Priestley College

SWIMMERS from Priestley College returned from a national championship with bronze medals this week.

Andrew McLay, Adam Ravenscroft, Bradley Harrison and Aaron Hill helped the North West secure third place in the British Colleges National Swimming Championships.

“We’re really proud of their achievements,” said Priestley Tutor Katie Radford, who accompanied the students to the competition in Millfield.

“They train hard so finishing third in the country is just reward for their efforts.”

Students from Priestley made up half of the North West team and each contributed to the final result.

Points are allocated for the position each swimmer finishes in their races and added to their region’s total with double the score for final placings.

McLay swam the 200-metre medley in 2:26.14 to qualify for the final where he finished fifth.

In the 50-metre breaststroke Ravenscroft swam the heat in 30.85 to finish third and was also third in the final of the 100-metre breaststroke in 1:09.50.

Harrison finished fourth in the 50-metre backstroke heat and sixth in the final in 31:95.

All three – together with Hill – swam in the 50-metre freestyle relay winning the heat in 1:44.90 and qualified first for the medley relay final with a time of 1:57.60.

Over the Easter holiday period we have organised some revision sessions for students in preparation for the exams in May and June.

Individual subject teachers have informed students about these sessions but if you have any further questions please contact the tutor organising the session you have a query about via the college email address.

There are also revision sessions and workshops running in the summer term (w/c 20^th April) over the exam period. Please note the list is not exhaustive, more sessions and further support will be organised across all subjects as we progress into the exam period and exam leave.

You will also find below a pdf of a blank, weekly planner which was issued to all students in tutorial. We would encourage all students to manage their revision by using copies of this timetable. Students can access further copies through Moodle.

Please note the revision workshops are intended to support home study and are not a replacement for revision and independent study.

REVISION PLANNING TIMETABLE

Revision Timetable 2015

A MEETING of minds has helped students develop their ideas for the next great app.

Priestley College invited Andy Jones – who this year launched a children’s game app – and Manchester-based digital company Igniso to work with students on their apps.

Andy, from Stockton Heath, said: “It was good to share my thoughts on how to develop a successful app and to hear what the students had to say about their ideas.

“They seem to have worked really hard and I hope they took something from their chats with me.”

Earlier this year Andy launched an app based on the adventures of Blast Off Bob – a spaceman who is sucked into a black hole and thrown into a strange galaxy.

He followed a similar process to that being explored by Priestley’s students who started to come up with ideas last September as part of the Apps for Good competition.

Since then they have had expert help from around the world via Skype and narrowed down those ideas with the most potential.

This week Igniso also shared their expertise with the IT students and helped them to develop business models.

Among the apps being developed by Priestley students is one that combines a users’ social media streams to create one identity, another that helps young people to search for casual jobs and one that helps them search for the right university.

“The Apps for Good programme has allowed us to bring our BTEC course right up to date,” said Tutor Tom Heaton.

“If these students go on to work in the IT industry there’s a strong chance they will be developing or working with apps so it is great to have on their CV.”

PRIESTLEY has won a battle of words and minds with students from three other North West colleges.

The A-Level Law students – who all hope to work in the legal profession – won the prestigious Sixth Form Mock Trial Competition defeating Calday Grange Grammar School, Birkenhead Sixth Form College and Barrow Hall College.

A judging panel of lay magistrates decided Priestley’s contingent excelled as they took on various roles in a courtroom scenario organised by the Warrington Magistrate’s Association.

“On the day our entire team performed superbly and rose to the challenge of a real courtroom situation,” said Priestley Law Tutor Christian Oliver.

Throughout the competition students took on a variety of roles including lawyers, witnesses, ushers and legal advisors. Each was assessed by the lay magistrates who focussed on the professionalism of the students.

The experience supports students’ A-Level work and all eight team members are on Priestley’s pre-legal programme, which develops their skills and prepares them for law-related degrees.

“We were told by the panel of judges the overall standard in this year’s mock trial competition was the highest they had ever seen, which made the victory even more pleasing,” said Christian.

A FORMER Priestley student – who is now in one of the world’s most famous rock bands – returned to college this week to inspire the next generation of musicians.

Leon Cave, 36, is used to holding the attention of thousands as Status Quo’s drummer but on Tuesday it was a smaller audience of Music Technology students who listened to his every word during a series of workshops.

“It’s strange being back here after 18 years, a lot has changed at Priestley,” said Leon.

“I just hope my being here can inspire some of the college’s talented musicians to greater things just by knowing that, not long ago, I was in their shoes.”

Leon recently completed a gruelling 23-gig, six-week tour with Status Quo and performs on their latest album, Aquostic, which is their best-selling record for more than 25 years.

