Red Day - Healthy Living Week - 2nd May 2013

Thursday 2nd May had a healthy flavour as our students took part in a variety of activities around the theme of Healthy Living.

See our Red Day News for the full story.

Year 10 Excel at Industry Days - May 2013

Year 10 have been experiencing some high quality Industry Days in the last fortnight. This is an important aspect of the Year 10 Student Pledge and a fantastic opportunity to prepare our students for future employment and appropriate training routes. Students went to a range of businesses and organisations including Watermans Theatre, Brompton Bicycles, Orleans House Gallery and the London College of Beauty Therapy

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Year 7 History Trip to Hampton Court - May 2013

The Year 7 had their first annual History trip to Hampton Court, and on two beautiful days enjoyed the inside and outdoor splendour of the Tudor palace. They took a horse and cart ride around the spectacular grounds, got lost and found again in the maze, and navigated the cavernous rooms of this royal house. They learned of the privilege and excess of Britain’s royal past, and the extravagance of the Tudor court.

They took part in the intrigue and politics of the Reformation, interrogated the servants of William and Mary, and took in the fountains and the lawns of the aristocracy. The Year 7 were fantastic as they took great strides forward to being investigative and enquiring historians.

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US Dance Group Performs with our Students - April 2013

ILL-Abilities, a US dance group comprised of disabled dancers came to visit the school. ILL Abilities has gained international fame as a dance group and recently been nominated for an Olivier Award. After the performance to all of Year 7 and 8 and our PD students, a workshop took place where the dancers worked with our students to help them develop their skills and confidence. The performance and workshop embodied all our values including excellence, inspiration, friendship and equality

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Sixth Form Revision Boot Camp - April 2013

Over Easter 38 Sixth Form students attended the inaugural ‘Revision Boot Camp’. Students revised for over 6 hours per day, ably supported by a group of willing teachers across different subject areas. We all partook in a range of activities from raft building to archery, which kept our bodies equally sharp and meant we could attack revision with a fresh mind every evening.

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the trip was seeing students live like they will at University. Cooking challenges were set every evening and everyone involved stepped up to the challenge fantastically. An absolutely brilliant week was had by all.

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‘I Love Feltham’ Event a Big Success - March 2013

The Humanities faculty opened its doors last week for the first annual celebration of Feltham, in the ‘I Love Feltham’ afternoon. On Friday 15th March, parents and the local community were invited in to see the work of the Year 7s, who had looked at the History, Geography and civic issues affecting their home town. Students had researched over 1,000 years of History, and presented it on a huge timeline.

Mark Savage of the Feltham History Group was impressed – the Year 7s were ‘enthusiastic pupils with a real flair for History’ – and members of the group acknowledged that they learned something new about their home town. The Mayoress also inspected the maps that the geographers had produced, whilst other luminaries saw the students present on what they would most like to improve about Feltham. Refreshments were served by the Year 10s in a real team effort, and the event is one that is set to become a growing fixture in the calendar, as Feltham Community College becomes the hub of learning in the community.

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Year 9 English trip to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre - March 2013

This month Year 9 students saw a modern production of William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at the Globe Theatre in London. Students were able to experience a play in the reconstructed theatre and saw the dynamic interaction between actors and audience inherent to all Shakespearian plays. This experience provided an invaluable insight into what an Elizabethan audience would have experienced, including snow, excitement and sore feet.

The timeless play was rejuvenated by a modern interpretation which saw smoking car wrecks, hoodies and ‘One Direction’ lyrics, bringing the story alive for students and teachers alike. Not only was this a culturally enriching experience, but a fantastic way to start the GCSE!

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Perfect Purple Day - March 2013

We had our penultimate Perfect Day of the year just over a week ago. Students were rewarded throughout the day for their excellence and inspiration. Fantastic questioning was seen in some lessons as well as examples of students being inspired by individuals and their environment. In other areas A Level students were starting new topics using innovative teaching methods. Our peer mentors were also kept very busy handing out stickers to fellow students - where they saw examples of excellence and inspiration.

