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Top Student Nets £15,000 Scholarship

July 2011

High Flying St Brendan's student Fraser Babbage has just beaten hundreds of hopefuls from across the country to become one of seventeen young people to win a scholarship from training provider Kaplan Financial in order to undertake an accountancy apprenticeship. Fraser is following in the footsteps of his sister Abigail who one the same award last year.

Fraser was chosen after he made a written application and impressed a panel of five judges in a presentation and flew through a phone interview. He is now looking for a company in the Bristol area which will take him on for the next few years as he takes his Association of Accounting Technician (AAT) and any further professional qualification. The cost of the AAT Level Two apprenticeship is met by the government but when the apprentice turns nineteen the government only pays part of the cost, and the rest is footed by the employer. The £15,000 scholarship will cover all extra costs for these qualifications, as well as materials such as textbooks.

Upon receiving the award, Fraser said; "I am extremely pleased to have been given this opportunity with Kaplan. It was much more appealing to be earning and learning at the same time, so this route is perfect for me and will give me loads of hands-on experience for my future career. I hope to use my future qualifications to work around the world. I was quite overwhelmed to be awarder the scholarshiip and can't wait to get started".

Claire Preston, Frasers Business Teacher added; "Fraser took the initiative and applied for this scholarship, and that he now has the opportunity to progress all the way through the various levels of accountancy qualifications without having to pay any fees is fantastic. It's a huge opportunity for him. He has done very well in his studies we are delighted that he has received this award from Kaplan".

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College Statement

July 2011

We regret to inform you that one of our members of staff, Judith Miller, sadly died late on Monday night, 11th July after a short illness. Judith was a Student Support Manager at the College as well as a teacher of Business Studies. She will be sorely missed by staff and students.

Ann Barrow, College Principal







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Felix Selected for England

June 2011

After the success of representing Avon earlier in the year, long distance runner Felix McGrath was keen to build on his running success and improve further during the fell running season, which kicked off at the end of April. Improve he certainly did, and in May he was picked for England to compete in the World Youth Mountain Running Challenge, which will be held in Gorenja Vas, Slovenia later this month. The young Westbury Harrier had endured an anxious 48 hours following the U17 trial at Mytholmroyd which took place on the first Monday in May, which was combined with an under 18 English league match.

Running with the leading pack up the initial 600 feet of ascent, Felix was well placed as the race opened out onto a mile of open moorland. However, months of drought have rendered the peat and heather terrain extremely uneven, and in places almost unrunnable (indeed, the area has since been hit hard by fire), and the participants were further buffeted by strong winds. Across the tops, Felix suffered more than most, dropping back to 7th place. However, the lessons in downhill running learned from training partner Ifor Powell paid off, and he held his place on the steep descent, to wait as the age groups and eligibility were worked out.

As British Under 16 Mountain Running Champion from last September, and having finished an impressive 3rd in the U18 English league race on Pendle Hill last month, Felix need not have worried, and his selection for the 3 man team was confirmed

We will keep you updated with how Felix get's on in Slovenia and wish him all the best representing his country

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Megan's England Success

June 2011

We reported earlier in the year about ex Oldfield Girls School student Megan Oaten’s selection in the England Under Twenty Rugby Team for the spring internationals. We are very proud to report that Megan had an extremely succesful time with the team - a fantastic achievement considering she was one of the youngest members of the team and still eligible to play at Under Eighteen level.

In between matches against Scotland, France and Wales, Megan still turned out for Bristol Ladies on match days at the weekend and trained twice a week with them. Before every international match however, she left her club side and joined a twenty two woman squad for a week long training camp before the big game.

The first of these big games took place against Scotland in Newcastle during February. Megan performed well in training all week and was selected to start the match in her usual position, which is at number seven. Megan described that first international as a ‘fantastic experience’ and England were dominant throughout the game and came out resounding winners with the score ending up seventy seven points to nil. Although Megan didn’t get on the scoresheet herself, her contribution was keenly felt throughout the game.

The next match was against France in Worcester. The management decided to rest a number of those who started against Scotland, with a more difficult match against a superior Welsh Womens side coming up. Megan was one of those girls rested for the game but she was still in attendance, cheering on her fellow teammates from the sidelines. England came out victorious in this game once again, winning twelve points to five.

The big match of the tournament was next up against Wales in Gloucester. Megan was reselected to start this game again in her number seven position. The game was particularly hard fought and the match ebbed and flowed. England went into the half time break eight points to twelve down. But after a bit of a dressing down at the interval, the England team came out refocussed in the second half and produced a sensational comeback, and won the game by an impressive thirty two points to nineteen.

Megan was pleased with her performances in the two games that she played and is looking to build on her England career further. We will keep you updated with her progress and wish Megan all the best with her Rugby future. We will certainly be hearing more about her in the future. Megan’s sporting success this year was also rewarded by the College as she was awarded the Charlie Davidson Cup for Sporting Endeavour at the End of Year Leavers Assembly.

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Science Star off to Israel

June 2011

Hi, my name is David Harris and I am studying in my second year here at St Brendan’s. Recently I have received the fantastic news that my application to attend the Bessie Lawrence International Summer Science Institute at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, has been successful!

The programme runs from the 3rd to 28th July and it involves taking part in a science project at the Institute for the first 3 weeks and then carrying out fieldwork in the Judean Desert in the last week. I’m not sure of the exact schedule as I had previously been on the reserve list since March until very recently, though I know that I will also be taking part in a range of cultural activities and visiting various important sites around Israel.

As far as the application process is concerned, I had to send off a personal statement in early January and then I attended an interview in March in London. As said, I was then told that I had been put on the reserve list, so I was surprised and delighted to have received a call earlier in May telling me that a place had become available.

It’s been a hard couple of years studying physics, chemistry, maths, further maths and french so I’m excited to have this wonderful opportunity to relax and enjoy myself in Israel this summer. I recommend looking into applying to the programme for any keen scientists who are moving up into their second year and I look forward to coming back to give you a talk on the scheme myself some time early next year!

Written by David Harris

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A Literary Talent is Rising

June 2011

The annual Bristol Short Story Competition attracts entrants from across the world, and the winning short stories are published in a Bristol Short Story Anthology.

This year, out of a field of over 2,000 entrants, Amy Qureshi made the long list of just 40, with her story “Maresong”.

Although Amy will not be published in Bristol Short Story Anthology Volume 4, Jo Melia, the competition co-ordinator, said “Amy Qureshi is definitely a rising talent who I will be looking out for in the future”.

“This competition attracts writers from around the world, many of whom are already established, published authors. Amy is a very talented original writer, with a very distinct voice, which stood out in a strong field, and we hope to see her again”.

Amy’s talents have also been recognised elsewhere: she has been asked to contribute book reviews to the “Bristol Review of Books - Literature and Arts in the West”, a quarterly magazine which is distributed across the city.

Amy is going on to University to study English, and we’ll be looking out for her first novel! Good luck and keep writing!

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Teacher has work published in The Guardian

June 2011

St Brendan’s Photographer Teacher Jaskirt Dhaliwal has just had her photography published in the Guardian Newspaper. The particular photograph is of three young Sikh boys wearing traditional dress and turbans for the Sikh New Year festival of Vaisakhi. The picture accompanied an article by Sarfraz Manzoor on reclaiming the turban’s relevance.

On The Guardian website there is also an online gallery of Jaskirt’s series of photographs focussing on the turban – you can view the gallery here.

Jaskirt’s photographs were commissioned to be a part of an exhibition on Turbanology, which was put together by Jay Singh Sohal and opened on Friday 10th June in Birmingham. The exhibition will also travel to Leamington, Warwick, Slough and finish up at the National Sikh Heritage Museum in October. The exhibition is an eye opening insight into the history and importance of the Turban to the Sikh religion.

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Teacher wins Bath Society of Artists Victoria Prize

June 2011

Richard Twose, teacher of fine art and art history at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, has won the Bath Society of Artists Victoria prize awarded to the best artist of the exhibition. This prestigious award was presented, along with the title of ‘Fellow’ of the Bath Society of Artists, in a ceremony being held at the Victoria Gallery in Bridge Street, Bath last week.

Richard is rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with having designed part of the pride of Lions displayed in the world heritage city of Bath last summer in aid of local charities.

Richard is currently exhibiting his ‘hidden portrait’ collection in galleries in both Bristol and Bath, he is also represented in various art fairs, including the well-known ‘Affordable art fair’ in London and Bristol whilst undertaking various commissions.

Having spent much of his career designing fine jewellery inspired by classical ‘mythology’, Richard is now keen to explore further the theme of Greek, Roman and general Hellenistic myth and its interpretations within contemporary art works.

During his twelve years in jewellery design Richard had many high profile clients such as Sting, Paul Smith and Theo Fennel, along side producing pieces for well renowned outlets such as Harvey Nichols and Barney’s in New York.

The future certainly looks positive for the artist who plans, along side his teaching commitments at St Brendan’s, to open a studio devoted purely to sculpture in the near future.

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Best practice in Safeguarding

May 2011

St Brendan's Sixth Form College has featured prominently in an Ofsted document entitled Best Practice in Safeguarding in Colleges after being one of only 15 colleges nationwide to receive an Outstanding grade in their 2010 inspection.

The Ofsted document praises St Brendan’s tutorial, spiritual journey and enrichment programmes ‘which support students emotionally and spiritually and is seen as fundamental to safeguarding’.

One particular aspect that is mentioned is the Street Awareness topic ‘which prepares learners for dealing with particularly harmful situations that they might encounter as part of their daily life in a busy city’. The Street Awareness topic was introduced into the St Brendan's programme after a fatal incident in which student Joe Dymond-Williams was attacked on a night out in Bristol in 2008.

Michael Jaffrain, Assistant Principal and Safeguarding Officer for the College says ‘we are all heavily committed to the safety of our students and have a responsibility to equip them with the knowledge and required to keep themselves safe now and in the future. We are delighted to feature in the Ofsted report on good practice and we will continue to ensure, that as a College, we are safeguarding our students effectively.’

The report which focuses on all areas of the College shows best practice in safeguarding in a wide range of settings. Of the 15 college who received an outstanding grade for Safeguarding last year, five where sixth form Colleges, three of which were Catholic Colleges.

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Weight Lifter Chose to Represent England

May 2011

Jimmy Hazard has been picked to represent England in weight lifting. Jimmy joined St Brendan's from St Bernadette's Secondary School and is taking A2 Film Studies, A2 Physical Education, a Community Sports Leaders Award and an Extended Project Qualification in Sport.

Jimmy has been weight lifting for two and a half years at Empire Sports Club and follows an extremely regimented training programme. He undergoes strength and weightlifting training ten times a week from Monday to Friday, with the weekends off to allow for his body to recover. Jimmy trains from 6.45am to 8.15am every morning and then for a further two and a half hours every evening.

This dedication has served him well. He recently secured second place at the British Championships. Jimmy competes in the ‘snatch’ and the ‘Clean and Jerk’ – both of which are Olympic disciplines. The 2012 Olympics will unfortunately come around too soon for Jimmy, but competing in the Olympics is certainly a future goal for him. His immediate goal at present though, is to make the Great Britain team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games which will be taking place in Glasgow.

Alongside weightlifting Jimmy has been representing St Brendan's and Old Recliffian's in Rugby. He also has a Level 2 personal training certificate from ACE (Active Community Engagement) and spends one day and two evenings a week training people. As the weightlifting has become more serious however, and he has been chosen to represent England, Jimmy has unfortunately been forced to stop playing Rugby. Jimmy will be representing England at the Fulda Cup which is an international competition that will be taking place in Austria at the beginning of June. We will keep everyone updated on Jimmy’s progress in the competition and wish him all the best for this major event.

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St Brendan's Sixth Form College is going on a journey as we work to achieve the prestigious Investors in Diversity standard...

May 2011

As our student community becomes increasingly varied we have decided to work with the National Centre for Diversity to achieve the national standard “Investors in Diversity”.

We have always worked hard to celebrate and support our students, staff, and those who work closely with us, because, as a Catholic community, we believe that just as every person is different, every person matters.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College now welcomes students from a wider range of backgrounds than ever before in the long history of the College - students and staff from ALL sections of the community; students and staff from ALL faiths, (and none).

We all bring to College different interests, different skills, different hopes, different aspirations, different knowledge, different views, different starting points, different life experiences, different potential, different family backgrounds, different personal issues, different professional issues, different health issues and different personalities.

Our community journey starts with a questionnaire to all staff and students to ask their opinions and tell us what they think. As we move on together we will improve any areas you have asked us to, develop new and exciting ways of celebrating our diversity and make sure that all members of our community feel they receive recognition, respect, and support during their time at St Brendan's.

Working with the National Centre for Diversity will help us to take a structured and planned approach to embedding equality and diversity at the heart of what we do, so Investing in Diversity means investing in YOU!

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Candle Stand Arrives to Mark St Brendan's Day

May 2011

St Brendan's Sixth Form College celebrated the feast day of St Brendan with a range of activities. The College was also honoured to host the CYMFED (Catholic Youth Ministry Federation) candle stand which is now a national symbol for young people in England and Wales which was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to England in September last year.

The CYMFED candle started its journey around England and Wales after the Pope's visit. It will be visiting schools and churches to focus prayer and reflection on young people. Dave Wheat the Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Clifton Diocese reiterated this during his talk about the stand and what it symbolises.

The intricate artwork was designed by Xavier J Javier and represents God's infinite love. Each panel depicts a different topic, the great commissioning, salvation, incarnation and youth ministry.

A prayer chain is happening throughout the day led by students. A mass at lunchtime was also part of the programme, celebrated by ex student Father James Finan. The candle stand will return to St Brendan's Sixth Form College on Saturday 21st May for the Diocesan Family day.

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Athletics Star Aiming to Make Top 10

April 2011

My name is Ashley Frost and I am a member of Yate and District Athletics Club. I began at the club when I was thirteen, training on a Thursday evening as a sprinter and long jumper. I then progressed to being a multi event athlete, and competed in Heptathlons involving Sprints, Jumps and Throws not only for my club, but also for the County of Avon and South Gloucester. However, through injury approximately two years ago, I primarily focused on my weaker event, the javelin.

I began training with my javelin coach, Mark Williams, and rapidly improved my technique and the distances that I could throw. My training increased to three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, along with gym sessions that I fit in around my part time jobs and College work. My current 'Personal Best' is 31.86m; this ranks me as fith in the South West region, and fifty forth in the UK. I was also awarded Yate and District Athletics Clubs, female thrower of the year 2010. My personal target is to break the 40m barrier and propel myself into the UK top ten.

Written by Ashley Frost

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Former St Brendan's Student Breaks World Record

March 2011

Former St Brendan's student Andrew Hammond broke the world record yesterday for rowing 24 hours on an indoor rowing machine in the male under 19 category. The previous record was 241000 metres and Andrew not only managed to beat this target, but he smashed it by another 25000 metres. His distance rowed over the 24 hours was a staggering 165 miles. Andrew was rowing in aid of the Help for Heroes Charity, which provides practical and direct support to our servicemen and women who have been wounded in the line of duty.

Andrew, who is now at Solent University, was joined by Richard Boydon who also broke a British record for rowing 24 hours. Andrew has always been a dedicated rower and won numerous medals while here at St Brendan's. He claimed gold and silver at the Welsh Indoor National Championships, a gold medal at the Scottish Indoor Championships, and a silver and bronze medal at the English Indoor Championships while at the College. Andrew studied Sport and Physical Education, Media Studies, English Language and Photography while at St Brendan’s and left for Univeristy in 2010. It is fantastic to still see him doing so well and that his passion for rowing is still burning brightly.

If you wish to support Andrew in his fundraising campaign for Help for Heroes, you can donate here.

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Felix Performs at the English Schools Championship

March 2011

Felix McGrath represented the Avon Team during the Cross Country English Schools Championship which took place on Saturday 19th March in Nottingham. Felix finished 146th out of 350 competitors. This is a fantastic achievement, particularly considering just how difficult it is to represent Avon, as well as keeping up with a very full academic timetable.

Felix joined St Brendan's in September from St Bede's and enrolled on the Honours Programme here at the College. He is currently taking AS Accelerated Maths, AS Chemistry, AS Physics, AS Biology and AS Critical Thinking. As one can imagine, his workload for all of these academic subjects is very demanding. Felix still finds time however to pursue his love of running and the hectic training programme then inevitably comes when you compete at a high level.

Felix is a long distance runner who typically competes in races around the 7km length. He races for Westbury Harriers who are based in Westbury-on-Trym and trains with them three or four times a week. Felix took part in two qualifying races in order to represent Avon. He raced against a field of 50 other competitors in races in Bristol in January, and Taunton in February. He finished 2nd in one race and 27th in another, which saw him picked as a member of the Avon team, which featured 8 runners altogether, from years 12 and 13. To help with the cost of the competition in Nottingham, Felix was able to secure funding from the College's 'Gifted and Talented' fund. This fund helps athletes from member clubs in their pursuit of excellence, by supporting each athlete and making opportunities more accessible to them.

Felix is looking to build on his running success and is looking to improve further during the fell running season, which is due to kick off in two weeks time. We will keep you updated on Felix's progress throughout his time here at St Brendan's.

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2011 IFS Student Investor Challenge - Regional Final

March 2011

St Brendan's Student Investor Challenge team produced a fantastic performance at the end of last week in the Regional Finals and finished in sixth position. This is sixth position out of 1365 entries from the South West England and South Wales Region, which is an incredible achievement.

The teams story began at the September enrichment fair, when AS student Steven England stumbled across a leaflet advertising the IFS (Institute of Fiscal Studies) Student Investor Challenge and he quickly gathered a team consisting of his former St Bede's class mates. St Brendan's had their elite team of physicists, mathematicians and financial genius’ in place.

Steven England and fellow AS students Tom Mounter, Alex Cahill and Olly Watkins approached a Business and ICT teacher who registered their interest in the competition. They were then given £100,000 of monopoly style money and one month to familiarise themselves with the computer systems they were to use along with the FTSE charts and business projection figures. In order to do this they all invested in companies they were familiar with or actually worked in. This turned out to be a stroke of luck as Dominos pizza, an employer of one of our team members, is experiencing a buoyant time due to the trend of people ordering food in as opposed to splashing out on the cost of restaurants and eating out.

With their confidence boosted and their knowledge base complete, they were ready for the main event. After their training month, they launched into the true business at hand and began to play the stock exchange game, alongside which they read business journals and newspapers and tuned into the business channels; constantly studying spending trends and business fluctuations. They had three months to make their fortune before the Regional final at Ashton Gate Football Stadium, which would involve the top twenty one teams in the region going head-to-head in a quiz competition.

The St Brendan's team finished 156th out of nearly 9000 contesting teams across the UK and guaranteed themselves that coveted place in the Regional final which took place at the end of March . Winning the regional final would have catapulted them to the final where the grand prize was an enviable trip to New York City. This was unfortunately not to be the case but finishing sixth was still a fantastic achievement and gave the students some valuable business experience, which will stand them all in good stead for the future.

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St Brendan's Student Designs New Energy Certificate

March 2011

A2 Art student Ashling Gilbert has won a competition run by the Bristol City Council to design a new energy certificate. The energy certificate can typically be found on white goods such as fridges and washing machines and informs the consumer how efficient the appliance is. The brief for the competition was fairly open, and as long as Ashling incorporated the efficiency table she could be as creative as she desired.

At the start of A2 Art this year, Ashling studied the use of 'paper' within art and was in the process of completing a project on the topic when an employee from the Council visited the College to talk about the competition. Ashling decided to incorporate all the techniques and styles she was using in her project for this competition as well, and created a new energy efficiency certificate entirely out of paper. Her new logo was entitled 'Climb the steps to Energy Efficiency' and features a stencilled tree at the top of the energy efficiency table.

Ashling, who is taking A2 Art, Maths, Philosophy and AS Art History, was among a number of students from the College who entered the competition. As a winning entry, she has been rewarded with a week long work experience place at rockpool, a creative digital design agency based in Bristol. This is a fantastic opportunity for Ashling and will allow her to gain some valuable experience before deciding on a career path in the future. She is almost certain that she will pursue a job in the art and design industry though. Ashling, who joined St Brendan’s from Ralph Allen School in Bath, will be taking a Foundation Art course when she leaves the College at the end of the year. She then plans to spend a year travelling before heading to University to take an Art related degree. It is clear that Ashling has a very bright career ahead of her, and all at the College wish her well for the future.

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St Brendan's Campaign to Go Green as part of Climate Week

March 2011

Students at St Brendan's Sixth form College have been getting involved in the national Climate Week. Over the last few months we've been carrying out an environmental audit and, to celebrate its completion, the college's People and Planet group held a special event out in the sun in the new amphitheatre.

Students were asked to show support for our Go Green campaign by creating a windmill petition. As a result of the environmental audit, the People and Planet group came up with a list of actions, so that students were able to decide which they felt were the most important by writing on our beautiful eco-tree poster. Coming out on top were sending emails to parents rather than letters, reducing default margins on Word documents and having a wildlife garden and pond area. This week the group also launched a transport and environment survey of the student body, in order to calculate the transport carbon footprint. We hope that our efforts will lead to achieving the Eco-schools Green Flag Award, and that St Brendan's will become even greener than it already is!

Written by People and Planet members Kieran Plissonneau and Izzy Pike-Cooke

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Dr David Starkey visits St Brendan's

March 2011

Contrary to what you may have seen on Channel 4's Dream School, Dr David Starkey is far from the rude and stand-offish professor portrayed by the show. Andrew Cobb's A2 History class had the utmost privilege of nearly two hours with the world-recognised historian after his visit to the college on Thursday 10th March.

Dr Starkey delivered a passionate and enriching lesson on the Tudor dynasty, but primarily the boy king, Edward VI. The facts and information Dr Starkey shared - incredibly with absolutely no help from teaching notes or presentations, just mere memory - was hugely beneficial for us as they covered our entire current History module and final exam, Tudor Controversies. Instead of a lengthy and laborious lecture, where other teachers would have just read off pages and pages of notes, Dr Starkey provided an interactive and intimate discussion, allowing the class to raise any issues or queries quite freely, as well as asking us questions and - in the best way - 'putting us on the spot'. In addition to his incredible knowledge, Dr Starkey is a charming, passionate, but most of all, a remarkably funny individual, who is capable of making even the less interesting aspects of the period fascinating, and leaving you wanting to know more and more. The lesson allowed us to enter a historical world beyond the educational syllabus - for example, Dr Starkey gave us both gruesome and detailed descriptions of Tudor torture (such as hanging, drawing and quartering) as - of course - everyone loves the gory bits, and also shared his experiences of reading the original Tudor documents in the archives of Cambridge University.

Having Dr Starkey teach us at such a vital time in the final stages of our History course gave us valuable information, and was an absolute honour. His entire presence captured our imagination from the start, and not once was there a dull moment in the two hours he was with us. After a final question and answer session at the end of the lesson, Dr Starkey was more than happy to meet, sign books, and generally chat with the class, before he had to depart for another evening lecture, leaving the class more than star-struck, and feeling immensely lucky to have had such an opportunity. On behalf of Andrew's History class, we want to say a massive 'Thank You' to Dr Starkey for taking the time out of his exceedingly busy schedule (an abundance of lectures and talks up and down the country, filming a Channel 4 documentary, and other numerous TV appearances, Dr Starkey has been appointed the official Historical Advisor for the Royal Wedding) to come and teach a small bunch of sixth form students. Additionally, we would like to say thank you to Andrew himself, as this couldn't have been done without his perseverance and determination to provide us with something as special as that day.

Written by Angelica Arroyo and Alexandra Jenkinson

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Comic Relief 2011

March 2011

Students at St Brendan's joined in with Comic Reliefs' doing something funny for money campaign to raise money for charity. Various events were organised throughout the day by the college's Business studies students including a penalty shoot out, an apple bobbing competition, guess the sweets in the jar competition and a dart off. A game of netball was also played with the netball team and rugby team swapping kits. The netball team won by a huge margin, even with the rugby guys resorting to cheating and distraction.

The catering company Sodexo also joined in the fun by having themed food such as Red Nose topped cup cakes and Belgian buns and dressed up in red wigs, deely-boppers and red noses.

The highlight of the day was when the College's new Assistant Principal, Michael Jaffrain, had his legs waxed to raise money for the cause. He generously and bravely agreed to this request from students as long as at least £100 was raised before the day - this tally was quickly reached and the students gathered around to watch Michael scream in pain.

The total money raised for Comic Relif was £515.00

Images show the sodexo team dressed up for comic relief, Michael Jaffrain having his legs waxed and a student apple bobbing

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Women's Football - Moving the Goalposts Exhibition

March 2011

St Brendan's Photography Teacher Jaskirt Dhaliwal has just finished an award winning body of work on Women's Footabll which explores the recognition and exposure it recieves, and also the identity of the players. The exhibition will be showing initially in Manchester from the 7th March to the 15th May 2011 at the People's History Museum, and then touring around the UK.

The idea that some of the nation's best female footballers could pass you on the street and you would not know who they are is a telling fact in a world where male footballers are ranked as celebrities. Female football players have little or no recognition, but with the new Super League on the horizon is that about to change? These women look like your best friend, your average student, the woman you sit next to on the bus... and they have no airs and graces about them, yet they are all of these things and also England's best footballers on the weekends.

Karen Carney may be a year younger than Wayne Rooney, Sue Smith may have been voted the best footballer in the world, however do they get the recognition their talent truly deserves? Jaskirt's exhibition serves to explore this question and the identity of these talented women.

Jaskirt has a drive and passion for documentary photography and communicating stories through visual art. Specialising in portraiture, Jaskirt already has an exhibition up in the College, just outside the library, on British Asian Musicians. She is fascinated about what drives individuals and groups of people to behave and live the way that they do. This intrigue in human nature is significant in why she chooses to explore ideas around identity. As an artist, and a teacher, she believes that photography is a powerful tool to educate and inspire.





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Oxbridge Success

March 2011

We are proud to report that two students at St Brendan's have just received acceptances to study at Oxford and Cambridge Univeristy when they leave the College. Here are their stories.

Rebecca Thomas - Oxford University

Rebecca is currently studying history, English literature and language, Film studies and Drama at St Brendan's and is predicted A's and A*s in all these subjects so its no surprise that she is heading to the illustrious heights of Oxford University after her A levels. After attending Chipping Sodbury school and then excelling here at St Brendan's she plans to study English literature and language at Oxford. Her long-term career plan is to be a play write or screen writer, producing black comedies for stage and screen. She is a fan of Tennessee Williams as he combines poetry with his playwriting and would love to one day be as successful; her favourite example of his work is the lesser known Glass Menagerie. She will be heading straight to University with no gap year.

In conjunction with her studies, she is never idle as she works with the Bristol Old Vic young company of writers who undertake writing exercises and create scripts and plays. She previously also studied drama and performance with the Bristol Old Vic but as her studies intensified and her free time diminished, Rebecca found she had to choose a side of the curtain and found that back stage, with pencil in hand was to be her domain.

In 2008 Rebecca entered the Verity Borgate Competition in association with the Soho theatre. This was a great challenge which resulted in her play being performed by the infamous Travelling Light theater company. The play was about third world workers and due to her naturalistic approach to script writing, including clear and unambiguous stage direction, she got to see her vision brought to life at the Trinity centre just as she'd imagined it.

Due to her penchant for this assertive method of screen writing, it is no surprise that Rebecca would love to both write and direct her own work, much like one of her idols Quentin Tarrentino. If she could choose any actor to star in her work it would be Ian Mckellan and her top choice of actress would be the indomitable Judi Dench. She would love to see her work performed at the Bristol Old Vic due to its beautiful performing spaces and elegance.

Along side her studies, play writing and glittering ambitions Rebecca works at Millie's Cookies, has a love of Taiquando and adores films such as Monty Python, Rocky Horror and Enchanted. She particularly loves French films such as Amelie.

Rebecca is now travelling to Washington with her history group where she is looking forward to seeing all the museums and taking in some much needed retail therapy. I speak for every one here at St Brendan's when I wish her all the best in her exciting and challenging future!

David Harris - Cambridge University

David is St Brendan's resident science boffin studying Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths and French, and is predicted A's and A*s in all of these challenging subjects. To accompany his study he has done countless amounts of reading and extra curricular study including many projects.

Having always had an aptitude for science David undertook work placement at the BBC weather department during year ten. This exciting experience lasted for several days and helped David draw conclusions regarding his future career plans regarding meteorology and research physics. Working within the world of weather was something that interested David from a young age, albeit behind the scenes rather than in a presenting capacity.

Last summer David attended the physics summer school in association with Oxford University, which involved workshops and lectures from Oxford teaching staff. Part of the summer school was to produce a presentation in groups on various scientists for which David concentrated on Christopher Huygens, creator of the mechanism used in the pendulum clock.

David has also been involved in an exciting project based at Bristol University sponsored by the Nuffield bursary scheme. This was a 4-6 week project, which David applied for to investigate the design of magnetic coils around a muon detector. All these projects and extra curricular activities have certainly not harmed David's application to Cambridge University, as have the extra talks and lectures he has attended.

When David escapes the lab, he unwinds by playing tennis in a local club and by volunteering with the Boys Brigade, which involves helping with the primary school children, and being involved in marching, badge work and various sports. Along side all this sport and volunteering David is a devout Christian who is soon to be baptised.

This summer David has applied to study in Israel which appeals to both his passion for science and his love of religion. This is a project to be undertaken at the Wiseman University in Israel and involves trips to Jerusalem and the Judean desert. He is waiting to hear if his application has been successful and I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing him all the best in this opportunity and his exciting future at the prestigious University of Cambridge. Perhaps having completed his MA, and hopefully one day his Doctorate, he will become a world famous research physicist of the future.

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FAME - The Musical

March 2011

The Musical Theatre students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College will be putting on a production of Fame as part of their BTEC level 3 Musical Theatre course. The production will be filmed and assessed as part of their coursework so this is an important event for our students.

The Production will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd March, Thursday 24th March and Friday 25th March at 7.30pm, here in St Brendan's theatre. Fame is about a group of vibrant, multi-cultural, energetic young people who are gathered together to audition to study at New York City's High School of Performing Arts. The teacher, Miss Sherman, warns the class that it takes a lot more than dreams to succeed at "Performing Arts". As the musical progresses and the students begin their classes they find out more about each other... singing songs such as 'I Want to Make Magic', 'Let's Play a Love Scene', 'These Are My Children' and the inevitable finale song 'Fame'.

Tickets are priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions.

If you wish to book seats please telephone 0117 97777 66.

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BTEC Students Perform in the Sun

March 2011

BTEC Music Performing students are required to perform to an audience as part of their assessed coursework. To use different spaces for performing is also encouraged.

Today, with the sun shining brightly for one of the first times this year, students seized the opportunity to take their instruments out of the classroom and put on a show outside.

These gigs took place in our specially designed outside Amphitheatre and included cover versions of familiar songs from a variety of eras. It was an ideal venue and lots of students gathered around to enjoy the music. After this initial success, the BTEC class are now planning to put on even more performances next week. Drama students will also use the new Amphitheatre next week for their first outdoor production.




Images show students performing in the College Amphitheatre.

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The Year for Catholic Education

March 2011

As part of the events organised for the year for Catholic Education there will an exhibition of RE work in Clifton Cathedral during the week beginning March 14th. The exhibition which will consist of art work, written pieces, models and multi media work which has been created by pupils from around the diocese under the title, 'I have come that you may have Life'.

On Wednesday 16th March from 7pm pupils from different schools will be present in the cathedral to present an evening of drama, dance, and music on the same theme as well as explaining their work and its implications. St Brendan's will be exhibiting a black theology display from our RS students, plus showcasing photography work from the Passion. The College will also be showing a video of compulsory RE work that the whole student body have been engaged in over the past year. If you are able, please do come and support the young people and the work of our schools by visiting the cathedral during the week or attending the evening events.

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Valentine's Day 2011

February 2011

At St Brendan's, we never miss an opportunity to have a bit of a celebration and when we make merry, we are nothing if not inclusive. Our Valentine's celebrations embraced singletons, the lovers and FairTrade.

With our 'single or loved up' display board, students used either pink heart shaped or square post-it notes to put up initials, names or messages. The aim was to compare and contrast the numbers on either side of the board but it was so full it was impossible to tell which side of the romance fence received more messages.

We also had a disco theme peep board (like we once had on the pavilions of old) and both couples and friends queued up to poke their faces through for photographs. Whilst all this was going on, we had an 'anti-Valentine's' radio show playing along side 'Valentine's day sucks' pictures displayed on the television screens, to fully incorporate the currently un-coupled. Meanwhile, the loved up couples could buy roses for their significant other; red roses produced by farmers who are involved in the FairTrade scheme.

All in all it was a fantastic day and both those in a relationship, and those who were single, had a great day.

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Student Investor Challenge

February 2011

The challenge commenced on November 1st with students investing a fantasy £100,000 in the stock market over a four month period. Each team is made up of 4 students aged between 14 and 19 who invest in an initial, imaginary £100,000. Teams are charged notional stamp duty and dealing commission to reflect the real-world cost of investing.

We have 14 teams competing in the IFS (Institute of Fiscal Studies) Student Investor challenge. Congratulations to our leading stock brokers at the moment, who are Callum Quirke, Josh Webb, Katie Bell and Lydia Batt who are all on the BTEC National Business Diploma. They have made a fantastic start and so far their portfolio has increased in value to £106,118, which is a handsome return so far! At the moment they are ranked ninety out of almost eight thousand teams from across the country.

Best of luck to all the teams competing in the competition. There is plenty of time still left to to climb the leader board as the competition will not finish until the end of February.

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Environmental Studies Trip

February 2011

Environmental Studies students have been out and about this term looking at very different sides of the environment. From visiting a coal power station to cuddling lemurs at Bristol Zoo.

The second year A Level students had a very interesting trip to Didcot Power station to see the dirty side of energy production. They were treated to a tour of the site and were amazed at the sheer size of the turbine hall, which was as deep as it was tall. They also got a look into a turbine as one was being stripped down and repaired. Lots of wires, metal and magnets; not quite as simple as heating water to produce electricity as one tutor was heard to say!! The students did find out one advantage of working at a Power Station was the free car wash to get rid of all that grim coal dust!

The AS students had a slightly different experience with a day at Bristol Zoo to learn about breeding programmes to safeguard endangered animals. Close encounters with animals occurred during the interactive session; it started with the cute animals such as a miniature tortoise from Egypt (very sweet), to a cane rat (useful as bushmeat food but not great when running towards you), to the definitely less impressive cockroaches especially when they take the time to relieve themselves in your hands!! But remember you need all species to make up an ecosystem and each animal has a role. After a good look around the entire Zoo there was still time for the students to enjoy the Zoo's interactive activities such as seeing if you can stand on one leg longer than a flamingo and a great competition to see who could run the fastest and beat a leopard. Needless to say no one could and the jury is still out as to who was the fastest runner!! Personally I think it was me but the speed gun was not quite working at the time!!

Jane George

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England Star

February 2011

Second year A Level student Megan Oaten has just been selected to play rugby for England at Under 20 level. Megan came to the College from Oldfield Girls School and is taking A Levels in Biology, History, Physical Education and English Literature and Language.

Megan has been playing rugby since she was 12 years old and her position is at number six. She began playing rugby at Dings Crusaders in Lockleaze and competed with boys up until she was 14 years old. She then moved to Cleve RFU for a brief spell, before heading to Thornbury RFC, where she has been playing for the past three years.

Megan trains on a Wednesday with Thornbury and has matches on a Sunday. Through some fantastic performances, she was then selected to play for Bristol Ladies. The Bristol Ladies train at Dings Rugby Club on a Tuesday and Thursday evening and also have matches on a Sunday, and following further success, she was then chosen to play at County level, where she had the privilege of captaining Gloucestershire. So as well as now training three times a week, she also represents her club, county and regional team, all in conjunction with juggling the rigours of her A Level studies.

As a result of excellent performances at all these levels, Megan was then selected to attend the under 18 talent and development camp, and through this she was offered a trial with England. The trial took place during October half term and 50 people attended, which had to be whittled down to a squad of twenty six for the England under 20 team. It was a gruelling and competitive trial, but Megan came through it with flying colours and was selected as one of the members to represent England. Megan then secured sponsorship from TASS (Talented Athlete Sponsorship Scheme) who provided her with a strength and conditioning coach, lifestyle support and help towards some of the financial costs. Megan attended the first of three training camps in early December. She says the experience was really exciting but really challenging. These training camps are all in preparation for the first international game against France in February. Megan is looking forward to the rugby challenges ahead and we will keep you updated on her progress in the next edition of Waves. She is also hoping to study sport further at UWIC university when she leaves St Brendan's.