During a day in Priestley’s music studios and classrooms he shared his technical knowledge and performance tips with those hoping to pursue a career in the industry.

His message to all young musicians is to believe in yourself as he recently achieved a lifelong ambition to join one of the world’s greatest rock bands and will soon tick off another when he performs with Status Quo at the Royal Albert Hall.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do was become a musician,” he said. “It’s never been about fame and fortune, it has always been about the music and playing to large audiences.”

As a five-year-old Leon would stare at the latest Iron Maiden artwork and listen to their music, only briefly taking a break to play with his Lego.

His parents realised he had musical talent and arranged for him to have drumming lessons at eight-years-old. Leon later joined Priestley College, attracted by its reputation and the music course that was available.

He studied A-Levels in Geography and Psychology, but it was predictably in Music where he excelled.

“It really helped me because the course covered a lot of music theory that is extremely useful to this day,” he said.

Since college he has performed with countless artists, toured extensively worldwide and recorded with a wide range of producers.

Every year he performs in more than 100 shows including large pop gigs, radio performances, corporate functions and open air festivals.

Priestley Tutor Mike Grainger said: “For our students to be able to spend time with Leon is an incredible opportunity and I am certain they have all learned a huge amount from their time with him.”

AN ASPIRING accountant has won a scholarship worth more than £15,000 to help him on his journey to success.

George Preidt, who studies A-Level Accounts at Priestley College, is one of only 19 students in the country to secure the Kaplan Scholarship.

It is the third time in four years a student from Priestley College has secured the training fund.

“I’d never thought about an apprenticeship until I came to Priestley,” said George, who attended Woolston Community High School.

“I’ve found what I am good at and what I want to do during my time at college so everything has worked out really well.”

George joined Priestley three years ago uncertain of what he wanted to study. He decided to start again after the first year so that he could focus on his chosen career and is currently studying A-Levels in Accounts, Business and Maths.

The Kaplan Scholarship allows him to earn while he learns and he will receive more than £15,000 worth of accountancy training.

It gives him the chance to carry out an accountancy apprenticeship with ASC Renewables followed by further professional qualifications.

Just be applying he improved his chances of securing an apprenticeship as 53% of shortlisted applicants go on to find employment through a free recruitment service.

To secure his scholarship George had to tell the selectors why he wanted it, proving his passion for numbers and solving problems.

“I just love that I can improve a company’s fortunes and help it move forward by looking at its accounts and making suggestions,” he said.

Priestley Tutor Peter Bann said George’s success proved how important it was to keep students informed about all the options that are open to them.

“George wasn’t aware that apprenticeships were an option for him before he started at Priestley,” he said.

“It shows how vital it is to ensure students are aware that university is not the only pathway to success.”

WHEN Jake Elsworth got chatting to the Barcelona FC press team he could scarcely imagine it would lead to him watching the game at the Nou Camp stadium.

However, that’s exactly what happened as the Priestley College student was asked to write a blog about the return leg with Manchester City.

“I talked to them about the game and City’s performance and they liked what I was saying,” the 16-year-old former Bridgewater High pupil said.

Jake, from Appleton, had approached the Barcelona staff after their clash with his team in Manchester.

He was given a great seat at the Nou Camp for the return fixture, which was a memorable experience as his blog – later published by ‘Vital Man City’ – showed.

In it he described the sights, sounds and smells of a match at one of the world’s most famous sporting arenas.

“Way up high in the gods, City fans pack the highest point almost suffering a nose bleed due to the altitude, the players must appear like Lowry stickmen,” he wrote.

“The artistic stadium stands before you; your head keeps rising up till your eyes eventually reach the summit, it is an amphitheatre of football and a shrine to excellence.”

As a devout Junior Blue the end result was not what he’d hoped for, but the magic of Messi was something he will never forget.

And the excitement doesn’t stop there for the budding sports pundit who is studying Media Studies alongside Sports Development and Coaching at Priestley College.

On a recent tour of Media City he got talking to the guides and they invited him behind-the-scenes of the sports studio and is due to watch an episode of Match of the Day being put together.

Dani Toward, Sports Tutor at Priestley, said: “Jake is going to go far. He’s already shown amazing initiative and with his determination – and the qualifications he is working towards at Priestley – I am certain we will be hearing his voice on TV or radio in the future.”

Mike Helsby with one of his ceramic pieces that will be in the exhibition.

CURIOUS artefacts have inspired an exhibition by a group of Warrington students.

Warrington Museum and Art Gallery opened its Cabinet of Curiosities to Fine Art students from Priestley College and asked them to create their own pieces.