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Year 13 History trip to Berlin - March 2013

The Year 13 Historians undertook a trip to Berlin – a city with a 1000 years of History. More recently, Berlin became the flashpoint of nuclear tension when the city was divided into East and West. Our students explored the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the Stasi Museum, before undergoing a tour of nuclear bunkers and air raid shelters. We ascended the TV Tower to see Berlin from the sky, noting the differences between the former Communist east and Capitalist west.

We also saw the Holocaust Memorial – a reminder of an even darker past. A monumental walk through a snowy Tiergarten, taking in the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column rounded off a trip full of historical significance, and a memorable way to kick-start revision for victories to come in June!

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Teachers are learners too - Staff MA Graduation- March 2013

Congratulations to a number of our staff who recently attended the winter graduation ceremony at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham to receive their Masters degrees! The post-graduate degree course was completed part-time over two years and its official title was MA in Education: Leading Innovation & Change. Staff had to lead an action research project looking at a particular aspect of education within the school. Best of luck to our next cohort of staff who are in their second year of the same course.

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GB Long Jumper JJ Jegede inspires PE Students - February 2013

Feltham Community College had a visit from JJ Jegede GB long jumper on thursday 28th February. JJ Jegede is currently one of the athlete mentors for the Sky Living for Sport programme which works with students on targeted projects within the school. JJ worked with the PE change team to discuss their project where they are going to lead and run lunchtime activities for the students, ran an assembly for the Year 7 and participated in a Q&A session with the BTEC Sport class on the use of sports psychology in his event.

JJ Jegede will be returning later in the term to run a day event within the College with the PE change team working on leadership skills and the development of the project. It was inspirational to have a current GB athlete in to support the students. It gave them a real sense of purpose for their role.

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College production of 'Alice' - February 2013

Feltham Community College staged its very own interpretation of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ on February 13th and 14th 2013. A cast of 45 students from Years 7 - 12 took to the stage for two nights and put on a spectacular performance. Time passed so quickly, the performance nights were soon upon us. It seemed a long time since a record number of students auditioned for the various parts back in November 2012. The cast rehearsed two or three times each week and some weekends and their hard work and effort were reflected in their performances.

Alice was always going to be a challenge with its nonsensical storyline: after she falls down the rabbit hole chasing the white rabbit, Alice meets a variety of talking creatures and objects who try to steer her in the right direction towards home. Her journey ends being trialled in front of the Red Queen and the race is on for her to escape a beheading and find her way home.

There were some very complicated scenes to stage and direct, for example Alice’s fall down the rabbit hole, but the cast and dancers in particular came up with some incredible solutions to the more tricky scenes!

Students who have taken part in the process demonstrated every single one of our school values and were an absolute credit to Feltham Community College.

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Year 7 and 8 Charity Valentine's Ball - February 2013

Year 7 and 8 danced the night away on Friday 14th February as part of a Valentine's Ball organised and run by Year 13 students. The event was a great success and raised over £200 for Hillcrest School in South Africa which the school are supporting over the next few years. Students were impeccably dressed and showed off some serious dance moves. Prizes were awarded for various dance competitions including for ‘Best Gangnam-Style Dance'.

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Sixth Form visit to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland - February 2013

The Sixth Form Physicists went on a much anticipated trip to visit the “World’s greatest Scientific experiment” at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. Following on from an amazing 2012 for Physics (with the discovery on the elusive Higgs Boson), CERN has become an enviable destination for anyone who is interested in the Physical Sciences. Sixth Form students were able to visit the site where the world wide web was developed and proved the existence of the “god particle”. CERN is home of the Hadron Collider and straddles the French/Swiss border. Students were also able to explore the beautiful city of Geneva, visit the old town, the United Nations headquarters and try some of the local Swiss Chocolate!

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Philosophy Students trip to the University of Hertfordshire - February 2013

Twenty AS level Philosophy students went to the University of Hertfordshire. There they heard three key note lectures about putting animals on trial, same sex marriage and metaphysics. Students also had the opportunity to look around the campus at lunch. This was a great day out that has supported their learning back in the classroom.

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Year 9 Brilliant Club graduate at Oxford University - February 2013

After months of hard work and commitment, our 12 Year 9 Brilliant Club students recently graduated in a ceremony that took place at Oxford University's Somerville College. The students have been working with PhD students in recent months and for their final assignment had to complete a 1500 word essay entitled "Can terrorism ever be justified?" The standard of work produced by the students was exceptional and we are very proud of their achievements. Well Done.

