Education News September 2009
Food for thought
A celebrity chef and Olympic medalist gave students some food for thought about career and training opportunities in catering during the run up to London 2012.
Guest speakers Tasha Danvers, Beijing Olympic bronze medallist, and GQ chef of the year, Mark Hix, discussed the importance of the sector to the Games and national economy at the Hospitality Future Skills 2009 event, hosted by Hackney Community College (HCC). Visitors were also privy to insights from hospitality employers such as Sodexo and The Savoy Hotel.
Other highlights of the 3 September event included a panel discussion, cookery demonstration from Mark, and group master classes by chef lecturers from HCC’s London City Hospitality Centre
HCC principal Ian Ashman said: “We were delighted to host this event. As a College, we’re dedicated to helping Londoners make the most of the opportunities the Games will bring.”
21 September 2009
New horizons
A physical education initiative is aiming to cut the chances of obesity and social exclusion in young disabled students.
As part of the Hackney Schools Inclusive Sports Coaching Scheme, disabled young people will get the chance to try three new sports during lessons.
The new scheme has been developed following last year’s Hackney Schools Sports Championships – a Beijing-London Olympic and Paralympic handover event – which left disabled students and PE co-ordinators eager for more coaching and activities.
Over the next three years, schools will receive six weeks of training from expert instructors in archery; goalball, the blindfolded Paralympic game originally devised to help the rehabilitation of blind WWII veterans; and wheelchair basketball.
Aneurin Wood, disability inclusion officer for The Learning Trust, which is leading the scheme, said: “The aim of the coaching is not only to give students the opportunity to take part in inclusive sports, but also to provide schools with the tools to develop a truly inclusive sports programme. The reality is that sports like wheelchair basketball are fun for all and are the perfect tools to integrate, educate and motivate both disabled and non-disabled young people alike.”
21 September 2009
Fad fashion
Four Hackney students are set to see their creations hit a London Fashion Week runway after reaching the final of a tough design competition.
Clapton Girls’ Technology College’s Simone Hines, 17, Sumayya Julium, 18, from Skinners’ Company for Girls, and Aminata Kulufua, 19, and Kesoon Chance, 17, both from BSix College, will represent Hackney in the last stage of the FAD Junior Awards 2009.
In July, the quartet, along with 19 other participants, spent a week at top fashion school Central St Martins and had just five days to complete a catwalk project. They are now due to go head to head on 22 September with the other young hopefuls at Vauxhall Fashion Scout for the industry placement prize.
Simone said: “This project has had a major effect on me. It’s reinforced the fact that I want my career to be in this industry. There are no ifs, buts or maybes about it. Doing this now, I realise I can get somewhere – it’s in my hands, I can touch it.” For more info, visit: www.fad.org.uk
21 September 2009
Who’s top of the class?
Following Hackney’s best-ever GCSE results, the Teaching Awards are looking for Hackney’s top teachers for 2010.
The awards were set up to reward the achievements of educators and celebrate those dedicated to teaching.
Parents, pupils, young people and peers can nominate the teachers and schools they feel have made a difference to their area. Earlier this year Kevin McDonnell from Stormont House School received a distinction award in the secondary head teacher of the year category. At the time he called it ‘a gold medal for all the hard work carried out by the school and governors’.
Next year’s awards will introduce three new categories: outstanding school team of the year; the Henry Winkler teaching award for special needs teams; and a short film competition for students. For a full list, visit: www.teachingawards.com.
21 September 2009
Bright futures
Hackney teenagers celebrated outstanding GCSE grades on 27 August, after the borough saw its best ever results.
There was a 10 per cent increase in the numbers of students achieving A* to C grades, including English and Maths, this year.
Additionally, 80 per cent of secondary schools in Hackney achieved results higher than last year’s national average.
And individually many pupils are finalising their plans for later life, juggling higher education with extra-curricular training and work experience.
Hackney Free and Parochial School’s Hannah Alaba achieved nine As and an A*. She is now going on to study A-level Maths, History, Economics and Accountancy. “I feel happy, ecstatic, jubilant,” she exclaimed.
Abi Oyewumi, formerly a student at Cardinal Pole, was pleased with her three A*s and three As, not to mention ‘a ton of Bs but I’m not sure how many. Wait, what did I get the Bs for?’
She is now preparing to start work experience with ITV, to kick-start her dream of becoming a director.
At the same school – and planning to stay on at its sixth form – Fiona Thompson-Shaw’s results should stand her in good stead for a career in law.
She plans to study Maths, Philosophy and Ethics, and English Literature, as well as taking part in study weekends learning about corporate and family law.
GCSE newcomer Mossbourne Community Academy made headlines by far surpassing the national average. A huge 92 per cent of students received five A* to C grades; there was a 100 per cent A* to C pass rate in Science; and an 80 per cent A* to C pass rate for Modern Languages.
Academy Principal, Sir Michael Wilshaw, said:
“These results are good for schools and good for Hackney, proving Hackney schools can do as well as any other.”
07 September 2009
Making the grade early
Being just three years old – with no Year 11 pupils – didn’t stop The Petchey Academy joining in the borough-wide GCSE success.
A group of Year Nine pupils took GCSE Statistics at the new E8 academy – with seven achieving As, 11 achieving Bs and 19, Cs. The students managed the feat in six months, only beginning the course at the start of spring term this year.
Principal David Daniel said: “They did fantastically well considering the timeframe and their age. It’s also good proof that children should sometimes sit exams when they’re ready and not always according to the year.” He added that most of the school’s students will aim to complete their Maths GCSE by the end of Year 10.
07 September 2009
School fire update
Pupils from Thomas Fairchild primary in Hoxton will temporarily join two other local schools following a fire that devastated the Victorian building last month.
The decision was taken to ensure youngsters were able to return to class and begin the new school year in September.
With 300 plus pupils, the school said it was unable to keep all of the children together on one site, therefore, it will divide according to year group and join Whitmore Primary School or the new Tomlinson Children’s Centre, E8.
All students will be dropped off and picked up by parents and guardians at Whitmore school and a free bus will take Tomlinson Centre pupils to their site.
Headteacher Shona Ferguson said: “We will make sure that the children get together as a whole school regularly to retain our identity and maintain on both sites the values that make our school unique.”
An investigation into the cause of the fire is still being held.
For more information, call the Learning Trust on: 020 8820 7000, or visit: www.thomasfairchild.hackney.sch.uk
07 September 2009
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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