Images show Megan Oaten in her England training top and Megan Oaten playing rugby.

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Tea and Tinsel Party

January 2011

December 16th, St Brendan's held their traditional Christmas celebrations for the local elderly community. The party is always a highlight of the College calender and this year was certainly no different as festive fun and merriment was in abundance. This year the event was rebranded as the Tea and Tinsel party, glamming up the previous title of 'Senior Citizens' Party'. The event takes a lot of organising and we are always indebted to the students and staff who volunteer their time to help put together a Christmas treat for the community. It always puts everyone in a positive mood and is a great way to begin the holiday. The seniors always enjoy watching the students entertain and look after their guests as well, highlighting the fantastic community work that the youth of today engage in (which is often at odds with how the youth are reported in the media).

The organisation for the party began at the beginning of December with the wrapping of presents and the decorating of the College's Café Max. Level 1 students at the College wrapped over 80 presents while Student Ambassadors gave up their time on a Thursday afternoon to listen to Christmas tunes, plaster Café Max with tinsel and trimmings and turn on the Christmas lights. With presents in Santa's sack and the College looking all festive, we were now in a position to throw a party!

On the day we had a large number of students and staff who wanted to get involved, and they helped out in a variety of roles from singing in the choir to serving mince pies. The turnout was great and we had around 80 people arrive from around Bristol and Bath. They were greeted by two Student Ambassadors dressed as elves who took their coats and then students on the Health and Social Care course assisted them to their seats and made sure everyone was OK.

The party opened with a carol service where everyone had a chance to sing along to classic carols such as 'Hark the Herald' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'. Also included in the service was a reflection entitled 'Footprints' which was read by the Head of the Performing Arts Department, Kevin Brice. Students also read bidding prayers which concluded with a blessing by Father Gerry Walsh. The guests were then treated to a light lunch of sandwiches, mince pies and christmas cake which was served by the students. Health and Social Care students then mingled, pulled crackers and chatted to the guests before everyone headed back to their seats for the entertainment.

The choir opened the entertainment with a rousing rendition of 'Somebody to Love'. A Christmas duet was then performed by Lewis Mordue and the College Chaplaincy Leader John Williamson. BTEC Music Performing students then sang some contemporary numbers before the Funk Soul Band took to the stage and performed 'I Feel Good' by James Brown and 'Johnny B Goode' by Chuck Berry. Musical Theatre students put on a Christmas Dance and then Father Christmas visited the College to hand out presents and well wishes.

Everyone had a fantastic time and left the College in good spirits and we are anticipating an even greater turn out at next year's event.

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Advent Assembly

December 2010

Every year at this time, the whole College gets together to celebrate Advent with a traditional assembly. The theme for this year's assembly was Angels and the decorations, readings and performances reflected this.

The College choir kicked off the assembly with a rousing rendition of Queen's Somebody to Love and was accompanied by a number of readings from students.

Next, was a piano solo and then the A Level Dance students took to the floor to perform a piece based on trust, accompanied by Florence and the Machine's You've Got the Love. Students then said prayers which were followed by some final words by College Principal Ann Barrow. The choir rounded off the event with Silent Night as the audience departed. It was an assembly that really put the whole College in a festive mood.

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Children in Need 2010

November 2010

St Brendan's Sixth Form College celebrated Children in Need day on Friday 19th November. The day was jam-packed full of activities and events and everyone involved had a great deal of fun raising money for this important cause. The day was led by International Baccalaureate students who, as part of the 'Creativity, Action and Service' part of the qualification, organised a series of fundraising events.

The events took place at break and were gamely promoted by the rugby team who bounded around Café Max dressed as superheroes. The first event of the day was leg-waxing and students crowded round to sponsor the fearful boys having the hairs torn from their legs. In another corner of Café Max, a more peaceful activity was taking place. Art teacher Dan Parry-Jones was drawing one-minute caricatures of students. Alongside the caricatures, there were a number of different activities including giant Jenga, hula hooping, Twister and giant Connect Four.

The IB students were also painting Pudsey faces on students and spraying their hair different colours. They gave away a huge box of sweets to the student who was closest to guessing how many sweets were actually in the box. Science student Helen Davis was the lucky recipient of this prize. Pudsey Bears were awarded to the two winners of the 'Guess the Staff Photo' competition, which called on everyone to put names to the faces on the baby photos brought in by members of staff. First prize went to the Principal's PA Ann Smith and second prize went to student Amy Quereshi. A 5p trail stretched down the Sociology corridor and fundraising buckets travelled all over the College.

A highlight though, was the head-shaving that rounded off the day. College Security Officer, Malcolm, had been asking for donations all week and collected over £200. The students all gathered around to watch him having his hair shaved into a Mohican and, spurred on by the excitement, a member of the rugby team also volunteered to have his head shaved as well.

The entire day was a resounding success and lots of fun was had by all. The College raised £600 for Children In Need.

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Up-and-Coming College Production - Mnemonic

November 2010

St Brendan's Sixth Form College will be putting on performances of Mnemonic for this year's winter production. The play will be showing on Tuesday 14th December and Wednesday 15th December at 7pm. There will also be a matinée performance on Wednesday 15th at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced at £3 for adults and £2 for concessions and you can book tickets by calling the main College number on 0117 977 7766.

Mnemonic tells two different tales interwoven with one another. The first is about the discovery of a 5000 year old Ice Man on the Austrian-Italian border. The other concerns a young woman's search throughout Europe for the father she never knew.

The tales run parallel with each other, suggesting a universal desire to unlock the past in order to discover the meaning of the present. The young woman is not aware that she has a living father until her mother's funeral. The revelation of unknown ancestry produces a crisis of identity, and it is only through learning about her father's history that she can reinterpret her present. Likewise, the Ice Man's history was, at first, certain; he was thought to be a mountaineer who went missing 40 years ago. But when his true age is discovered, the historians, like the daughter, must trace the Ice Man's origins in order to come to terms with their own.

The play is a comment on origins and their echoing effect on our lives. Our current thoughts, memories and discoveries are keys to a vast back catalogue of experience compiled from the histories of countless previous generations.

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Sixth Former Scoops University Law Award

November 2010

St Brendan's Sixth Form student Lily Bland has been awarded the University of the West of England Law Prize, for achieving the highest grades in the College for the AS Level Law exams. A cohort of over 130 students took the AS examinations this year, and Lily scored an incredible 98% in the first examination and 99% in the second. Her Law teacher Barbara Smith described her achievement as:

"Fantastic, particularly taking into account that this was the first year of study under a new and very difficult subject specification."

This is the fourth year in a row that UWE has issued this award and Lily received a certificate from Professor James Holland, on behalf of the Bristol Law School, and a cheque for £25. Lily has also received £79 from the Gifted and Talented Fund in order to attend a Law Conference next April at University College London.

Lily has been an extremely active member of the College since her arrival from Brislington Enterprise College. She enrolled on the Honours Programme at St Brendan's and is taking A Levels in English Literature, English Language, Law, Religious Studies and Critical Thinking. Alongside this she is also taking the Extended Project Qualification and Introductory Spanish. Lily visited Paris last year, as part of the Honours Programme, in order to attend a conference entitled 'Our Future In Europe' featuring guest speakers such as Vince Cable, Eric Pickles and Shami Chakrabarti. She also attended a Humanities study day at Oxford University as part of the College's Oxbridge Programme. Lily was elected Vice Principal of the Student Union at the end of her first year and has been a key voice in charity events, parties and the whole student experience at St Brendan's.

Lily is keen to continue her hard work and success throughout this academic year and is hoping to go on to Manchester University to study English, subsequently converting to Law.

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Wearing it Pink

November 2010

Friday 22nd October was Wear It Pink day at St Brendan's. Wear it Pink is a breast cancer campaign that takes place every October and is always a highlight in the College's calendar. The campaign uses the donations it receives to fund innovative, world-class research throughout the UK and Ireland to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.

Students really enjoy supporting this worthy cause and love getting into the spirit of the occasion by coming into College wearing a variety of pink outfits. Two particular students took the day to its extreme - although they did not wear pink they came to College sporting all-in-one lycra suits.

The rugby team were, as always, a highlight as they dressed up in pink tights and tutus. They scoured the College, shaking their donation buckets and collection plenty of donations from staff and students aound the College.

St Brendan's managed to raise a grand total of £560 for the Breast Cancer Campaign and would like to thank all those who donated money and say a big thank you to the fantastic pink fundraisers who shook their buckets all day.

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Celebrating Diversity

November 2010

During the months of October and November, St Brendan's is putting on a series of events to celebrate Diversity Month and Black History Month. Departments throughout the College have put on individual events and this annual celebration has once again been a huge success. The diversity celebrations have been facilitated and strongly promoted by the College's Equality and Diversity Steering Group. The steering group was set up to raise awareness, to encourage and to celebrate issues of diversity within the College. Celebrating Diversity Month is all about opening dialogues which foster an appreciation of the differences that separate us, as well as the similarities that unite us.

To begin with, there has been a series of dance workshops taking place each week which explore the dances of different cultures. These began with an African dance workshop and was followed by Arabic and Bollywood dance classes. The classes were well-attended and students were keen to try their hand at something new. To further foster the notion of just how diverse St Brendan's is, the Library displayed large maps of the UK and of the world, just inside its entrance. As people entered the Library they were encouraged to place a pin on the maps to record their birthplace.

One of the big highlights of the month was a photography exhibition which was erected outside the Chapel before half-term. The exhibition was entitled 'In War and Peace - Poles who came to the West Country' and was an emotive and insightful look at both the war and Polish immigration to the UK. We have a growing number of Polish students at the College and the exhibition was certainly a valuable history lesson, not just for them, but for the entire College. Similarly, the Business and ICT department created their own display about the often neglected role that women have played within the IT and Business world.

Another big highlight of the event was tied into October's Black History Month, which is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. The History department organised a lecture by the esteemed historian Dr Madge Dresser about the role that Bristol played in the slave trade. Dr Dresser is currently a History lecturer at the University of the West of England and has written numerous books including Slavery Obscured and Bristol: Ethnic Minorities and the City, 1000-2001. The students were enthralled by her lecture and were keen to gain a better understanding of this key period in Bristol's history.

Firebird Theatre, a company of sixteen disabled actors, made their annual trip to the College to perform and to deliver a workshop for the Theatre Studies students. Always entertaining and enjoyable, Firebird Theatre have been together for over twenty years now, performing many remarkable shows. This year was certainly no different and all those particpating left enriched and with a greater understanding of theatre and disability. For more information on the theatre company and their upcoming performances, please visit their website.

A doctor from the Alzheimer's Society also visited the College in October and gave a lecture to Psychology students about the disorder and its effects on patients and their families. This was a tough lecture and many in the audience had first-hand experience of this devastating disease. That said, it was certainly an eye-opening and informative experience and dispelled many of the myths about the condition, leaving the audience with a greater knowledge of Alzheimer's.

There was also a number of other events that really captured people's imagination. Henna painting was extremely popular again this year, as was a number of student-led diversity debates. Brother Paulo, a Christian monastic brother of the Taize community in France, also visited the College and the Sports students put on a disability sports festival, facilitating a number of sporting activities for disabled students to participate in.

The celebrations are not over yet though and between Wednesday and Friday this week Multilingual Matters will be taking place in the College's Café Max. This event will attempt to accurately identify the number of students and staff that we have in College who can speak another language. This census will demonstrate just how diverse and multi-cultural St Brendan's is.

To round off the whole event, the Sports students will be putting on another festival at the end of the month, aiming to get the Special Needs Schools in the area involved in various sporting activities.

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Polish Community Visits St Brendan's

September 2010

On Monday 27th September, St Brendan's welcomed a group of Polish community leaders to the College, to meet with senior staff and find out what the College has to offer.

Polish people first moved to Bristol and other locations in the UK during the Second World War and many fought with the Allies against Hitler.

Since then a new generation of Poles has moved to the UK, the largest group of Catholics to do so in recent years. Consequently, St Brendan's has seen a rising number of students of Polish origin enrolling, adding to the diversity of students at the College.

Polish speaking parents are invited to a Question and Answer session in Polish at our Open Evening on Wednesday 20th October. Open Evening is between 6.00-9.00pm and the Polish language session is from 7.30-8.00pm.

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People and Planet's Week Long Campaign

September 2010

The 'People and Planet' enrichment group took over the College last week laying on a week long series of events to raise the awareness of a variety of issues. The group, led by Kieran Plissonneau, Charlie Arundel and Bex McLaughlin, organised a different lunchtime activity for each day.

First up on Monday was the theme of Energy. The group created a display board highlighting the enormous amounts of energy wasted by leaving lights on and leaving computer screens on standby. To attract students to the display they created a giant version of the classic homemade buzzer game where students had to move a handle through a bendy silver bar without touching the metal and setting the alarm off. On Tuesday, to celebrate World Peace Day, the students invited everyone to create doves from recycled paper and write messages of peace on them. These messages were then hung on the peace tree. It was a hugely popular event and it wasn't long before the tree was full of doves.

On Wednesday, the theme was Transport and the College was visited by Dr Bike and the Bristol Cycling City Organisation. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the stand was set up in the landscaped garden where staff and students could find out about the best and safest cycle routes around Bristol and Bath. They could also make an appointment to drop their bikes off with Dr Bike who would give the bike a once over to ensure they were safe and running smoothly. On Thursday the theme was Waste and the group left a pile of rubbish in the café to illustrate just how much of it could actually be recycled and reused instead of being needlessly wasted. On the final day, everybody wanted to highlight the important role that Fair Trade plays. To do this the group displayed Fair Trade chocolate and ran a competition where students had to identify on a large map of the world the places that Cadbury gets its cocoa beans from.

The whole week proved to be very popular and really raised the awareness of a number of different issues. If there are any students at the College who would like to be involved in the People and Planet campaigns, the group meets on a Tuesday in B22 at 12.10. Fair Trade week is sure to be just the start of another long year of fantastic activities and passionate campaigning.

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Young Rovers Begin Study

September 2010

A new cohort of Bristol Rovers apprentices enrolled at the College at the beginning of term and joined last year's intake of aspiring footballers.

Jack Camm, Tom Seery, Tyrone Rhoden, Robbi Maggs, Sam Butler, Alex Hoyle, Jordan Tilson, Ashley Bowle and Lewis Parker are all in the final year of their two-year contract with Bristol Rovers and started their second year at the College this term studying a BTEC Certificate in Sport (Performance and Excellence). They have been a prominent presence around the College and can be easily spotted in their squad tracksuits. They helped out during the annual Senior Citizens' Christmas Party last December where they helped serve food and talked to guests about life as an apprentice footballer.

This presence has now increased significantly with the addition of a new crop of youngsters starting out on their first year of the two year apprentice contract with the Rovers. The new students are James Dale, Lamar Powell, Darren Jefferies, Mitch Harding, Jordan Goddard, Ross Staly and Ellis Marrison. These eight students are studying aBTEC Diploma in Sport (Performance and Excellence). Alongside this they will be taking anNVQ in Sport and Fitness and taking their Football Association Level 2 Coaching Badge. It will be a hectic time for the lads and they need to fit all this work in around their training with Rovers, however it will undoubtedly be a demanding time but they are all up for the challenge and eager about what the year ahead holds.

We will be tracking their progress as the year progresses, but you can get up-to-date information about the U18 Squad by going to the U18 area of the Bristol Rovers website.

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The Pope's Visit

September 2010

On Saturday 18th September nine students accompanied John, our Chaplaincy Leader, Caroline from the LAMB Team and Fr James Finan, a St Brendan's ex-student, on a journey to see Pope Benedict as he visited England for the very first state visit by a Pope.

We had a special job to do which was representing the Diocese by carrying the Clifton Diocese banner and the Clifton Diocese Youth banner in a procession across the enormous stage put up in Hyde Park, London. We had waited a long time for this moment and we had all enjoyed the build up by attending a mass on the previous Wednesday to be blessed by the Bishop and sent forth on Pilgrimage along with fifty other young people from the parishes in the Clifton Diocese.

The journey to London was slightly fraught due to an accident on the motorway earlier in the morning but Caroline said a little prayer and miraculously we were on our way.

We had to be backstage quite early to get ready for our procession. There was some tension in the attempt to get the hundreds of people participating in the correct order, but the atmosphere was amazing and everyone was enjoying watching the entertainment, the most incredible of which was The Priests.

We walked across the stage in our procession and shook hands with all the Bishops from around England and Wales and even a Cardinal. By this time everyone was becoming quite jubilant because the time of the Pope's arrival was approaching.

We were seated in what was called the Golden Circle along with 3,000 other young people from different dioceses. The young people from the parishes in the Clifton Diocese were still excited and raring to go despite a 5.30am start and having already visited Westminster Cathedral Piazza for Mass in the morning.

The long-awaited moment arrived. We could see on the screen the Popemobile leaving the old people's home and making its way down the Mall and along Birdcage Walk. Everyone was chanting 'Benedictus' and singing the 'Alleluia Chorus'. It was just amazing and everyone went wild with celebration as we could at last see the Popemobile which stopped only two metres from us.

During the vigil a flame was taken from the pastoral candle and was passed to 100 young people, of which I was one, to hold a light during the adoration. This was a stunning experience as the 80,000 strong crowd was completely silent throughout this time.

The vigil was glorious and Pope Benedict's homily was perfect. It talked about listening to the calling of God and about personal vocations. It really moved me. I am once again thinking about becoming a priest and since coming home have booked a meeting with the Vocations Director. After my experiences at Hyde Park, I am extra proud to be a Catholic.

By Kieron Rowley.

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The Papal Visit Begins

September 2010

On Wednesday night, Bristol Catholics packed into Clifton Cathedral for a prayer vigil on the eve of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK, and St Brendan's students played their part.

The cathedral was packed for the three hour service. The service centred on the statue of Our Lady of Taper which is being taken to meet the Pope.

"The history of the shrine is uncertain. The ancient story surrounding the discovery of the original statue suggests that the Virgin was found floating in the river Teifi, with lighted taper in hand. It might be though that the devotion goes back to the town of Arras, Flanders. Many merchants from this place had settled in Cardigan and might have brought the statue with them. It is known that Arras had once been the site of pilgrimage to the Blessed Virgin - who held a taper to symbolise both her Son (the Light of the World), and her constant intercession on behalf of Christians."

(Taken from the programme on the evening which was compiled by the Clifton Diocese.)

Ten students from St Brendan's will be going along with the Clifton Diocese to Hyde Park in London on Saturday to experience the historic visit of the Holy Father. Pope Benedict himself has explicitly asked for young people to be involved in the ceremony. The students making the visit are Kieron Rowley, Marielle Montero, Daniel O'Neil, Fay Whitfield, Berty Joseph, Anjali Antony, John Stoate, Michaela Evans and two students who have just finished at the College, Jessica Ocsena and James Webber.

During the service at Clifton Cathedral, the students had a meeting with David Wheat, the youth co-ordinator for the Diocese. They were given plenty of information and rules regarding the visit to Hyde Park on Saturday and were also shown a presentation about Pope Benedict and his life. They ate pizza, played games and collected their t-shirts and bags for the day.

They then took part in a Mass which was led by Bishop Declan. The students then approached the altar and read a prayer before they were blessed the Bishop and sent forth as pilgrims. The vigil also included African drumming and singing.

Of the ten students going to London on Saturday, six of these have specialist roles. James and Anjali will be carrying the Diocesan banner, John and Berty are carrying the Diocese youth banner and Kieron and Marielle are lighting candles during the vigil. All are very visible roles and will be right in front of Pope Benedict. There are fifty students in all attending from the Diocese and St Brendan's is the only Catholic school sending students. The whole group will be close to the Holy Father as they will be seated in the 'Golden Circle', the area closest to the front of the arena.

You can watch the Papal visit on the official website.

A full report of the service at the Clifton Cathedral was also in the Evening Post.

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Almondsbury Student Secures Scholarship

September 2010

Abigail Babbage, a second year A Level student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, has just been awarded a scholarship by the UK's leading financial training provider Kaplan which will enable her to take accounting qualifications.

The AAT accounting qualification is a two-year course that usually costs within the region of £15,000 to £20,000. The AAT is a broad qualification that gives students a solid grounding in all aspects of accounting. Successful completion of the course grants valuable exemptions from many exams (such as ICAEW and AAT), which can significantly reduce the time it takes to become a fully qualified accountant.

Abigail, a former pupil of Marlwood School in Thornbury beat off stiff competition from a number of candidates to secure the single scholarship available in the South West. After short-listing, Abigail and three other students were called to a gruelling forty minute interview. The selection panel consisted of the head of Kaplan and staff from three other major financial companies; Bishop-Fleming; Target Accountants; and Brightside PLC. It was a daunting experience but Abigail's passion for finance shone through on the day, and the dedication she has shown to her field was suitably rewarded.

Abigail is studying Accounting, Maths, Economics and Psychology at St Brendan's and has always had a keen interest in economics and the financial world. She has also been extremely pro-active in pursuing her career ambitions. During the school holiday's, Abigail went to summer school at Kaplan where she learned the basics of accounting, had to give a presentation at the end of the course and also took part in mock interviews which were particularly beneficial. She also secured a week's work experience at one of the UK's top accountancy firms, Grant-Thornton. Whilst there she further developed her knowledge and gained hands-on experience that really made her stand out at interview. Abigail has no doubts about the importance of her time spent there, stating that "accountancy really is an experienced based profession".

Claire Preston, who teaches accountancy at St Brendan's, said:

"Fantastic news and a brilliant result for Abi. She is determined and organised and this opportunity will fit in with her plans precisely. It is a well deserved opportunity for a hard working and motivated student."

In the current economic climate, the opportunity to study debt-free is fantastic. Abigail already has two companies interested in employing her on an 'earn-while-you-learn' scheme, on a salary starting at £15,000. Hard work and initiative have managed to secure Abigail an amazing start to her career and she is now in a position to really make her mark within the industry. All at St Brendan's are extremely proud of her and wish her the very best in her accountancy career.

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A* Success at St Brendan's

August 2010

Students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol have been celebrating today, after another year of fantastic A-Level results. A number of students this year have managed to gain the newly introduced A* grade in their subjects. This new elite grade has been subject to much debate in the press over the past few months, with many believing that this new mark will be gained predominately by those in public schools, which will "widen the gulf between children in the independent sector and the state system"(1) gaining places at university. A study in the Times Educational Supplement found that only "7 per cent of entries overall, or one in four of those which actually achieved A grade last year, would have received A* under this new arrangement". The success therefore of students at St Brendan's achieving the A* grade this year has been an extremely positive aspect to the results and highlights the fantastic work that staff and students produce in state schools.

There were a total of 1330 A and AS levels this year with 97% of students achieving A levels, 45% of which were A*-B grades. Two students this year, Yves Weisenberger and Martin Sidery received 5 A* or A grades in all of their subjects. Another nine students (Charles Baldwin, Natalie Bell, Tom Wadey, Leonie Campbell-King, Zhenja May, Edward Sanderson, Katie Fox, Ann Marie Dring, Penelope Lunn and Grace Cartledge) received four A* or A grades in all of their subjects. Overall 34 students received one A* grade or more in this years results. Chloe Searle deserves a mention as well as she achieved four BTEC distinctions, which are the equivalent of four A grades at A Level.

Each year it is difficult to identify just a few students for special mention amongst all those who have achieved so highly, since so many have exceeded their target grades by a long way and for some it has been against the odds. There are a number of human interest stories we would like to highlight though.

Anne Marie Dring made history at the College to be the first student to achieve four A* grades in all of her subjects, Business, Communication and Culture, Media and Sociology, she will now take up her place at Bournemouth to do Television Production later in the year.

Just over a year ago, in his first year at St Brendan's, George Shopland was viciously attacked on a night out in Bristol and was left with major head injuries and facing a long recovery. At the same time as trying to recover, George had to give evidence in court and was a vital witness in bringing his attacker to justice. What is so remarkable about George is that he has never shown any bitterness about what happened to him. Instead, he has remained positive a good humoured throughout and both staff and students only speak fondly of him. It is with this quiet determination that George has managed to achieve his goals despite the set backs he has had to endure. George received an A in Mathematics, an A in Graphics, and a B in Physics. These were the results that George was looking for in order to take up his place to study Civil Engineering at Cardiff University.

Lorna Foster enrolled at St Brendan's after leaving secondary school with very poor GCSE results. She enrolled on a Level 1 introductory Diploma to IT at work and received additional help from learning support. She was immediately found to be dyslexic and a programme of support was included into her timetable. Lorna said that the "learning support team really helped me achieve my goals and find a new confidence in my abilities". Lorna finished the year with a distinction and then enrolled on a level two BTEC in Art and Design for the following year. After gaining another distinction in her level two BTEC, Lorna took the step up to A Levels and decided to take Art and Design, Media Studies and Photography. With determination and hard work, she was starting to believe in her abilities and she was rewarded on results day. She received a B, a C and E grade. This was enough to secure her a place on an Art Foundation course, with a view to going on to University afterwards. To start on a Level 1 course and to progress right through to A Levels is a fantastic achievement and we are all very proud of her.

Ann Barrow, Principal of the college, said,

"Once again we have been celebrating the fantastic achievement of our students. It is well deserved as they have been dedicated to their studies and are now reaping the rewards. I'm very proud of them all individually, those who have done exceptionally well but also those who have overcome personal circumstances and disadvantages. We wish them all well in the future".

1. Quote taken from the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/15/a-level-results-private-schools). Back to text

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Official Opening of the newly rebuilt St Brendan's

July 2010

Olympic Gold medallist Amy Williams officially opened and Bishop Declan Lang blessed the new buildings at St Brendan's Sixth Form College. Amy, in a very natural speech, told the congregated visitors, students and staff about how she became the first woman winter Olympian in over 60 years and how the team that supported her were as much part of the award as she was herself. Bishop Declan in his homily talked about the College and how much it meant to the community.

Mass was concelebrated earlier in the day by Fr Richard of Bristol, Fr Gerry of Portishead, Fr John of Wootton Bassett and Fr James of Swindon, all of whom have an attachment to the college. At the close of mass the Chair of Governors, Geoff Barrett presented Ted Hopper, a governor of over 25 years and previous chair with a Benemerenti Medal in recognition of his long service to the Catholic Church and its communities.

The building works which have taken 2 years to complete and have cost £20 million include new equipment and facilities for all subject areas including a theatre, sports hall, dance studio, art facilities including studio and dark room, library, chapel, science laboratories and social space for students. The completion of the outside landscape provides further social space, an amphitheatre for outdoor performances, a water feature, boule court and a court for tennis, netball and basketball.

The College, which has been extremely fortunate to receive funding for the project at a time when major cuts are happening in the public sector finds itself oversubscribed for a second year running.

Ann Barrow Principal said the quality of the environment makes a significant difference to the way students feel valued and cared for. The ethos of the college and the new university style facilities change the way students work and use the facilities surrounding them.

The building was designed by NVB architects and project managed by King Sturge. The building was completed on time and in budget by ISG Pearce.

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Historic Time Capsule Opening

July 2010

On Monday 17th May, St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol held an event to open the College's historic time capsule in preparation for placing more items within it, before reburying the capsule as part of the College's landscaping.

The event coincided with the St Brendan's Old Boys reunion which took place on Sunday 16th May. This was a reunion to celebrate 50 years since the old boys' grammar school run by the Christian Brothers moved from Berkley Square in Clifton to its current location in Brislington. The College has just gone through another extensive rebuild, with that building now replaced by new purpose-built facilities. The College's new building opened last September in time for the new intake of students. Since then, the old building has been demolished and landscaping of the College's grounds has been taking place, completing the finishing touches of the whole College rebuild process.

As part of the demolition of the old building, both the foundation stone and time capsule were safely removed. Following the celebratory reunion, a large number of Old Boys visited the College on the Monday morning to watch the opening of the capsule, Old Boys who actually attended the school when the capsule was buried the first time around. Also present was Mr Kirby, a former Geography teacher to many of these ex-pupils.

The capsule was carefully cut open by College caretaker Paul Staddon. Among the artefacts inside was a perfectly preserved Latin scroll that marked the laying of the foundation stone during the time of Pope John. The Latin was translated by one of the Old Boys visiting, the first time he has used his Latin since studying it during his school days. Also inside was a copy of The Times newspaper from October 15 1959, which rather topically, commented on the election debate of the day. Old coins, medallions and a St Brendan's card were also found inside.

Present students and staff also gathered around to watch the opening and were excited about the prospect selecting an artefact to add to the capsule before it is reburied again. The Student Union will be discussing the capsule with the student body so that something fitting is included that represents what St Brendan's is about at this moment in time.

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Bletchley Park Visit

June 2010

Bletchley Park, the world famous code breaking establishment, located 50 miles north west of London, was visited by a group of 22 Computing and Mathematics students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College recently. The tour of the site allowed students to understand how computing has changed over time and how dependent on computers Great Britain was during World War II.

The National Museum of Computing is the former site of the Government Code and Cypher School, the United Kingdom's main decryption establishment. During World War II, code breakers at Bletchley Park were able to decrypt and interpret messages from a large number of Axis powers' (Germany, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Japan) code and cipher systems, including the German Enigma machine.

Many of the computers which were developed at Bletchley Park in the war were destroyed along with their blueprints for security reasons in anticipation of the Cold War. However, using just a small number of photographs, mathematicians and computer scientists have been able to reconstruct the computers and store them at Bletchley Park so that everyone can view and appreciate the hard work undertaken there during the war.

We were shown round by enthusiasts including Tony Sale, the original curator of the Bletchley Park Museum, who, along with others, have been spending hours of their own time reconstructing working replicas of Colossus, Bombe and the original WITCH computer.

During the war over 8,000 people worked at Bletchley and during our visit we saw an elderly lady who had worked there and was revisiting the site.

If you are interested in more detail see:
http://www.tnmoc.org/
http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/

By John Stoate.

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St Brendan's Clean Sweep Secures League Title

May 2010

St Brendan's have won the British College Basketball South West Area Title, winning ten games out of ten. The team completed their campaign unbeaten after a tiring double headed fixture last week against Cornwall College and Truro College.

St Brendan's were six points clear of their nearest rivals Cornwall going into the first game of the double header. They approached the game knowing that they needed just one victory from the remaining two fixtures to confirm their status as title-winners. The students showed no nerves and produced a stunning team performance that resulted in a crushing 94 – 56 victory. The win secured the college the title, but the team were determined not to rest on their laurels, eager to produce a clean sweep of wins.

Despite being exceptionally tired, the team showed their professionalism by finishing the campaign with a 98 – 44 win over Truro College later that same day.

Head coach Jacek Waszak said:

"It was a fantastic effort from all the boys. Playing two games on the same day is not something that you particularly relish but we came through it and to win the title is brilliant for everyone associated with the College."

After the well-deserved celebrations, the team will regroup and look forward to defending their title next year.

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"Students are Encouraged and Inspired by their Teachers"

April 2010

"Students are encouraged and inspired by their teachers to aim for high standards."

That is the opinion of the Ofsted inspectors who visited St Brendan's Sixth Form College recently. The inspectors who, under the new and more rigorous inspection criteria graded the College Good overall, also found that arrangements to safeguard students are outstanding adding that the Governments requirements are fully met. This outstanding grade for Safeguarding is particularly difficult to obtain and is one of the new limiting grades in the criteria introduced in September 2009. The College was particularly pleased when inspectors recommended that the college shares the details of its safeguarding arrangements with other educational establishments as a model of best practice. The inspectorate used phrases such as safeguarding is integral to the College's work', it is proactive in promoting safe practices, students feel very safe and demonstrate safe working practices and very clear on responsibilities and procedures.

All areas of the College were inspected rigorously by a team of five inspectors, over three days, on a programme which focused on the three main strands: outcomes for learners, quality of provision and leadership and management. All staff, students, governors and senior management team were involved in the process. Inspectors at the time were very impressed by the students at the College and the quality of the meetings that they held with them saying that:

"students enjoy their studies and are rightly proud of what they achieve and what they can now do. They are strongly motivated by their studies and develop the confidence and enthusiasm to engage in further learning."

They also added that:

"most progress to higher education on leaving the college, with a good proportion going to the more competitive universities."

The teaching staff at the college were also praised, with inspectors reporting that:

"enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers plan and deliver lessons well, students are strongly motivated and develop the confidence and enthusiasm to study further, teachers are clear, encouraging and supportive, students enjoy their learning and work well together in a mutually supportive environment."

It was acknowledged that there is a strong system within lessons for supporting students whatever their ability, comments such as:

"effective support in lessons enable students to keep pace while working at an individual level."

and

"detailed group profiles are often used to plan learning activities to meet the needs of individual students"

provide evidence of this.

Also viewed as outstanding were the students' positive contributions to the community:

"they have extensive opportunities to help them make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Students make an outstanding positive contribution to both the college and local communities. Their wide range of effective involvement embraces public performance, extensive charitable work, the work of student ambassadors and student peer tutors, participation in college staff appointments and many aspects of promoting student voice."

The inspectors were particularly interested in the student voice and their ability to influence college decisions, noting that the college captures, and acts on, students' views very well.

A recurring theme throughout the report was the ethos of the college which values each individual and has a genuine sense of community. The comments from inspectors include:

"they benefit from the supportive ethos in lessons, where teachers provide constructive support and students treat each other's contributions with respect and consideration."

Also,

"an understanding of the equality and the individual humanity of each student is well promoted to students. For example, students with a lower prior attainment are encouraged not to think of this as a barrier to achieving well."

The diverse nature of the College was discussed with many positive comments such as:

"the College actively promotes equality and diversity through its inclusive ethos."

and

"effective spiritual journey lessons explore issues on a multi-faith basis."

To add to this, inspectors said:

"additional learning support for students is outstanding. The extensive and highly effective range of support for individual needs and the inclusive nature of the college continue to develop. Students receiving additional learning support make much better progress."

They also recognised that students had every available support from the minute they arrived at the college - good and varied support and intervention at an early stage address barriers to achieving well.

In particular it was noted that St Brendan's ethos includes giving people a second chance even when students join the College with low GCSE grades. The College prides itself on the value it adds to students, many of whom go on to get excellent results. This is reflected in the following comments:

"The College achieves particularly high scores in post-16 contextual value added. Other value added measures show many students make good progress compared to their prior attainment."

Taking a look at the overall College the inspection report comments that it has:

"a broad and inclusive range of courses, including provision for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and meets a wide variety of needs. The College continues to develop its provision, including vocational courses, to flexibly meet individual student preferences. The College will deliver the International Baccalaureate from September 2010, further building its programme for gifted and talented students'.

In summary the report states:

"Value for money is good. Outcomes for learners are good. Demand for places is high. Financial management is good. The new build has been well managed and provides very good accommodation and resources."

College nominee for the inspection, Madeline Woolfenden, Vice Principal of St Brendan's Sixth Form College says of the inspection:

"All staff and students can feel justifiably proud of what they are achieving, as acknowledged by Ofsted. As one of the subject specialist inspectors said, he would be more than happy for his daughter to attend St Brendan's College if they lived in the area."

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St Brendan's Launches the International Baccalaureate

March 2010

St Brendan's Sixth Form College is proud to announce that we will be offering students the opportunity to study the International Baccalaureate Diploma from September 2010.

The International Baccalaureate Organisation visited the College in February as the final part of the authorisation process, and was very happy with both the College's approach, and its facilities. The inspectors were particularly impressed by the overall atmosphere of the College and the professionalism and enthusiasm of the staff that they interviewed. The report said:

"The College has thoughtful and dedicated members of teaching staff who are clearly engaged with the IB. The College has a caring and welcoming atmosphere and excellent facilities, which facilitate and encourage student-centred learning."

St Brendan's was nominated by the local authority as the preferred provider of the IB for the area, and we are delighted to be able to introduce this exciting and challenging qualification to the students throughout Bristol and Bath. St Brendan's will be offering the IB on two sites, at the main College in Brislington and at St Bede's Catholic College. The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The course is a two-year programme, during which time students will follow a broad range of subjects, while at the same time specialising in subjects that are of greatest interest to them. Candidates study six subjects, three at a higher level and three at a standard level (the six groups students can choose from are shown in the diagram below).

Alongside the six subject choices, there is also a core element to the Diploma that all students study. Students take Theory of Knowledge which aims to develop their critical thinking skills, and also produce an Extended Essay which fosters independent learning styles and knowledge of academic research. They also need to acquire 150 hours of Creative, Action and Service that allows them to develop into well-rounded and compassionate citizens. Through these three core elements and students' subject choices the International Baccalaureate's goal is to educate the whole person and is a mode of study designed for highly motivated 16-19 year olds.