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Year 12 visit to Auschwitz and Krakow - February 2013

It is said that at Auschwitz, even the birds don't sing. As part of their studies into the Holocaust, the Year 12 students took an unforgettable and perspective-altering trip to the Nazi death camp where 1.3 million Jews were murdered. Seeing the harrowing exhibits at Auschwitz I, 'the camp of horrors' was followed by the sheer scale of industrial genocide at Birkenau. Aside from this profoundly moving experience, the students explored the sites and sounds of beautiful Krakow - the medieval castles and old Jewish quarter - including Schindler's Factory - and its stunning square and cathedrals.

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Red Day 3 - International Week 5th February 2013

Tuesday 5th February had an international flavour for Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9. Years 10 and 11 attended their Family Consultation appointments, whilst Sixth Form students participated in a variety of activities.

See our Photo Gallery for all images from our third Red Day of the year.

Students in Year 7

Year 7 students participated in the Creative Olympics, a house event which involved choosing their own friendship teams and the two cross-curricular workshops they wished to attend. The workshops on offer included a collaboration between art and PE; drama and languages; music and English, drama and technology, dance and English as well as art and food technology. The students worked towards presenting their final piece in an awards ceremony at the end of the day which was inspirational to watch.

Students in Year 8

The main focus of the day for Year 8 students was Business and Enterprise, inspired by theme parks. The majority of the year group worked hard (showing determination) to develop, market and present their own rollercoasters which were judged by ‘Dragons’ from local business and industry including Thorpe Park! Congratulations to the excellent winning team – Curl the Hurl: Ella Gibson, Shonia Wilson, Josh Gharu and Ben Laing who each won a ticket to Thorpe Park. The rest of the year 8 students had a ‘meet and greet’ session with former Feltham students including a pilot, a banker and a journalist to discuss the qualifications and skills required to excel in their career.

Students in Year 9

The majority of Year 9 students were spies for the day: demonstrating the college values of courage, excellence and determination by cracking codes, listening into secret French conversations, being trained in Martial Arts and self-defence and planning their route through enemy territories. The rest of the students practiced equality and friendship in a day of international culture and an introduction to aspects of the RE GCSE. This involved a drama and mime workshop from Feltham Arts, where they addressed some difficult ethical dilemmas; a session in the kitchen to make and decorate cupcakes with religious images and a crash course in calligraphy and Islamic art.

Students in Year 10 and 11

Year 10 and 11 students came into College with their parents to attend their Family Consultation appointments to discuss their progress and targets.

Students in Year 12 and 13

Sixth form students participated in a variety of activities. Some green-fingered Y12 students continued with their excellent work on the ‘Polytunnel Project’ while others practiced the art of PR using their media savvy. A trip to Portsmouth University provided inspiration to some of those students seeking higher education.

Christmas Medley: Past & Present - December 2012

the Creative Arts Faculty put on a wonderful medley of performances featuring both students and staff around the theme – Past & Present. The staff choir sang two carols beautifully and members of staff also read a selection of seasonal poems. Students from the Drama, Dance and Music departments performed a number of interesting and thought-provoking pieces. The art department provided an exhibition of student work and Year 9 art students painted the stage flats. Guests were expertly served refreshments by students and staff during the interval which had been provided by our Food Technology students.

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We received a lovely email from one of the audience:

My husband and I have attended several events at Feltham Community College in which our grandson has been taking part. We have enjoyed them all very much, but I just felt I should write to let you know how very much we enjoyed last nights Christmas Medley performance. The performance by the students was excellent, the staff choir should be very proud of themselves, and the idea of refreshments served at the table was just lovely, as was the food prepared by the food tech students. Congratulations and well done!

Annual Christmas Lunch - December 2012

On Thursday 13th December students and staff enjoyed a wonderful festive lunch that was served up in the canteen. Everyone was getting into the Christmas spirit despite the freezing temperatures outside!

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Year 9 French - History Trip to Ypres and Lille - December 2012

On Friday 7th December, a group of Year 9 students set off on the French/History trip to Ypres & Lille.