Now the guest curators have put together an exhibition that will run for the next year alongside many of the unusual items in the collection.

“One of our aims at Culture Warrington is to support and nurture new and developing artistic talent in the region,” said Exhibitions and Services Manager Derek Dick.

“Working with the students has given them the opportunity to create new work inspired by some of the artefacts and also given us a real insight into how artists and young people view our collections. It has been a true partnership in all senses of the word.”

Students were allowed to let their imaginations run wild and use the materials of their choice. The results were suitably varied and include pieces made from glass, wood as well as digital art and even metal coins.

Among the young curators is Megan Bryce who took her inspiration from a travel writing kit.

The former Byrchall High School pupil said it made her wonder about the part it had played in history thanks to the notes, letters, poems or stories that might have been written with it.

She then thought of the letters her great grandparents, Walter and Olive Bryce, had written to one another during the First World War and was inspired to create a memory box.

“Some of the letters had been saved and passed down through the family and I feel fortunate to have been able to present them in my work,” she said.

Megan Bryce’s piece is inspired by a writing kit and letters sent by her great grandparents.

Taome Winter, who previously studied at Hope Academy, was captivated by a handbag in the museum’s collection and decided to explore what people carry in their bags and whether they are a reflection of personality.

“I went around members of the public and people who I know, photographing what is in their bags and building up work from that,” she said.

“My work is symbolic of an X-Ray exposing the hidden personal contents of the bags I photographed. I purely want to see people’s reactions to the contents – a reflection of today’s judgemental society.”

Hidden in the Cabinet of Curiosities are two feejee mermaids, a creature that was supposedly half mammal and half fish. However, it was some genuine taxidermy that appealed to several of the students.

Sian McMahon created a piece that consists of a magpie dressed as Robin Hood, a contemporary version of the character who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, while Mike Helsby was inspired by the museum’s tiger head, dodo and hare.

The former Birchwood High pupil has made ceramic versions of the taxidermy heads using the connection between the dodo and hare to Alice in Wonderland.

“My animal sculptures create a background for a set of video projections which portray the surreal world of Wonderland,” he said.

“I have aimed to capture the witty and eccentric characteristics from each character using quotes from scenes in the film.”

The students’ exhibition opens on May 15. A second exhibition called New Horizons opens the same day. It features a series of landscape paintings – hung frame-to-frame – with their horizon lines at the same height. There is also music composed by local schools around an Ostinato that reflects the idea of a horizon line in music.

PRIESTLEY College has been honoured for the comprehensive support it gives young people in taking their next steps in education and employment.

The college, on Loushers Lane, has been awarded the Government’s Matrix Standard in recognition of the guidance it offers young people in Warrington, Halton and the surrounding areas.

Assessor Pat McDermott said in her report: “The impression gained throughout the assessment was of an organisation and teams of staff that are utterly dedicated to making a difference for their students and changing people’s lives for the better; one that continues to grow, meets its targets and constantly seeks improvements.”

“The support provided by the college clearly makes a significant contribution to the student experience and has a positive impact on students and stakeholders alike.”

The Matrix Standard measures the support that is available for individuals making decisions about their career, learning and life goals. Professional development of staff is also a key factor in securing the honour.

It is a nationally-recognised standard used by organisations of all sizes to assess the advice and support they provide to learners.

Principal Matthew Grant said: “We offer careers advice to all those pupils still unsure or undecided about their post 16 options, so that they can make educated decisions about their futures.

“This recognition from the Government validates the focus we put on making sure young people are equipped to make the right choices.”

Assessors spent four and a half days at Priestley meeting students, tutors and careers staff to discuss the support offered by the college.

Former Priestley student Emily Rainford is in her final year of a Masters degree and after that will be going on to her dream job as a graduate engineer for Jaguar Land Rover.

The former Culcheth High School pupil achieved good grades at Priestley in Electronics, Geology, Psychology and AS-Level Physics but said the support was just as valuable in helping her to progress.

“Without the support of staff my time at Priestley would not have been the same nor as successful,” she said. “Your time at college is not just about the grades it’s the countless other skills you learn along the way that can determine your success.”

More than 500 of Priestley’s cohort went to university last year while more than 200 secured top apprenticeships or jobs.

Careers advisor Ian Edge said the college’s goal was to make students aware of all the options open to them.

“We are not here to steer the students into university if that is not what they want,” he said. “We have to open their eyes to all options and support them on whatever path they choose to follow.”

AN Olympic champion – who won gold in 2012 – has inspired college students with his story of bouncing back from defeat.

Tim Baillie MBE presented Priestley College’s annual sports awards last week, but before doing so told how failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics spurred him on to success in London.

