College News

Whilst lecturing here at South Downs College for the last 5 years, I have been lucky enough to use my industry contacts, gained whilst working previously as a freelance make-up artist, to provide our students with numerous work experience opportunities – on Wednesday 7 October, I received a call from Meridian TV asking me if I could do the make-up for Ricky Gervais, who was being interviewed by Fred Dinenage about his current flm and also his sell-out tour ‘Science’ which had stopped off at Portsmouth Guildhall that week.

What an opportunity – how could I refuse! I took two of our make-up students along with me to both observe and assist; Amy Callingham (studying BTEC Specialist Make-up for Theatre, Film & TV) and Hayley Hobbs (studying NVQ3 Theatrical & Media Make-up). It took only ten minutes for us to apply Ricky’s make-up for the interview, despite his comments that he wouldn’t be a very good model because he wasn’t the best looking man! We were then invited to watch the interview from the studio gallery to observe how the news programme was put together. Both Amy and Hayley found the whole experience enjoyable, exciting and benefcial, but of course behaved impeccably and remained very professional throughout. Ricky didn’t disappoint us with his repertoire of gags and was most accommodating of the students too, even giving them a photo opportunity…. what an experience!

Previously, on two separate occasions, our students have been flmed here at College, ageing Meridian TV presenters for flming purposes using transforming make-up techniques, and then being featured on the Meridian Tonight programme. In addition to this, our students have also provided the make-up, hair and wig requirements for numerous productions at the Kings Theatre in Southsea each year, their latest show being ‘Anything Goes’ from Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 October. Watch this space for details on our future successes!

Salli-Anne Keemer

They were booked on an arduous, five day ‘Look at Marine Life’ course that gives an insight into the way the Royal Marines operate and the standards they set from the minute you walk through the gates at Lympstone to the day you have your pass out parade after 32 weeks of training.

When we arrived the students were briefed on the details for the day and the rest of the week. They were then shown the accommodation block, consisting of bunk beds and a shower block, and then were marched off to pick up their combat trousers, jackets, boots and rugby tops that they were expected to wear for the week.

On the first evening, in the food hall, we stood in line with the Marines and sat and ate with them. It was possible to recognise at which level of their training recruits had reached by their type of uniform and their conduct.

Day 1. The first detail for the next day started after a 0700 hrs breakfast, shower and shave. We were driven to Woodbury Common in two 3-ton trucks to take part in the endurance course. Once there, the guys were warmed up and run round the course, getting the chance to go through a number of muddy tunnels on their bellies! They were instructed to stop the fow of water in a stream by making a human dam, and then crawled up a muddy gully making sure the mud was on their faces and in their hair. Then, after they were timed completing the endurance course, they were allowed to wash off in the sheep dip - a tunnel submerged under water that they pass through to complete the course. After some sport in the evening, everyone got their heads down ready for the next day.

Day 2. Our students were instructed to put their wet combats back on after breakfast and then marched down to the assault course. They were given precise demonstrations by the instructors of the safest way to complete each obstacle. After the instruction, the guys completed each obstacle in groups of four giving them a chance to work as a team to achieve their goal. After each team completed the course they were tested on a determination test which consisted of running round an obstacle, back to the instructor, 10 press ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squat thrusts and off again; this lasted for 10 minutes - in training, this lasts for 20 minutes and if you pull out you get sent home! I was impressed by the level of fitness of my eleven students.

Day 3. A look at the gym ftness tests for the potential Marines who go to Lympstone for three days to see if they have what it takes to be a Marine. They have to complete a 3 mile run in under 21 minutes, level 11 on the bleep test, 60 press ups in 2 mins, 80 sit ups in 2 mins and 6 chin ups done to a bleep. And if that’s not enough, they have to complete a swimming test and quite a lot of punishments for moving on parade (scratching, talking, etc). The lads spent an hour watching the new recruits and then it was their turn! They avoided the bleep test but went straight in to the muscular endurance tests. Some need to work on their muscles but the majority were fantastic!

Day 4. After a rough night with six students going down with a sickness bug, we made a decision to head back that afternoon or risk being quarantined for the weekend at Lympstone. Nevertheless, the majority set off to Woodbury to take part in a 3 mile run followed by a camouflage and concealment exercise where they got to paint each others faces with camo cream and hide out in the bush.We departed from Lympstone at 1630 hrs to return to College. The students had a great time, and really impressed me and the instructors on the course. I think each one of them has the potential to become a Royal Marine Commando.

Martyn Bell

Straight from the airport for a swim in the Blue Lagoon, we then had visits to the Mid Atlantic Ridge and the hot pools and geysers of Geysir. We saw numerous waterfalls – some frozen solid! – and volcanic landforms. Despite the fnancial crisis of last year, Iceland seems to be coping economically, as a visit to their state-of-the-art geothermal power station proved.