As an alternative to A Levels, the Diploma is an international qualification widely recognised by all universities in the UK as well as by Higher Education centres in more than 50 countries worldwide. The demands of the course mean that students are extremely well prepared for university study because they have been able to deepen their understanding of what knowledge is, how to acquire it and how to relate it to the world around them. IB students are also seen as excellent potential employees by companies who are looking for young people with knowledge of a second language, the ability to communicate well with others and those who have other interests outside their academic studies.

Amanda Salaou, Curriculum Manager for the International Baccalaureate and Languages, is excited about the prospect of the qualification. She says:

"It is a great privilege to see St Brendan's become part of an international network of schools and colleges offering the IB Diploma. The Diploma Programme offers students a complete package which allows them to grow as a person as well as academically. The exciting introduction of the IB Diploma in September 2010 will further enrich the wide range of courses and subjects that St Brendan's already offers. All students regardless of background, nationality or status will have exceptional educational opportunities that match their individual needs and ambitions."

If you require any more information on the IB then the College will be holding an official celebration launch on Wednesday 31st March from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. To register your interest in the IB, please email: Internationalbaccalaureate@stbrn.ac.uk.

You can also download an application for the IB using the following link:

Application Form (pdf) [ 52.4kb]

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SANCTI BRENDANI - New Alumni Website

March 2010

There is now a website for former pupils of St Brendan's College created by Tony Hill. Its web address is: http://www.sanctibrendani.co.uk/

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Calamity Jane - The Best Darn-Tootin' Musical in the West (Country)!

March 2010

The second year Musical Theatre Students at the College are busy preparing for their forthcoming production of 'Calamity Jane'. The students have really fallen in love with the exaggerated characters and sentimental story line from this well known and well loved musical. The cast will be accompanied by a live band throughout and there will be no shortage of gingham and thigh-slapping to makes this a true feast of family entertainment. Supported by the Technical Theatre students in our brand new purpose built performance space, 'Calamity Jane' guarantees to have even the most determined humming Whip Crack Away on the way home!

"Calamity Jane is a no-nonsense, straight-talking, sharp shootin' female. More comfortable in cowboy chaps with a gun around her hips than any prissy dress – she's got more horse power than the Deadwood stage itself!

Come git' yourselves a seat at the Golden Garter in Deadwood City, for the ride of your life!

Deadwood City's two most famous peace officers, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock, get involved in saving the neck of Henry Miller, the local saloon operator. It seems that "Millie" has been promoting a beautiful actress named Frances Fryer, but Frances turns out to be a boy, Francis. Millie's attempt to cover up is soon unmasked by the angry miners, and only Calamity can cool the crowd with her trusty pistols. To keep the peace, Calamity sets out for Chicago to bring back the miner's real heart-throb, Adelaide Adams. However, in Chicago, Calamity mistakes Adelaide's maid, Katie Brown, for the actress and hauls her back to Deadwood instead..."

This production will definitely be full of beans and have the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter.

This production has now finished its run. Reviews will be posted soon!

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Love in the Air

March 2010

Love was in the air at St Brendan's on Friday 12th February, as the College celebrated Valentine's Day. Café Max, the college communal space, was decorated with hanging hearts and lashings of red tinsel in order to get students in the mood for love. Radio Flex, the student-led radio station, also put on a series of Valentine's themed days throughout the week.

Throughout the week, a heart-shaped post box had been placed in the corner of Café Max allowing the students to post love notes to eachother. These messages were placed on the plasma screens throughout break and lunch time on Friday. There was also another way for students to communicate their affections to others during the day, with the Student Union selling Fair Trade roses. The College caterers Sodexo added to the spirit of day by making a number of Valentine's-inspired treats, which went down extremely well with the students.

The highlight of the day however, was St Brendan's very own version of the hit game show 'Mr and Mrs'. The show was compèred by Bex McLaughlin from the Student Union and five couples took part in the competition with the aim of securing the prize of a romantic meal for two at La Tasca. The Theatre was crammed full of students eager to watch the couples compete in the 'paddle round' of the game show. The couples were placed either side of a divider and were asked questions about their relationships. Each person had to raise either a blue paddle (if the answer was the bloke), or a pink paddle (if the answer was the girl), securing a point if they both answered correctly. The event was hugely enjoyable and the couples taking part, as well as the audience, had a lot a fun. It was a close competition and it went down to sudden death between two couples but eventually one couple finally triumphed and won the meal at La Tasca. The day was deemed a huge success and a great way to end the week before the start of the half term holiday.

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Geography Award Winner

March 2010

On Monday 11th January, former St Brendan's student Rosanna Havers was awarded a certificate for 'Excellence in Geography' by the Geographical Association as a result of achieving one of the top two marks in the United Kingdom for her Geography A Level.

Rosanna, who took A Levels in Geography, Spanish, Maths and Art and Design at while at St Brendan's, received A grades in all her subjects during the summer and received an offer to study Geography at Cambridge University. Rosanna received 600 out of 600 marks for her exams in Geography, which is an exceptional achievement. Halfway through her second year, she was already aware that she had achieved 500 out of 500 marks, but she was determined not to rest on her laurels, eventhough she knew she had already secured an A grade. The fact that she remained dedicated throughout her final exams though stands as testament to her character. Her result is even more impressive when you learn that Rosanna unfortunately broke her wrist snowboarding just before she was due to take her January module exams in 2009. Her writing hand was in a cast, but she turned down the option of a writing scribe for her exam, instead teaching herself to write with ease using her other hand.

Unfortunately Rosanna was unable to collect her award in person so her mother, Bronwyn Havers, received it on her behalf from St Brendan's newly appointed Principal Ann Barrow. Rosanna was not in the country to pick up her certificate as she is on a gap year in South America. She is currently in Ecuador working on environmental and community projects for Latitude, a global volunteering company. After six months in Ecuador, Rosanna will travel across South America, visiting Panama, Costa Rica and Peru, before completing her travels in Chile. It is great to hear that Rosanna is applying her Geography A Level practically, alongside gaining some amazing life changing experiences and furthering her knowledge of the area. This will all undoubtedly stand her in great stead when she embarks upon her Geography degree at Cambridge later this year.

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Senior Citizens' Christmas Party

March 2010

As the frost twinkled and the snow threatened, St Brendan's glowed like a festive beacon on the 17th December for its annual Senior Citizens' Christmas party.

Thanks to our sponsors Sainsbury's, Co-op and Tesco, the refectory was gleaming red and gold with decorations as the smell of warm mince pies and spiced Christmas cake filled the air. We had tap dancing reindeer, heavenly choirs, jazz and soul bands and even a visit from the main man in red himself! That's right, Father Christmas made an appearance and distributed gifts amongst our guests with a cheery 'ho, ho, ho' and a hearty belly chuckle. Even the strapping Bristol Rovers apprentices attended and assisted with both serving and caring for our senior citizens.

As is traditional, what made the day so special was our students who were all fabulous and festive. Almost one hundred students showed up, many in fancy 'chrimbo' dress, and helped serve and assist the visitors. Our student waiters and waitresses served up rolls made by our fabulous refectory staff. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we also had mince pies, Christmas cake, juice, tea and lashings of festive cheer.

The choir sang traditional carols and some more contemporary pieces, while Musical Theatre students performed extracts from the Phantom of the Opera score beautifully. Dance performed two numbers, one of which was in full reindeer attire and the other in their jim-jams, no less. After tea, we rolled out our soul band, which performed several numbers each much to the delight of the onlookers who were all clapping and tapping their approval. In fact, our guests displayed huge smiles all afternoon and gushed regarding the brilliance of St Brendan's. Thanks to everyone who took the time to get involved in the day, whether as a dancer, singer, musician, waiter, fairy or helper. The day was a runaway success, everyone had a wonderful time and Christmas really arrived with a big, glittering, festive bang.

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St Brendan's Go 80s for Haiti

February 2010

On Friday 6th February 2010, St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol, raised £578 for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal by staging an 80s themed day coupled with a dance show. After being touched by the images of destruction seen on television and throughout the press over the past month, students throughout the College were moved to put together an event where they could show theie support and do all they could to help those less fortunate in Haiti.

The fundraiser was organised by the College street dance group Street Dreamz which is led by A Level students Kate Mulligan and Sheyla Essono-Manana. They also had help from the college's Student Union and created posters to place around the campus, drumming up publicity throughout the week. When the day arrived lots of students showed their support for the campaign and strolled into College wearing a variety of 80s-inspired garments, including legwarmers and crop tops - all very nostalgic!

The main event however, was the dance show which took place in the College's new auditorium at lunch time. Students crammed into a packed out venue (giving donations on the way in of course) and were treated to a feast of creativity. The show kicked off with a dance routine from the show's organisers Kate and Sheyla to the tune of 80s hip hop maestros Run-D.M.C. Members of the Street Dreamz crew then took to the stage in turn to entertain the crowd with a series of freestyle moves. Interspersed within the dancing was a series of musical performances, ranging from students showing off their rhyming talents with improvisational rap songs to an acoustic version of Lady Ga Ga's big hit Poker Face.

After the show, Street Dreamz set up a homemade cake stall in the College refectory which went down a treat with all the students. Kate and Sheyla were really pleased with how the day unfolded and the support they received. The fundraiser was deemed a huge success and the College is particularly proud of all the students who were involved. It is a hugely important cause and the attitude that the students have shown in initiating and organising an event to help those in Haiti stands testament to the caring ethos that can be found within College.

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Princess Diana Awards

February 2010

Rory Southworth has been honoured with a Princess Diana Award for his continued contribution to the College.

The Diana Award is a living legacy to the late Princess. It is given to ordinary young people who go that extra mile to make a difference.

Rory has been wholeheartedly involved in the running and development of Radio Flex, the College radio station. He has his own show and encourages others to participate for the benefit of everyone.

In July, his behind the scenes expertise was invaluable during the St Brendan's Summer Fest when he helped to coordinate a seamless production for the bands and the audience. More fun for everyone!

Rory was also a member of the Student Panel during the interviews for the Vice Principal position. His professional approach and rigorous questioning were appreciated and no doubt Rory learned a huge amount from the experience.

Rory is a diligent, enthusiastic and selfless young man with an approach to life which will take him far in the future. He thoroughly deserves the award.

Alongside Rory, the entire Student Union received Diana Awards as well, for the difference they have made to their student community. Max Morris, Kieron Rowley, Jenny Johnson, Isaac Prior, Izzy Cooke, Bex McLaughlin and Amy Qureshi have raised the profile and effectiveness of the student tutor representative meetings, including training for the reps. They have initiated 'Celebrate Diversity' awareness month, which had a lot of different activities running throughout the College. They have made themselves available in all sorts of ways to help the students, wearing personalised St Brendans hoodies to make themselves known. They have raised money for charity alongside helping the students have fun. All these reasons were why they were nominated, and we were thrilled but not surprised that they received the Award. The College would like to say a big well done to all seven of them.

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Marat/Sade

February 2010

The College Production this year was a hugely ambitious stab at a classic of modern drama, Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss. It is a hard hitting and challenging play, full of ideas and philosophy, as well as song, vivid characterisation and collective acting. The key difficulty is with the actors working as an ensemble; they need to be a fluent and believable unit, to switch in and out of character, and also to stay on stage for the whole duration of the play. This meant a massive commitment from the actors, not just for the two hour show, but also in intensive rehearsal, where everyone was needed to create shapes, images and moods on stage. This is a lot to ask of the modern student, caught up in the pressures of a subject with a tight curriculum, and trying to mix in a social life and a part-time job. However, the real strength of the final performances was a collective one; this mad, dangerous, revolutionary set of asylum inmates pulsed as one, with a shared heartbeat, moving from despair to delirium with ease and fluency.

Of course, within any ensemble piece, there are star turns, but here I'd like to start with the minor characters, often using mime, to convince us of their believability. Zenya May, with her weird glasses and skewed expressions, Alice Lamb with her frantic sketching and Sam Ford's ability to work off others, all really held the audience, despite the limit of their spoken lines. Little visual ticks, riffs and asides kept the whole energy sustained.

Amidst all this chaos, we were led through the play admirably by the rhymed narration of Rosie Wake, finding a wonderfully naturalistic way of dealing with the difficult language. Occasional song was delivered by the group, notably by Kat Thomas, while the opposing philosophical voices of Matt Toffolo's Sade and Ed Hodgkinson's Marat were clearly and passionately delivered.

Many students seemed familiar to me; just 3 or 4 days before Emma Robb, Jesse Perrett and Sam Merrell had brought the theatre to a quivering wreck with their absurdist, surreal, mime-led devised A level work and it was remarkable that they were then able to switch into the psyche of another play and be so convincing; this was a hark back to the days of repertory theatre!

However, on stage for this show there was one distinct star performance. As Charlotte Corday, Sam McLaughlin held the stage, moving from insanity, to seduction, to a revenging spirit, with a performance of great skill, and also of intellectual maturity. Scenes with the dagger reminded me of the intensity of a Lady Macbeth at times.

The other real stand outs of the show were the costumes and make up; the students thought through this themselves, aided by Ruth Cottle, and they were a triumph of creating roles from images.

Dom Cullen, in directing, focused all his skills on the acting, and establishing character and interaction, to create this seething mass. He helped the students understand the Brechtian rhythm, ideology and energy of the play, to the extent that all the actors stayed in character during the interval and haranguing this reviewer in a Bachanal like frenzy! In a flourish at the end, there was a rousing song of the revolution, with lights askew, flags aloft and the cast singing and rousing, to a fitting climax. This was ambitious and powerful theatre, delivered with remarkable maturity by the cast, and was a fine opening statement about what the new theatre space is all about.

Review by Kevin Brice.

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St Brendan's Announces New Principal

January 2010

From January 2010, Ann Barrow has taken over the position of Principal at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol after the retirement of Derek Bodey.

We are pleased to introduce Ann Barrow as our new Principal. Ann is certainly the best candidate to fill the vacancy of Principal left by Derek Bodey. Ann has all the qualities and attributes needed for the position and the College couldn't be in better hands as it begins its next chapter. Ann has already been with St Brendan's for 9½ years after joining in September 2000 as the Vice Principal. During her time here, Ann has helped oversee a period of enormous growth and change in the College and the student population has grown in that time by around 70%. A greater variety of courses has also been introduced which has allowed the college to deliver a programme of study that better suits the individual student. During Ann's time at the College, a Level 1 programme has been added to the curriculum. This provision has been a huge success and has really helped those students who have not performed particularly well in their GCSEs or those who have joined from overseas with a limited grasp of English. Last year, we were especially proud when Saied Sadat Kiaei left St Brendan's to go to university, our first Level 1 student to do so. More recently, there has been the move to new accommodation after the completion of the main building work. Playing a significant part in all these developments has given Ann a greater understanding of the college. She is familiar with the ethos and aspirations of St Brendan's, and is ideally placed to carry these ideals forward and develop the College still further.

Ann began her career as a chemistry teacher at Binley Park Comprehensive School in Coventry (she still assists the medics and dentists at St Brendan's to prepare their university applications. She soon became the Deputy Head of Xixth Form. Ann then moved to Bishop Ullathorne School, also in Coventry as the Deputy Head of Science. After a brief spell at Foster's School for Boys in Sherbourne, Ann moved to Strode College in Street and took the position of Head of Maths, Science and Engineering and later the post of Head of General Education for GCSEs and A Levels. She remained there until joining St Brendan' s as Vice Principal. With such a wealth of experience in education, Ann has the ability to guide the College's many curriculum developments and she has a number of ambitions for the college. She will be overseeing the introduction of new courses such as Archaeology and the International Baccalaureate. She is also keen to further develop the sport provision we have at the College, especially the outdoor team sports. Ann is also eager for exam results to continually improve year on year. She says:

"I always have high expectations of the students, and I always expect them to be achieving better grades than the previous year".

Now that the College will soon be falling under the local authority umbrella once again, Ann is also looking forward to working in partnership with more agencies and developing our relationship with many different schools still further.

Ann admits she is fortunate enough however, to be taking over at a very successful point in the College's history.

"It is a wonderful inheritance, the College is in a strong position, achieves outstanding results, has fantastic support for students and has brand new buildings. I'm looking forward to it going from strength to strength."

Ann is also keen to pay tribute to both the students and staff at the College, which she regards as St Brendan's main strength.

"We are a specialist institution in dealing with this age range, and all the staff takes huge pride in the work that they do. They are all skilled in their specialist subject knowledge and all have a deep care and concern for the young person."

Ann goes on to add that there is a strong emphasis on pastoral care within the College.

"We are always told how much the students have changed in their time at the College. The added dimension of the spiritual education here really gives everyone a chance to explore their own spirituality, to be treated as an individual and to develop a care and concern for everyone else. It is this aspect that marks us out as significantly different and it is why I think we are so popular".

Ann is also very humble when asked what it is like to be the first female principal of St Brendan's. She remarks that she doesn't consciously notice the difference and highlights that it has been a co-educational establishment here for a long time now (since 1979).

"Women have played a major part in the success of St Brendan's since it became a Sixth Form College; this is simply a further development of the role that women continue to play in the College's achievements."

She is very proud of the opportunity she has been given and says that it will be wonderful to be in charge of an academic institution with a history of huge sporting prowess. She is looking forward to the exciting challenges ahead and cannot wait to begin in her new position.

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Children in Need 2009

December 2009

Friday 20th November was a day that had long been marked in student diaries this year. It was, of course, Children In Need day and was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get together and participate in a series of fun and innovative events that all aimed to raise money for this worthwhile charity.

This year's events were led by the Student Union who created a number of activities which galvanised the student body and got the whole college buzzing with excitement. The fundraising got underway during break time, when college caterers Sodexho placed a bath full of baked beans in the middle of Café Max. Everyone crowded to watch as Sue, a member of the catering staff, sat herself down in the 'bath' and had cold beans poured over her. The students were receptive to the extremes that she had gone to for charity and, consequently, change in the donation buckets was plentiful. Alongside the bath of beans, there was also an opportunity for students to get their face painted. It was a designated fancy dress day at the college, but those who forgot to don a costume could still get into the spirit of things by having their faces painted.

The major events took place over lunchtime however. Students evacuated the core building and descended upon the performing arts studio in A block for a charity game of Blind Date. Enthusiasm for the game was fantastic and the seating filled quickly for this sell-out event. A student Cilla Black compèred the show and the familiar format proved to be a huge success. The audience were in stitches as three men and then three women used wit, charm and a succession of double entendres in order to woo a prospective date. The show was followed by a freestyle performance from the college hip hop troupe, Street Dreamz. This was Street Dreamz's first college performance this year and it was good to see a new crop of dance talent alongside some familiar faces. As always, the freestyling went down a storm.

All the students then made their way back to the Café Max where, in an act of chivalry, student Patrick Carroll had decided to follow Sue's lead and sink into a bath of baked beans. Patrick was then, after a plethora of goading from the crowd, joined in the bath by Student Union treasurer Kieran Rowley. It was a fun end to a really enjoyable day and the college managed to raise a fantastic £695 for Children in Need.

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Celebrating The Difference With Paul Robeson

November 2009

On 13th November 2009, Tayo Aluko will bring his one-man show Call Mr Robeson to St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol. The show is the focal point of a month-long series of events throughout the college which serves to educate and celebrate diversity.

Aluko's play brings to life the story of the great actor, singer and civil rights campaigner Paul Robeson. Robeson achieved worldwide fame for his artistic accomplishments and for his outspoken, radical beliefs which largely clashed with the colonial powers of Western Europe and pre-civil rights America. The play itself is described as a "rollercoaster journey through Robeson's remarkable and eventful life, and highlights how his activism caused him to be disowned and disremembered, even by the leaders and descendants of the civil rights movement".

St Brendan's is the largest specialist sixth form provider in the region and home to over 1600 students from a variety of different faiths, cultures and backgrounds making it an ideal venue in which to introduce this influential figure to a new generation of people previously unfamiliar with Robeson's story.

Tayo Aluko has travelled the show internationally, from the Bristol Old Vic to the BAAD! in New York and the play has won the Best Male Performer award at the Brighton Fringe Festival. The students are excited about the show arriving at the college and it will be a fitting climax to a number of events that have been created to break down barriers and to celebrate the differences between us all.

Disabled theatre troupe Firebird has already visited the college to work with A Level Drama students and a sports festival has been organised by our students for local paraplegic school pupils. Alongside this, there have been African Drum workshops, Bollywood dance classes, Belly Dancing and a number of student-organised debates taking place at lunch times. Dr Edson Burton also visited the college to give a poetry reading about black slavery. College caterers Sodexho have specially created 'Dishes of the Day' to reflect the variety of cultures represented at the college. There will also be a photography wall created to which students can attach images that reflect their background. A talk is also planned on Alzheimer's Disease for Psychology and Health and Social Care students led by speakers from BRACE and Age Concern and the college has launched a 'befriending scheme' so that students can do voluntary work with elderly people. The Science and Maths departments have also worked together to produce displays that highlight achievements in their respective fields showing that they are "not just white men in white coats".

All these events have included almost every teaching department and have been a fantastic success so far with many students getting involved. It builds on a previous event in February 2009 for Diversity Week, and reflects the intake of the college and the community it serves.

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Regan is Back Where it All Began

October 2009

Ex-St Brendan's student and England World Cup winning hooker Mark Regan has come back to college to coach the rugby team. The 37 year old former pupil will be coaching the boys on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Mark will be keen to build on the success that the Rugby team has already enjoyed in recent years. In 2008, the team won the local cup and the Bristol Schools Plate, so there is already a strong core to work with.

The appointment has certainly got the whole college buzzing and students have been signing up to Rugby enrichment in huge numbers this year. Competition for places is fierce and the standard of training is very high.

Mark also coaches National Two side South Clifton and has also worked with Ulster recently and is eager to increase his coaching portfolio. Mark commented that:

"Although I'm pretty busy, rugby is still a big part of my life. Going back to coach my old school is something that I am really looking forward to."

The college is excited by Mark's arrival and is hoping that all this positive energy can be turned into another series of successful results on the Rugby pitch this year.

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Drama Students Get Physical

October 2009

In preparation for our students' unit 3 exams (Exploration of Dramatic Performance) in A2 Drama later this year, a series of industry professionals visited the college to run a series of workshops dedicated to the art of physical theatre.

On Tuesday 15th September, Theatre Alibi, Theatre De Complicite and Circomedia introduced the students to a number of exercises that aimed to highlight how performers can convey a story to an audience by the use of their bodies.

Based in Exeter, Theatre Alibi's productions are 'marked by a passion for the live event, contain a strong visual style and a high level of storytelling skill'. The workshop that they ran took place in the drama studio and initially began with the students having to physically enact the process of getting ready in the morning. The performance was accompanied by two different pieces of music and served to highlight how music can add mood to a performance. After a number of smaller exercises the workshop then climaxed with a group re-telling of the classic Gingerbread Man' tale, where each student took to the stage and used all the skills they had learned to expressively tell the story.

Circomedia was founded over ten years ago and rose out of the ashes of Fooltime, Britain's first ever circus school. It is different, however, from many circus schools as there is a heavy emphasis on combining traditional circus skills with physical theatre and creativity. Students ascended to the Dance Studio to take part in this workshop and it proved to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of the day. The workshop opened with a number of little games that aimed to loosen everyone up, get the blood pumping and install trust in one's fellow performers. This trust was then put into practice as the group paired up and worked out a fight scene that would be performed to the rest of the class at the end.

The final troupe that visited the college was Theatre De Complicite. The principle of their work has remained close to their original impulses; seeking what is most alive, integrating text, music, image and action to create surprising, disruptive theatre. The company work by the motto that 'There is no 'Complicite method'. What is essential is collaboration', and this was certainly put into practice in perhaps the most imaginative workshop of the day. The class split up into smaller groups and worked together to create shapes and movements with their bodies. This culminated in the creation of inanimate objects such as cars and even city skylines and famous monuments.

These three workshops proved to be hugely valuable to the students and the work produced during the day was hugely imaginative and of a very high standard. The principles learned throughout the day will hopefully have made a lasting impression on all involved and will be of a significant benefit when exam time comes around.

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Reunion Shows a Charitable Side

September 2009

St Brendan's Sixth Form College is enormously grateful to all those who attended the reunion in the college's old building on Sunday 12th July. The reunion was organised to commemorate and celebrate the life of the building before it is demolished as part of the college's new build.

A memorable time was had by all those who visited; many old friendships were rekindled and stories shared. Alongside this, visitors showed a hugely generous side by donating to a number of charities throughout the day. St Brendan's has a very strong rugby tradition and classic shirts were sold on the day to raise money for the 'RFU Injured Players Foundation'. The lure of the old maroon and gold proved irresistible to many and we are please to report that £113.50 was raised for this foundation.

On a similar note, the college was asking for donations for the classic St Brendan's centenerary book which charted the history of St Brendan's since its formation at Berkeley Square. The donations received for the books came to £110.85 and all this money has been donated to the charity CAFOD.

A traditional mass, the last of its kind in the building, also proved to be very popular. Donations at the end of this event totalled a fantastic £200, £100 of which will go towards a Chalice in the new chapel. The other £100 will be donated to the charity 'World Gifts Apostleship of the Sea'. After the event the college also received a phone call from an old boy who had been unable to attend the reunion, but very generously donated £60 which will also go towards the Chalice in the Chapel.

All these donations typified the Christian spirit of the community and were very heart-warming to see.

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A Level Results Day 2009

August 2009

Students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol have been celebrating another year of outstanding A Level Results. Two years of hard work by the students has been suitably rewarded and the college's performance continues to improve.

Twelve students, Ruth Curtis, Joseph Gibson, James Dix, Jonathan Hall, Rosanna Havers, Hannah Ledbury, Naomi Newell, Michael Hardman, Chomba Kachasa, Robyn Morris, Elena Miekus, and He Zhu all achieved A Grade passes in all four of their subjects this year. While Michael Bevan, Nathaniel Cross and Benjamin Trickey achieved the equivalent of four A Grades at A level, if you were to include their BTEC Distinctions alongside their A Levels.

The overall pass rate this year was 98% and is an exceptional achievement seeing that our entry requirements are a lot lower than many other sixth providers. A huge improvement was seen this year in the overall pass rates at the college, with 72% of the courses achieving a 100% pass rate. Another significant improvement was seen by those students who achieved A-C grades, with the figure up this year to 76%.

Science and Maths gained outstanding results which were well above the college average in A-B grades. 60% of students achieved A-B grades in Maths while an incredible 77% of students achieved that accolade in Further Maths. Physics was another particularly strong area with 71% of students achieving A-B, while in Chemistry this figure was 52%. The languages department were also extremely pleased with their results, 63% of German students received A-B grades and 61% of Spanish students gained the same qualification. Persian, Polish and Russian students (who we have gained A Levels in their native tongue with our Community Language Programme) have also done exceptionally well with all those involved gaining an A or B grade.

Although it is difficult to single out personal achievements amongst the years results; there are a number of human interest stories that are worth highlighting.

He Zhu only began speaking English in year 9 at Culverhay School and really flourished during his time here at St Brendan's. He took A-Levels in Economics, Physics, Mathematics and Further Mathematics and gained an impressive A grade in all these subjects. Alongside his study, He was also a member of the college hip hop troupe 'Street Dreamz', regularly performing at charity events and was a key member of the college community. His dedication and strong work ethic has been rewarded with a place to study Mathematics and Statistics at Oxford University. He is among a number of St Brendan's students who will be taking up places at Oxford and Cambridge this year. Joseph Gibson, Michael Hardman, Hannah Ledbury and Ewa Bigaj will be joining He at Oxford and Rosie Havers and Abigail Middell have been offered places to study at Cambridge. Hannah Ledbury, a former St Marks student, received her A grades in Chemistry, Biology, Maths and French. She will be studying Bio Chemistry at Oxford University in a year's time after taking a gap year, where she will be travelling to Chad for 6 months with Mission Africa. Hannah said I've had a great time at St Brendan's, the teachers have been very inspiring and I was shocked to get such great grades. I've had a great summer relaxing after my exams, and I am now just really looking forward to my gap year.

Despite being diagnosed with ME at school, Kelly Russell battled on through her condition and achieved a Double Distinction in BTEC Musical Theatre and a C grade in her A Level in Sport and Physical Education, given her the equivalent of three A Grades. The fact that she achieved these results in two physically demanding courses stands testament to her courage.

Eleanor Nebarro, an aspiring model, and Oliver Corbett, a local actor, have also done particularly well despite the time they have put into there burgeoning careers outside of college. Eleanor Nebarro, took time away from college mid way through the year to perform on UK Living's hit television show Britain's Next Top Model. Despite this perceived distraction Eleanor has picked up A Grades in Religious Studies and Photography, a B grade in Politics and a C grade in English Literature. Oliver, who has performed in Casualty and Larkrise to Candleford while he has been studying here at St Brendan's, will return from travelling in Italy and Australia this summer to find he has achieved an A grade in Law, a B grade in Drama and Theatre Studies and a Distinction in BTEC Musical Technology.

Similarly, we have two students who have performed exceptionally well while juggling their sporting pursuits. Jocob Sobstyl, a competing rower at the college, received A grades in Mathematics, Physics, Further Maths and an A* in his Extended Project qualification. While Jessica Budd received B grades in Psychology, Sport and PE, and the Health and Social Care applied A Level. Jessica, who is currently ranked in the top 50 of senior tennis players in Great Britain has a sports scholarship to study at Clayton University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA where she hopes to pursue her dream of becoming a professional tennis player.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the college, said, Once again we have been celebrating the fantastic achievement of our students. It is well deserved as they have been dedicated to their studies and are now reaping the rewards. I'm very proud of them all individually, those who have done exceptionally well but also those who have overcome personal circumstances and disadvantages. We wish them all well in the future.

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Historic Building Opens its Doors for One Last Time

July 2009

St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol opened its doors on the afternoon of Sunday 12th July to commemorate and celebrate the life of the building before it is demolished and landscaped as part of the college's new build.

The event was open to St Brendan's Old Boys, ex-Sixth Form Students, ex-members of staff or governors, and was a chance for all those who have been affiliated with the college over the years to re-live some golden memories. The innovative new building is due to open for the start of term in August. The current building, which was built during the late 50s, will be demolished and the area landscaped to feature a modern, open, social space in keeping with the historic landscape. Before the demolition begins though, the college was keen to offer the opportunity for people to take one last look around.

There was a traditional Mass at 2pm in the auditorium followed by refreshments and entertainment in the college refectory. Old photographs were also on display for people to spot themselves and people could also catch one of our photographers around the college who was happy to take a picture for posterity. A few of the classic St Brendan's maroon and gold rugby shirts were also sold off and the money raised was donated to the RFU Injured Players Foundation.

St Brendan's and the Bristol community have a very rich history. The Old Boys' Grammar School, run by the Christian Brothers, began its life way back in 1896 in Berkley Square, moving to its current location in Brislington in 1960. This spacious new building was home to 700 hundred students at the time and included a gymnasium, covered area for games, assembly hall, chapel, library, dining hall and science labs. The move to these new facilities really paved the way for St Brendan's to expand and develop. The boys grammar school eventually changed to a sixth form centre in 1982 and acted as the designated Sixth Form provider for St Bede's and St Bernadette's in Bristol and for St Gregory's and St Mark's in Bath. The college has gone from strength to strength since this change and is now the largest specialist sixth form provider in the region, and the best performing state sixth form provider in Bristol, as calculated by the recent Government CVA League tables. St Brendan's has a very significant sporting history also; Ireland and British Lions Captain Charlie Davidson and, more recently, England World Cup Winner Mark Regan were students at the college.

St Brendan's has been a major part of a huge number of Bristolians' lives and has been at the centre of education in Bristol for over 100 years. The reunion was a fantastic opportunity for people to pay tribute to this, share stories and reminisce about past times.

Photographs from the event can be viewed and downloaded at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stbrendanssixthformcollege/

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Leavers' Assembly

June 2009

The College Leavers' Assembly took place on Friday 22nd May. This was not a time for emotional farewells but a time for celebrating the college lives of students who are leaving for pastures new. The Leavers' Assembly was originally intended to be a fifteen minute affair which extended the morning break but it turned out to be over an hour's worth of congratulations and 'thank yous' involving a huge number of students.

First came the Certificates for Contribution to College life nominated by Student Support Managers. The recipients were; Isobelle Lane, Lauren O'Hagan , Elan Orpilla , Henry Leonard, Craig Parsons, Michael Watkins, Emma Land, Aureen Ferrao, Kathryn Coleman, Guy Drewett, Mohcine Lakbili, Kelly Ann Russell, Edward Quinn, Stephen Watkins and an award from Chaplaincy for Steph Smith.

The leavers were then treated to a musical interlude in the form of Ain't No Mountain High Enough sung by Gabby Violante accompanied by Steve Carey.

The Bristol and South Gloucester Schools Cup was again presented to the Captain of the football team to mark the winning event. Next came the Charlie Davidson Cup for Sporting Endeavour which was presented to Hannah Alderson. Hannah is currently 1500m champion for Avon County Schools, Avon County, South West Schools and National Indoor. She also holds the title for South West Schools Cross Country Champion and came 4th in the National Inter Counties Cross County. Hannah was also one of two athletes to be selected for altitude training in Kenya, along with top class and world athletes.

In the last few weeks of term the Creative Arts department has had major disruption due to the building works. Usually at this time they would be putting on a major art exhibition but this hasn't been possible as there is a distinct lack of storage room. Therefore the team felt that they should present awards instead. Jack Patterson, who came to St Brendan's as a Level 2 student in Art and Design, has now gained direct entry into university to study photography. Anwar Isse, received a silver award for his Design and Technology Graphics work in which he has worked hard and improved greatly. Aimee Marsh-Devine also won a silver award for perseverance in her Fine Art studies, and Dan Covill won Gold Award for his photography work because he has been such a wonderful student, he has worked hard and improved dramatically and has been an excellent support to other students.

Cat Phillips from Vinvolved very kindly came to present thank you certificates to students who had given up their time to volunteer for the college in a variety of ways including, Student Ambassador, Student Union and People and Planet. Twenty five students in all received certificates with one student, Dan Shearing, gaining a 50 hours award for volunteering at college and a further 50 hours for his volunteering work with St John's Ambulance.

The final award was a cup donated by the Student Union to honour Joe Dymond-Williams. Joe was a valued member of St Brendan's student body when he was attacked whilst intervening in an argument on a night out with his friends. Joe subsequently died from his injuries but should have been graduating with his colleagues this year. The Student Union felt that he should be remembered as a generous person who would always go out of his way to help others. The Joe Dymond-Williams Cup this year was presented to Daniel Shearing who has given willingly of his time in support of others.

To close, students were treated to a display of photographs from their two years at St Brendan's followed by cookies and biscuits and a gift from the college for everyone.

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Football Stars Triumph Again

May 2009

It was cold, windy and the rain was unrelenting. You could be fooled into thinking that this description was for a typical day in December. However, this was the scene on a late 'spring' evening in May; the day when St Brendan's football team set out to defend the Bristol and South Gloucestershire's School's Cup in the final against Mangotsfield School. St Brendan's have been holders of the trophy for an impressive five years in a row and this year's outfit were anxious not to be remembered as the team that lost the cup.

The final took place at the traditional venue of Fry's club in Keynsham and the wintery conditions added to the exciting spectacle. Both teams were cautious about making mistakes and it was clear from the outset that the team who adjusted to the conditions quickest would gain the upper hand. This proved to be St Brendan's. The defence was well shepherded by team captain Chris Gardiner and they were determined not to give anything away cheaply. This solid foundation allowed them to build their attacking display and Alex Bakker began to make inroads down the left wing. Mangotsfield quickly found themselves on the back foot, and St Brendan's dominance was rewarded from a corner; Mangotsfield failed to clear the ball properly and it was prodded home by Sean Eyles. For the remainder of the first half, St Brendan's were relatively comfortable and had two guilt edged chances to add to their lead. The half ebbed away though and Mangotsfield began to feel more settled and as the referee blew the whistle for half time, the crowd was wondering if St Brendan's would live to regret those squandered chances. 1-0 is always a precarious score line.

St Brendan's fragile lead was further emphasised by the way in which Mangotsfield approached the second half. They really went for it right from the start and St Brendan's were forced to defend a series of corners and long throw-ins. St Brendan's defending was becoming increasingly desperate, and this culminated with Mangotsfield crashing the ball against the St Brendan's bar. This game was certainly in the balance and the match was becoming increasingly open. The coaching staff from Professional Sport and Fitness took this opportunity to make some substitutions and this seemed to sure up the St Brendan's team. It appeared that they had weathered the storm and with that, they began to find a second wind. With ten minutes remaining, George Knight broke into the box and was determined to put the final to bed, and did so with a cool side footed finish in the corner. This broke Mangotsfield's resistance for good and secured a St Brendan's Cup triumph for an incredible six years in a row. At the final whistle, the rain was still pouring down but it certainly wasn't going to dampen the team's post match celebrations!