“We fell a long short of qualifying for Beijing and, at that point, we were contemplating quitting,” he said.

“We felt that we wouldn’t able to live with ourselves if we didn’t try for the London Olympics and realized we were going to have to develop the mental skills to deal with the pressures.”

Tim told a room packed with Priestley’s young athletes – including both regional and international stars – how a new mindset helped him and canoeing partner Etienne Stott win the C2 event in 2012.

They trained as hard on the mental aspect as the physical and changed their approach from aiming to win to simply doing their best.

“On the day our best was the best,” said Tim, who has now retired from competition.

Priestley’s Head of Sport Nigel Howells said Tim’s story and approach was inspirational for the students who were celebrating a year of sporting success.

“Tim went from zero to hero in the space of four years,” said Nigel. “It is aspirational for the students who have learned that if you don’t succeed first time around keep on going.”

During Friday’s ceremony more than 70 awards were handed out to Priestley’s finest young hockey, basketball, netball, football and rugby players.

There was also special recognition for the college’s swimmers who enjoyed a year of unparalleled success, which saw them represent the North West in a national competition and swim in the London Olympic pool.

There were honours for students whose achievements in the classroom and in exams matched their endeavours on pitches, courts and in pools.

Students also voted for their sports personalities of the year with footballers George Preidt and Chelsey Jukes taking the top honours.

George said it had been inspiring to hear from an Olympian: “It was interesting to hear how Tim failed to reach the Olympics in Beijing, but didn’t let this affect his goal to reach the Games in London. It was great to see his hard work pay off with a gold medal.”

A new revision session timeable for the May holiday is now available on our downloads page..

http://www.priestley.ac.uk/downloads/

STUDENTS visited the heart of the British Armed Forces and met some of the top brass during their trip.

Priestley College’s Public Services students visited the Ministry of Defence in London spending time in the control room and speaking to officials.

Student Thomas Johnson, who hopes to work as a mental health nurse in the Army, said: “We walked into a room that looked just like an office, but it was where all the people in charge of the military were working.

“To them it was just another day in the office, but it was exciting for us to be in there and see it in action.”

During a tour of the MoD building some of the students were invited into the Minister of State for the Armed Forces Mark Francois’ office while others were photographed in the room where Anna Soubry, Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, makes her big decisions.

They then visited Henry VIII’s wine cellar beneath the building thanks to access granted by Andy Gillman, who has worked with Priestley College for several years to give students an insight into the workings of the MoD.

During a two-day study visit they also saw The Woman in Black theatre production, visited Saville Row, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and The Clink Prison Museum.

However, for 19-year-old Liam Hill it was seeing the MoD in operation that may prove a life-changing experience.

The former St Aelred’s School pupil was planning on becoming a fireman but is now reconsidering his options and may go into security work.

“Seeing the security around the place just made me think what a great job it would be so I am looking into that now,” he said.

WHEN Laura Harrison last trod the boards at Priestley College she dazzled audiences as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers.

Now the 27-year-old is in Blood Brothers again – this time touring the country with an award-winning national production of the musical.

“Blood Brothers was our last show at Priestley so it’s really fitting that I am now part of the professional company,” said Laura, from Woolston.

“The major difference is that at Priestley we were doing it for educational purposes so everyone was given a role. On tour there is probably half as many cast members and I play numerous roles and have to change about 11 times.”

Laura, a former Woolston High School pupil, left Priestley with the top marks in the country for Performing Arts and also secured A-Levels in Drama and Music.

She then took home first class honours from the Cumbria Institute of the Arts and gained a distinction in MA Music Theatre at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Although not long into her career she has already been a face for Henry Holland, performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the Stephen Sondheim’s birthday proms, sang with Peter Andre, played numerous roles in Panto, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and dueted with Jason Manford at the Bridgewater Hall.

Now she is touring with the acclaimed production of Blood Brothers in which her title role is Donna Marie/Miss Jones Understudy Mrs Lyons but she also plays Marilyn Monroe, Nurse and Woman in Window.

Laura picks the moment she received the call telling her she had the latest part(s) as her career highlight so far.

“It’s amazing to be involved in something like Blood Brothers and it might sound a bit pretentious but I feel blessed every day,” she said.

For others wanting to pursue a life on stage Laura recommends being focussed on what is best for you.

“It is your journey and is not to be influenced by anyone else,” she said. “Work hard and be hard. You have to be tough in most jobs, but in this one rejection plays a big part of it, so toughen up if you need to.

“You are not going to get handed anything on a plate, so don’t expect to go to the bright lights of London and stroll into your Les Mis audition and land your main part in the West End. Be real, and be yourself.”