The weather this year was particularly awesome! Heavy snow, allowing Zack to build his frst-ever snowman but burying the snowmobiles under 5 metres of snow, meant that the Icelandic landscape was transformed, with spectacular views. Brilliant daytime sunshine with temperatures below zero added to the arctic effect. Some activities had to be changed at the last minute, but we still managed a glacier walk, caving in a lava tube and horse riding on Icelandic horses (not ponies, I was told!).

Two birthdays, including an 18th on the last day, added to the excitement. A hotel and the riding school staff obliged with surprise home-made birthday cakes.

Our intrepid group had action-packed evenings too; soaking up the outdoor thermal pools (despite the freezing temperatures and ‘losing’ their towels) at the hotels most nights before and after devouring huge amounts of Icelandic food and searching (successfully) for the Northern Lights.

The sheer enthusiasm and excitement of our geological expert, collecting numerous rock specimens, was highly contagious. Lea, expect to fnd an increase in applications to UCAS for Geology this year! Our expert? – no, not me, but a former student Zack, now in his third year at Cardiff.

My sincere thanks go to Izzy Tours for putting together such an adventurous itinerary and to Lena and Torvi, our guide and driver, for their care and concern for our enjoyment and safety at all times. Special thanks also to Zack Van Coller and Toni Benson for their help and support; I couldn’t have done it without you!

Wendy Scaife

The College Restaurant and Café Bar was declared regional winner for the South for the third time in four years and overall UK winner of the competition during an awards ceremony at the Delfina Gallery in London on 24th March.

The competition, which attracts entries from catering colleges across Great Britain, seeks to find the best college restaurant in the UK. After winning through to the final round restaurants are visited by judges who carry out ‘Michelin’ style inspection visits to each College.

On the occasion of their visit to the College Restaurant for a busy evening dinner service for 50 covers, judges sampled each of the dishes on the menu which included: Selsey crab risotto, scallop and crispy Parma ham salad and Hampshire Pork. The national Restaurant Magazine said “It was the combination of top class service, as well as beautifully presented food, made from superb ingredients, that swung the judges in favour of ‘The Restaurant’ at South Downs. Almost everything about the food and service at the college impressed the judges”.

Gerry Shurman, Head of Catering, Hospitality and Travel, said “The Restaurant Magazine is generally acknowledged as the leading publication in the restaurant world and winning the competition means that the College, which only two weeks previously staged a Grand Charity Dinner, is noted for its outstanding achievement in Catering at the highest professional levels. We are so proud of the students who have shown such passion and commitment to their courses and achieving their goals. We would also like to thank our customers who have supported the College Restaurant over the past few years.”

The students are very much looking forward to the future including an opportunity to prepare and serve food for VIPs in the Hospitality enclosure at the Restaurant Show in October.

The group of students produced extended essays of 5000 words with support from their lecturers over several months. The results were as wide ranging as ‘The Exploration of the Pedigree Dog’ to ‘A Study of Political Satire in the Seminal Works of William S Burroughs’ and ‘Shakespeare’s Plays a Historical Document?’. Many universities support the extended project as good preparation for degree-level study and so, in response to requests from students, we offered this pilot scheme.

The students have clearly enjoyed researching their projects, however perhaps the biggest motivator for many of them was that they were able to include details of their research in their personal statements when applying to universities.  To celebrate the success of the students and their hard work an awards evening was held at the College where students were delighted to be presented with a bound copy of their research projects and a cheque for £100 by the Principal.

This is an outstanding achievement in itself, but when considered in the context of the staggering number of 1698 entries, the true significance of this achievement becomes clear.

Of the 44 subjects sat, 41 achieved a 100% pass rate and 81% of students achieved an A-C grade with 50% achieving an A or B grade. Art & Design, Critical Thinking and Latin all achieved 100% A-C profile.

These results highlight once again the achievements of the OFSTED ‘outstanding’ College which continues to maintain its distinguished reputation as one of the top colleges in England.

Principal Michael Oakes said, ‘I have the greatest admiration for our students and their teachers. Satisfactory is simply not a professional optional and good must always be seen as a staging post to outstanding. These results are undoubtedly outstanding and now provide many young people with wonderful life chances, including university and employment’.

After nervously picking up their results this morning A Level students at South Downs were off to celebrate their fantastic results with friends and family. Particular successes included Scott Carless who achieved 4 A grades at A Level in Ancient History, Philosophy, Classical Civilisation and Politics and will now take his place at Oxford University to study Classics. Scott returned to education after going straight into employment aged 16 as a postman. While he held down a full time job he continued to pursue his love of classics and began teaching himself many of the classic texts. His love of classics was born out of seeing the film Jason and the Argonauts as a child and deciding he wanted to be Jason!