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Relive Your Memories

May 2009

In September the St Brendan's main building will be demolished to make way for landscaping of the newly built campus. See the New Build page for more details. If you are a St Brendan's Old Boy, an ex-Sixth Form Student, an ex-member of staff or governor we are opening the building for you to reminisce about your time here.

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'Street' Success Story is a Dream Come True

May 2009

Two years ago, Chiedza Mundeta and Kate Mulligan visited the St Brendan's Student Liaison Officer with the aim of starting a new dance group at the college. Whilst a traditional dance club was already present, the girls particularly wanted to indulge their passion for hip hop and freestyle dance and were certain that there were like-minded people who would be excited by the prospect of a new dance troupe. So the girls started Street Dreamz and plenty of students were eager to get involved and show off their moves. To celebrate the success of the group, Street Dreamz held a special evening performance on Friday 24th April to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital.

Over the past couple of years Street Dreamz have only performed during the college day at events such as Comic Relief, Children in Need and Wear it Pink. This evening performance therefore proved to be a great chance for parents to watch and support the students involved and the event was well-attended. Chiedza and Kate organised a variety of performances throughout the evening; as well as a number of hip hop and freestyle dance performances, there was also live music from The South Africans and also by Sue East, accompanied by Gabby Violante on the piano.

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The total amount raised for Bristol Children's Hospital was £125. The evening was a major success and was testament to all the hard work that the Street Dreamz group has put in over the last two years. Founders Chiedza and Kate are second year students and shall soon be moving on to pastures new. They are hopeful that their passion for dance will influence other students and that Street Dreamz will continue in their absence, perhaps holding another fantastic evening of performances in the future.

 

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Students Bring Broadway to Bristol

April 2009

Musical theatre students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College staged an extravagant production of the classic musical, A Chorus Line. Students from all around Bristol and Bath put together performances on Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March at 7.30pm. There was also a matinee show on the Wednesday at 3pm.

A Chorus Line is a Tony award winning, modern musical about young hopefuls auditioning for a place on the chorus line of a Broadway production. As the auditions unfold, we begin to learn more about the dancers; their hopes, dreams and motivations. The play climaxes with the first dance number of the Broadway play that everyone is auditioning for and exposes A Chorus Line's thematic root, that of a loving, heartfelt salute to any soul who has ever trodden the boards.

A Chorus Line is a compulsory part of the students' BTEC course and all were assessed on the performances that they gave over the three nights. Director Emily Field added:

"The production had enabled the group to study a modern play based on young people close to their own age. It has some adult themes and contains many of the worries that performers have when starting out on their chosen career path. It is a story that is very close to all of them."

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Students Showcase Their Musical Talent

April 2009

The annual Collegiate Musical Showcase took place again this year at St Brendan's Sixth Form College on Thursday 2nd April at 7.00pm. Students from all across Bristol and Bath showcased their musical prowess in front of a packed out auditorium, and this year it was bigger and better than ever.

The Catholic Collegiate is made up of St Mark's C of E School and St Gregory's Catholic College in Bath, St Bede's Catholic College, St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School and St Brendan's Sixth Form College. Eighty year 10 and 11 students from these institutions joined together to entertain the audience with a wide selection of music, ranging from classical solo pieces to contemporary rock performances.

This event was a great chance to celebrate the talent of Bristol and Bath students, and has always been thought of as one of the highlights of the academic year. Acts this year included an excerpt from Godspell and a mandolin solo, two performances which emphasised the mix of styles that took to the stage this year. Students from all the schools arrived in the afternoon and began technical rehearsals for the evening performances and, for the first time ever, put together a piece of music to be played that evening, that incorporated everyone playing together, uniting all the schools for the climax of the show.

The Collegiate has a long-standing tradition of working together in different curriculum areas with many of the students progressing to their designated Sixth Form, St Brendan's. The Collegiate has a very strong musical element with many talented youngsters, St Gregory's in particular, having specialist school status for performing arts. The Collegiate will be together once again on the 25th June with other secondary schools throughout the Diocese when they celebrate mass at Clifton Cathedral.

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Statement from Principal

March 2009

In view of all the discussion in the media and parliament about the FE capital programme, the College would like to assure all current and prospective students that the major developments at the College are not affected. As one of the many schemes within the sector already well under construction, the government's financial support, via the Learning Skills Council, is secure.

We are currently procuring all the furniture and fittings in anticipation of the move into Phase 2 during the summer, ready for teaching at the start of the new academic year.

Our next newsletter will be out shortly and will contain more detailed information about the progress of this exciting development.

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Funny For Money

March 2009

Students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol joined in with Comic Relief's Do Something Funny for Money campaign and staged a series of events throughout the week to raise money for charity. The events were organised by the College's Student Union and the first event to kick off the week was an interpretation of the game show Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The show was fronted by Student Union president Chad Barley, who also headed up the A2 team as they took on the first year AS students in the improvisational comedy game. A crowded auditorium was treated to laugh out loud rounds that included the teams having to chat up dates and reinterpret classic nursery rhymes. The following day's main event was a dance show put on by St Brendan's self-run freestyle dance troupe 'Street Dreamz'. Two dancers opened proceedings with a short comedy-inspired song and dance number before the rest of the group joined in with some improvised routines. The highlight of the event was undoubtedly a Michael Jackson-inspired number performed by Kieran Warner which had the audience in stitches.

Comic Relief week climaxed on the Friday with the traditional fancy dress day and then at lunchtime a special College production of Never Mind The Buzzcocks took place which was organised and hosted by Leigh-Ann Clarke. A packed-out auditorium enjoyed familiar rounds such as the intro round, the line-up and the next lines round. The Student Union also sold red noses throughout the week and the total raised for charity was an impressive £354.

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St Brendan's Sixth Form College and Marks and Spencer Join Forces to Hold a Fairtrade Fashion Show

March 2009

Fairtrade fortnight kicked off this week and St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol, celebrated with an ethical fashion show on Wednesday 25th February at 12.30pm.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College is always looking to raise the profile of Fairtrade products. A student-led group entitled 'People & Planet' have worked very hard throughout the last few years in organising various gigs and food tasting sessions, as well as helping to set up a steering group which meets regularly to discuss Fairtrade issues. The College's success was rewarded last year when they were awarded Fairtrade College status.

However, more work still needs to be done. In a report published on February 19th, it was stated that:

"Efforts to tackle the global food crisis will fail without urgent action to support small farmers in developing countries...rocketing food, fuel and fertiliser prices have had a devastating effect on their livelihoods." (Fairtrade Foundation statement on global food crisis).

Harriet Lamb, chief executive of the Fairtrade foundation added:

"These are tough times for everyone, but they're desperate times for many poor communities and small farmers...who urgently need support to keep producing the food we all eat, and to provide a future for their families."

With this in mind the 'People & Planet' group organised, with the help of Marks and Spencers, an ethical fashion show which served to highlight a wide range of Fairtrade products and raise the profile of this cause still further. Three college bands performed during the show, helping to create a positive atmosphere within the college auditorium. Students then took to the catwalk to model a wide range of Fairtrade clothes, which were kindly donated by Marks and Spencer in Bath. One of the aims of the show was to highlight specifically the use of Fairtrade cotton and recycled goods. Daniel Shearing, a member of 'People & Planet' added:

"It is a great chance for students to get involved and really make a difference. It is a good opportunity to gain information about what is happening in the developing world, and how supporting Fairtrade goods can help."

Alongside the fashion show, the college is also raffling off a hamper full of Fairtrade products and is giving away samples of chocolates and biscuits throughout the event, all of which have were donated by Marks & Spencer at the Harbourside and The Mall, Bristol.

This event came shortly after 'People & Planet' raised £144 pounds selling Fairtrade roses throughout the college on Valentine's Day. To complete Fairtrade fortnight, St Brendan's will be taking part in the Fairtrade foundation's 'Go Bananas' world record attempt on Friday 6th March. During this day, the college will be giving away Fairtrade bananas in attempt to help bolster the amount of bananas eaten during the day.

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Love is in the Air

March 2009

Love was in the air at St Brendan's Sixth Form College on Friday 13th February. Valentine's Day was a huge success this year and the whole student body relished getting involved and spreading the love around.

The art department created a heart-shaped postbox that was placed in the refectory for all the students to post their love notes in the lead up to the event. The decorations were then put up on Wednesday and the refectory was covered in love hearts, red bunting, and sparkly decorations that hung from the ceiling. This all served to build up the atmosphere for Friday's main event.

Students and staff were encouraged to wear red into college that day and, as a special treat, the radio flex shows throughout the day were all valentine-themed. Soppy love ballads were in abundance and special dedications were shouted out by many Romeos and Juliets. The postbox was full of over 100 love notes, all of which were plastered across the plasma screens throughout the day, as well as handed out to all the lucky recipients in their class that day.

Members from the 'People & Planet' group also set up a stall during the day where they sold Fairtrade roses. This proved to be very successful and they made over £100. The refectory also got involved and sold pink milkshakes as well as special valentine's cakes. The whole day was lots of fun and the students went into half term in a really positive mood and already looking forward to Valentine's Day again next year.

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St Brendan's is One of the Best Sixth Form Providers in the Country

January 2009

St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington is performing better than most Colleges and Sixth Forms in schools throughout England and is officially the best performing state provider of post-16 education in Bristol.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families last week published performance tables that included CVA (Contextual Value Added) scores for all institutions. The CVA measure allows comparisons to be made between institutions with different intakes by taking into account each students starting point or key stage 4 prior attainment – the biggest single predictor of their results at key stage 5. It also takes into account a number of other explanatory factors which have been observed to impact on its students' results...such as gender, the type of qualification and size of the learning programme they have studied. (DCSF website)

In these league tables St Brendan's received a CVA score of 1020.4 which placed them top of the table for state schools in the Bristol area and in the top 10% of Sixth Forms in the country. This result means that students are actually achieving almost one grade higher than predicted in their level 3 qualifications. For a college that is home to 1500 students, the largest specific sixth form provider in the region, this is a fantastic result. The Department for Children, Schools and Families also added that these results give:

"A much fairer measure of the effectiveness of an institution which means that comparisons against other schools and colleges are more meaningful."

Sixth Form student Oliver Corbett said:

"That's brilliant news, the support staff are excellent here and the teachers really get the best out of all the students."

This success backs up the achievement of St Brendan's students at A Level results day last August. The overall pass rate of 99% was above the national average and was an improvement on the previous year. St Brendan's had eleven students who achieved A grades in all four of their subjects and over 60% of all A Level courses achieved a 100% pass for all their students.

The college's healthy outlook is highlighted further by the progress of the new build that is taking place at the college. A new multi- purpose sports hall was opened by international rugby player Mark Regan last November and a £20 million re-build of the college's main core is on schedule to be completed in July, ready for new students in September.

All these factors have meant that this year's application process is going extremely well. The college is already 20% up on last year's applications. Derek Bodey, Principal of the college, said:

"We pride ourselves that we have helped along the way by providing high quality teaching and support; all our courses are packaged to each individual's needs so that they can get the best out of their abilities, but it is a tribute to all the hard work that the students have put into their studies that these league table results really celebrate. With the new building almost complete and the popularity of the college increasing, St Brendan's will continue to be successful long into the future."

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Topping Out Ceremony Celebrates Build Progress

January 2009

On a misty Wednesday morning, St Brendan's Sixth Form College held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the new building that is due to be open for new students in September 2009.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, is the largest specialist institution for sixth form education in the area. It is home to 1500 students from the Bristol and Bath area, and is renowned for delivering consistently high pass rates. The college is currently undergoing phase 2 of a two phase development; the first phase being the construction of a new multi-purpose sports hall which was completed and officially opened in November by the Rt Rev. Declan Lang and international rugby player Mark Regan MBE. The second phase of this rebuild is a new core building that will replace the main section of the college. This build is on schedule and is due to completed in July, ready for the new intake of students in September 2009. To mark the fact that building contractors ISG Pearce have erected the entire framework and reached the highest part of the building, St Brendan's held a traditional topping out ceremony to celebrate this occasion.

The event was opened with a welcome from Principal Derek Bodey and a few words from Martin Heal of ISG Pearce, before a traditional blessing of all those who have worked on the project and those who will make use of these new facilities. Also present, were a number of student representatives who have been elected by their tutor groups to represent the student body. Two members of the Student Union then accompanied Father Gerry Walsh up to the top of the building to assist with the blessing.

The current building was built initially for the boys grammar school, prior to St Brendan's becoming a sixth form college. Therefore, these new purpose-built facilities are much needed and will certainly enhance the student experience. Included in the building will be state of the art science labs, art classrooms, a library and learning resources centre and a new IT drop-in centre. The building will also be home to humanities, social sciences, mathematics, business, IT and theology classrooms. Also included is a new refectory, theatre and a dedicated learning support area.

The new building is at the forefront of environmental construction. A ground source heating system minimises the need for power from external sources, and an intelligent lighting system has been installed to save on electricity.

Principal, Derek Bodey says:

"This is the second stage of a £20 million investment which will improve the college's facilities enormously, ensuring that all students will benefit from purpose-built accommodation. We are grateful to the Learning and Skills Council and Bristol City Council's planning department, who have made this project possible."

The LSC, which is the funding body for post-16 education, funded 87% of phase 2. The total project cost of this phase is estimated at £19,022,750. Dr John Chudley, Area Director for the LSC West of England said:

"The second phase of this development will provide new students with a range of much needed facilities. I would like to congratulate the college again for its contribution to improving skills in the local area."

Martin Heal, operations manager for ISG Pearce added:

"ISG Pearce are delighted to be the design and build contractor on this prestigious project to deliver first class, energy efficient new facilities for St Brendan's. Working closely with the college, we are delivering a learning environment for the 21st century."

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Senior Citizens Party 2008

January 2009

This year's Senior Citizens party had all the right ingredients - interesting visitors, caring hosts, food, drink, song and dance - to ensure that, once again, the event was a resounding success.

This year, Vice Principal Ann Barrow welcomed everybody and the carol service commenced, ably led by the choir, many of whom had been performing in the Musical Theatre Dance evenings over the three days prior to the service. Dan Shearing, Steve Watkins and Jennie Smith then read the Bidding Prayers and Father Richard McKay, the Blessing.

It was then time for the student-carers to assist in moving the senior citizens to the dining tables in order for the student waiters to serve the Christmas tea, which they did like professionals. Crackers were pulled, hats worn and conversations started. After tea, the entertainment began. The First Year Musical Theatre students kicked off (literally as they were tap dancers) with Baby It's Cold Outside, which was great fun. Rebecca Coulter-Phillips then sang Mariah Carey's Hero before Alfie Hill-Kitcherside reminded us of the 50s-style crooners with a rendition of White Christmas. The Second Year Musical Theatre students then performed Seasons of Love, which showcased some outstanding singing. Steph Golledge then brought the proceeding to a hush as she sang the Eva Cassidy version of Over the Rainbow. The tap dancers then returned with a performance of Santa Baby, before Maddison Bird sang an outstanding acapella version of Pie Jesu. Next up was a bit of rock'n'roll from the Stevie Carey band, consisting of Andy Price, James Williams, Shane McKibbin and of course, Steve. They tore the house down with Elvis numbers King Creole and Hound Dog, before slowing for Blue Christmas. Finally it was the turn of the Long Tall Texan – commonly known as science teacher Gary Rowland - who reminded guests of times of sharing black and white televisions and watching the favourites of the day. He sang two numbers before the sound of sleigh bells was heard and Father Christmas himself entered with his little helpers distributing presents as they passed through the audience.

The event certainly brought a little understanding of Christmas to those who attended and all involved are already looking forward to the event again in 2009.

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Students Bring to Life Classic Fairy Tale

December 2008

Students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College are gearing up this week to put on a festive fairytale for the local community. St Brendan's, which has 1500 students, held open auditions at the beginning of term, to find the players who could bring to life Maurice Maeterlinck's 1908 fairy tale, The Bluebird. This lesser known play takes place on Christmas Eve, where a brother and sister look longingly out the window and wonder why everyone else seems to have so much more than them. As if by magic, a fairy appears and sends them on a quest to find a bluebird. With one turn of a diamond, objects from the house take on a human form and with their faithful dog; the children begin their remarkable journey...

Students and staff were keen to put on a production that the whole family could enjoy and the choice to do The Bluebird reflects this. Importantly, the play also includes themes that will really resonate with people today. The Bluebird asks questions such as:

"Are we grateful enough for what we have?"

and

"Is the grass always greener on the other side?"

St Brendan's is holding a special matinee performance on Wednesday for primary school students from Christ the King to enjoy. There are also three evening performances this week that are open to the public, taking place at 7pm on Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th and Friday 12th December. Tickets have sold well for this event, but there are a still a few seats available which can be purchased from the college priced at £4 for adults and £2 for concessions.

The Bluebird will take place in the college drama studio and the students will be using a mix of physical theatre, music, dancing and puppetry to bring this story to life and take you on a magical and heart-warming journey that will entertain the whole family!

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Bath Student Claims The Gold

December 2008

17 year old Andrew Hammond took part in the Welsh Indoor Rowing National Championships on Saturday 6th December and claimed a gold and silver. The championships took place in the Channel View Centre in Cardiff and Andrew won a gold medal in the junior U18 lightweight men's class 2,000 metres, clocking in at 6 minutes 49.2 seconds. Impressively, Andrew also managed to secure a silver medal in the 500 metres, an event that was open to all ages and weight classes. Andrew's time was 1 minute 29.1 seconds, and he beat off the efforts of many competitors who were bigger, stronger and more experienced than himself.

Andrew, from Paulton, is a former student of St Gregory's and is currently studying for his A Levels at St Brendan's Sixth Form College. He is part of the Minerva Rowing Club and is coached by Arnold Cooke. Andrew also has a personal trainer (Adam Lancaster), who helps him juggle his studies, part time work and training regime. Andrew says:

"Rowing is an extremely demanding sport, and plenty of effort is always required on a daily basis."

His success has come off the back of a great run of results; Andrew has picked up a silver and bronze medal at the English indoor championships, as well as picking up a gold in the 500 Metres at the Scottish championships and a silver in last year's Welsh indoor 200 Metres. He has been rowing since 2001 after being introduced to the sport by his sister. His aim, once he has finished St Brendan's, is to secure a place at Southampton University where he aims to continue his rowing career still further.

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Pink Day a Huge Success

November 2008

Wear it Pink day raised a fantastic £636 this year. The day took place on Friday 31st October and the whole college got into the spirit of things by wearing pink clothing and accessories into college that day. Even the boy's rugby team got into the swing of things by wearing pink tights, tutus and wigs. They then circulated the refectory with donation buckets collecting from all those eager to donate towards this worthy cause.

The main event of the day though, was a freestyle dance performed by Street Dreamz. The group, set up by Chiedza Mundeta, is a group run by students, for the students and takes place on Monday and Friday afternoons. A sea of pink filled the auditorium to watch the group perform a series of break-dances, somersaults and hip-hop inspired freestyles. It was an exciting event and really got the crowd involved. Everyone left the afternoon bopping along and consequently dropped all their change into the buckets as they left.

Wear it Pink was declared another success this year and the college raised more money than they have in previous years. Everyone is excited about next year already, when we hope to smash our tally once again.

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Children In Need 2008

November 2008

Friday 14th November was Children In Need day and St Brendan's Sixth Form College really got into the spirit of things by putting on a number of events throughout the week. First on the agenda was a sponsored head shaving and leg waxing event. The auditorium filled up to support (and laugh) at the two brave young men who put themselves forward to begin the fundraising campaign. Sam Lewis went for the smooth leg option while his friend Luke Cooper decided to have all of his hair removed.

Meanwhile, instead of a typical fancy dress day, the students opted for something a little different this year, a 'Wear Your Pyjamas to College' day. This was well supported by everyone and members of the student union spent the day shaking buckets around the college, gathering generous donations from all.

The special event of the day was organised by student union president Chad Barley and was a student performance of the hit comedy show, Whose Line is it Anyway? Compèred by Pudsey the bear and consisting of performers from drama, the packed out auditorium was treated to a series of improvisational comedy sketches that went down a storm.

Even the builders working on the College rebuild got involved as they donated over £100 to our nun/security guard. Student Gemma Pullin decided to make a difference as well, by getting staff and students to sponsor her to remain silent throughout the day, and students in Paul Kelly's class were also forced to get involved with the fun as they found him asleep in bed as they entered the classroom. There was also the opportunity for everyone to win their very own Pudsey in the college raffle competition; the lucky recipient of this prize was Edward Hodgkinson.

The day was deemed a massive success, and with sponsorship money still to come in, the tally at the minute stands at over £600 raised which is a fantastic effort by all those involved.

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St Brendan's Sixth Form College Opens New 2.5 Million Sports Hall

November 2008

St Brendan's Sixth Form College officially opened its new state of the art Multi-Purpose Hall on Friday 7th November 2008 at 12 noon. The building was blessed by the Bishop of Clifton, the Rt Rev. Declan Lang and opened by Mark Regan MBE, International Rugby player and ex-St Brendan's student.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College has long been renowned for its sporting endeavour and is uniquely gifted with a large amount of green space and sports fields. The official opening of its new facilities for sport and dance will further add to this reputation. The new building houses a county-standard sports hall, a dance studio and fitness suite, together with an IT drop-in centre and classrooms. Current students are already enjoying the new facilities and with the help of Melissa Short, the new Sports Co-ordinator, many more students are taking part in activities from aerobics to volleyball.

Importantly, the new building is also at the forefront of environmental construction. An intelligent control system has been installed to make maximum use of airflow and light to save resources and a ground source heating system minimises the need for power from external sources.

Principal, Derek Bodey said:

"This new building is the first stage of a £20 million investment which will ensure that all students now and in the future will benefit from well-designed, purpose-built accommodation. We are grateful to the Learning and Skills Council and Bristol City Council's planning department that have made this project possible."

Dr John Chudley, Area Director for the LSC West of England, added:

"St Brendan's has been rewarded for its inspiring and creative plans. The new building will provide students with a wide range of opportunities and I would like to praise the college for its contribution to improving skills in the local area."

Rob Bradley, regional director at Leadbitter also commented that:

"The opening of the new multi-purpose hall will provide students with county-standard facilities that cater for a wide range of sports. Also included in the building is an industry standard fitness suite, art dance studio, classrooms and a new computer area."

The opening of the hall was extremely well turned out, with governors, VIPs, staff, students and the local press all in attendance. The ceremony began with a short speech by Principal Derek Bodey which was followed by the blessing from Bishop Declan Lang. Mark Regan officially cut the tape to signal the opening of the hall, not before he amused the audience with anecdotes from his time at St Brendan's. This joyous occasion was interspersed with songs from the chaplaincy music group, a dance routine inspired by Romeo and Juliet and a rousing gospel rendition of Oh Happy Days to finish off the proceedings. Guests then relaxed with a buffet and tour of the impressive new facilities.

Building work continues at St Brendan's. An area to the back of the college has been fenced off and work has commenced on the new main building which is due to be completed in July 2009.

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Environmentally Aware

October 2008

The schools that make up the Bristol and Bath Catholic Collegiate got together at the Cathedral to showcase art work as part of the Sound of Many Waters project. The exhibition has been much admired for its diversity and outstanding work, with many of the pieces getting particular praise from art critics visiting the exhibition.

As always the exhibition, which has become an annual event, demonstrates the talent of young people in the Diocese but the diverse nature of the pieces on display illustrates an amazing amount of creativity. From St Bede's, we had exquisite 3D flowers and fruit made from cardboard, wire and gummed paper which had been moulded and painted to produce outstanding results. Meanwhile St Bernadette students produced very colourful and eye catching paintings by focusing their attention on scenes from the jungle, and studies similar to aboriginal dot paintings.

St Gregory's produced a range of paintings, drawings and collages, particularly prominent were two pictures of a house, one with rubbish piling up outside and one without. Their Save the Planet t-shirt designs also provided a topic for discussion. St Mark's also produced a diverse range of work, from Chinese paintings to fantasy drawings using chalks.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College had a range of artwork, including posters produced by graphic art students, paintings by fine art students and photography. Amy Phelps' story boards of 'forgotten landscapes' were particularly poignant.

The art departments are to be particularly praised as the first curriculum area to include the environment in their work, as part of the Collegiate's joint focus. All the schools have been involved with the project from its inception on the feast of St Francis in 2007. The artwork will be on display again, together with work from St Ursula's between 21st–23rd October inclusive. To make an appointment to visit the exhibition during the college day, please ring 0117 903 8867. Visitors are also welcome at the college's Open Evenings on the 22nd and 23rd October from 6pm until 9pm.

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John Deft 1948-2008

September 2008

The College is very sorry to announce the death of one of its staff, John Deft. John died on Thursday 4 September 2008 after a short illness.

John had been at the College for over 20 years, arriving as Head of Mathematics in September 1985. After successfully serving in this capacity for some 12 years, during which time he also introduced Law to the College, John devoted himself to teaching Law full-time. This had become a real passion for him, having passed the bar examinations in his own time. He developed an A level Law website and there are countless A level students within England who have used it – described by many as probably the best A level website. More than one school wrote:

"Your website has proved to be an essential part of our resources for Law students."

Students who were fortunate enough to be taught by John came to love someone for whom nothing was too much trouble. He was a man of great patience and forbearance, just and fair and always willing to listen. All who knew him enjoyed his sense of humour which was always gentle and never hurtful.

John commanded the intellectual and professional respect of his colleagues; his opinions were always valued. Reliable, trustworthy and hardworking, his manner was always open and friendly.

John's contribution to education is immense – not just within the College but also as an author of text books and contributor to government enquiries. He has also been committed to the development of young people outside of his work, giving his time generously over many years to a wide variety of roles within Scouting and to his local church community.

Colleagues have described John as a saint, the epitome of St Brendan's; he represented what the College is all about. John was loved by all and will be sorely missed in ways we have yet to discover. He contributed so much to College life in his quiet, understated way.

Personally, having joined St Brendan's at almost the same time and worked closely with John throughout, I shall miss him a great deal but particularly for his practical common sense, ability to see the nub of the issue and his wonderful sense of humour.

The College and I will miss this true Christian gentleman enormously.

Derek Bodey

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St Brendan's New Build Underway

September 2008

Work is underway on a new build that will mean students who enrol in August 2009 will be welcomed by a stunning new site. The major investment, which is costing around £20 million, will ensure that students can benefit from first class accommodation and specialist facilities. The improvements have come hot on the heels of two other major developments that have occurred throughout the college recently. This year has seen the opening of the new Multi-Purpose Hall which has provided students with a county standard sports hall that caters for a wide range of sports. Also included in the Multi-Purpose Hall are an industry standard fitness suite, state of the art dance studio, class rooms and a new computer area. A design and technology refurbish has also taken place during the summer this year. The new studios and workshops are now equipped with 21st Century machinery, such as laser cutters and 3D colour printers. Such developments will vastly improve student life and the new build will certainly build on this still further.

Within the new building will be a Library and Information Centre carrying a comprehensive range of relevant specialist journals and magazines, in addition to the impressive book and CD stock. A Chapel will also be at the heart of the new college, incorporating our historic stations of the cross. There will be new classrooms as well, covering all classroom-based subjects, and fully equipped for 21st century teaching and learning.

St Brendan's is already situated within an historic landscape and this new build will seek to build on these pleasant grounds. Extensive landscaping is taking place to reflect the surroundings. Inside there will also be a modern, open, social space offering a variety of food outlets, providing a good range of nutritious meals, snacks and drinks, including gourmet fair trade coffee.

In keeping with the college's environmental concerns, and in line with previous buildings built throughout the college, this new building has been designed to minimise the college's impact on the environment. The build will utilise the Earth's natural resources, such as sunlight and rainwater. They are designed to minimise the carbon emissions whilst providing a very comfortable place to work and study.

All these specialist facilities will be open for enrolment in 2009 and will ensure that St Brendan's leads the way in sixth form education.

For more images, plans and regular updates see the New Build page.

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A Level Results 2008

August 2008

Students and staff at St Brendan's Sixth Form College are celebrating after the release of this year's A Level results. With this year's record A level results, virtually every aspect of the College's performance has shown an improvement.

Eleven students, Chris Adlem, Jean Mathew, Sophie Morgan, Sohail Raja, Dominic Stansby, Kate Wilsher, Jo Lees, Michael Corkhill, Vitaliy Androshchuk, Zhao Peng and Sarah Gossan, achieved A grade passes in all four of their subjects.

The overall pass rate of 98.5% is higher than last year, and the 50 Distinctions in BTEC Nationals subjects would further increase this percentage. The number of students who achieved A grades (18%) those who achieved A-B grades (44%) and those with A-C grades (73%) were all very satisfying. Over 60% of the A level courses achieved a 100% pass for all their students. None of this data includes the Distinctions, Merits and Passes gained in BTEC exams.

We are delighted with the following subject areas, Science and Maths, the so-called more academic, traditional subjects, which scored way over the College average for A-B grade passes with Maths and Further Maths gaining 69% and 72% respectively and Chemistry 61%, Physics 60% and Biology 53% (which does not include the Biology BTEC results of which 100% passed with Distinction or Merit) These successes have meant that four students Vitaliy Androshchuk, Keir Stone-Brown, Jack Sims and Sohail Raja will be able to take-up University places to study Medicine. Chris Adlem has been offered a bursary by Exeter University to study Physics. We were equally pleased with the BTEC Music Performance and BTEC Musical Theatre – students who have to show they can do it! – 50% gained 20 distinctions.

It is similarly difficult to comment on notable personal achievements among this year's A level results but we are sure that the following should be included:

Vitaliy Androshchuk, a young man with a Russian background who has flourished here at St Brendan's. In his first year, Vitaliy took an A level in Russian as well as AS Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics and Critical Thinking. He has passed three subjects with an A grade together with an A grade in Russian last year. Charntal Gallagher who came to us from Zimbabwe and has studied Media, ICT, Textiles, Communication Studies and Business Studies at St Brendan's gained two grade Bs and a grade C whilst helping to look after two younger siblings - who are also coming to this College next year.

Luke Beesley, who is visually impaired and who has been supported by the College's Learning Support Department, gained two A grades and a Distinction and full marks in an Extended Examination, he is now able to take his place at Warwick University to study Philosophy.

Edexcel has informed the College that two of our students were amongst the top ten in the country with their results. Naomi Weston sat an Applied Information & Communication Technology AS level, which will be equivalent to two A level passes, and was in the top ten of almost 1000 candidates. Nathan Jeffrey was in the top ten of over 2000 candidates with his pass in Applied Health & Social Care AS level. Edexcel's Managing Director, Jerry Jarvis, said This is a testament to the hard work students put into preparing for their exams. Edexcel is the UK largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications.

It has been a nerve racking time for nearly 600 upper sixth and 700 lower sixth students who between them were involved in almost 4,000 subject entries at A level and AS level. Most were relieved to find that they had the results they had anticipated or better.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the College, said,

"Today is about our students and we are delighted that they have achieved what they set out to do. Of course we pride ourselves that we have helped along the way by providing high quality teaching and support, but it is a tribute to the hard work of our young people that we are celebrating. Since my arrival here five years ago, We have tried to modify the curriculum giving the students greater choice, one to suit their individual needs. To see the results improve year on year in that time indicates that we are getting such decisions right."

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Joseph Dymond-Williams

July 2008

St Brendan's students and staff are saddened to hear of the untimely death of Joseph Dymond-Williams. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

Joe was a quiet, kind and loyal student. He was very able academically and especially good at Maths but also enjoyed playing sport, particularly football. He has been a popular member of the student body and has shown a caring attitude to his peers. Coming to someone else's aid, as he did on that tragic evening, is typical of his caring nature.

Students have been stunned by what has happened to Joe. It is evident by the number of students that have visited the chapel to say prayers, light candles and commit their memories to paper that he touched many people's lives. The memories are of his sense of humour, his zest for life, his caring attitude and overall for being a good mate.

Joe's family have very much wanted to draw attention to the dangers that surround young people today. The College has supported this message through tutorial sessions in the hope that no other family will find themselves in this situation.

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Summer Art Exhibition 2008

July 2008

St Brendan's Summer Art Exhibition ran between 1st July and 3rd July this year and was a huge success. The Exhibition celebrated the wide range of work produced by Art and Design students at the College during the academic year. Exhibits included Fine Art, Fashion, Textiles, Graphic Design, Photography and Design and Technology.

The quality of the students exhibits was especially high with exhibitors all studying on either BTEC AS or A2 routes.

The event was a great opportunity for students to be rewarded for all their hard work during the year, by having their pieces viewed by many members of the public, including several schools from the Bristol & Bath area, and VIPs from the governors and the diocese.

Many of the students created art works on very personal themes. One such example is A2 art student Jo Lees, who has created an exhibition expressing her feelings about her grandfather's diagnosis with Alzheimer's. Jo said:

"The chance to be able to do a project on whatever I wanted was a great experience. It has meant that I've been able to research something that was really personal to me; when my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's I didn't know how to respond. The project meant I could research into the disease, look at other people's work based on this topic and create my own work from my feelings about the situation we were in. Through this project I have been given a free space to decide how I felt and to change my views on the disease so that I could move on from the initial grief and find some kind of acceptance of the disease. I have grown as an artist and painter."

This exhibition brought together the specialist yet interrelated aspects of Art and Design in one place, where you could peruse each area at your leisure. The event was one of the first major activities to take place in St Brendan's new Multi Purpose Hall, which opened its doors at the end of last month. The exhibition ran smoothly and the college are already very excited about the potential output from next year's budding artists.

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Students Relish the EPQ Test

May 2008

On Thursday 27th March, thirteen students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington will be overcoming the final hurdle in securing their EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), a new qualification being piloted by the college. This hurdle is a formal presentation, the culmination of a year's worth of research, detailed study and hard work.

St Brendan's is one of three colleges piloting this innovative new scheme, the others being Ashton Park and Wiltshire College. The level 3 qualification is run by the examination board AQA and is designed to stretch and develop the more academic students, giving them the equivalent of half an A Level in the process, and the respective UCAS points that this carries. For those competing at a higher level it is essential for them to develop and demonstrate the important skills of self-management, planning, research and presentation alongside their academic ability. This is because students leaving college face ever-increasing challenges for opportunities in both employment and higher education.

The EPQ certainly provides this. Students can gain more control over their studies than ever before by choosing to explore a further aspect of a subject they're studying, a new subject altogether or simply a topic that they have a personal interest in. The final assessment is in the form of a presentation, where they need to use a range of communication skills and media to present their outcomes and conclusions. AQA has said:

"This level of choice and flexibility means that students are engaged and motivated, and gain valuable research and project management skills along the way."

Such an approach has led to an array of really exciting and passionate projects being researched. Question titles such as Freedom, Quality, Brotherhood; a Revolutionary Ideal – Dead Today?, The Relationship of Commercial Art to Fine Art in Britain Today and An interpretation of the main character in Das Brandopfer are evidence of the varied presentations we can expect on Thursday. One of the students taking the EPQ, Jo Lees, had a particularly personal reason for choosing her topic, she said:

"The chance to be able to do a project on whatever I wanted is unlike any other qualification I know of. It has meant that I've been able to research something that was really personal to me; when my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's I didn't know how to respond. The project meant I could research into the disease, look at other people's work based on this topic and create my own work from my feelings about the situation we were in. Through this project I have been given a free space to decide how I felt and to change my views on the disease so that I could move on from the initial grief and find some kind of acceptance of the disease. I have grown as an artist and painter."

EPQ teacher Richard Twose added:

"The sheer range of subjects covered has shown that this subject goes beyond the usual 'answer a question for the exam' approach and has allowed them to study, often with real passion, something that they actually care about. There is real academic rigour as well, so for those going to University it allows them to stand out from the crowd and gives them a real advantage in these highly competitive times."

AQA has been piloting the EPQ since 2006 and it will be introduced fully to the curriculum in September 2008. The course will nestle within the AQA Baccalaureate, which will also be implemented at St Brendan's in September. The AQA Bacc will offer students the opportunity to build on their core academic studies at A Level by recognising other achievements such as independent learning and personal development. Curriculum Director Andy Creed said:

"It is a tribute to the staff and students of the college that the Extended Project has been successful in the pilot year and next year we plan to roll it out to even more students across all subject areas – this is liberal education at its best."

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RadioFlex is on Air

April 2008

RadioFlex went live for the first time today at St Brendan's Sixth Form College. Ten students have been busy for weeks preparing for the launch by learning how to broadcast properly and use the equipment.

