaches students
players. A fantastic opportunity                                                                                                                             perseverance, resilience, online    everyone, keep up the excellent
                                                                                                                     for competitions such as the RSC
for everyone.                                                                                                                                                engagement, attendance,             work.
                                                                                                                     Chemistry Olympiad, Analytical
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
CHILDCARE &
                                                                                   EDUCATION                            VARNDEAN COLLEGE
                                                                                   ‘STUDENT OF                          LAUNCHES ITS LATEST
                                                                                   THE MONTH’
                                                                                   AWARDS                               ADULT EDUCATION
                                                                                   Congratulations go to Anna           PROGRAMME FOR
                                                                                   Sykes and Magda Sochocka,
                                                                                   who were the first students to
                                                                                   have been awarded Childcare
                                                                                                                        2021 -2022
                                                                                   and Education’s new ‘Student of
                                                                                   the Month’ award to celebrate
                                                                                   those Year 1 students who have
                                                                                   either worked exceptionally hard,
                                                                                   produced a great piece of work
                                                                                   or been outstanding in their work
                                                                                   placement.
                                                                                      Anna and Magda’s
                                                       JETHRO WALKS                assignment brief was to plan
                                                       THE CATWALKS!               opportunities for children in
                                                                                   age brackets: 0-3 years and
                                                       Congratulations to          4-5 years to support physical
                                                       Year 2 Photography          development. Students had
                                                                                                                        Whether you wish to learn new
                                                       student Jethro Sapon        to show their knowledge of
                                                                                   developmental needs, use the         skills or simply take part in an
                                                       who has been modelling      current framework to support         activity that appeals to you,
                                                       for FendiFW21. What a       their ideas and present their        Varndean College has a course
                                                                                                                        for you this autumn and is
FINE ART STUDENT,                                      fantastic achievement.      plans in an interesting manner.
                                                                                   Anna and Magda produced two          currently taking enrolments for
                                                       Jethro is no stranger to                                         its Adult Education programme
JOESY, WINS PLACE
                                                                                   leaflets that met all the criteria
                                                       modelling however, having   in a unique and thoughtful way.      commencing in September.
                                                          already modelled for                                             The Covid-19 pandemic may
ON THE ROYAL
                                                                                   Well done, superb work.
                                                           top brands such as                                           have lock downed our society
                                                                                                                        for now, but looking ahead to             There are a wide variety of
ACADEMY WORKSHOP                                           Prada, Louis Vuitton,
                                                             Moncler and
                                                                                                                        the future, a return to learning
                                                                                                                        might just be one of the remedies
                                                                                                                                                               leisure courses for those looking
                                                                                                                                                               to learn a new hobby, such
PROGRAMME                                                         Selfridges!                                           you are looking for. During these
                                                                                                                        extraordinary and unprecedented
                                                                                                                                                               as painting, flower arranging,
                                                                                                                                                               photography, or Bridge; you can
Congratulations to second year Fine Art                                                                                 times, it’s still possible to plan     get fit with one of our many health
                                                                                                                        ahead, maybe even set yourself         and fitness classes, such as Yoga,
student, Joesy Fincham, who recently applied                                                                            some goals and targets for the         Pilates or Tai Chi; or why not
to be part of The Royal Academy Creative                                                                                future.                                learn a new language or musical
workshops programme ‘attRAct’.                                                                                             Our popular qualification           instrument?
                                                                                                                        courses can provide a pathway to          Courses take place at our main
To be selected, Joesy had to submit a piece                                                                             becoming a qualified counsellor        Varndean College site in Surrenden
of work based on set themes and her piece                                                                               or working in the childcare and        Road, or as part of our Community
was called ‘Brain Storm’. The final selection                                                                           education sector. We also offer a      Learning outreach programme
                                                                                                                        range of GCSEs, including Maths,       in Bevendean, Moulsecoomb,
process was then an online interview with other                                                                         English, Biology, Italian & Spanish,   Whitehawk & Woodingdean.
candidates discussing their work which she too was                                                                      as well as other courses to               Learning changes lives and it is
successful in. Joesy in now participating in various                                                                    enhance employment skills such         never too late to upskill or take up
online workshops and enjoying working with other                                                                        as Business Skills, Social Media for   a new hobby. To find out more or
                                                                                                                        Business, Photoshop and English        enrol, go to the Varndean College
young people and tutors from the Royal Academy.                                                                         for Speakers of Other Languages        website www.varndean.ac.uk/
                                                                                                                        (ESOL).                                adulted
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
FILM NEWS

FILM DIRECTOR, WILL BECHER, GIVES                                                 IB STUDENT USHIKA
VIRTUAL TALK TO STUDENTS                                                          WINS CHRISTMAS
Ex-Varndean College student and           really enjoyed doing, such as his       CARD COMPETITION
director of Shaun the Sheep Movie,        love of crafting and creating a         Congratulations went to Year 1
Farmageddon and Shaun Series              film and looking through the lens       IB student Ushika Kidd back in
5, Will Becher, presented a talk          of a camera. Film student, Heidi        December who won the 2020
to Varndean students in January           Leggett, was very much inspired         Design a College Christmas
about his work and career in the          and said, after the talk, how it        card competition. Ushika was
film and media industry, including        gave her a better understanding         presented with her prize of a £50
examples of model puppets                 of what was involved in the             Amazon voucher by Principal,
and how they are operated and             industry and she was particularly       Donna-Marie Janson, socially
‘perform’ on set. Students also           interested to learn about the           distanced around the College
got the opportunity to see some           way in which film makers act            Christmas tree. Ushika came
behind-the-scenes footage and             out the scenes to get a better          to Varndean in September,
ask questions.                            understanding of the movement           after having moved to Brighton
   When asked about his time at           before modelling the puppets            from Scotland, to study the
Varndean, Will reflected on how           into the final animation. It was a      International Baccalaureate
he was inspired by the things             fun talk and gave students a real       Diploma in which she is studying
he did at college and how he              insight into the world of film and      English & World Literature, Maths,
discovered the elements that he           media.                                  Biology, French, Spanish and
                                                                                  History.

                 FILM & CREATIVE MEDIA STUDENTS
                 GET PODCASTING AND BLOGGING
                 Eight second year          group are doing so well that Jay
                 Film Studies students;     and Chloe recently contributed to
                Jay Taylor-Jones,           a training session for facilitators
                Chloe Howard, Jude          of other young programmer
               Divall, Sarah Butcher,       groups organised by Film Hub
               Alice Johnson, James         South East, part of the BFI Film
  Leigh, Grace Smith and Solomon            Audience Netw www.lewesdepot.
  Newth, are members of a new               org/kinocollective and www.
  Depot group called Kino Collective.       thekinosblog.blogspot.com/
     As well as producing regular              Similarly, Year 2 Creative Media
  podcasts about films, a blog,             students have been embracing              YEAR 2 CREATIVE
                                                                                      MEDIA STUDENTS
  and numerous social media                 the digital technology during
  accounts, they have also been             lockdown and have been running
  presenting monthly online ‘open           focus groups via Google Meet for
  conversations’ about film which           podcasts they are making as their
  the public are invited to join. The       final project.
UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College UPDATE SPRING 2021 FINE ART STUDENT, WINS PLACE ON THE ROYAL ACADEMY WORKSHOP PROGRAMME - Varndean College
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