After much practising of interesting voices and speaking out when they thought they were off air, all have become proficient. Currently there are five different shows. Chad and Kia launched the Radio station with their Reckless show of Hip-hop, Urban and R'n'B, hot gossip and celebrity news. Other shows include Chris Bowen's Playlist, featuring Indie Rock and Acoustic numbers plus live interviews with local and college bands. Rock music and politics are on the menu for the Bass Revolution Show with James and David, Ham and Harvey present the Gig Guide to the best gigs to attend and what to wear and finally the All Inclusive request show with Martin and Jen playing anything the listeners want to hear.

RadioFlex has been enthusiastically welcomed by the students and a wonderful energetic atmosphere has been created in the common room. At the moment RadioFlex will only be broadcast on Fridays due to the amount of work that it takes to produce the shows but the presenters are already discussing how they can extend the music throughout the week.

Chad Barley who had an incredible day launching the radio station and making his speech at the student union elections where he is standing for president, said:

"Wow, this has been a great experience, it's fantastic to hear it go live at last. I have learnt such a lot in the last few weeks and have played around with loads of stuff at home too."

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A Moving Tribute at the Collegiate Showcase

April 2008

You could not fail to be moved by one young man's musical tribute to his friend Sam who died last year of cancer, aged 16. In the annual Collegiate Musical Showcase held at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, St Bede's student, George Magner played a beautiful and moving composition on the piano exactly timed to a presentation of his friend in words and pictures. As a GCSE music student George was asked to compose original music for a special event – he felt that Sam, a fellow musician, was more than his inspiration, as he told the audience before he started playing.

George was just one of 50 young people from years 11, 12 and 13 who performed at the event, which has been described as a feast of music. There certainly was something for everyone from the beautiful Ave Verum by Mozart sung by students of St Gregory's Catholic College, Bath, a wonderful and enlivening original drum duet from two young men from St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School, Bristol, to the Blitzkreig and Bop and the Ramones from a rock band known as DD48 of St Mark's C of E School, Bath.

St Brendan's' Kiera Somers, a recent semi-finalist in the Evening Post Fry's Find a Star competition, sang a powerful Maybe This Time. Keira, who was also the recent star of the St Brendan's production of Carousel, will also be singing at the St Brendan's Singing Showcase on Friday evening from 5pm along with fellow students.

The Collegiate has a long standing tradition of working together in different curriculum areas with many of the students progressing to their designated Sixth Form, St Brendan's. The Collegiate has a very strong musical element with many talented youngsters, St Gregory's in particular having specialist school status for performing arts. The Collegiate will be together once again on 7th May, with other secondary schools throughout the Diocese when they celebrate mass at Clifton Cathedral.

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March 2008

Musical Theatre students have put on an extravagant production of Rodger and Hammerstein's famous musical, Carousel. For three nights last week, and a matinee performance on Thursday, the annual student production took place in the auditorium at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington. BTEC Musical Theatre students from St Brendan's auditioned at the end of last term for parts in the complex love story. Lead roles went to Kiera Somers and Chris Farish, who played the tragic lovers from the fairground. Although it is based on the Russian play Liliom, Rodgers and Hammerstein altered the ending and added their own special style of music, giving the whole production a more Hollywood feel. This was highlighted by the set and costume design that the Technical Theatre students put together for the production, making for a special night of entertainment.

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Language Laboratory Launch for Bristol and Bath Schools

March 2008

On Wednesday March 5th, from 6pm to 8pm, St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol hosted the launch of a Modern Foreign Languages Laboratory. Principal Derek Bodey had the pleasure of inviting guests to view an exhibition of new state-of-the-art software that will vastly improve the study of foreign languages in the Bristol and Bath area. The evening centred on a series of presentations and information on VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) which are innovative new systems that will hopefully make the study of languages more accessible and easier to grasp.

It has been widely reported over the last few years that UK schools were facing a language crisis. A Guardian article suggested that:

"A generation of monolingual youngsters would struggle to compete in a global market. Out of the 25 European Union countries, the UK only beats Hungary in the proportion of its citizens able to have a conversation in a second language."

As a consequence, the government decided to act. Last year it announced that, from 2010, it will be a compulsory part of the national curriculum for children from the age of 7 - 14 to study a Modern Foreign Language, as the government attempts to, in the words of the Education Secretary, put languages at the heart of learning. It is recognised that languages are crucial for the future of our young people, our society and our economy. In line with this idea St Brendan's has invested over £25,000 this year on new software for the languages department.

The common criticism that students make of languages is that they are less fun and tougher and more demanding than other courses. The Language Laboratory launch at St Brendan's hopes to address such issues and offer some innovative solutions that will make the study of languages more enjoyable and successful.

One way to achieve this is by introducing the possibility of using modern platforms as teaching aids. Technology that most students will be familiar with, such as Sony PSPs and Nokia N180s, can be used as visual and audio teaching tools. Daniel Estève, head of the Languages department at St Brendan's, has been researching and actively implementing these new interactive methods. He says:

"I have looked at many portable solutions which are relatively cheap and easy to use but my primary focus is to use them to raise standards and improve achievement. I have been lucky that St Brendan's has supported the investment in language technology which has enabled our students to become much more active in their learning."

This event was not just of huge benefit to St Brendan's students, but to all the students in the Bristol and Bath area as well, highlighting how committed the region is to improving Modern Foreign Languages throughout all schools. Heads of Languages from a number of Bristol and Bath Schools were also present at the launch.

The launch took place within St Brendan's Red Badge Week where staff and students who speak two or more languages wear a red badge. In a similar event last year it was found that 42 different languages were spoken throughout the college such as Afrikaans, Urdu, Russian and even Zulu. Some of these students are taking an AS/A Level in their native language providing them with an extra qualification. This emphasises just how multicultural the South West is.

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A Level Module Results 2008

March 2008

St Brendan's Sixth Form College is proudly celebrating the achievements of its students today as the results from the A Level Module exams in January have highlighted the college's continuing improvement.

The results out today show a fantastic performance in all subject areas across the college. It is difficult to single out any area in particular, but special praise does go to the Maths, Science and Computing departments whose results were especially outstanding. For example, almost 60% of students taking Chemistry gained an A or B grade, and similarly 47% of students secured the same result in Physics. Although Environmental Science students don't take a module exam in the second year, AS students were celebrating a 100% pass rate in their first module of the course.

Module results in Mathematics, also a traditionally tough subject, were very impressive indeed. 74% of students taking the Further Maths statistics module achieved an A-B grade, as did 63% of the students taking the Decisions unit. Out of 317 pupils who took Core Maths modules in January, 50% of these gained an A or B grade which is an exceptionally high ratio.

On a similar note, students of Computing, which has a large amount of algorithmic and mathematical reasoning to it, were also celebrating their high marks. They had a 100% pass rate and 71% of those students achieved A-B.

It is really great to see large numbers of students doing so well in what are often thought of as difficult academic subjects. Curriculum Director Maddy Wolfenden said:

"We are obviously extremely proud of our students. They have worked very hard and have produced the results they deserve."

There is no doubt, that such great module results bode well for when the final A Level results are released in August and all St Brendan's Bristol and Bath students should now be going into their May and June examinations with plenty of confidence.

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Spreading the Fair Trade Word

March 2008

On Tuesday 4th March St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington celebrated Fair Trade Fortnight with a storming Fair Trade gig in their auditorium. The People and Planet group's aim was to organise an event that would really grab the attention of the students and staff throughout the college and what better way to get your message across than the power of rock 'n' roll.

The People and Planet group started to get their campaign going just before the fortnight began though by selling Fair Trade roses for Valentine's Day, a ploy that really got the word out and began the buzz for the upcoming gig. A number of college bands put their names forward to play at the gig which was held during the lunch hour at college.

When show time came three young and upcoming bands, Rendezvous With Who, Sam Is A Bass Player and Stonebridge, entertained a packed auditorium. All the bands played in front of a pre-prepared video about Fair Trade and at the end of the gig there was free Fair Trade food to sample, as well as a charity collection.

Helen McKenzie, a member of the People and Planet group at St Brendan's, said:

"The whole event was really successful. We would like to thank the Co-op for kindly donating free chocolate to us. We are also applying for Fair Trade college status so it was really important to get our message across, introduce students to new products and highlight how much the college is actively promoting Fair Trade."

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Bath Student Rows to Glory

February 2008

16 year-old Andrew Hammond picked up a silver and bronze medal at the English Indoor Rowing Championship in the Manchester Velodrome last Sunday. Andrew won a bronze in the 2000 Metres, clocking in at 6 minutes and 59 seconds, and silver in the 500 Metres, finishing in 1 Minute and 30.9 seconds, just 3 seconds over the current world record. Andrew, from Paulton, is currently part of the Minerva Rowing Club in Bath and was put forward for the championships by his coach Arnold Cooke. He currently rows in the Junior U18 lightweight men's class and is studying Sport, English, Media and Photography at St Brendan's Sixth Form College.

Despite such a hectic academic life, Andrew finds time to train every day with the help of his personal trainer Adam Lancaster. Andrew says:

"Rowing is a very demanding sport,and plenty of effort is always required.

His success in Manchester has come off the back of a great run of results; last October he gained a silver in the 2000 Metres at the Welsh Championship and managed to take home gold in the 500 Metres at the Scottish Championship earlier in the year. Andrew has been rowing since 2001, after being introduced to the sport by his sister, and is very keen to pursue his passion further. His aim, once he has finished at St Brendan's, is to secure a place at Bath University which is renowned for its sporting prowess and where he hopes to develop as an athlete even more. His short-term goal, however, is the Southern Indoor Championships in Southampton on February 16th where he is aiming to secure that elusive gold medal.

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Bristol Teacher's Delight at Nephew's Release

January 2008

Bristol teacher Isabella Harding has expressed her relief and joy, at the release of her nephew from a jail in Niger on the 19th January. French Journalists Thomas Dandois and his colleague Pierre Creisson were arrested along with their driver on the 17th December near the capital Niamey, and charged with "undermining state security", a charge which left the men with the threat of the death penalty hanging over them.

The journalists, who are no strangers to reporting from turbulent areas after spending time in Darfur, Chad and Zimbabwe, were working for the Franco-German TV station Arte when they were arrested after returning from an interview in the north of the country. They were coming back from filming the leaders of a rebel group, the 'Movement of Niger People for Justice'. Although the journalists apologised to the Niger government for breaking certain journalist restrictions, they have always maintained that they were only doing their job and are no kind of spies. Despite this, they were imprisoned in a Kollo jail and their fate seemed uncertain.

Since that arrest back in December, Isabella, along with a number of family and friends, had been frantically trying to raise the profile of the case. Isabella was fortunate enough to get some press attention, with articles appearing in the local paper and making several appearances on BBC Radio Bristol, and is very grateful for the extra support that this brought.

Isabella, a theology teacher from St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, said,

"I was overwhelmed by the positive response we have had, from individuals in prayer and campaigning, and from the press, in its interest in helping raise the profile of the campaign. Without this, both here and in France, the negotiations might well have taken months".

Both the French and British government acted positively on such overwhelming support. The French government asked for Niger's government to be lenient towards the men, while British Foreign Secretary David Miliband appointed a case worker from the foreign office who was in contact with a British Consular Official in Niamey.

Thomas and Pierre were granted bail on Friday 18th January, after spending over a month in jail. Bail for the pair was set at 10 Million CFA francs (£11,175). Upon leaving the jail for the French Embassy in Niamey, Mr Creisson said we thank all those who helped us – in Paris and in here – and the whole journalistic community.

Isabella appeared on BBC Radio Bristol's 'Sunday Start' programme with Trevor Fry on Sunday 20th, where she was due to continue raising the awareness of the journalists plight, but was instead delighted to report of their release back home. She commented,

"When I heard he was released, my first reaction was disbelief at such an unexpected outcome, which gave way to delight as I realised it really was true, and although the charges will still be pressed, I am just glad that he is home."

Thomas is currently recovering and catching up with family and friends back home in France.

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St Brendan's Teacher Appeals For Support As Nephew Faces Death Penalty

January 2008

Bristol Teacher Isabella Harding has spent years campaigning for human rights causes in groups such as Amnesty International and on a number of issues of justice and peace in her local parish and at college. But now such efforts have taken a more personal perspective as she actively campaigns for her nephew's release from a prison in Niger.

Isabella's nephew, French journalist Thomas Dandois, and his cameraman colleague Pierre Creisson, were arrested along with their driver on December 17th while working for the Franco-German TV station Arte. The journalists were followed by security services into the northern part of the country where they had gone to interview leaders of a rebel group, the Movement of Niger People for Justice. It was on returning south that they were arrested and imprisoned in a Kollo jail near the capital Niamey and formally charged with intelligence with armed groups, a charge that can carry the death penalty.

France has asked for the Niger's government to be lenient towards the men, while Thomas' family and friends have been fervently raising awareness of the journalists' plight. Isabella, a theology teacher at St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington has written to several MEPs as well as Lord David Alton, officer of the Parliamentary Pro Life Group, who has tabled a written question to the government asking if they are aware of the situation and what they are going to do about it. MP Roger Berry has also been contacted about the matter.

Both journalists have previously reported from similarly turbulent areas such as Darfur, Chad, Zimbabwe and Somalia and do freely admit that they ignored the ban on journalists visiting the north of Niger, but they believe their investigative journalism is of great benefit, raising vital awareness of previously unreported and often horrific conflicts and issues.

Isabella has said:

"Although they have a lawyer, and have apologised to the government, this has not been accepted and the government wants them brought to trial with the risk of death penalty. They were only doing their job and are no kind of spies."

She is hoping that continuous support will force the British Government to take some action as Thomas does hold dual nationality and is a British citizen holding a British Passport. Isabella remains hopeful that a peaceful resolution to the situation will be reached soon.

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New Qualification for Bristol's Talent to Tackle

January 2008

From September 2008, St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington will be offering new qualifications to challenge the more able students who are already in line for their very successful Honours Programme.

The new Baccalaureate run by exam board AQA offers students the opportunity to build on their core academic studies at A Level by recognising other achievements. Currently those already on the Honours Programme at St Brendan's will achieve an extra AS Level in Critical Thinking and take part in additional activities that broaden their experience and extend their CV, such as taking part in an EU youth conference in Paris. The AQA Bacc will build on this premise still further.

Students taking the AQA Bacc will complete four elements: their A Level studies, an extra AS in Critical Thinking in their first year, an extended project in the second year, which involves independent study on a topic of personal interest, and Personal Development which could include community work or an activity such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The AQA Bacc will be awarded at three levels: Pass; Merit; and Distinction (dependent on A Level and Extended Project grades).

This exciting new development to the curriculum is designed to demonstrate important skills such as self management, planning, research and presentation. Universities and employers are increasingly looking for students with such attributes as they try to differentiate between the vast numbers of qualified candidates that are applying for positions.

Ken MacKenzie, Assistant Principal at St Brendan's says:

"Our aim as a college is to encourage students to become inquiring, knowledgeable and caring individuals who will make a significant contribution to society. The AQA Bacc recognises skills which other qualifications don't take into account, therefore we welcome this addition to our portfolio."

An opportunity to talk to the staff involved in delivering the AQA Bacc, Honours Programme, and Extended Project, is available at the St Brendan's Open Evening which will take place on Thursday 17th January from 6–9pm.

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New Sports Hall Gets Everyone's Blessing

December 2007

On Tuesday 18th December, St Brendan's Sixth Form College held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the fact that their new state-of-the-art sports hall is a step nearer completion.

The building is due to be finished in May 2008 and building contractors Leadbitter's have just completed the erection of the steel framework. To celebrate this fact, the college held a traditional topping out ceremony with a number of guests invited to the event. Present on the day were Principal Derek Bodey, MD of Leadbitters Rob Bradley, Bill Button from NVB Architects, Chair of Governors Geoff Barrett, Jake Lamb, Vice President of the student union and representatives from the rugby and girls football teams.

The occasion opened with a few words from both Derek Bodey and Rob Bradley, before the traditional blessing took place together with a reading and bidding prayers. Father Gerry Walsh, from Portishead, Rob Bradley, students Billy Prichard and Antoinette McIntosh, were placed on a scissor lift and ascended to the top of the building. It was at this point that Father Gerry blessed the building, the builders and those who will benefit from it in the future, with holy water. The ceremony then ended with Billy and Antoinette tying flowers to the tallest part of the building.

The completion of the new sports hall is a major development for St Brendan's Sixth Form College and will undoubtedly benefit many students from the Bristol and Bath area.

This new facility will be multipurpose and include a fitness suite, dance studio, a green room, three class rooms and an IT suite. It has also been designed with the environment in mind and will utilise the earth's natural resources such as sunlight and rainwater. Also incorporated in the design are ground sources heating and an intelligent system to minimise carbon emissions.

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College Brings Festive Cheer to the Community

December 2007

Once again this Christmas, students and staff from St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington put on a festive treat for the elderly citizens of the community. The annual 'Senior Citizens Party', which takes place in the 18th December sprang in to life with its traditional blend of carols, student entertainment and plenty of mince pies!

The event is usually a highlight of the college calendar and this year was certainly no different, with a large number of students and staff volunteering to help out. The turn out of senior citizens attending was equally high, with around ninety people attending from a variety of care homes and parishes from the local area. The afternoon began with a traditional carol service interspersed with a reading from the prophet Isaiah, a prayer from visiting priest Father Gerry Walsh, and bidding prayers read out from a selection of RE students. Lunch was then served, with students both acting as waiters and waitresses, and also sitting to commune with the elderly, helping to pull the crackers and tell the exceedingly bad jokes.

After lunch, the entertainment exploded in to life with the Musical Theatre students putting on a sing and dance rendition of 'Candy Man'. What followed on next were a number of solo songs ranging from traditional Christmas songs such as 'Let It Snow', to the Beatles classic 'Yesterday'. Particular audience favourites were Paul Perkins' version of 'The Way You Look Tonight' and Martin Davis' Saxophone solo of 'When I'm Cleaning Windows', which had the audience humming along. A rock and roll tribute band then graced the stage to liven the performances near the end.

The party climaxed with a special visit from the jolly fat man himself. Father Christmas waddled in accompanied by a selection of elves that were all armed with presents ready to disperse to the guests. Father Christmas even took the unprecedented step of having two of his elves walking on stilts, to reach all those difficult places of course!

All in all, the party was another resounding success, and students and staff, as well as the citizens of course, are already eagerly anticipating next year's event.

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Sixth Form College Supports Bristol Hospital

December 2007

Students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington have raised over £150 for the Special Care Baby Unit in Bristol. On Wednesday 28 November Laura Knight from the Above and Beyond Appeal came into the college to receive the cheque donation from the Student Union.

It was initially a member of the college charity group, Gemma Goldsack, who came up with the idea of raising money for the baby care unit. This then led to the Student Union implementing a fundraising campaign during 'Summer Fest', an annual outdoor music festival that takes place at the college each July. The union spent the day carrying donation buckets around the festival, actively encouraging fellow students to join the campaign. A number of students knew of someone who has benefited from the incredible job that the Special Care Baby Unit does, so the appeal had a lot of support.

This is not the first time that St Brendan's students have supported Bristol Hospitals though. Earlier in the year, Chris Bowen produced and sold a music CD featuring college bands, with the proceeds going to the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre.

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Children in Need Week at St Brendan's

November 2007

All through the week beginning Monday 12th November, St Brendan's Sixth Form Students raised money for Children in Need through a series of wacky and fun events. Each year Children in Need is always a highlight on the student calendar as it provides the chance for everyone in the college to join together and raise some much needed money for those who are less fortunate.

This time around, the Student Union was determined to create a really great fundraising campaign. To achieve this, the Student Union decided to organise a series of events schedule each day that would hopefully capture the imagination of the college.

The week kicked off on Monday with the Student Union Vice President being sponsored to eat 30, yes 30! doughnuts in front of a packed auditorium. On Tuesday, it was then the turn of the Student Union President who had a sponsored head shave. By Wednesday Children in Need fever was in full flow throughout the college. As well as being Bring Your Teddy to College day, which is always a popular event, three brave, young men also put themselves forward to have their legs waxed. On Thursday the college auditorium played host to a rugby player auction, where students bid for the company of a college rugby player for the day. This proved to be an especially popular event with some players being sold for up to thirty pounds.

The week culminated on Friday 16th November, Children in Need day, with fancy dress and a range of crazy outfits being sported throughout the college, from Spiderman to the Smurfs. Then in the afternoon, a Battle of the Bands competition took place in the auditorium, the event being judged by an illustrious panel of staff that included Principal Derek Bodey and the winning act was an R'n'B girl group called Pammi and Co. The amount of money raised by the college was over £1000 and the whole week was an overwhelming success, so much so that students are already eagerly anticipating next years event.

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St Brendan's Hosts Collegiate Art Exhibition

October 2007

During the week commencing Monday 15th October, St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington exhibited collegiate artwork from a number of schools in the Bristol and Bath area. GCSE and A Level pieces from St Bede's, St Bernadette's, St Gregory's, St Marks and St Ursula's were showcased in the college auditorium for a week where they were viewed by students, staff and visitors to the college.

The exhibition covered a variety of themes that included the Environment and Identity and was very well received. The exhibition also provided a backdrop for the presentations which Principal Derek Bodey gave at the college open evenings on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th October. This enabled the art work to be seen by many current students of the various collegiate schools, as well as a number of potential students to St Brendan's.

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Politics Student Plans 'Burma' Protest in Bristol City Centre

October 2007

James Green is a young man appalled by the present situation in Burma and actively attempting to raise the profile of this horrific crisis and hopefully, in the process, force our government to take more constructive action. James is currently studying at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, taking AS Levels in Politics, Philosophy, History and Geography, yet he is determined for his voice to be heard and has organised some immediate action in the form of a protest in the Bristol City Centre on Sunday 28th October.

Last month, monks in Burma led pro-democracy protests against the military regime. The regime retaliated and 10 people were killed and 2,100 arrested, however foreign diplomats and analysts fear these statistics may be much higher. A UN statement has publicly condemned the military response and Gordon Brown has remarked that We cannot forget TV images of protests or the death and human rights abuses still occurring.

The aim of the protest, which involves the signing of a petition, is to achieve two things. Firstly, it is to raise awareness about what James regards as a bloody, corrupt, and overly authoritarian regime. He feels very strongly about the right to protest peacefully, something that is being brutally disregarded in Burma. The ability to report the crisis in Burma itself is appalling; a Japanese journalist recently entering the region, attempting to raise awareness of the current situation, was killed for doing so. Consequently, the predicament in Burma (similar to that in Zimbabwe) does not get as much air or print time in the British media, compared to something like Iraq or Afghanistan. This is something that James hopes the protest will address.

Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, James hopes the public pressure and the signing of a petition may force the government to consider imposing economic sanctions on Burma which could have an enormous effect on the situation there. Maybe if enough pressure is placed on the government the idea of sending peace troops to the region may also become an issue.

To advertise the protest thus far James has put up a number of posters in and around the college, as well as announcing the event over the college Tannoy system. He also secured permission from the police and council for the protest to go ahead as well as press coverage to raise the profile of the protest further.

More information on the crisis in Burma on the BBC news website.

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In the Pink

October 2007

Environmental students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College went from green to pink today in a competition to be the 'pinkest pink' in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. The Wear It Pink day came early due to the half term holiday, but, not to be put off, students at the college joined in fundraising activities contributing £627 to this worthy cause.

Dedicated to making an impact, as always, the St Brendan's rugby team, who normally play in a sober black and white, made a special effort by arriving as pink fairies complete with fairy wings, tutus and tights. In a fun-packed day the pink fairies, tackled smokers and offered kisses in exchange for a donation, whilst the Urban Queens, part of a dance group of the same name, brought some beauty to the whole occasion.

Anne Donaghey, Student Liaison Officer at the college was surprised at the amount the students managed to raise:

"Everyone wholeheartedly supported the Wear It Pink day, some people even having special t-shirts printed. I would encourage everyone to take part; it can be really good fun as we proved, but it can also raise awareness and funds for vital research."

Students at the college regularly support charity fundraising and have this year contributed funds to Comic Relief, the Bristol Oncology Unit, the Special Care Baby Unit, CLIC Sargent, Asthma awareness, the Blind Children's Society, Women of Zimbabwe, McMillan Cancer Care and World Aids. The Student Union is also making plans for a spectacular event for Children in Need.

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Not Just Hot Air! St Brendan's College to Launch Year Long Environmental Campaign for Bristol and Bath Schools

September 2007

On Thursday October 4th St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Bristol launches a momentous environmental audit that will hopefully see a number of schools in and around the city actively pursuing a greener lifestyle. The audit aims to promote environmental awareness regarding building design, purchasing decisions and curriculum.

It is the second event in the Sound of Many Waters' year of Catholic environmental activism, the first being a celebratory Mass at Clifton Cathedral on 29th September. The Sound of Many Waters concept was created by inspirational BBC nature producer Mary Colwell and the Bath-based international charity The Alliance of Religions and Conservations (ARC), with the aim of promoting environmental issues through the voice of the Catholic Church. The campaign comes at the end of a major month of environmental statements by the Pope, unprecedented in the history of the Church.

This noteworthy launch will take place in the college auditorium at midday on Thursday where there will also be appearances from the presenter of BBC's television show Coast, Miranda Krestovnikoff, Bishop Declan Lang of the Clifton Diocese and the environmental Bishop of England and Wales. There will also be students following environmental courses at St Brendan's attending the event as well as student and teacher representatives from a number of schools across Bristol and Bath.

St Brendan's was an obvious point to launch this process as it is not only a Catholic institution, but also a college that regularly promotes environmental messages. This was highlighted by the green credentials of new building work currently taking place at the college. Principal Derek Bodey has stated that:

"The building has been carefully designed with the environment in mind and will utilise the earth's natural resources such as sunlight and rainwater. Also incorporated in the design is an intelligent system to minimise carbon emissions. This new facility will meet the needs of students well into the future."

Martin Palmer from ARC has added:

"The legend of St Brendan is that he set off on a journey in the fifth century not knowing where he was going and discovered the Land of Promise, which some have even named as the mainland of America. He also learned many astonishing details about foreign plants and animals. In the spirit of their own Saint the staff and students of St Brendan's are inviting us today to discover new possibilities and to really see - and help - the wonders of nature that lie all about."

The programme for the event on Thursday begins with guests entering the auditorium to environmentally inspired songs composed by students at St Brendan's. Bishop Declan and Mary Colwell will open by delivering a schools audit, gifted by Bishop Chris Toohey, Australia's 'Green Bishop'. Mary will then show a short film about climate change before giving a talk about what has inspired her to start this crusade. Miranda Krestovnikoff will also show clips from Coast before informing students about the background of making that series.

To conclude proceedings a representative from each school attending will be invited to sign up to the environmental audit, in doing so actively supporting this important event. Crucially the audit process will result in a website and audit pack which can be downloaded and used by any school in the country, hopefully making the call for a greener lifestyle heard nationally, not just here in Bristol and Bath.

For more information on the The Sound of Many Waters and all the other environmental events they have scheduled for the coming year, please refer to the Sound of Many Waters website.

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Girl Band Passes the Test

September 2007

Girl-band The Colliding Lemons have shown themselves capable of performing under the pressure of public examinations every bit as well as they do under the pressure of performing live on-stage. The girls - Sophie Hiscox (bass guitar), Lucy Hiscox (lead guitar), Mel Mackay (vocals), Jen Barrett (drums) and Jenny Skuse (rhythm guitar & vocals) - were all students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College and four of them (Sophie, Lucy, Mel and Jen) completed their A Levels in August and achieved a massive 16 passes, 14 of them A grade passes, between them. Jenny left a year earlier and is now working at her new career.

Although each holds a university place, the girls intend to defer until next year and take a 'gap' to concentrate on the band. The band, which formed 15 months ago, has been building a reputation on the local pubs and clubs circuit.

The band identify numerous influences which each of the members have brought with them including the likes of Blondie, The Pixies, The Donnas, etc. There are also elements of various aspects of girl groups from down the ages from the likes of The Modettes and the girl sounds of the sixties.

"The Colliding Lemons' music has a simple-yet-rough edge, an enticing energy and what's more they look the part and aren't afraid to send their vocals through a distortion pedal. What more could you ask from an all-girl band?"

- Andrew Morrison, Dandelion Radio.

But the band says,

"Our songs are so different from each other that it is hard to categorise our sound. Some are rock, others more pop, and some are even quite punky!"

They were recently part of the Bristol Lady Fest which took part at various venues across Bristol and is a diverse festival representing a wide selection of women's creativity including art exhibitions, club nights, gigs, workshops, films, theatre and spoken word events. The Lemons played with The Mentalists, Manic Cough and The Panthergirls Dance Troupe at The Louisiana, Wapping Road. They believe that The Mentalists are the best band they have supported and aspire, like them, to sign a record contract and release their first single.

More gigs are arranged, the next one being at The Cooler on Park Street.

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Peace One Day

September 2007

That is the aim of the UN resolution (A/Res/55/282), in which member states formally established an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence known as the UN International Day of Peace. That day was the 21st September and to commemorate the occasion, St Brendan's Sixth Form students joined the crusade by adding their own thoughts to brightly coloured paper and making a peace chain.

All students had the opportunity to become involved but it was the Justice and Peace group that came up with the idea. The group feels strongly about the causes that they are involved with and hope that their chain of peace will raise the profile of this day and add to the millions of voices world wide also throwing their weight behind this momentous occasion.

Messages on the chain include:

"I wish for peace in every home and for the conflicts in the middle east to stop. I want to end all harm and bring harmony, gently to this world."
"Whatever backgrounds we are from we must have tolerance and respect for others. Political leaders should have a heart for their people, planet and country."

Our young people want peace one day and are certainly not afraid to voice it. UN secretary Ban Ki-moon has stated that:

"Peace is the United Nations' highest calling. It defines our mission. It drives our discourse."

Students at St Brendan's are hopeful that they can help put this message across and are eager to encourage others join them, as one student stated:

"Just one more voice could make the difference."

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500th Thank You Sign

September 2007

On 20th September Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East, unveiled the 500th sign thanking people for not driving in Bristol. The sign, one of several installed at St Brendan's College, will encourage students staff and visitors to think again before using their car. It was European in Town Without my Car! day on 22 September and Bristol City Council acknowledged the 70,000 plus people who contribute to keeping the city moving by travelling to work on foot, on public transport, by bike or by car sharing.

The Thank You for Not Driving campaign recognises that even if just half of these people opted to drive, congestion and air quality would substantially worsen. Indeed, it has been calculated that these 70,000 non-drivers are saving up to 10,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year and are doing their bit to reduce the impact of global warming. There is a large number of students and staff at St Brendan's who already cycle, walk and car share to the college and this sign acknowledges the part they play in reducing congestion and global warming. St Brendan's students joined Kerry at the sign unveiling, the aim being to raise awareness about the scheme, hopefully encouraging even more students and staff to join it.

Bristol City Council is also using the campaign to promote the health benefits of ditching the car in favour of alternative modes of transport. Replacing just two or three car trips each week with walking, cycling or public transport can offer a real health boost and help safeguard our environment.

Pete Taylor of The Switch Off Campaign said:

"We are all aware of the health problems associated with poor air quality. It is good to see the council supporting this campaign which is a step in the right direction."

More information on Air Quality in Bristol on the Bristol Council website.

The photograph shows the 500th sign in place at St Brendan's.

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A Level Results

September 2007

Students and staff at St Brendan's Sixth Form College are celebrating continued improvement with this year's record A and AS level results; virtually every aspect of the College's performance has shown an improvement.

Starting with a rise in the number of individual students achieving A grades, which was helped by the eleven students, Sophie Hiscox, Nina Joyce, Francesco Kor, Elizabeth Loughran, Melissa MacKay, Chris Neil, Chris Rastall, Naomi Petela, Grace Simpson, Thomas Havers and Mebin Joseph who all achieved a total of four A grade passes in their A levels. Elissa O'Connell, John Budd and Megan Jones gained three As, with two ASs (in UCAS points this gives an equivalence to four As), with many others gaining Distinctions in their BTECs (vocational subjects equivalent to A levels). The overall pass rate of more than 98%, the number of students who achieved As (21%), those who achieved A-B (45% - up 12% on last year) and those with A-C grades (73%) were all an improvement on last year's performance. Over 60% of the A level courses achieved a 100% pass for all their students. None of this data includes the Distinctions, Merits and Passes gained in BTEC exams.

AS results show a similar improvement with a pass rate in excess of 90%, this level of examination is normally taken by students in the lower sixth and bodes well for future successes.

It is difficult to single out individual subject performances but in a country that tends to under-perform in Mathematics, it is of particular pleasure to highlight the 38 As and 20 Bs in A level Mathematics and an overall pass rate of 98%

It is similarly difficult to comment on notable personal achievements among this year's A level results but we are sure that the following should be included:

Theo Jamieson was one of the top 5 students out of nearly 10,000 candidates in the country to study Media Studies. Theo was holidaying in New York and was oblivious to his success until later in the afternoon – when his Mum broke the news - due to the time difference.

Uma Kangai is also congratulated for her success in Law, after receiving a prize for the Best Law Student last year from the University of the West of England; her A level result puts her in the top 5 students in the country, out of 7,500 candidates in Law.

Dan Bruton who gained two As in History and English Language and Literature plus two Bs in French and Politics and has secured a scholarship at Cranwell RAF College to fulfil his dream of flying.

Nick Blake, who won an LSC award for Student of the Year in 2005 and who received his award from the Lord Mayor of Bristol, has built upon his success in school to achieve two As in Religious Studies and English Language and Literature plus a B in Music Technology. Nick has special educational needs but has always set himself high academic goals. Nick will now fulfil his aim of going to university later this year.

One of the stars of the Musical Theatre course, Tom Eason, gained a Distinction in that subject and a distinction in BTEC Music Performance alongside his A level Dance and AS English Language. His career in the theatre is already moving forward since he has taken his exams - he is not only appearing in the Wizard of Oz at the Bristol Hippodrome later in the year but will also be directing Calamity Jane at the Redgrave Theatre, quite a feat for someone of his age.

Two years ago Rosie Mogg, took on the challenge of three art-based subjects which is a heavy workload for anyone. She has managed to overcome several medical operations in her final year to complete her courses and achieve a B in Fine Art together with two Cs in Graphic Design and Textiles. Rosie will be taking a gap year this year as three more operations are scheduled but is looking forward to moving on to university in 2008.

It has been a nerve racking time for nearly 600 upper sixth and 700 lower sixth students who between them were involved in almost 4,000 subject entries at A level and AS level. Most were relieved to find that they had the results they had anticipated or better.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the College, said:

"Today is about our students and we are delighted that they have achieved what they set out to do. Of course we pride ourselves that we have helped along the way by providing high quality teaching and support, but it is a tribute to the hard work of our young people that we are celebrating. Since my arrival here four years ago, I have tried to modify the curriculum giving the students greater choice, one to suit their individual needs. To see the results improve year on year in that time indicates that we are getting such decisions right."

Combined A Level Results

Combined A level Results - Summer 2007
Subject A B C E D TOTAL %A-B %A-E
Ancient History (OCR) 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.00 100.00
Art and Design (OCR) 10 18 25 8 2 64 43.75 98.44
Art and Design (Graphics) (OCR) 1 1 4 2 0 8 25.00 100.00
Art History (OCR) 2 1 0 0 0 3 100.00 100.00
Biology (AQA) 15 20 21 15 4 79 44.30 94.94
Business Studies (AQA) 16 16 22 9 3 67 47.76 98.51
Chemistry (AQA) 16 9 20 5 3 53 47.17 100.00
Classical Civilisation (OCR) 0 2 1 0 0 3 66.67 100.00
Communications Studies (AQA) 6 7 3 2 0 18 72.22 100.00
Computer Studies (AQA) 2 6 6 2 3 19 42.11 100.00
Critical Thinking (OCR) 1 0 0 0 0 1 100.00 100.00
Dance (AQA) 2 0 1 4 8 17 11.76 88.24
Economics (AQA) 4 8 7 3 0 22 54.55 100.00
English Language (AQA) 4 8 12 7 3 34 35.29 100.00
English Language and Lit (AQA) 20 17 28 13 0 78 47.44 100.00
English Literature (AQA) 10 11 11 7 0 39 53.85 100.00
Environmental Science (AQA) 0 2 1 1 0 5 40.00 80.00
Film Studies (WJEC) 7 4 6 1 0 18 61.11 100.00
French (AQA) 4 14 8 5 3 35 51.43 97.14
Further Maths (EDEXCEL) 4 2 2 3 1 13 46.15 92.31
Geography (AQA) 13 11 11 5 4 44 54.55 100.00
German (AQA) 3 4 0 5 3 15 46.67 100.00
Graphics (EDEXCEL) 4 4 11 4 2 27 29.63 92.59
History (EDEXCEL) 15 14 12 15 4 63 46.03 95.24
I.C.T. Applied Single (EDEXCEL) 0 3 7 11 9 36 8.33 83.33
I.C.T. Applied Double (EDEXCEL) 0 2 2 8 4 16 12.50 100.00
Italian (EDEXCEL) 0 0 3 0 0 3 0.00 100.00
Law (AQA) 20 21 19 9 5 76 53.95 97.37
Mathematics (EDEXCEL) 38 20 17 12 8 97 59.79 97.84
Media Studies (AQA) 19 21 22 1 0 63 63.49 100.00
Music (EDEXCEL) 3 1 1 3 0 8 50.00 100.00
Music Technology (EDEXCEL) 2 5 7 11 2 28 25.00 96.43
Philosophy (AQA) 3 3 8 2 1 18 33.33 94.44
Photography (OCR) 3 23 24 13 4 68 38.24 98.53
Physics (AQA) 11 8 11 4 8 44 43.18 95.45
Polish (AQA) 1 0 0 0 0 1 100.00 100.00
Politics (OCR) 1 4 4 1 0 10 50.00 100.00
Product Design (AQA) 3 7 4 6 6 27 37.04 96.30
Psychology (AQA) 13 16 15 13 10 67 43.28 100.00
Russian 1 0 0 0 0 1 100.00 100.00
Sociology (AQA) 9 14 9 2 0 34 67.65 100.00
Spanish (AQA) 3 2 4 1 0 10 50.00 100.00
Sports Studies (AQA) 8 5 5 8 6 32 56.25 100.00
Textiles and Fashion (OCR) 4 3 9 4 1 21 76.19 100.00
Theatre Studies (EDEXCEL) 0 6 17 13 6 42 14.29 100.00
Theology (EDEXCEL) 2 0 1 1 1 5 40.00 100.00
Travel and Tourism (EDEXCEL) 0 0 2 4 4 10 0.00 100.00
OVERALL TOTALS 303 343 403 244 118 1443 44.77 97.78

Advanced Subsidiary level Results

Advanced Subsidiary level Results - June 2007
Subject A B C D E TOTAL %A-B %A-E
Ancient History (OCR) 0 0 0 3 2 10 0.00 50.00
Art and Design (OCR) 10 20 19 10 10 72 41.67 95.83
Art (Graphics) (OCR) 4 8 11 6 4 35 34.29 94.29
Art History (OCR) 3 4 2 0 0 9 77.78 100.00
Biology (AQA) 30 22 12 13 13 98 53.06 91.84
Business Studies (AQA) 12 17 24 28 20 117 24.79 86.32
Chemistry (AQA) 16 17 7 8 4 55 60.00 94.55
Classical Civilisation (OCR) 0 1 0 1 2 7 14.29 57.14
Communications Studies (AQA) 3 10 15 6 7 41 31.71 100.00
Computer Studies (AQA) 4 3 7 3 5 30 23.33 73.33
Critical Thinking (OCR) 8 11 28 23 5 82 23.17 91.46
Dance (AQA) 1 1 3 4 4 18 11.11 72.22
Economics (AQA) 5 6 6 7 9 35 48.57 94.29
English Language (AQA) 3 5 20 22 15 66 12.12 98.48
English Language and Lit (AQA) 18 24 29 9 2 86 48.84 95.35
English Literature (AQA) 12 14 14 8 9 62 41.94 91.94
Environmental Science (AQA) 3 4 6 3 5 24 29.17 87.50
Film Studies (WJEC) 5 16 22 7 2 52 40.38 100.00
French (AQA) 2 7 6 8 2 28 32.14 89.29
Further Maths (EDEXCEL) 6 2 4 0 1 13 61.54 100.00
Geography (AQA) 9 11 17 14 14 74 27.03 87.84
German (AQA) 2 4 3 3 0 13 46.15 92.31
Graphics (EDEXCEL) 1 7 4 12 9 43 18.60 76.74
Health & Social Care (EDEXCEL) 4 4 13 10 5 42 19.05 85.71
History (EDEXCEL) 11 21 27 18 8 96 33.33 88.54
I.C.T. Applied Single (EDEXCEL) 3 9 21 21 15 80 15.00 86.25
I.C.T. Applied Double (EDEXCEL) 0 0 1 6 3 10 0.00 100.00
Law (AQA) 10 11 20 15 13 95 22.11 72.63
Mathematics (EDEXCEL) 36 20 13 17 13 112 50.00 88.39
Media Studies (AQA) 11 34 36 20 3 108 41.67 96.30
Music (EDEXCEL) 3 4 2 3 1 13 53.85 100.00
Music Technology (EDEXCEL) 7 15 9 0 0 31 70.97 100.00
Philosophy (AQA) 3 4 6 5 6 27 25.93 88.89
Photography (OCR) 8 29 32 35 6 113 32.74 97.35
Physics (AQA) 10 5 9 7 8 47 31.91 82.98
Polish (AQA) 1 1 0 0 0 2 100.00 100.00
Politics (OCR) 1 4 4 6 4 21 23.81 90.48
Product Design (AQA) (Fashion) 2 6 6 5 2 23 34.78 91.30
Psychology (AQA) 11 25 37 25 22 137 26.28 87.59
Russian 2 0 0 0 0 2 100.00 100.00
Sociology (AQA) 13 19 21 16 15 93 34.41 90.32
Spanish (AQA) 0 5 2 0 0 7 71.43 100.00
Sports Studies (AQA) 7 7 15 21 13 68 20.59 92.65
Textiles and Fashion (OCR) 4 10 14 4 4 36 38.89 100.00
Theatre Studies (EDEXCEL) 4 2 27 16 16 68 8.82 95.59
Theology (EDEXCEL) 6 6 1 2 1 16 75.00 100.00
Travel & Tourism (EDEXCEL) 0 0 1 2 12 22 0.00 68.18
OVERALL TOTALS 314 455 576 452 314 2339 32.88 90.25

BTEC Level 3 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 3 - Summer 2007
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
Business National Award 2 4 2 8
Business National Certificate 2 4 2 8
Music Practice (Performing) National Award 11 5 2 18
Applied Science National Award 2 2 1 5
Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) National Award 2 5 5 12

BTEC Level 2 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 2 - Summer 2007
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
Business First Diploma 1 15 7 23
Music First Certificate 1 4 1 6
Sport (Exercise & Fitness) First Diploma 2 5 4 11
Health and Social Care First Certificate - 1 - 1
Health and Social Care First Diploma 3 10 - 13
Performing Arts (Production) First Certificate 2 2 1 5
Public Services First Diploma 1 3 15 19
Art and Design First Diploma 3 7 6 16

BTEC Level 1 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 1 - Summer 2007
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
IT @ work 10 - - 10

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Fabi Honoured With Princess Diana Award

September 2007

Fabiola Sica, 18, from Clevedon has been awarded The Diana Memorial Award for overcoming and surpassing the challenges she has set herself. Fabi, a student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, was nominated by the College in the category 'Showing outstanding qualities in overcoming adverse circumstances'. She has succeeded with her A level studies and has been offered a place at university reading Biomedical Sciences. Fabi has balanced her studies with caring for her mother and grandmother, working to help pay her way through College, charity work, acting as a Student Ambassador and being a member of the ATC.

Before Fabi's January A level exams, her mother became ill and was taken into hospital, her grandmother suffered a number of strokes and needed basic care – feeding, washing etc – which Fabi provided.

Fabi's mother said:

"She's a good girl and was so helpful at what was a very difficult time for all of us. We're so pleased that she was chosen to receive this award."

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, says of the award:

"The Diana Memorial Award for Young People celebrates the fantastic achievements of ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Through their activities they display all the values that we should all aspire to – valour, compassion, imagination, teamwork, sacrifice, public spirit and private endeavour in equal measures."

The award is UK wide open to 12 – 18 year olds designed to recognise the contribution and impact on their schools, communities and society. The Diana Award fulfils the requirement of Every Child Matters and promotes two main essential ingredients that are essential to life – Celebration and Encouragement.

Fabi returned to College for a third year's study to boost her grades and secure her university place. During her time at St Brendan's, she chose to become a Student Ambassador, speaking to younger school students about career choices at 16. She also played an active role with charity fundraising - she was a major player in Tomatina on Red Nose day. Tomatina is a Spanish festival where opposing teams compete by throwing over-ripe tomatoes at each other – she was covered!

Outside College she is a member of the Air Training Corps where younger members have benefited from her excellent example and leadership.

Louise Arthur, Commanding Officer:

"Fabiola Sica joined 1446 Clevedon Squadron of the Air Training Corps at the end of 2002. She was very dependable, being ever present to represent the Squadron in as many events as she could - Remembrance Sunday parades, church services and representing the Squadron in sports trials. Also there was the fund-raising side of things to raise money for equipment and resources - bag-packing at Tesco and assisting at the Woodspring Wings model aircraft shows. In working her way up through the Cadet ranks to the level of Cadet Flight Sergeant, Fabi became responsible for organising the cadets on a nightly basis, as well as instructing the cadets in some of the aeronautical subjects she had studied for herself. These can include subjects like map reading, principles of flight, airmanship and propulsion. In the time she was with us, Fabi completed all four levels and gained her Staff cadet yellow lanyard as the mark of her achievements. On top of all this, Fabi also found the time to achieve her BTEC in Public Services. She completed the workbook on her own, researching the skills and fitness required for the public services and completing a CV to join them. Fabi achieved a Pass Grade and is to be commended for doing so. It is therefore lovely to hear that she has also been awarded this Princess Diana Memorial Award. The staff and remaining cadets at 1446 Clevedon Squadron wish Fabiola all the best and look forward to welcoming her back here as a member of staff someday soon!"

Fabi is a selfless, caring young lady with an infectious, bubbly and enthusiastic approach to life who thoroughly deserves her award.

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The Best

September 2007

St Brendan's College students on Creative Arts Faculty courses were proud to display the very best of their coursework at the recent Arts Exhibition. Students studying Art, Art Graphics, Fashion, Textiles and Photography were invited to show their work – an invitation was necessary because of the large numbers currently on these courses and not everybody was asked! In years gone by, the exhibition was originally part of the exam boards' need to assess students' coursework. Recently this has not been necessary for the examiners, but essential as part of College tradition and expected by staff, students, parents and guests.

A visual feast was on offer - excellent work was displayed by students on BTEC, AS level and A level courses in Art and Design, Fine Art, Graphics, Photography, Fashion and Textiles. As always, national examiners have been very impressed by the standard of all of the work and some visitors are often surprised to find that it is not degree work that is on show.

One visitor commented:

"The variety of art work that is on offer is amazing, we have been seriously overwhelmed by what we have seen. These students are obviously very talented. What has struck me most is that there is something for everyone to enjoy."

Kim Adlem, Head of Creative Arts says:

"The trouble is now that we have so much work that is worth exhibiting, it is too difficult for us to choose and so the students select the work that they wish to display."

Some of the paintings at the exhibition have already been sold to visitors, offering a promising career to some. Many of the students exhibiting in this exhibition will be going to university or to other colleges to further their art.

The photographs show a selection of the many exhibits.

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A Sporting Challenge

July 2007

The first Bristol and Bath Catholic Collegiate Pentathlon took place on Thursday 5th July despite the threat of bad weather. The teams from Bristol School St Bede's and Bath schools St Mark's and St Gregory's fought to win the crystal trophy and become the Pentathlon Champions 2007. The event was organised by three St Brendan's College students as part of their Higher Sports Leaders Award.

The three schools brought teams of year 9 students to St Brendan's to take part in football, netball, mixed tag rugby, orienteering and chess. These activities were followed in the afternoon by athletics and ended in a not-so-serious teachers three-legged race.

St Gregory's Catholic College, Bath became the Pentathlon Champions for 2007 beating St Bede's, Bristol by only 5 points overall. The trophy was collected by the Captain of the St Gregory's team.

One of the organisers noted:

"I think the day has gone really well. Everyone that came had a good time and enjoyed being part of it. We had a good time as well."

For some it was the first time they had ever taken part in anything like this and most of the girls hadn't taken part in rugby before.

Derek Bodey, Principal of St Brendan's Sixth Form College, says:

"It is always a great event when the Collegiate schools come together and a sporting challenge is an excellent way to achieve this. It was particularly pleasing to hear all the young people cheering on their teams and being proud of their schools."

The Photograph shows the winning team: St Gregory's Catholic College.

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St Brendan's Sixth Form College Joins National Green Colleges Launch

June 2007

St Brendan's is part of a new national initiative launched today which aims to showcase green education and help encourage sustainable development.

The launch is marked with a survey of further education published by the Association of Colleges on 21 June which shows:

  • 70% of colleges have undertaken an energy survey and another 19% plan to do so.
  • 77% of colleges encourage staff and students to travel 'green'.
  • 58% of colleges have an environmental energy policy and a further 36% intend to adopt one.

St Brendan's has paper, ink cartridges and plastic bottle recycling already in place, the college had entered into partnership with the Carobon Trust to reduce the College's carbon emissions by 8% per student and an overall College reduction of 2% by 2010. In conjunction with the Carbon Trust, an energy survey has been completed and savings have already been made in reducing the amount of electricity and gas consumed by the College.

More exciting are the plans for St Brendan's to be re-built. These new buildings will have sustainable technologies incorporated in them that, in turn, will reduce carbon emissions. These include ground source heating, solar energy generation, automatic buildings that control themselves, natural ventilation to avoid the need for air conditioning and automatic close down of PCs at night.

In addition the College is promoting cycling and walking to College (provision of secure storage and devising a cycle to work scheme for staff) and promoting public transport (discounted tickets for students and interest free loans for staff).

The College energy management policy will also drive forward further sustainable issues through the monitoring and metering of energy usage.

Derek Bodey, Principal, said:

"It is vital that our new buildings have a much smaller carbon footprint than the ones they are replacing. Our students know about this need and we must educate them about their futures and the need to take care of the environment."

Over 150 colleges completed the new survey. Colleges are also urging the Learning and Skills Council, which has recently invested significantly in new buildings, to offer further assistance; 84% of colleges would like the LSC to set up a fund for green projects costing under £100,000.

Tim Smit, Eden Project co-founder, is backing the Green Colleges initiative. He said:

"Our centres of learning have, for many years, been quietly going about the business of academia, but now is the time for them to become activist in turning statements of optimistic vision into action so that we, the new battalions in the war on the careless destruction of our only home planet, can get behind them."

Dr John Brennan, AoC Chief Executive, said:

"Colleges are playing a critical role in developing environmental curricula to equip young people and adults with specialist skills and knowledge. Many others are already delivering on the environmental agenda by, for example, incorporating innovative, sustainable features in new buildings, introducing recycling stations or implementing greener transport policies."
"But more can always be done which is why AoC is working to showcase college best practice to exemplify that sustainability is achievable and to help colleges access the advice, guidance and funding that is available to support sustainable development."

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It Was a Thoroughly Good Night Out

March 2007

There have been some thoroughly excited students this week at St Brendan's Sixth Form College where the musical students have just completed a thoroughly successful run of the hit musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie. People had to be turned away as tickets sold out for the final performance on Friday when word got around about what an entertaining evening it was.

The comedy show, set in New York, featured first and second year students in the lead roles, with Kate Aicardi as Millie Dilmont, Tom Eason as Jimmy, Keeley Harrison as Miss Dorothy and Josh Pugsley as Mr Trevor Graydon, all of whom are seasoned actors taking part in other productions such as Les Miserables and Bugsy Malone with Nexus International Performing Arts Youth and Bristol Old Vic.

Another outstanding character was that of the evil Mrs Meers, played by Hannah Richards, who injected the dark side of the white slave trade into the show and the memorable line "It's sad to be all alone in the world."

The show has been beset by health problems with many of the cast suffering from colds. One in particular, Michaela Abrahams, was to play the famous singing star Muzzy, but had to be re-cast when she lost her voice and was unable to talk let alone sing.

Producer, Emma Kennet, is very proud of the young people on this course and says "They have all worked very hard to make this production come together, it seemed at times like it was extremely hard work but I nearly cried with joy when I saw how fantastic they all were on the night."

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Anniversary Visit

March 2007

Students from the Das Niedersaechsische Internatsgymnasium (NIG for short) were visiting Bristol this week to find out more about the British way of life with students of a similar age. St Brendan's students played host for the 10th year running when students from the small grammar school in Bad Harzburg, Lower Saxony paid a return visit in an exchange which was first started by Reinhard Kulmann of NIG and Julia Bevan of St Brendan's.

A presentation of Bristol Blue Glass was made by Principal Derek Bodey to mark the occasion as part of their welcome. The party continued with a rendition of Happy Birthday for an embarrassed Hanna, a visiting student, who turned 19.

The exchange is a popular addition to the college calendar when A Level German students visit the small mountain town of Bad Harzburg each November. The 'culture shock' for the German students, whose home is a picturesque spa town in the Harz mountains, is a visit to the bustling cities of Bristol and Bath.

Julia, a language teacher at St Brendan's who arranges the visits, says "Of course we are always pleased to see our visitors from Germany, but this year has been extra special. It will be sad when they have to leave to go home to Germany but I'm sure that the students will keep in contact with each other."

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A Taste of Spain for Red Nose

March 2007

A taste of Spain came to St Brendan's Sixth Form College for Red Nose Day when students organised a Tomatina to raise money. The Tomatina is a famous festival in Spain which involves hundreds of people throwing tomatoes at each other. St Brendan's Tomatina was on a much smaller scale, but remained incredibly good fun for those who took part.

Unfortunately, in Spain, there is no concept of the waste of good food where tomatoes grow in plenty, but in this country, and particularly at St Brendan's, it was felt that we could only use tomatoes that had gone past their sell by date. In fact softer tomatoes made for a better impact. Members of the charity group spent time sourcing tomatoes and are very grateful to Jon Evans and Tesco's for donating tomatoes in order to raise money for Comic Relief.

For those who took part it was a very messy affair, but they had good fun chasing each other around the college fields, one or two stray tomatoes making their way towards the crowd which raised a few screams.

Other events were scheduled for Red Nose day including dressing up 70s style and a giant football game - after all it is the big one!

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Collegiate Musical Showcase

March 2007

The Bristol and Bath Catholic Collegiate is getting together for the annual Musical Showcase. GCSE students in Bath schools, St Gregory's and St Mark's and Bristol schools, St Bernadette, St Bede's and St Ursula's will join AS/A level students from St Brendan's to perform examination pieces in front of a public audience. It promises to be an exciting event with music to suit a variety of tastes from classical pieces through rock and pop to modern day including of course student's original composition work.

This Musical Showcase will take place on Wednesday 25th April starting at 7.00pm. If you would like to reserve seats, please telephone Christine Hayward on 0117 903 6677.

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Hot Fuzz

March 2007

Everyone is talking about the new film Hot Fuzz and that includes the students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College who now have a rising star in their midst, Josh Duffy. This young man who, is also a member of the Bristol Old Vic Drama School, landed the role of 'an underage drinker' in this popular film. Fifty members of the Old Vic Drama School were auditioned and Josh secured the role along with two of his contemporaries from the school.

The pub scene that Josh appeared in was actually filmed in London and Wells with Wells becoming the fictional village of Sandford for the movie. Although the filming was over two days the scene only lasts about 30 seconds with some of Josh's lines ending up on the cutting room floor. The three young men from Bristol didn't actually know what they would be doing in the film until they arrived on the shoot. They were then briefed by the Director, Edgar Wright, who also directed Shaun of the Dead. "There was a lot of hanging around in trailers," says Josh, "but it was very exciting and once actually on set it was really interesting, with all the lighting and sound guys running about."

The London Premier was also exciting. This was Josh's first experience of the Red Carpet or, in this case, blue in keeping with the police theme. He thought he must have been the first unknown to walk down the carpet that night; certainly the fans were more interested in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but he was quite happy and happier still with his free drink and popcorn.

Josh has his future mapped out, first a journalism course at university followed by drama school. "I will be first at the auditions if I get the chance again," says Josh. "But I know that it can be difficult to find work so getting a journalism degree will not be wasted."

Josh is taking Drama and Theatre Studies, ICT, English Literature and Language and Communication Studies at St Brendan's Sixth Form College.

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TBC Make a Presentation

February 2007

It was a great moment last week as the members of TBC realised their aim to make a difference to people using the Bristol Oncology Unit. The band decided to raise money for the centre after members saw a friend suffering with cancer and noted the great job the unit does for its patients. The idea was simple: produce and sell a compilation CD sourcing the tracks from bands at, or associated with, St Brendan's Sixth Form College.

Nineteen bands signed up for the CD The Bands of Class '06 with Chris Bowen fronting the sale of the 'alternative Christmas album'. He serenaded the students, staff and passers-by in the college refectory, with the sweet sounds of Old Devil Moon, Star and KIDS from bands such as Nine Volt Moon, The Colliding Lemons, TBC and Flukestar.

All the hard work paid off as the band were invited by Andrew Monk, fundraiser for the Above and Beyond Appeal, to present their cheque for £300 to Bristol Oncology Centre officials. Andrew Monk expressed his real gratitude for their efforts and thanked them for the donation commenting that "Most people have been touched by cancer in their lives; it may be a relative, friend or indeed themselves. This personal experience makes the effort all the more relevant."

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The 'You Can' Entrepreneur

February 2007

His new business is built with the words 'you can', and this young certainly can. Since leaving St Brendan's Sixth Form College six months ago to take his gap year, travel a bit and earn some money ready for university, Tom Page has certainly made the most of it.

He will be meeting up with college friends in Peru to experience at least a small part of the gap year adventure. He will also undoubtedly be earning some money but he will not be going to Manchester University as planned. The reason is that he came up with a very good idea whilst getting soaked one morning on his way to work. The result is an internet business that is showing every sign of taking him into the big time.

Tom's website youcanpark.com promises, for a small commission to introduce people who need to park to people with a parking space, i.e. a driveway. An amazingly simple idea but one which has already proved to be very much in demand. The website was launched originally for the Bristol area but went national only a few weeks later with 300 emails in the first 48 hours. The plan is to go European next year, followed by America.

For a fledgling business Tom has already achieved amazing results; he has six staff working for him across three offices, one in Clifton, one in Avonmouth and surprisingly one in Dubai where apparently it is cheaper to run an office. He sells affiliated marketing for the site and has an SMS text messaging service, which all add to the 'income streams'. He also seems to have thought of everything and has covered all legal angles which include providing his clients with a damage pack for those occasions when things don't happen as planned.

So, is it really that easy to launch an internet business? Tom thinks that his age has been his biggest barrier. "Bank managers might think you have a great idea but they are unwilling to lend money to an eighteen year old." His parents provide lots of money advice as they work in accountancy and tax reconciliation but the business venture itself has been financed by a family friend - a record producer, who presumably has taken a risk or two in the past.

Tom has more ideas for the future and is already working on his youcancarshare website and plans to augment his youcanpark website by offering commercial parking at weekends and parking at football stadiums and churches during the week, in some cases providing much needed funds. He is also talking to the Woodland Trust to offset emissions by planting a tree for every ten parking spaces rented. He has been invited to speak to the Conservative Party and has already had discussions with the Green Party who encourage neighbourhood parking schemes. For most, he is just providing an easy solution to the very desperate problem of parking in and around major cities.

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Exciting times at St Brendan's

February 2007

Plans have been unveiled for massive improvements to the college to accommodate the huge growth seen at the college in recent years.

Each year the college has seen a consistent growth in numbers, squeezing the already stretched older site to its maximum. A dramatic solution was needed. The vision of expansion and development of the buildings and site has now become essential.

The college Principal has worked closely with Governors, staff, students, local councillors, community groups and the planning office to enable the Architects NVB to produce drawings which not only accommodate the needs of staff and students at St Brendan's, but also the community, with the new sports hall being opened up for public use. The buildings and surrounding site will incorporate environmentally sound features to create a pleasant and productive environment in which to study.

If passed, the planned new build will begin with the construction of a new multi-purpose Sports Hall with associated facilities including a dance studio on adjacent land with redevelopment of the entire site forming the second phase of development.

The college will stay open throughout the development, with a clear separation between the building site and the college, enabling current students to continue their studies with minimal disruption.

Funding for the development will come from the College itself and the Learning Skills Council.

Elevations and Plans for the new build:

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Pudsey Mayhem

December 2006

St Brendan's Sixth Form College embraced the Children in Need Appeal again this year. The race was on to beat last year's total with a range of activities and events throughout the week. Students and staff got involved with a different fund-raising activity every day to ensure there was something for everyone.

The week began with a raffle to win a Pudsey Bear and Tuesday saw the 'Bring your Teddy to College' day showing the soft side of everyone!

By the middle of the week the School Days theme saw students and staff dressed in school uniform, paying £1 for the pleasure. The College refectory staff also joined in the fun selling old-style 'Pre-Jamie Oliver' school dinners.

To work off those dinners, Thursday's mass aerobics brought together all levels of fitness for some fun and laughter as lots of people gave it a go, even if it was a bit tougher than we expected! It was great to see members of staff joining in with students, some of whom enjoyed it so much they signed up for the weekly aerobics enrichment class.

For the finale on 'Children in Need Friday' a two-hour extravaganza saw the students put on a variety show which featured rapping, saw-playing, a harmonica and beat box performance and songs from Cabaret and Wicked.

One teacher's passion for pirates was revealed when she suggested her class bribe her to be let off early; the more they paid the earlier they could leave the lesson (bribery and corruption, me hearties!). This kind of underhand behaviour continued as Law students emptied their pockets adding £24.30 to the swelling coffers.

One student raised over £20 selling DVDs from her performance at The Egg Theatre in Bath. Another single-handedly collected a whopping £210. A couple of bag ladies could also be found loitering with intent at the college entrance in the form of students begging for donations, in costume, I should add.

Security staff really entered into the spirit of the week; on fancy dress Friday one guard was the most convincing nun we have seen in a long time, even with the facial hair!

Students got down to a bit of good clean fun with two car-cleaning events on the drive making sixteen cars nice and shiny. A total of six hours' work at £4 a car; that's not bad!

This year's event has been a huge success seeing more students and staff getting involved than ever before, many people generously giving their time and money to raise money for others. All the hard work paid off with a total of over £700 going to the Children in Need appeal.

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My Botswana Experience

November 2006

This Summer I was selected to attend an inaugural FA Young Leadership Camp with 99 other young leaders. This fantastic opportunity allowed me to experience a wide range of football workshops, develop my leadership and football skills and meet many new people with similar interests to myself. However, this was not all the camp offered...

From the camp 4 young leaders were chosen to go to Botswana with the FA as part of the FA's international Changing Lives, Saving Lives project, and I was one of the lucky four selected. The once in a life time experience lasted for 6 days, during which we worked with female African young leaders, children and the Botswana FA.

On day one, we visited orphaned and abandoned children at an SOS Village, which was a very moving experience. The children there were so welcoming and happy despite all the problems life brings them. I was truly inspired by the smiling faces of the children, which emphasised how much we have to be happy about, in terms of our health, family and friends, education and opportunities, which we can often forget about or under-appreciate.

Over the next three days, myself and the other three young leaders worked closely with the African Young leaders, supporting them through a Junior Football Organisers (JFO) course and HIV/Aids awareness activities, which were lead by the FA staff. These African young leaders then applied what they had learnt on the JFO course to run two very successful football festivals for the local schoolchildren on the following two days.

The African young leaders really progressed over the short time we spent with them and really shone when working with the children in the festivals. It was hugely rewarding to have been part of their development - a feeling I won't forget.

The experience tested my communication, organisation and leadership skills in ways they have never been tested before. I learnt so much, not only on football and coaching but also on life, developing as a coach, player and person. The trip has increased my confidence and I have really benefited from working in another country, which has reinforced my decision to work abroad as part of my degree and I hope to return to Africa to do further coaching in the future.

My motivation and career aspirations have increased from being selected to go to the Camp and Botswana, I still want to become a PE teacher but also wish to experience other sporting careers which I had not thought of before the Camp.

I have also learnt how important it is to take every opportunity that comes your way; you never know where it could lead. The team I worked with were fantastic and collaborated really well. I would describe the experience as incredibly rewarding, humbling and invaluable. The trip couldn't have been better!

Lauren O'Sullivan

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International Rugby Player Takes Charge of College XV

November 2006

For one who has made 12 appearances for England, 140 for Bath Rugby Club and 111 for Gloucester Rugby Club, there would appear to be few challenges left for Steve Ojomoh. Not so, Steve has become coach to the St Brendan's Sixth Form College rugby squad and St Brendan's are delighted with this appointment. Over recent years St Brendan's has achieved much both as a team and with individuals being selected for the England Schools Under 19s team, many of these later moving to the rugby academies at Bristol, Bath and Gloucester.

Steve first came to recognition as a member of the Bath Rugby Club, playing at No. 6. Whilst there he won the first of his England caps - 11 more were to follow. He also played for the Barbarians, touring South Africa, Argentina, Canada and New Zealand. More recently Steve has been concentrating on coaching, both at Newport and Moseley, and would like to become a permanent fixture in the England coaching staff after the next World Cup.

Steve says: 'I want the squad to have fun, but they can have even more fun by winning their matches and gaining representative honours with their counties, the South West and, the ultimate accolade, with their country.'

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Law Students share UWE Prize

October 2006

Two St Brendan's Sixth Form College students, Uma Kangai and Francesco Kor have jointly won the University of the West of England's Law faculty Prize. The prize, presented to the best law student in each of the participating institutions is determined by the institution - but how do you separate students that both gain a perfect score - a maximum 300 on the Uniform Mark Scale score in the 2006 AS level exams?

Uma and Francesco, who joined the College from Redland High School and St Gregory's College, respectively, shared the £25 prize. As St Brendan's law teachers John Deft and Richard Lodge said, "It's not the size of the prize that matters it's the prestige of winning that counts!"

Photo shows Francesco and the Principal, Derek Bodey.

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A Level Results 2006

August 2006

Students and staff at St Brendan's Sixth Form College are celebrating continued improvement, with this year's record A and AS level results. Virtually every aspect of the College's performance has shown an improvement starting with a whopping rise of 25% in students achieving A grade, which was helped by nine students who all achieved a total of 4 A grade passes in their A levels. The overall pass rate of more than 97% was up on last year with 50% of the A level courses achieving a 100% pass for all their students. AS results showed a similar improvement, this level of examination is normally taken by students in the lower sixth and bodes well for future successes.

The Honours Programme, designed to stretch the most able students, has once again achieved excellent results for all students taking a 5th AS level subject. Critical Thinking will be offered as an A2 subject this year for the first time.

One St Brendan's student is particularly pleased with his Sociology marks, 600 out of 600, making him the top performer in the country. Later this year he will travel to London to pick up his well deserved medal at an award ceremony with the AQA examination board.

Another student was also delighted to pick up her AS and A level results having achieved the necessary results to start her chosen course at university - Modern Languages and European Studies. She had turned to Father Richard McKay of St Nicholas church, Easton, for support after escaping the brutality of Rwanda's Genocide and has fought back, through post-traumatic stress and depression, to achieve amazing results in French, German and English Language despite taking her AS and A level courses all in one year.

It has been a nerve racking time for nearly 500 upper sixth and 650 lower sixth students who between them were involved in almost 4,000 subject entries at A level and AS level. Most were relieved to find that they had the results they had anticipated or better.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the College, said, "Today is about our students and we are delighted that they have achieved what they set out to do. Of course we pride ourselves that we have helped along the way but it is a tribute to the hard work of our young people that we are celebrating."

Combined A Level Results

Combined A level Results - Summer 2006
Subject A B C D E TOTAL %A-B %A-E
Ancient History (OCR) 0 0 2 2 1 5 0.00 100.00
Art and Design (OCR) 11 21 10 13 7 66 48.48 93.94
Biology (AQA) 14 12 25 8 9 72 36.11 94.44
Business Studies (AQA) 4 13 20 10 2 49 34.69 100.00
Chemistry (AQA) 7 6 5 8 2 28 46.43 100.00
Communications Studies (AQA) 4 4 1 5 1 15 53.33 100.00
Computer Studies (AQA) 6 3 6 2 6 25 36.00 92.00
Dance (AQA) 0 0 2 4 4 13 0.00 76.92
Economics (AQA) 4 1 3 2 2 13 38.46 92.31
English Language (AQA) 5 7 14 9 2 38 31.58 97.37
English Language and Lit (AQA) 12 12 15 14 3 57 42.11 98.25
English Literature (AQA) 17 11 13 2 0 43 65.12 100.00
Environmental Science (AQA) 1 0 0 3 0 5 20.00 80.00
French (AQA) 10 6 5 6 2 29 55.17 100.00
Further Maths (EDEXCEL) 3 1 2 0 1 7 57.14 100.00
Geography (AQA) 11 8 15 7 4 45 42.22 100.00
German (AQA) 1 4 1 0 0 6 83.33 100.00
Graphics (EDEXCEL) 8 6 13 5 7 40 35.00 97.50
History (EDEXCEL) 8 11 31 14 6 71 26.76 98.59
I.C.T. (AQA) 0 2 5 7 14 29 6.90 96.55
Italian (EDEXCEL) 1 1 3 0 0 5 40.00 100.00
Law (AQA) 13 20 19 14 6 75 44.00 96.00
Mathematics (EDEXCEL) 20 10 10 12 8 60 50.00 100.00
Media Studies (AQA) 21 22 24 11 1 79 54.43 100.00
Music (AQA) 2 2 1 4 3 12 33.33 100.00
Music Technology (EDEXCEL) 0 3 10 4 7 26 11.54 92.31
Philosophy (AQA) 2 4 3 2 1 12 50.00 100.00
Photography (OCR) 6 16 21 13 0 58 37.93 96.55
Physics (AQA) 6 3 6 9 2 27 33.33 96.30
Politics (OCR) 2 1 2 0 3 8 37.50 100.00
Product Design (AQA) 0 1 2 5 7 15 6.67 100.00
Psychology (AQA) 11 17 31 19 8 89 31.46 96.63
Sociology (AQA) 22 18 3 3 0 46 86.96 100.00
Spanish (AQA) 7 1 2 0 1 11 72.73 100.00
Sports Studies (AQA) 0 4 8 14 7 38 10.53 86.84
Systems Control (AQA) 0 0 3 0 0 3 0.00 100.00
Textiles and Fashion (OCR) 6 5 12 7 0 32 34.38 93.75
Theatre Studies (EDEXCEL) 6 10 16 11 6 50 32.00 98.00
Theology (EDEXCEL) 5 2 0 0 0 7 100.00 100.00
OVERALL TOTALS 256 268 364 249 133 1309 40.03 97.02

Advanced Subsidiary level Results

Advanced Subsidiary level Results - Summer 2006
Subject A B C D E TOTAL %A-B %A-E
Ancient History (OCR) 0 0 0 1 4 12 0.00 41.67
Art and Design (OCR) 14 24 27 23 11 104 36.54 95.19
Art (Graphics) (OCR) 1 3 9 5 4 22 18.18 100.00
Art History (OCR) 4 1 2 1 0 9 55.56 88.89
Biology (AQA) 21 24 23 13 9 101 44.55 89.11
Business Studies (AQA) 39 22 13 14 4 100 61.00 92.00
Chemistry (AQA) 17 13 22 11 6 73 41.10 94.52
Classical Civilisation (OCR) 1 0 1 3 1 6 16.67 100.00
Communications Studies (AQA) 7 7 2 7 1 26 53.85 92.31
Computer Studies (AQA) 1 5 9 4 12 36 16.67 86.11
Critical Thinking (OCR) 9 32 32 19 8 102 40.20 98.04
Dance (AQA) 2 0 3 7 10 27 7.41 81.48
Economics (AQA) 3 8 7 5 7 40 27.50 75.00
English Language (AQA) 4 11 16 17 9 60 25.00 95.00
English Language and Lit (AQA) 16 24 26 26 9 108 37.04 93.52
English Literature (AQA) 13 15 15 9 2 56 50.00 96.43
Environmental Science (AQA) 0 1 3 5 3 16 6.25 75.00
Film Studies (WJEC) 8 14 10 4 2 40 55.00 95.00
French (AQA) 15 17 12 4 8 61 52.46 91.80
Further Maths (EDEXCEL) 4 2 1 2 0 9 66.67 100.00
Geography (AQA) 14 10 16 17 7 70 34.29 91.43
German (AQA) 5 1 4 5 1 16 37.50 100.00
Graphics (EDEXCEL) 0 7 4 13 7 37 18.92 83.78
History (EDEXCEL) 21 19 20 14 17 98 40.82 92.86
I.C.T. (EDEXCEL) 0 5 15 28 23 87 5.75 81.61
Italian (EDEXCEL) 3 2 2 0 0 7 71.43 100.00
Law (AQA) 19 25 19 16 15 115 38.26 81.74
Mathematics (EDEXCEL) 36 28 19 20 10 120 53.33 94.17
Media Studies (AQA) 22 17 30 10 4 90 43.33 92.22
Music (EDEXCEL) 0 2 5 5 2 14 14.29 100.00
Music Technology (EDEXCEL) 0 4 12 15 13 48 8.33 91.67
Philosophy (AQA) 11 12 10 1 0 38 60.53 89.47
Photography (OCR) 8 27 28 20 14 97 36.08 100.00
Physics (AQA) 14 12 11 6 3 56 46.43 82.14
Politics (OCR) 4 3 6 2 4 22 31.82 86.36
Product Design (AQA) 0 6 5 13 13 52 11.54 71.15
Psychology (AQA) 14 20 19 36 19 137 24.82 78.83
Sociology (AQA) 25 7 11 9 4 64 50.00 87.50
Spanish (AQA) 5 2 4 1 3 16 43.75 93.75
Sports Studies (AQA) 5 7 4 14 12 59 20.34 71.19
Textiles and Fashion (OCR) 6 2 7 10 4 30 26.67 96.67
Theatre Studies (EDEXCEL) 1 12 18 16 12 59 22.03 100.00
Travel & Tourism(EDEXCEL) 0 0 2 7 4 17 0.00 76.47
Theology (EDEXCEL) 2 4 3 3 0 13 46.15 92.31
OVERALL TOTALS 394 457 507 461 301 2370 35.91 89.45

BTEC Level 3 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 3 - Summer 2006
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
Applied Science 1 6 - 7

BTEC Level 2 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 2 - Summer 2006
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
Applied Science 1 6 - 7
Art & Design 1 5 7 13
Business 3 9 8 20
Caring - 5 2 7
Public Services 2 10 2 14
Performing Arts Production 2 4 6 12

BTEC Level 1 Results

Results of Vocational Qualifications - BTEC Level 1 - Summer 2006
Subject Distinction Merit Pass TOTAL
IT Introductory 11 - - 11

Vocational A Level Results

Vocational A Levels - Summer 2006
Subject A B C D E TOTAL %A-B %A-E
Information Technology 0 1 1 4 0 6 16.67 100.00
Health and Social Care 5 6 3 2 1 17 64.71 100.00
Performing Arts 3 4 3 1 1 12 58.33 100.00
Travel and Tourism 0 1 5 2 0 8 12.50 100.00

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Celebrating Catholic Education

June 2006

Representatives from secondary schools throughout the Diocese came together in Clifton Cathedral for a special service to celebrate the value of Catholic education with the Bishop of Clifton, the Right Reverend Declan Lang.

Ann Fowler, the Clifton Diocese secondary schools adviser said "one of the purposes of gathering together is to remind ourselves that though our schools are separated by distance, we are united in our beliefs and mission". The service certainly met this objective and proved that these children could work together, for a common cause, even though they are divided by miles. St Bede's, Bristol led the singing, while St Augustine's, Trowbridge provided the music. The prayers were led by students at St Benedict's, Cheltenham, St Ursula's, Bristol, St Bede's, Bristol, St Joseph's, Swindon and St Peter's, Gloucester with students from St Rose's taking the Offetory.

Volunteer students, sporting their new St Brendan's t-shirts, became ushers for the day, greeting everyone as they entered the Cathedral and helping them to their places. It was a great honour, for which the students were praised highly.

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Eco - warriors are winning

May 2006

The past couple of months has seen the introduction of paper recycling at St Brendan's.

We now have sixty standing bins in classrooms, plus every member of staff has received a desk tray in which to put their waste paper. At present, the eco-warriors, as they have affectionately been named, have a waste collection rota. The paper is taken to the seven large green bins near the tutorial block, and the waste is collected on a fortnightly basis.

The eco-warriors are aiming to make the system sustainable through a more efficient collection system and are also researching the feasibility of introducing plastic bottle recycling into the college.

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Ofsted Praise

March 2006

St Brendan's Sixth Form College is 'outstanding value for money' and provides a 'good quality education,' Ofsted inspectors concluded recently when they visited the Brislington college.

The inspection team praised the Principal and staff for significantly raising standards since their last inspection, in terms of well-planned lessons, high-quality resources and a wide range of support for students at all ability levels.

The inspectors, who spoke to students as well as staff during their visit, observed that attendance at the college is high, and most learners are motivated to work hard. High expectations of the students are expressed in terms of realistic targets, and their progress is closely monitored.

The high pass rates on many of the AS and A-Level courses were mentioned favourably. Other areas for positive comment included the breadth of the College's curriculum, its honours programme for more able students and its careers education programme.

The report singled out the College's ethos for particular praise, speaking highly of the relationships between staff and students and of the strong Catholic values which underpin the College's work. An outstanding commitment to ethical issues and social inclusion is matched by a respect for students as individuals, and a fostering of strong links with parents and carers.

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Musical Showcase

March 2006

For the first time GCSE students in Bath schools, St Gregory's and St Mark's and Bristol schools, St Bernadette, St Bede's and St Thomas More will join AS/A level students from St Brendan's to perform examination pieces in front of a public audience. It promises to be an exciting event with music to suit a variety of musical tastes. Classical pieces such as Clarinet Hindemith Sonata, popular music with the Terminator, musical theatre hits such as Hey Big Spender, DJ scratching and original composition work will provide an evening of entertainment rarely found.

This Musical Showcase will take place on 25th April starting at 7.30pm. If you would like to reserve seats, please telephone Christine Hayward on 0117 903 6677.

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Exploding the Myth

March 2006

The Principal of St Brendan's Sixth Form College, Derek Bodey, recently attended mass at a different church from usual. With the forthcoming closure of the St Thomas More R.C. School, he wished to establish a strong link between parents, children and St Brendan's. The experience for all was very satisfying, but he was stunned by some parishioners' pre-conception that "you can't study at St Brendan's if you haven't gone to a Catholic secondary school." This must be considered alongside the other misconception "only Catholics can go to St Brendan's!" There is no truth in the rumour that all teachers are nuns or monks, either! So if you believed any of these myths, it's time to have a fresh look at St Brendan's.

The reality is: anyone aged between 16 and 19 can choose to study at St Brendan's; Catholic students have a guaranteed place and students of other faiths or none are very welcome. Currently around 65% of students are non-Catholic. The only provisos are that students gain the necessary qualifications to follow their chosen course and that they are happy to work in a faith-based environment. If, following an interview, students are offered a provisional place and then fail to achieve the predicted grades, they will still have a place, but the course will need to be re-negotiated. If students do better than anticipated with their exams, their place is guaranteed, but they may wish to discuss the course in the light of their better performance.

St Brendan's takes students from a very wide area; the rapidly growing college now has more than 1300 students. The College was recently visited by Ofsted and was praised for its quality of education and it's approach to educational and social inclusion.

If you wish to know more about St Brendan's Sixth Form College, come to the next Advice and Open Evening on March 22nd between 5pm and 8pm, ask for a prospectus on 0117 977 7766 or request a tour of the College by ringing 0117 903 8867

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Great is the word

March 2006

St Brendan's Sixth Form students played to packed houses last week when they performed their interpretation of the hit musical Grease. Favourite songs such as 'Look at me I'm Sandra D', 'Beauty School Drop Out' and 'Greased Lightnin'' were all part of this energetic show which was directed by Music tutor, Emma Kennett and choreographed by Dance tutor Heather Jones. The cast, who delivered their lines in very convincing American accents, were a joy to watch with every single member seeming to enjoy the 1950's high school experience.

The show, depicting the well known story of hard man Danny, played by Tom Eason, falling in love with the shy and demure Sandy played by Nikki Donovan, had other excellent performers in the well known roles of Kenickie, Frenchy, Rizzo and good old Patty Simcox. Although this 1950's hit show depicted the mood of the era, with cars and brylcreem hair, the story line has a lot in common with today's students - fashion, make-up, parties and the all important how to attract a man and impress a woman.

All students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College can be involved in the annual college performance as part of the extensive enrichment programme but this year the cast was mainly drawn from the BTEC Musical Theatre course. This was introduced in September 2005 and has become a popular addition to the curriculum enabling students who enjoy singing, acting and dance to follow a programme which is varied and interesting. Together with a very proficient college band and technical support from the BTEC Technical Theatre students this show proved to be an unrivalled success, certainly a show to remember.

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Students Rock!

January 2006

FiFi Saloon are possibly the most exciting band in the south-west of England: an original 'girl band' with a unique sound. The band members - Flo Arnold on Drums, Ani Yuill on Bass and Sophie White on guitar and vocals - two of whom are St Brendan's students, have a surprisingly strong sound considering there are only three of them.

They have been together as a band for three years, but recently the girls decided they should up their bid to get noticed. They sent their demo DVD to every record producer they could find an email address for, and were incredibly excited when they found that one of them went to the trouble of emailing back.

The email was from London-based producer Guy Chambers. Guy has worked with many big names in the music industry including Madonna and Robbie Williams, for whom he was guitarist and co-songwriter.

He invited the girls to his London studio. They recorded two songs there, and performed a stunning set in front of a huge audience at Club Rendition. Guy has recently asked the girls whether they would like to co-write with him. He also invited them to play at his Christmas party where the girls gave a fantastic rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Musically, FiFi Saloon defy most of the rules set by their girl rock predecessors - songs such as 'I'm Me' and 'Move On' sound like a primal hybrid of some of the UK's greatest music. Their songs have a contemporary vibe which gives similar sounding bands Arctic Monkeys and The Hives a run for their money. There is also a rustic '70s rock-scene feel to the FiFi sound.

Their powerful, original songs feature classy guitar and bass riffs from Sofi and Ani and the solid and intense drumming delivered by Flo which complement each other perfectly. FiFi's music is simple enough to make for easy listening, but skilful enough to catch the attention of even the most extreme musical elitists.

With a string of excellent performances under their belt at venues such as Ashton Court and London's Club Number 10, FiFi look set to impress in 2006. If we keep our fingers crossed we may see a full length album from FiFi Saloon. Show your support by attending a few of their gigs over the winter period.

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Christmas Party closes any generation gap

January 2006

St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington invited senior citizens from Keynsham, Brislington, Bedminster, Knowle, Stockwood and slightly further afield to a Christmas Party. Over eighty visitors attended from churches, senior citizens' homes and as individual guests of the students and staff.

Students gave up their own time to prepare for the party - lessons had finished earlier but they wished to make sure that everyone who came had a really good time. The guests soon showed fine Christmas spirit when they applauded a beautifully performed four part harmony of Silent Night from the newly formed college. More carols followed interspersed with readings, prayers and poems. The carols continued until all the guests were comfortably seated and the refreshments arrived. Students dressed in full waiter/waitress outfits were outstanding and made sure that everyone had what they needed - and still had the energy to pull a cracker. Many other students decided to add to the occasion by dressing-up.

The entertainment literally kicked off with dance students performing the Lindi Hop a favourite of the 1950s, this was followed by the college's soul band performing such tunes as Easy like Sunday Morning. An energetic Riverdance routine was next, and then Gary Rowland played the saw with a violin bow and encouraged audience participation with a few jokes. The programme was rounded off the programme with popular wartime songs A Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square and The White Cliffs of Dover. After Father Christmas, had delivered his presents, a few took to the dance floor for a waltz and a foxtrot which rounded off the afternoon perfectly.

One guest, a former student of St Brendan's who left the college in 1950, wore his old school tie and brought a cufflink with the college crest; he donated this to the college.

It was difficult to tell who enjoyed the party most - guests or hosts - they all seemed to have had a brilliant time. Derek Bodey, Principal of St Brendan's was delighted that the afternoon had been a success "We enjoyed welcoming people from our surrounding communities and we hope to do so again in the future. It was so good to see the students involving themselves so much; it has been a tremendous way to round off the term."

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Rising Rising Rising!

December 2005

Open Evening on January 17th from 6.00 - 9.00pm

St Brendan's Sixth Form College

Number of students - Rising
Number of Courses - Rising
Number of Staff- Rising
New Buildings - Rising

  • This year over 800 students enrolled in the lower sixth. This rise in numbers followed a previous record year; St Brendan's now caters for more than 1300 young people.
  • An ever increasing range of academic and vocational courses.
  • A level results for 2005 were again excellent with AS results being the best on record with a massive 14% increase against the national average of 2%.
  • The majority of St Brendan's students continue to study on A level programmes or their vocational equivalent; but an increasing number have enrolled on level 1 and level 2 programmes.
  • There has been a rise in the number of staff, three new support staff and 23 new members of teaching staff were appointed in September 2005, the majority of which were new posts.
  • A new teaching block for Computing, Media, English and Social Sciences, a new netball court and the extension and refurbishment of the refectory, all of which followed on from the previous year's project, the new music and performing arts block.
  • Lifts and stair lifts installed throughout the college buildings making all areas fully accessible for the disabled.

Do you want to be part of St Brendan's continuing success story?

Find out more about us - come to our Open Evening on January 17th from 6.00 - 9.00pm

Call and find out about a College tour on 0117 9038867

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Children in Need

November 2005

This year students at St Brendan's Sixth Form College excelled themselves when creating fundraising ideas for Children in Need.

Collections stared early when Sarah Watson, one of the Student Support Managers, offered to have her head shaved if £2000 was raised. In fact this figure was not quite reached and Sarah managed to keep her hair on for another year, though she teased everyone by wearing a pink wig on the day. Other lecturers had novel ideas for fundraising and students joined in the competition to make the most money. Lizzie, armed with badges, balloons and Pudsey Bear, worked hard all day at college and again in the evening at her place of work to raise £100. A sale of cakes made by Laurie, Katharine, Harrriet and Vincent raised £60.

The day itself was packed with activity with rapping at break time, a dance display in the dining hall, and, the biggest feature of the day, a 'Stars in Their Eyes' show, hosted by our very own 'Matthew.' First up was the band Turbulence who became Pink Floyd for the day and performed the classic hit 'Comfortably Numb' with a riveting guitar solo. They were followed by versions of The Blues Brothers, Kelly Clarkson (Nikki) and Toni Braxton, (an unaccompanied but talented Chevonne). Finally, Edmund and Ruth became Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman to sing 'Come What May' from the film Moulin Rouge.

Not content with the total of £820 raised on the day, students filled the auditorium again two weeks later to hear the band K.A.M. led by the St Brendan's guitar tutor Alex Hutchins. K.A.M. are an established band who played at Glastonbury this summer. Their selection of original pieces and cover versions had the audience enthralled and an additional £50 was raised. K.A.M. will be playing in another evening of live music, which will be open to the public, on February 3rd 2006.

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Swimming Success

1st December 2005

"Swimming is life." Jaime Timms does not actually say these words, but I have never met a young person with more right to.

Jaime has been swimming since she was 5 years old. Her mum, a member of a big family with five brothers and sisters who all swim, enrolled Jamie at Bristol Penguins Swimming Club at the age of 9, and her life has not been the same since. Jaime specialises in breaststroke and it is this that has brought her success at county and Western Counties level, and in which she will soon be competing internationally.

Jaime is a member of the elite training squad based at Bath University, although she still occasionally swims for Bristol Penguins. She is in the top eight, nationally, for her age group and came in the top sixteen in the Commonwealth Games trials.

Jaime is a lifeguard, both at a local leisure centre and local university, and coaches younger children who are beginners at swimming. St Brendan's Curriculum Director Keith Gee has helped arrange her lesson timetable so that she is able to fulfil her intense training regime and other commitments, as well as studying.

Jaime hopes the training will pay off and that she will gain a place in the top eight in the national finals of the 50 metres and 100 metres breaststroke this year.

Needless to say, her choice of university will most likely be determined by its swimming facilities!

Jaime and her friend Beth have completed a 100 kilometre swim together, each swimming 50 kilometres. Jaime tells me that this is equivalent to swimming the Channel and then swimming halfway back. She did this for World Swim For Malaria: £3 could save a child's life. She tells me it is not too late to contribute - just contact the College on 0117 9777766.

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Cross-Country

1 December 2005

First, first and second: these were the places gained by John Collier, Ruth Mitchell and Lauren McQuaid respectively in the Bristol Schools Cross-Country Championships.

John and Ruth thus become Bristol Schools Senior Champions and all three will represent Bristol in the Avon Schools Championships. The race was about gaining places to go on to the more demanding English Schools Championships in Mansfield.

Ruth summed it up when she said, "This is my last year of racing as a school student and I am hoping it will be one to remember with good results." Lauren was unlucky - she was up with Ruth until she fell and became entangled in barbed wire. She finished with legs and hands covered in blood. She said, "It does not hurt much, but I am annoyed because it took time to get back into the race." Despite that she finished a good second. Ruth, who was champion last year and looked much stronger this year, was aware of Lauren's finishing speed and of her determination, and knew that she would have to run the race from the front.

For John it was too easy - he took the race at a stroll. He wanted qualification for the later stages and did just what was necessary to achieve that. He said, "I have a race at the weekend and used this as a training run." John's biggest test is still to come.

We wish all three athletes well in the forthcoming races.

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The Advantages To Peer Tutoring

28 November 2005

Last year I was offered by my chemistry teacher the opportunity to be tutored by some of the brightest students who were studying the subject for A2. This was to help me get to grips with some of the more complicated concepts that I found difficult to grasp in class.

The syllabus for Chemistry is so large that the teacher has no choice but to move the class on at a very fast pace, but with the extra tutoring I was able to look at the content thoroughly, to ensure I understood everything with the degree of knowledge needed to maximise my marks at examination level. The one-to-one teaching meant we could move at a pace that I was comfortable with, focussing on the areas where I was weakest.

My tutor had the time to teach me how to approach calculations in an exam question and to explain 'exam terminology' to me, which we then practiced by going through the exam papers.

The tutors were students who had just sat the exams that I myself was preparing for, passing with A grades. This meant they could share their experience of the exam and what they found were the best revision techniques for them. I was also shown how to organise my notes so that subjects could be easily linked to and referenced during revision. These new study skills helped me in the other subjects I had opted for and I am sure they will be useful for the future.

This system was also beneficial for the tutors themselves, who got paid for the time they took out to help the younger students. One of the three modules in A2 is a synoptic module, going over the whole of the syllabus over the two years. This was a good way for them to be constantly reviewing their work from AS across the year, as opposed to digging up their notes in study leave at the end of the second year and trying to remember the subjects in detail.

I think the system is beneficial to the student and the tutor. I was able to achieve an A grade at AS level and I hope that what was a pilot scheme last year will now be a permanent fixture here at St Brendan's.

Sarah and Fabiola, Chemistry students.

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Exhibiting The Works

28 November 2005

In the first ever event at Paintworks, the new venue for creative industries in Bristol, St Brendan's fashion students showcased their designs and ran a workshop in what was described as a 'dynamic event'.

Fashion Works, as the weekend was named, included established designers such as Daniela Benson and Peachy Keen (known as the 'queen of pants'), theatrical costumes by Ani Townsend and the award-winning graduate Jesse Noy.

As well as displaying their own creations, St Brendan's fashion students set up a workshop for those inspired to have a go at creating their own design. Those taking part got their hands dirty: tie-dying t-shirts in the microwave, learning the art of fauxchenille fabric slashing and how to create your ideal garment with the use of a soldering-iron!

 

Other colleges and universities took part by running stalls similar to a street market with students from foundation through to postgraduate courses. Kim Adlem, Head of Art and Design, said: "We were pleased to take part. The students gave up their time to work hard teaching visitors the techniques that they had been using on their own design, but they also learnt a great deal from the other exhibitors and designers at the show. It was a great experience for them."

The event kicked off on Friday evening with Brazilian music, food and capoeira displays. The party atmosphere carried on for the three days with dance workshops in street dance and jazz funk led by Floor Technicians and Funk It Up.

On Saturday Stylist Doug Hobbs ran a 'total image' salon with free hair, make-up and skin and nail consultations, and on the following day six models had a makeover by three style teams to show the effects of a total image styling.

Students agreed that the weekend had been a success and said: "It was really great to be part of an exhibition like this. It gave us an insight into the real world of fashion and even better that it was in Bristol."

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Vibe-rant Students

10 November 2005

The energy, skills and co-operation of staff at a regional radio station have strengthened the resolve of a group of media studies students to succeed in the tough world of broadcasting - and have added eight committed fans to radio station Vibe fm.

St Brendan's Sixth Form College wished to bring the benefits of the College to a wider audience by creating an advert for the college's forthcoming Open Evenings to be aired on Vibe fm.

A competition was held amongst Media Studies students at St. Brendan's. The challenge was to produce a 30 second advert which would appeal to 15 year olds and their parents. The winners were Sica Denerley-Weiss and Kirsty Phillips.

They created a game show, Your Life, with multi-choice answers about further education decisions, finally deciding that no choice had to be made because students could get all they wanted and more at St Brendan's. They selected backing music from Bristol band El Guapo and voice-over artists were chosen from Media Studies students.

Their proposal was put to Vibe's creative writer Cara Tipping-Smith who checked that it conformed to Advertising Standards. Then the students needed to go to Vibe fm's studios to record the advert. Cara enthused about the students' idea and said, 'It's brilliant because they know what's great about the College and what will impress teenagers.'

After the advert had been recorded, the students were invited back for a tour of the station where they saw how the various departments inter-relate; perhaps the biggest buzz came from watching Caroline, the all request lunch presenter, and Lucy, from the news team, presenting live. Before leaving the students were invited to do work experience and to work with the Vibe fm street team.

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Students' Sunday Roast

October 2005

Staff and students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College recently appeared on the ITV West Sunday politics programme Sunday Roast. The programme was to profile West Country MP and conservative party leadership contender Liam Fox, including views from the old - the residents of an old people's home - and the young.

In search of young people who could display both knowledge and interest regarding the leadership contest, researchers contacted St Brendan's, where cameras were allowed to visit a politics class. ITV presenter Anna Massey and her crew discussed arrangements for the format beforehand, and introductory footage of the class being taught was followed up by interviews with the politics students.

A poll was taken across the College to determine who the students would support as Conservative leader. Some expressed opinions such as "I don't know any of these," but the politics students proved more knowledgeable.

After the votes were counted, Anna announced that the contest had been a close call, but that St Brendan's students had voted for Ken Clarke as the new Conservative leader.

Only time will tell whether the party agrees.

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2005 Collegiate Art Exhibition

September 2005

The 2005 Bristol and Bath Collegiate Art Exhibition will be held at St Brendan's Sixth Form College on 18th to 20th October 9am to 4pm daily and on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday 6pm to 9pm.

The exhibition will showcase students' work from St Bernadette, St Brendan's, St Gregory's, St Mark's and St Thomas More.

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Student Passes just the Ticket

September 2005

As the only Sixth Form College in the region, St Brendan's has the greatest number of sixth formers. Students travel from Thornbury, Weston-super-Mare, Chippenham and Wells - a round trip of up to 40 miles. The College has been working closely with First which has resulted in all our students having the option of student cards which will allow unlimited travel 7 days per week.

These will be available daily, weekly, monthly or annually. These FirstStudent tickets will serve all of the areas mentioned above and those in between.

Derek Bodey, Principal of St Brendan's Sixth Form College, said,

"This new ticket deal for students is fantastic value, and will make travel very affordable. In future, students will be able to travel to the college of their choice without breaking the bank, and to develop the habit of using public transport. They should not see the car as the best or the only option. As the government cranks up the price of driving, we all need to look at ways of making the cost of travel as reasonable as possible, continuing to protect the planet's natural resources."

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Plan 'B'

September 2005

Students are 'cold-calling' St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, Bristol to see if they can gain entry to the College for September 2005. They are waiting in reception, hoping that there are still places on the courses that would be appropriate for them. To date the number is around 40, not huge when one considers that over 800 students are joining Lower Sixth this year, but each student has a story of disappointment to tell.

Principal, Derek Bodey said, "They believed that they had a place elsewhere for the new academic year but they have found that their circumstances have changed and that they have no alternative offer - no Plan B."

St Brendan's is the biggest provider of sixth form education in the West - the only sixth form college, specialising in the education of 16 to 19 year-olds and is able to take on these additional students even though the College has met its recruitment target.

Mr Bodey says, "I feel we have a moral obligation to help these students, St Brendan's offers more subjects, has more classes in each subject and is probably best suited to do so. However, we must not jeopardise the futures of those students who sought out alternatives almost a year ago, were offered a place, conditional on the College being able to offer an appropriate course and were enrolled last week."

How has the situation arisen?

In the majority of cases, students' recent GCSE results were different from expected. Some were better than expected enabling the student to consider a more academic course. Some were poorer which meant a student has to consider re-sitting the exam or changing the course they had hoped to follow. Some were just different, a student faring better in some subjects and less well in others which has a different emphasis on the course that could be followed. There should have been a Plan B; but often a student has been accepted on a course that he/she would wish to follow at a school or college of his/her choice and has looked no further. It's late, but not quite too late for these students to find alternative courses; lessons have started, classes are being filled and the choices are being restricted, but applications are still being accepted.

How can prospective students avoid the situation?

We would suggest that students and their parents visit a number of Open Evenings and Careers Events that will be offered throughout the year, particularly between September and November; apply for more than one place, attend for interview and accept the offer of conditional places. Students should consider what could happen, if things don't go as planned and cover those possibilities.

St Brendan's has courses at Levels 1, 2 and 3 and if a student is offered a place it is guaranteed, they can change course during enrolment and agree a course appropriate to the qualifications they hold. Open Days are offered during the year, the first on October 18th and October 19th.

If you wish to enrol at St Brendan's for September 2005 there is still time. Please phone the college for details before September 15th.

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A Level Results 2005

August 2005

Once again St Brendan's Sixth Form College students are celebrating their exam results, with nine students each gaining four passes at grade A.

Emotion as always was running high for students at the Sixth Form College: over 480 Upper Sixth students were involved in more than 1500 subject entries at A Level. A total of 1100 students took either AS or A2 level examinations this summer, and all received their results today, some too afraid to open the envelopes!

Most achieved what they had anticipated, or better. There was support on hand for those who didn't, or who found the tension a little too much. Over 300 students will have secured their places at University, either for this autumn or for next after taking a 'gap' year.

Two students achieved their goals of being accepted at Oxford University.

One student, who disagrees with those who think A levels are getting easier, said, "It might be different but it's definitively not easy to get AS".

Four of the Lower Sixth students gained five AS passes at grade A - with 14 other students gaining 4 As at AS. Particularly pleasing were the results of students on the new 'Honours Programme', a course designed to 'stretch' the most able students in the College, who all took Critical Thinking as an AS subject and all passed with flying colours.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the College, said, "We are delighted for our students. These results will enable almost all of them to proceed to the Higher Education course or employment for which they have applied. It's always a joy for us to see so many smiling faces. Today is about youngsters working hard to achieve their goals. We should allow them to enjoy their well earned successes."

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A new dining experience

9 June 2005

The new academic year sees Sodexho Education operating your new catering service at the College, working in partnership with the College offering a new exciting café experience.

Introducing new food offers, innovations and services, providing a wide and varied selection of quality high street food and beverages.

Sodexho will introduce a purpose built coffee shop which will be open all day. Available will be paninis, baguettes, quality sandwiches, pastries, salads and muffins etc as well as a large selection of quality teas, coffees and cold drinks and juices.

A new kitchen will be installed with new service counters offering food from around the world including quality pizzas, a selection of fresh pasta dishes, curries, jerk chicken and snack items.

Within the main counters will be our exclusive offer of Budget Busters which will offer quality meals at budget busting prices.

Sodexho will be working with the College over the coming months to further develop and refurbish the current catering facility to totally change and enhance the dining experience.

Sodexho look forward to meeting new customers at the College and will encourage you to share with them your comments and suggestions.

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Peace in our Time

28 April 2005

On Wednesday 20 April, Arjuna Krishna-Das, Bristol East Parliamentary Candidate for the Green Party, visited St Brendan's College, and won over some potential voters.

'People, Peace and Planet' was Arjuna message, and explained how this could be put into practice. He spoke of the 'illegal' war with Iraq and how his party would withdraw British troops from 'a country we had no right to invade'. He spoke widely on a range of Green philosophy and policy, including re-nationalisation of the railways, the creation of a reasonably priced transport system, a long term solution to the world's energy needs and the promotion of local economies.

Questions from students crossed such areas as city centres, violence, drugs and alcohol;fair trade; smoking in public; tax reforms; and, of course, Iraq. Mr Krishna-Das dodged no subject and spoke from a personal perspective as well as a party one. He applied his concerns for people, peace and the planet to all issues. To achieve its goals the Green Party would require international agreement and not just a national majority, which in itself is not possible in this parliament, as Arjuna admitted.

Mr Krishna-Das felt that all main parties believed that economic growth was desirable and achievable, whereas the Greens alone acknowledge that we live as part of a finite ecosystem. His party felt that judgements should be made on how happy a population was - Gross National Happiness - rather than a simple measure of GNP. The most prosperous - nations, companies and individuals - should share their wealth with the less well-off. Actions should be much longer-term: the Greens would not take decisions based upon 'now ', on the assumption that science will solve our problems in the future.

Is a vote for the Greens a vote wasted? He responded "If you don't vote for what you believe in, you'll never get it."

His views were well received by an interested and engaged audience. The session followed the recent visit of the Bristol East Parliamentary candidates for the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats to the College.

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Students want more answers from Parliamentary Candidates

18 April 2005

Some of the parliamentary candidates for the Bristol East seat, Philip James [Lib Dem], Kerry McCarthy [Labour] and Julia Manning [Conservative], visited St Brendan's College at the invitation of politics teacher Richard Lodge. Meeting voters and having the chance to explain party policy was obviously on each candidate's mind, but this visit had, perhaps, a greater importance. With apathy about the election at all age levels being a major concern could the politicians awaken the interest of first-time voters and those not yet eligible to vote?

Richard Lodge, in the chair, introduced and welcomed the candidates. Each was invited to give a brief address to the audience.

The questions raised by the student audience were to do with transferring national policies to this locality, e.g. the transport plans versus the poor Bristol bus service, the Tory policies on dealing with immigrants and asylum seekers and the notion of turn-around schools - schools that would receive pupils suspended from 'normal' schools. Personal disclosures were made at this point. One student had been excluded six times before making good and getting suitable qualifications to follow a course at St Brendan's; and another suggested that the lower standards and lack of competition which she had experienced within these schools would condemn students in turn-around schools to the scrap heap.

Inevitably, the question of top-up fees for university students was debated. Strangely, the candidates seemed to have little understanding of the situation that exists where students in FE and sixth form colleges (about two thirds of all 16-19 year olds) receive about 10% less funding than their counterparts in schools. All candidates, if elected, would wish to investigate this further with the Principal.

The debate was due to finish at 2pm - but there were many questions still needing an answer; with agreement from all sides, it continued. Apathy amongst the young? I don't think so.

The Green Party candidate, Arjuna Krishna-Das, who was unable to attend this session, will be visiting the college this week.

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The Visit

22 March 2005

The distant sound of a train whistle blowing was the cue for an evening of intrigue and murder. This was the tale, a macabre parable, of a woman scorned - cast aside by her former lover; disgraced in the eyes of her fellow townsfolk; and abandoned to a life of prostitution. She worked in a brothel in Hamburg, where she met her husband, an oil and shipping magnet, from whom she inherited her extraordinary wealth. 45 years later, Claire Zachanassian returns to the town of her birth and swears revenge on the man who ruined her life, her former lover Anton Schill.

In order to achieve her goal, a very cold and calculating Claire Zachanassian promises the townspeople 1 billion marks -500 million for the town, and 500 million to be shared equally between each of the citizens - on condition that they kill the man who brought this disgrace upon her. Driven by greed - and the newly imparted news that the "old lady" owns the whole town - the townspeople gradually succumb to the promise of wealth, and morality and decency are replaced by corruption and deception. Anton Schill - who before Zachanassian's arrival had a rosy future in the knowledge that he was next in line for the position of Burgomaster - meets his fate.

Despite the rather heavy, sombre-sounding story line, there were some lighter, comedic moments - some deliberate, some not! - and one or two sound effects á la Acorn Antiques.

Performances worthy of special mention came from Hannah O'Gorman (Claire Zachanassian), Lee Johnson (Anton Schill), Sophia Woodward (Burgomaster), Joe Ledbury (Schoolmaster) and Jake Cullen (Policeman).

Well done, everyone! - a thoroughly enjoyable evening!

Mary Tann.

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A Hair Raising, Leg Raising, Red Letter Day

March 18 2005

Students and staff of St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington got behind the Red Nose Day 'Comic Relief' appeal and they have the T-shirts and the noses to prove it. Dance Teacher Erin Cacacie decided that her students could emulate the ladies at Cheltenham College by staging a 'Can-Can Catastrophe', Doug Whitestone agreed to shave half of his head; the 'barber' would be the highest bidder.

The President of the Student Union, Dan Scullane agreed to show his infamous 'election video', the one that many believe got him elected - at the time nobody heard his speech over the laughter. Dan is shown to be a caring super-hero, helping children and old ladies, apprehending villains, solving bullying at a swipe - not literally - and loving all things sweet and gentle.

The administration team, led by Laura Whiteway, charged for services they would normally provide free, including letters for staff! The Chaplaincy group and Chaplain John Williamson, supported the charity by running a Fair Trade Stall, highlighting again the need to pay workers in Third World Countries a fair fee for their labour.

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Tsunami

March 11 2005

Rebecca Warren, a student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, was with her family on the Maldivian island of Meerrufenfushi for a Christmas holiday when she became a witness to one of the most devastating natural catastrophes of recent years.

Rebecca describes her Christmas Day as "just like Christmas at home, only the weather was hot. Nothing could have prepared us for what Boxing Day would bring." At 8:45 in the morning, Rebecca awoke to find the area around the family's villa flooded by the first of the great waves, but when the waters drained away they, like others, assumed that the disaster was over.

Rebecca and her family were in a bar when the second, more severe wave struck the island. The building's doors and windows were torn away, and the room flooded until Rebecca was forced to climb onto the bar itself. A third wave, at 11am, was powerful enough to inundate the island and cause extreme damage to the buildings, as well as panic and confusion. Rebecca and her family were terrified, but Rebecca recalls that "The islanders were brilliant. How they kept going, helping people, I don't know. They must have been tired and scared too." Remarkably, only one person on Meerrufenfushi was injured by the waves.

In the aftermath of the tsunami, the island had no electricity and limited supplies of food and drink, and holidaymakers were having to sleep on tables - although Rebecca's spare clothes, money and passport had somehow survived intact in the villa. It was not until 28 December that Rebecca and her family were able to return by boat and plane to England, where they were met at Gatwick airport by Oxfam volunteers and by family friends. "The drive home seemed endless," Rebecca remembers, "but once I got into my house it felt as if it had been an awful dream."

Watching the news, however, Rebecca was horrified to see how much others had suffered in the disaster. "It seemed so unreal,' she says, 'and yet I know it happened because I was a part of it." Rebecca's story has inspired her friends at St Brendan's to stage a 'Tsunami concert', drawing on the talents of students and staff at the College. The proceeds from the concert will help support those victims of the disaster who have been less fortunate than Rebecca.

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A Little over the Top

February 10 2005

Students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College abseiled from a height of over 120 feet at the Avon Gorge in order to raise funds for the 'Children in Need' appeal. Students had been invited to suggest money-raising schemes and Kerrie Jones suggested abseiling. Kerrie is an outdoor pursuits enthusiast, believing that the confidence these activities give can assist in dealing with the demands of A Level studies. Kerrie's suggestion was taken up by a number of students who felt ready for the challenge of descending from a great height and for collecting sponsor money from fellow students - over £300 has been pledged.

Apart from Kerrie and sister Rebekah, none of the students had experienced abseiling from a cliff top; "I was terrified," said one student, "it's not an experience I wish to repeat in a hurry."

Others were scared, too, but found that once they had overcome the first panic, for some bizarre reason, they wanted a repeat run. Annie Nicklin slipped at the start of her second descent and found herself hanging upside-down. Annie said, "When I was suspended head down I did question what I was doing, and why, but once I had righted myself, it was exhilarating."

It should be noted that mum, Mrs Nicklin, there to give Annie moral support, was offered the chance to join in, and agreed! The group had their doubts, learning that Mrs Nicklin was a nurse gave comfort - but what if she hurt herself? There was little chance of things going wrong, Paul Twomey, the instructor with the Bristol Climbing Centre, Undercover Rock Ltd, was experienced at dealing with last-minute doubts and gave the students confidence that there was nothing to worry about. Thanks to Paul's reassuring manner there were no tears or refusals.

A number of students have expressed a willingness to do it all again - or to do something even more challenging!

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For Lovers of Divine Chocolate

February 10 2005

A group of students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College in Brislington, have been working with members of People & Planet to raise awareness of Fair Trade.

On Friday the 11th of Febuary, they will be holding a Fair Trade 'Love Day' to raise awareness of Fair Trade products and give fellow students and the staff, the chance to buy Divine chocolate. Student Elizabeth Alstrom said, "Divine chocolate has the benefits of not only tasting fantastic and like chocolate should, but it gives a fair deal to the workers."

As a special thought for the week students have been encouraged to consider, 'All's fair in Love but not yet trade - let's make a change.'

If you are interested in the range of chocolates St Brendan's stocks, please contact the college.

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A Warmer Welcome

February 3 2005

Saint Brendan's A2 Business Studies needed to investigate a manufacturing company as part of their course of study. After extensive research, teacher Anne-Marie Waite chose Bath Ales in Warmley, Bristol. Although Bath Ales opened their Warmley brewery only 18 months ago and use very modern equipment, they value and stress the traditions of good beer. There are a number of public houses in the Bath and Bristol area run by the brewery and all have the distinctive styling for which they have won awards. Bath Ales chooses to focus on quality, comfort and warmth of atmosphere.

A number of students were keen to see how all of this was achieved, and Roger Jones was able to provide the information by explaining the process of changing hops into bitter ale. Roger also spoke of the highs-and-lows of running a business, his charismatic personality really left an impression on the students.

Anne-Marie said, "Bath Ales is a fantastic example of what makes a firm successful, it achieves success through a combination of excellent people management and attention to quality."

As one of the students said "Although I am not a beer drinker, it was good to see the practices we learn being carried out in successful businesses, this then brings a greater relevance to the subject."

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Chevvy wins chase for England call-up

21st January 2005

St Brendan's Sixth Form College student Chevvy Pennycook has been selected for the England Schools Under 18 Rugby Squad. Chevvy, who plays at flanker, was selected for the England squad last season too. When given the news he said, "This is fantastic! I always hoped I would be chosen and felt I had a good chance after my selection last season, but you can never take things for granted. There are a lot of talented players and there is massive competition for places."

Chevvy will spend time over the next couple of months training with the rest of the squad. He will play his first representative games in March when a tournament involving the other members of the 'six nations' - Ireland, Italy, Scotland, France and Wales - will be staged in Wales.

Chevvy knows how lucky he is, last season elder brother Redford was in line for an England Schools call-up before he suffered a depressed fracture of the cheekbone which ended his opportunity. Redford, however, has been selected recently for the England Under 21 squad.

Chevvy comes from a very sporting family, of which he is the youngest. Not only have the two brothers represented England, but both older sisters have played netball for England, too.

Chevvy said, "It's every schoolboys' dream to represent his country, and I have achieved mine. I couldn't be happier."

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Chemistry Challenge

14 January 2005

We had an A2 Chemistry challenge in which we had to do research on 'An Interesting Organic Molecule'. The aim was to find out about the molecule, its chemistry and to justify your choice as to why it is interesting to you.

Molecules ranged from aspirin to melanin!

I won with the choices of Vitamin E. I chose this as I recently accidentally spilt hot water on my thighs which resulted in the top layers of skin being burnt. I had it dressed and re-dressed and was interestingly advised to apply egg yolk, to help with the healing process.

I did as told and found amazing results with the egg, especially in comparison to others that had similar burns but did not apply it. I then carried out the research and found that egg yolk contains Vitamin E and I found out the ways in which it helped me.

So, overall even though the pain of the burn was terrible, I'm glad that I managed to find out about the amazing Vitamin E and it's properties and I received a huge box of chocolates for wining! So that made it all worth-while after all.

By Priyah Baha.

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Former pupils film triumph

January 7th 2005

Maya Datau, an ex-student of St Brendan's college, has just been awarded the opportunity to have the film she produced, Charlie White, screened in Los Angeles after winning a competition. It was selected, along with two other entries, out of two hundred and fifty other independently made films from around the world. Charlie White will premiere on the 7th of December; a triumph not only for Maya, having her debut film get immediate media attention, but for the three other St Brendan's graduates that will also celebrate the films success. Maya started her interest in film when she attended an HTV drama workshop where she acted for a while but soon realised that it was behind the camera, rather than in front of it, that her future lay.

She then turned her head to graphic design, which she studied at St Brendan's as well as business and computing. It was there that she met her boyfriend, Samuel P Abrahams, the writer and director of Charlie White, who was taking photography, business and art. "Yeah it was good," she reflects on her time at the college "I made a lot of good friends and I met Sam who I would go on to make films with." It was also at St Brendan's that they met Alex McGettgan and Lucy McCall, who would later go on to star in the couple's debut film.

The two then went to the London University of Arts, where Maya studied graphic design and Sam took new art media. "Our passion for film lead us to begin our own production company, Tabloid films, in 2003 when in our second year of our degree, when we began pre-production on Charlie White" says Maya of the origins of the film that will take her to Hollywood.

Maya was offered other production jobs, including work on the new Charlie and the chocolate factory remake, but turned most down to put more effort in Tabloid films. She produced Samuel's shorter films CDstory and Welcome to America before producing his first full length feature film, Charlie White. It was shot in the couples London premises with 123 scenes being completed in just 21 days.

The film, Maya describes as a "dark drama that exposes the violent behaviour of a young London rich kid who will do anything to be the most loved person at the party." Set in London's celebrity circle and featuring 'IT' girls, rock stars offspring and debauchery by the ounce, Charlie White is set to get reviewers raving across the globe. It's now been announced to premiere in the UK at the Bradford film festival from the 4-19 of March 2005.

However despite all this achievement, Maya has kept working on other various projects and the couple are already working on a new short film.

Nathalie Reynolds

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Student Designers' High Speed Success

16th December 2004

Students in St Brendan's Sixth Form College's technology team Nick Vitale, Russell Berry, Louis Farrell and Paul Aston have won the South-West heat of the Jaguar F1 Challenge. It is the first time that this competition has been open to16-18 year olds and sixth forms and colleges throughout the country are taking part. The students formed a team as an extension of their AS Design & Technology Control Systems course, each designing their own concepts of rocket powered model vehicles. In addition to each student contributing their designs, each adopted a different role in the working of the team, roles such as organisation, CNC machining, turning and publicity.

Design methods included using modelling foam and clay, followed by 3D drawing on computer. They measured different models in the departmental wind tunnel, as well as judging them against specifications set by the F1 Challenge. Eventually they decided on one design and produced two models, using the college's CNC milling machine and other equipment to maximise the speed and styling.

Their models were tested, along with 20 other teams from across the South-West of England. In addition to racing their vehicle the team had to deliver a Powerpoint presentation, and were interviewed extensively concerning their design portfolio. The team were amazed at how fast the vehicle went, jet powered by gas cylinder, it achieved a speed of 1.67 seconds along a 15 Metre (50 FT) track and was the fastest in their category. The team also gained particular praise for their level of technical expertise.

On 12th January the team are off to London for the National Final, representing St Brendan's, and the South-West of England.

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Cross Country

10 December 2004

The Bristol Schools Cross Country Championships were recently held at Clifton College, and St Brendan's was very pleased with the success of its students. With a small team of four students in the Senior Boys and three in the Senior Girls races - cross country is very much a voluntary activity, often used to allow students the chance of representative honours - the College students took a number of the important positions. Running over a very flat, fast course, Ruth Mitchell came home in first place and is the new Bristol School Champion, Lauren McQuaid was fourth and Marie Drucker-Allister was eighth. The team should have had a fourth member, Kirstie Tait, but she was at a presentation ceremony. All are selected for Bristol Schools to run in the forthcoming County Championships.

John Collier was second in his race, with Chris Palmer third. John had competed strongly for first place for much of the time but the pace was too hot in the later stages. John has another year as a Senior Boy to win this title with Bristol Schools. Chris improved his position from fifth last year to third this. Dan Harris came home in ninth place. Jason McCrossan was affected by an earlier injury and was forced to stop on the first lap of three.

John, Chris and Dan have also been selected to run in the County Championships which will be staged at Blaise Castle later in the season. We wish them well with their preparations for this and subsequent events.

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Children in Need

3rd December 2004

Activities for the BBC's 'Children in Need' at St Brendan's this year had something for everybody.

Kerrie Jones had a number of suggestions to make: the best was to offer students the chance to go abseiling. Each student would need to be sponsored and only the top 12, those with most sponsorship, would be chosen. Posters were placed around the College and they got a response - students saw this as a way to experience something they had always wanted to do and raise money for a good cause.

Kirstie Phillips got her directorate reps together and they came up with a Media Sale, a 'bring and buy' of audio and video tapes, CDs and DVDs.

Kirstie and Hannah Fuller collected almost £80 by undertaking a sponsored silence - it seems that sponsors thought their money was safe, but unfortunately for them, and fortunately for needy children, Kirstie and Hannah both kept quiet.

Luke Georgewill, Justin Axleberg and Mark Cox-Powell dressed as female students, and very nice they looked, too. Among the other fancy dress outfits being worn by students were two fairies, Cruella Devil and a pirate.

Pudsey Bear was won by Charlotte Rogers. He was a particularly nice bear, a limited edition, celebrating 25 years of Pudsey. I made him myself: I stuffed him to the right sort of plumpness, chose a heart and made a wish. This is true - our Pudsey was the last one in The Bear Factory in The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. The staff told me it was compulsory to do the things I have described and I did not feel stupid at all. But they don't know what I wished for! I must return and see if it worked.

It was not all fun on the day, the office staff were positively nasty - they charged staff and students for any little task they undertook. Whether students wanted to borrow a pen, collect an Exeat Form or ask for a copy of their timetable, a charge was required for everything. It paid off - the office staff collected £107.

Sophie and Ronnie stunned everybody by arriving in costume and performing an impromptu belly dance.

I am grateful to Erin Cacacie and her dancers as together they got the greatest response from the students who, without too much pressure, placed cash in the collection bucket to watch their performances to the music of Michael Jackson and then Christine Aguilera's Moulin Rouge. There were many planned events, but the dance seemed to act as a focus to the day.

Charity is about raising money but it is more: it's about participation, building up a mood of co-operation and working for the common good. This was achieved admirably by staff and students at St Brendan's on Children in Need day.

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Open Evenings exceed expectations - almost!

11th November 2004

St Brendan's Sixth form College's Open Evenings almost exceeded expectations. had the momentum not been building over the past few years, the College could have been overwhelmed - and very nearly was, from a traffic perspective. The numbers attending on each evening were difficult to assess accurately, but a total of 2000 visitors would not be too far off the mark.

Following these events, we receive a large number of calls apologising for not being able to come on either evening, and asking if it would be possible to have a tour of the College. Marketing Manager Geoff Collard is usually happy to oblige.

This looks promising for future recruitment, and interviews for entry in 2005 are now well under way. Prospective students are advised to complete an application form as soon as they can and return it to the College - application forms can be found on this website or at the back of the latest prospectus. If a prospectus is required, please call Reception on 01179 777766.

If students have completed an application form, they can expect the following during the year:-

  • Confirmation of receipt of the application form.
  • An invitation for interview (be aware that the time gap between receipt of application and interview date increases as we progress through the year).
  • If successful, a conditional offer of a place for August 2005.
  • Invitations to College events and copies of St Brendan's magazine, 'Waves'.
  • An invitation to attend a 'Preparation Day', (Tuesday 28th June 2005).
  • An enrolment pack, giving full details of enrolment in August.

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College Donate Computers to Prison

14th October 2004

Students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College hosted a special presentation last week when they donated six PCs to Ashfield Young Offenders Institution (YOI).

Computing Students handed over the computers to Ashfield YOI Training Manager Tom May. The PCs, which are being replaced by new ones at the College, will be installed in the training suite in the institution and used by prisoners.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) West of England matched the two organisations together when it learned that Saint Brendan's Sixth Form College no longer needed the computers.

Both organisations received funding from the LSC to offer a programme called the 'Level 2 Initiative'. The scheme offers training to people who wouldn't normally participate in education and encourages them to attain the level 2 standard, which is the equivalent of five GCSEs at grade C or above.

The programme offers training in areas such as music, technical theatre and IT at Saint Brendan's Sixth Form College; and numeracy, industrial forklift driving and first aid at Ashfield YOI.

Derek Bodey, Principal of Saint Brendan's Sixth Form College said: "As these computers are surplus to requirements we decided to donate them to an organisation that would make good use of them."

"We hope that the PCs will improve the capacity of learning for the young men in Ashfield Young Offenders Institution."

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Kick Boxing World Champion

1st October 2004

Kirsty has returned from Switzerland as world champion at Kick Boxing with two medals around her neck, a gold and a bronze. Kirsty is junior world champion in the Light Contact event and bronze medallist at Points Fighting. In Light Contact you hit, and can be hit very hard. It's a little like boxing - but you can use your feet as well; it's very fast and the crowd gets very involved. The winner is the one who scores most points for hits and technique. Points fighting is similar, but here the first to hit gets the point and the person with the highest number of points wins.

To win her gold medal she had to beat the current world champion to reach the final, and beat a German competitor for the title. "When I had won, it didn't really sink in, but when I stood on the rostrum, with the national anthem playing and the Union Jack being raised I became very emotional. Later I began to realise that this was what I had been aiming for, this was what all the hard work had been about and I felt immensely proud." Kirsty rang Mum and she broke into tears, saying "how proud" she was of her. Dad hid his emotions, declaring that the opposition "must have been easy!"

Kirsty, a student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, Brislington, started kick boxing at 11 when she joined The Bristol Laugar Club, her trainer, Lloyd Allen, quickly recognised her potential and gave her that little extra help necessary for her skills to flourish. He told her that she could become world champion. Lloyd works tirelessly for the club and seeing club members develop is reward in itself. "He's like a second dad," says Kirsty, "after all of his support I have finally reached my and his ambition."

She won the British Open title in her first year of competing, and has won more than 180 trophies - but the world title is the biggest and best. Kirsty often competes at Senior level to give herself greater competition, in a year's time she will be too old to fight as a junior, but she intends winning gold at both events at next year's world championships before then.

There is a down side to Kirsty's successes, though; all training and travel costs have to be met by her or her family; the trip to Switzerland cost £700 and an earlier one to America in February cost £500, and soon she is off to the Scottish Open. Her parents were unable to see Kirsty's greatest moment. Coach Lloyd, who went to Switzerland as a referee was paid 100 euros - about £60 - for his week's work; but he, too, had to find the £700 for travel and accommodation. Kirsty is desperate to find a sponsor, someone who can share her success. She is a delightful young lady who is dedicated to her sport, can anybody help?

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The Lean Mean Cleaning Team

24th September 2004

Members of the St Brendan's Sixth Form College Rugby Squad recently tackled a new drill to improve team performance. While some 150 Barclays Bank executives from all over the South West were attending a meeting at Park House, Stoke Gifford, students representing St Brendan's rugby teams cleaned their cars. The Barclays staff learned a new skill, too - that of passing money to the students! It was all part of a big fund-raising event, arranged between Tim Rouse, rugby coach at the College in Brislington, and Xena Pollard of Barclays.

Tim explained: "The College rugby squad decided that they could improve their personal fitness and team performance if they had new equipment. During the summer holidays, members of the team targeted local companies asking for support for their fund-raising."

Xena Pollard said, "I was so impressed by the obvious enthusiasm of the team, I was delighted we could help. Tim has confirmed that the whole idea was the students'." Xena added, "We are always looking for deserving local groups and individuals to support. With St Brendan's just around the corner, this was perfect."

Barclays suggested that the regional meeting in Bristol was an opportunity where students could clean the cars. The executives paid for the service, but Barclays matched the funds raised to a maximum of £750. This meant that in excess of £1500 was raised.

Barclays provided special headgear for the event, B&Q donated the car-washing equipment and there was a promise that members of the Bristol Shoguns would appear. (Tim has friends within the club!)

Not all of the money will be spent on equipment. Some will be given to the College Charities Fund, and donated this coming May.

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Higher Grades for More Students

19th August 2004

Saint Brendan's College students have once again been very successful in the A Level results published today. Over 400 students were involved in more than 900 subject entries this summer. The pass rate of 96.4% is above the national average, as it was last year, and the proportion of students with passes at the higher grades (A - C) is 66.4%, which is the national average.

As usual there were exceptional achievements by individual students. Nine students each gained four passes at Grade A - three times as many as last year: Nicholas Blundell (Westbury on Trym), Joe Carroll (Henleaze), Claire Cauchois (Oldland Common), Louise Hennessey (Downend), Peter Vance (Westbury on Trym), Eliza Pye (Weston, Bath), Bethan James (Keynsham), Alexandra Dent (Bathampton) & Rachel Netto (Knowle).

The media are reporting that more students are gaining the higher grades and this seems to support that. Louise Hennessey was placed in the top five in the country for Law out of 6428 candidates. Louise says that her success was unexpected: on receipt of her results she 'disappeared' to the College sports fields to open her results envelope quietly. Louise said, "I cannot believe it. I always hoped, but never expected these grades. To be in the top five in the country for Law is fantastic - it won't sink in until tomorrow!"

Four students will take up places in Oxford, these are Kathryn Simms (Oldland Common), Joe Carroll, Eleanore Di Claudio (Bath) and Matthew Allen (Fishponds).

Two brothers from Westbury on Trym, Nick Blundell, the elder, and David Blundell achieved four passes at A2 and five passes at AS, respectively. Bambang Farida, an overseas student from Singapore, passed three subjects at Grade A and one Grade B. During the first year of study he had no family around to help. In the second year, brother Hartono joined him and added family responsibilities to Bambang's workload!

Alexandra Dent received her results whilst holidaying in India. She rang the College and was, of course, delighted to have passed with four A Grades. The news was received with whoops of joy from the whole family, all eagerly awaiting the news.

Derek Bodey, Principal of the College, said, "We are delighted for our students. These results will enable almost all of them to proceed to the Higher Education course or employment for which they have applied. It's always a joy for us to see so many smiling faces. All who work in education are aware that, shortly, the media will be declaring A Level examinations to be too easy, but today is about youngsters working hard too achieve their goals. We should allow them to enjoy their well earned successes."

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Art, Photography and Textiles Exhibition

An exhibition of St Brendan's Art, Photography, Fashion and Textiles students' work.

Open to the public Thursday 8 July 9am-7pm.

All welcome, especially students who plan to come to St Brendan's to study these subject.

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Venusian Transit

14th June 2004

On Tuesday 8 June 2004, in a virtually cloudless sky, Staff and Students watched the transit of Venus across the Sun with the aid home made telescope supplied by the Physics Department. {This consisted of a World War II Sherman tank sight mounted on a pair bicycle forks!} Venus first appeared as a black dot at 6.20 am at the start of the transit which lasted for almost six hours.

This was the first transit of Venus since 1882, when the transit was visible from the British Isles, but not in its entirety. The last time an entire transit would have been visible from the British Isles was in the thirteenth century, so all who saw the transit at St. Brendan's witnessed a very rare phenomenon, and felt privileged to have done so. The next passage will occur in 2012, but this will not be visible from our shores.

No living person had seen this rare phenomenon, which was first seen by the British Astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks in 1639. Horrocks used Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion to predict future transits. These Venusian transits only occur four times every 243 years. Two occur in December, eight years apart, and then 121.5 years later there are two June transits, again eight years apart. After another 105.5 years the cycle begins again.

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The May Ball

11th June 2004

One of St Brendan's most eagerly anticipated annual events - the May Ball or Leavers' Ball - was held recently at the Thistle Hotel, Bristol. The students seemed to have spent a lot of time ensuring that they were suitably attired: many dressed up for the occasion. Beautiful ball gowns and tuxedos were the order of the day. Others deliberately dressed down or displayed touches of eccentricity. Both styles attracted attention.

Attention-seeking appeared to be the motivation behind some of the modes of transport, too; one ex-student treated his girlfriend to a ride in a horse and carriage, while another brought his partners(!) in a limo.

The Ball marks the end of the term of office for the current Student Union, the night's organisers. Upper sixth students who leave the College after the public examinations may only see each other during the exams and when they collect their exam results. For most, therefore, it was an emotional occasion.

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Student helps to make Waves

27th May 2004

Alex Parker is potentially an excellent designer. This is not just the opinion of his design teacher, Joe Roukin, the College IT staff and me; it is the opinion of Alex himself! With the departure of Peter Bradshaw, College Principal until Christmas 2003, all documents with his name on them needed to be replaced. This was an opportunity to do some re-designing, but who would I ask? The 'techies' were looking for a new corporate desktop image for the College computers and, by chance, showed me one that Alex had strongly recommended - his! I liked what I saw and asked Alex if he could help.

First a little about his credentials. Alex showed an interest in computers when he started high school in Dewesbury: he saw, he liked and he wanted. The first machine he bought was, in his words, 'a bit of a banger' and he was 'ripped off!' He paid £150, a small price to pay for an interest and part-time career. His first software package was Photoshop 4 - quite simple in comparison with the more recent packages [he says]. Alex met Greg, who shared the same enthusiasm for design. Greg got Alex into website design. At first they designed small personal websites: Alex specialised in adding the graphics. At 14, Alex bought a replacement machine - not a great one, but it ran Photoshop 6, which was much better. Greg wished to recover some of their investments - and earn pocket money. Utopia Webdesign was formed. This quickly became Neodaemos Design LLP, a bigger company [Richard, fondly known as 'Pyro' was a new recruit] and was ready to take on all manner of design tasks: logos, photo restoration, flyers - the lot.

Responsibilities needed to be allotted: Richard, who doubles as a pyrotechnics engineer, a hobby that has become a paid job, would do coding, PHP, CSS, Java, etc [are you following this?], Greg would do the same but could add Visual Basic [all are different languages for programming websites] and would deal with contracts and general administration. Alex specialised in design and would provide logos and image editing. This company is still trading even though Alex is based in Bristol and the others around Leeds. Modern technology makes distance a small consideration.

Unsuspectingly, when I spoke to Alex, I was about to embark on a voyage of discovery. I soon realised how little I knew and how far I was from knowing enough. No worries - Alex could and would, time permitting, show me how. The first job was to create a design for the Course Leaflets we distribute to prospective students. This was painstakingly done - he is a perfectionist - with a design based around the College logo [St Brendan's boat] and the notion of Waves, the College magazine. This was produced with all the relevant 'fixed' detail and space for leaflet titles, with a colour selection that offered uniformity of style, but with a unique colour for each curriculum area and in a tone that indicated that each area belonged to a Directorate. These were used at the recent Advice Evening.

He is now advising me on the layout for Waves and is designing the masthead. As I write I am not sure how Waves will look in a couple of weeks' time. I have no doubt that Alex will produce something that is far in advance of anything I can do - and this gives me real pleasure. To have a student who is willing and able to deliver quality designs, who can apply learning to practical problems that will, hopefully, form part of coursework and which will benefit the College, is a joy. I marvel at his expertise, I am in awe of his energy, I am hurt when he tells me I'm rubbish. I enjoy his arrogance and value all the help he has given me.

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Keeping his Eye on the Bowls

20th May 2004

To be recognised for your achievements is satisfying: to see that recognition scroll up a plasma TV screen is especially satisfying. Daniel Burns had been persuaded to send an application form to the BBC to take part in a sport/media event. As Dan loves both (it was his media teacher Pip Coles who mentioned the course) he thought it would be a great opportunity to have a closer look at one of his career choices - and could be a cracking day out. Hundreds applied and 30 students were selected - Dan considered himself very fortunate. Good fortune continued when his Mum decided she would drive him to London rather than travel by train. There was a bomb scare and Paddington station was closed.

Students were welcomed and taken to the BBC Sport studios, from where Match of the Day and Grandstand are transmitted. They were told that by the end of the day a sports programme would have been produced and all would have taken responsibility for a part of it. Daniel was told that he would be a cameraman and would work with Rob, who was very experienced in this role. The early part of the morning was spent learning how to assemble and disassemble a camera. This was followed by Dan's main task - filming live bowls. On a special carpet in the studio and with an invited team of bowls players, he took over camera 3 (there were four in total). Dan had to listen through his headphones to the director [another student] giving instructions: 'Ready Camera 3'. Rob had explained that sometimes he would prepare himself by visiting the site of a particular sporting event; at other times, such as the Boat Race, he would make do with watching earlier races. Rob had also said that when you are filming, you concentrate so much you do not know the score. Dan found this to be true as he followed the bowls.

Towards the end of the day, all students were asked to return to the studio to see the completed programme. Three sporting activities had been covered: a review of the FA Cup, studying old footage; an interview with footballer-turned-presenter Mark Bright; and, of course, live bowls. Some students had edited, some had added graphics, whilst others presented, the results of the day's efforts. Sports presenter Hazel Irvine was there to take the group through the programme. When the credits rolled Daniel Burns was proud of a job well done.

Dan said, "I was amazed how complex everything was, how many people were involved, all working hard for perfection. Having worked on the other side of the screen I am surprised that there are not more errors made." He received a copy of the completed programme that he had worked on. Is this a job for the future? Dan said, "I liked it very much and would certainly consider any opportunities, but I would like to consider print adverts, too."

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Special Diets Catered for at St Brendan's

5th May 2004

Students requiring special diets are catered for at St Brendan's. Vegetarian options are always on the menu, and we can cater for other diets on request. Please note that Contract Services have been active in reducing the fat, sugar and salt content of all meals served.

Halal Meals

As part of our ongoing commitment to choice for all customers, Contract Services Catering are able to offer Halal meals. Following discussions with local Mulism Community Leaders in Bristol, a purpose built kitchen was set up in at Bannerman Road Primary School to provide Halal meals for all customers requiring them. An accredited Halal Butcher (Pak Butchers) was contracted to supply meat, and catering staff have been trained in the correct production and service methods necessary to conform to the strict requirements of Halal.

We have researched products and recipes, and developed others which have been trialled and approved by pupils across the city. Such is the success of the production unit, that more than a thousand meals per week are cooked and frozen down for distribution to other schools and colleges.

Halal meals have been available to students at St Brendans since September 2004.

Please advise the college of any special dietary requirements.

Daily provision

Bristol City Council Contract Services provide the Catering facility, which comprises breakfast, mid-morning tuck, lunch and vending services.

For Breakfast the students, many of whom travel some distance to college, are able to choose from a range of hot or cold Healthy Snacks such as cereals, fruit toast or bacon sandwiches, or a continental style breakfast with croissants.

The Deli bar is opened mid-morning to sell freshly made sandwiches, filled baguettes and fruit besides the usual Tuck shop fare. Many of the most popular drinks sold no longer have unnecessary additives or colourings, and Fair Trade chocolate is also available.

At Lunchtime a 'Fast Food' area is opened to sell pizzas and burgers alongside a salad bar and 'Italian' pasta bar, where students can purchase tasty pasta dishes served with a side salad, speciality bread and bottled water. A traditional meal is also served daily. The vending facilities are available all day to students using the social area.

If you have any further queries or comments about the catering provision, please contact the Contract Services Office on 0117 9036300.

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Students Edit Seven

5th May 2004

The journalism course has offered us budding journalists a plethora of opportunities, one of the most exciting was for the group to have a go at writing Seven magazine, a weekly supplement from the Bristol Evening Post. This was something that the Bristol Evening Post had never done before and having students writing for their magazine was a great opportunity for them as well as us.

We set to work in early January. We all began to write articles that we would like to go into the magazine. The editor of Seven magazine came to visit us and discussed with us what we wanted the magazine to be like. This magazine is usually set up in different sections, and we were all asked to write articles that could fit into these categories e.g.: Travel, life, money etc. We were also asked if we could all write a review of our favourite book, this proved to be successful. Rough copies after rough copies were being handed into Sue Good, the journalism teacher, until they were perfect. By the end of February the magazine was starting to come together. All of our articles were looking good and we were almost ready.

Throughout this project, we have been helped along by Tom Henry, one of the journalists who usually writes Seven. He came along one last time at the end of February and helped us to touch up any final details. We then e-mailed all our work to him at the Bristol Evening Post newsrooms where their editors began to put it all together, some of the students were offered the chance to go along and witness the editing process.

At the end of March our magazine was released. We were all excited to see that apart from the TV times and reviews, the entire magazine was made up of our own work. This was a great experience and I would recommend it to any student, it's very rewarding, the course offers many other opportunities.

By Richard McMahon

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Marketing Day at Ashton Gate

30th April 2004

Four of our students, James Perry, Joe Stevens, Ed Ryan and Ed Kear, were given a chance to spend a day exploring behind the scenes at Bristol City FC. They looked at how professional clubs use the media and attract sponsorship and television coverage. The company offering the day, Excel Project, works with top sports clubs throughout Britain, and put on this day for Bristol students in liaison with Excellence in Cities.

As well as being given a guided tour of the ground they visited the corporate lounges, the players' bar and the board room. As they toured round they had experience of making a video aimed at marketing the club. Each student was able to present an aspect of the club and, when it is edited, will have their own copy. As well as developing their presentation skills, the day gave them a taste of what goes on in the cut-and-thrust world of professional sport. They weren't able to set foot on the pitch but they did get to sit at the directors' table and roleplay a transfer deal!

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St Brendan's Students selected for England Team

1st April 2004

Two members of St Brendan's hugely successful rugby team have been selected for the England Under 18 Group Team. Daniel Howick [tight head prop] and Chevvy Pennycook [open side flanker] will play in two different England teams (there are Under 18 teams based on September and January birthdates).

Daniel has been selected for the team that plays against Ireland [April 9th], Wales [April 24th] and France [May 1st]. The game against Wales is the Centenary match: it will be 100 years to the day since England Schools played their Welsh counterparts in Leicester. (Then they played at under 14 level and not under 18 as this will be.) The French game will be played in Basas, 40 Km from Bordeaux.

Chevvy will play in the Association of European Rugby Festival, which will be staged in Italy between April 1st and 12th. England is seeded in the top eight teams. They will play Romania, and Scotland or Georgia, before meeting France in the final - provided both teams get through the knockout stages of the competition. Chevvy has already made one international appearance when he played against Scotland last weekend. England won 29 - 7. Chevvy's elder brother Redford is on standby for the Under 18 Group [September] and it was 'touch and go' whether he, too, would be fully selected.

To have two students gain their international caps is an amazing achievement. The College prides itself on its rugby reputation and counts itself fortunate to have players of this quality. They and others before them set standards for the rest of the team and send a message to younger aspiring players at St Brendan's, or to students who would wish to come.

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Box-ing Clever

When Nick Townsend bought an X-Box his friends all laughed. They did not laugh for long - and they're not laughing now. Nick, 18, has just won his way to the title of British Student X-Box Champion with a prize amounting to £10,000. Serious money!

When Nick finished his GCSE exams he bought an X-Box to fill the time. His friends were convinced that Playstation was better and smirked when he told them. Very soon Nick was able to persuade them that X-Box had better games, and they swapped their Playstations.

Since that time nearly two years ago, Nick, a student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College, Brislington, has been playing games. His favourite is Project Gotham. He also plays 'X-Box Live' - online competitions against players throughout the world. This, he says, is the secret of his success and set him up for his title challenge. Nick also upped the stakes by playing about 6 hours a day leading up to the final.

Nick and his Dad saw an advert for the regional X-Box competition and both thought that Nick should enter. The competition was in Cheltenham, one of 35 regional bases. 40 students participated, with followers cheering their particular favourites. Two games were played - Project Gotham and Racing 2 and Nick won by a clear 7 seconds - a massive margin. His prize was an X-Box and games. Nick, as regional winner, was then given all games a week in advance of the final.

The final took place in Manchester with 35 regional champions taking part. Nick had a quick practice and stunned the organisers by beating the best times they had ever seen, and he was not really trying! The group stage was played - 7 groups of 5, each group playing Rainbow 63, a shooting game, Amped 2, snowboarding, and Crimson Skies, a flying game. At the end of this round Nick had scored 11 points out of a possible 12 and was group winner. In his group, the previous year's champion had scored 10 points. The quarter finals were played - a head to head, and the most difficult round for Nick. His opponent won a game, as did Nick, with the third tied. A replay was needed, and the game was decided by the flip of a coin. Nick won the toss and chose to play the character of Tony Hawkes - and won his way to the semi-final.

In the semis 8 players played over four plasma screens - all killing or be killed. Nick won this and took his place in the final, to play three others at Project Gotham, four cars all racing each other. Nick won the first race by 7 seconds and was certain to win a prize. The second game he won by 5 seconds - perhaps time was lost when Dad prompted him to do a 180° turn and reverse over the finishing line! Nick's gentle manner had made him a popular winner. "I never expected to win," said Nick, "I just could not believe I had done it. I don't think I will believe it until I receive the prizes." Dad, who had previously thought that Nick could do something better with his time, was chuffed and couldn't stop talking all the way back to Bristol. Mum was 'phoned with the news and cried with excitement.

Nick's prizes are a cheque for £6,000 which he will 'boringly' put aside to help pay for university fees and £4,000 of electrical goods - "The wide screen TV will definitely go in my bedroom!"

As champion Nick will now have to consider his future. He would like to be asked to test new games - "I'd do it for nothing" - and he intends to compete until he ceases to be a student. He believes this will be in another 5 or 6 years.

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Students in the dock

Two weeks after the 'Murder in the Common Room' incident Sam Palmer appeared in 'court', charged with the murder of Emilia Davis. Prosecuting barristers Rob Grabowski and Nicola Sweeney, defence barristers Laura England and David Hounsell, the jury of 12 law students, the solicitors, and spectators in the public gallery crammed into Her Honour Judge Edwards' courtroom. Richard Lodge ensured there was a fitting formality about the occasion with judge and barristers bedecked in wigs and robes.

Witnesses were called and statements were made. Sometimes these contradicted the statements they had made earlier, a situation that must occur frequently. The 'court' was as close as the real thing as Richard could make it and all students responded to this.

Sam Palmer was found guilty by the jury of the manslaughter of Emilia Davies on the grounds of provocation, and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Her Honour Judge Edwards.

It was a rare opportunity for law students to experience a 'real murder': it will be difficult to repeat because witnesses would be suspicious next time. All participants realised - particularly the barristers - that they could have played their parts differently had they prepared themselves better. Again this is a reflection of real life. They also realised the complexities of the law and the profession they may be entering.

Read the article concerning the 'murder'.

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The Wiz

5th March 2004

Adapted from the 1978 film The Wiz, which starred Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, this Saint Brendan's production was a thoroughly enjoyable version, with a lively selection of musical numbers.

An enthusiastic cast presented an evening of dance, song and humour, enjoyed by an almost sell-out audience each night. The scene was set with some foot-tapping music from the Band, and we were whisked away - almost literally - by the tornado sequence (beautifully choreographed and performed) to the Land of Oz. Although the use of scenery was minimal, inventive lighting effects carried us easily from scene to scene.

The costumes were original and evocative, and the whole ensemble played their parts with a sense of fun. Special mention must be made of Mathangi Ramakrishnan, who gave us a delightful Dorothy; Hannah O'Gorman for the cowardly, but loveable, Lion; Stephanie Hodges for Tinman, with some great vocals; and Nigel Wilson for his Scarecrow - with a great West Country accent and a great line in ad-libs.

Mention has also to be made of some improvised dance moves by Joe Ledbury (Messenger) during one of the dances involving the entire Chorus - Joe's antics certainly brought a smile to many faces.

The weeks of hard work and rehearsals were worth it! - a good night was had by all. Thanks, everyone!

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Students in Final English Trial

12th February 2004

Four members of St Brendan's hugely successful rugby team played in the England Schools 18 Group Final Trial at Loughborough recently. The students Daniel Howick, Redford Pennycook, Daniel Lear and Chevvy Pennycook had got to this stage of the process having gained approval from the selectors at District, County, Area and Divisional levels. The last of these covered the collective talents of nine counties in the South West - no mean achievement.

At the final stage, there were joy and tears. The joy was for Howick and the Pennycook brothers (Redford is the elder). There was disappointment for Daniel Lear, who was eliminated without taking to the pitch. The ability of all triallists is known, and two players who had already established themselves at England level filled Daniel's position.

Now Daniel Howick [tight head prop], Redford [Lock] and Chevvy [open side flanker] must wait to see if they can claim their England jerseys. Teams will be picked to play against Ireland [April 9th], Wales [April 24th] and France [May 1st]. The game against Wales is the Centenary match, exactly 100 years to the day since English Schools played their Welsh counterparts in Leicester, but then they played at under-14 level and not under-18 as this will be. The French game will be played in Basas, 40 Km from Bordeaux.

Chevvy, the youngest member of the group, will be considered for the Association of European Rugby Festival, which will be staged in Italy between April 1st and 12th. England is seeded in the top eight teams. They will play Romania, and Scotland or Georgia, before meeting France in the final - provided both teams can get through the knockout stages of the competition.

The College prides itself on its rugby reputation and counts itself fortunate to have players of this quality. They and others before them set standards