Students from Westminster Kingsway College had the chance to quiz finance expert Martin Lewis about managing the cost of university when they appeared on his podcast.
Haneen Graoui, Behram Khan and Jen Payne-Pemberton joined the financial journalist and broadcaster and founder of MoneySavingExpert.com for the BBC Sounds podcast.
All three students were invited to Broadcasting House to record the podcast where Martin shared his advice and answered their questions on all aspects of student finance.
University tuition fees in England are capped at £9.250 a year, which is usually covered by a student loan that is only paid back after university when graduates are earning over £25,000 a year.
A Level student Haneen, 19, and Applied Science diploma student Behram, 18, are planning to go to King’s College London, to study for a BEng (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering and a Medicine MBBS degree respectively.
Jen, 26, has just completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences and is looking to study a BA (Hons) in Primary Education at the University of Greenwich.
Speaking on the podcast, Martin said: “The cost of university is going to increase for most people in England from this year onwards. You are therefore going to pay back substantially more than you would under the current system.
“I think it is therefore worth anyone who wants to go to university taking real stock. If you’re just going because you don’t really know what else to do, then you have got to factor in that this is going to cost you afterwards and is it right for you? But if you know what you want, if you’re going into a career that absolutely needs a degree, my view is don’t let it [the cost] deter you from doing what’s right for you.
“If you haven’t made a decision, if you’re doing it by default, if you don’t know why you’re going to university, then absolutely look at the alternatives. Look at whether you could get an apprenticeship, look at whether the careers you’re going into actually need a degree.”
WestKing is part of Capital City College Group, which also comprises City and Islington College and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, and apprenticeship and training provider Capital City College Training.
Carl Boyd, Assistant Principal for Academic Studies at WestKing, said: “Our students had the unique privilege of participating in Martin’s podcast and posing their well-thought-out questions to him in the studio. It was an exciting and enriching experience for them, and they relished the chance to engage in such a dynamic and informative conversation.
“We would like to thank Martin and the BBC for providing this fantastic and invaluable opportunity for our students to empower them with knowledge about their finance at university. It was an unforgettable day, and I’m proud of our students’ active involvement and enthusiasm throughout the podcast. They truly made the most of this experience.”
Find out more about Careers Advice and Guidance at CCCG’s colleges, including support with university applications, work experience and employability here.
Aspiring actors from City and Islington College (CANDI) brought Sophie Treadwell’s dark and powerful drama Machinal to the stage for their final show of the year.
The nine-strong cast of HNC Performing Arts students portrayed multiple characters in the play, which was inspired by the real-life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder.
The play is about a young woman who works as a stenographer and conforms to what society expects of women in the United States in the 1920s despite her feelings of resistance.
She later marries her boss, who she despises and after having a baby with him has an affair with a younger man. Despite feeling more fulfilled, she is driven to murder her husband and subsequently found guilty and sent to the electric chair.
The play was written in 1928 and its premiere, noted for Clark Gable’s Broadway debut, is considered one of the highpoints of expressionist theatre on the American stage.
It is divided into nine episodes. Most of the characters do not have names and are simply known in the script by an archetypal description of their character or job.
The cast included Dariia Alieksieienko, Ivana Bekirova, Tara Casey, Esther Lafa, Rafeala Niculae, Aaliyah Pryce, Kerry-Ann Alvarez Trivino, James Whittington-Phillips and Margo Zaiets.
Dariia, 23, said: “We did a lot of research into real stories about women and their rights in different countries in the world, which helped in understanding the feelings of the young woman in the play.
“It was challenging playing a character who is quite complicated, and it was hard to understand how to play her. It is not just about her story, but about her relationships and her emotions, and how you express that to the audience.”
James, 19, said: “I’ve done other plays where I have had to play several different characters. One of the biggest challenges of multi-roling is making each character different by changing your voice, the way you move and attitude to other characters on stage. It can be difficult, but it’s also fun having to morph into a different person almost instantaneously.
“Over the course of my three years at CANDI, I’ve learnt a lot and really enjoyed my time here. I used to be quite nervous and have seen a change in myself from when I started to where I am now. One of the main reasons for that is the support I’ve had from my tutors. They’ve taught me how to break down and develop characters, which has helped take my performances to the next level.”
Machinal was directed by Curriculum Leader Tim Chaundy supported by a backstage crew including Performing Arts Lecturer Casandra Popplestone and Theatre Production Technicians Natalie Tomlin and Ray Thompson.
Tim said: “Machinal is one of the great American plays and it is a challenge to perform and design because of various locations, intense characterisation and dialogue.
“The cast did an incredible job, playing multiple characters with a number of quick costume changes and lots of props. Even more challenging was the emotional content of the storytelling which the actors evoked with maturity and depth. The production team created an amazing metal-looking expressionistic set that could be manipulated into the different locations of the play.
“Overall, the production was a huge success with all the students performing as a close-knit ensemble, and by the end of the play the audience was challenged to think differently about the role of women within the modern world.”
Find out more about Performing Arts courses at CANDI and apply here.
Students at City and Islington College (CANDI) were all smiles after being presented with awards in recognition of their achievements this year.
More than 50 students from CANDI’s Sixth Form College and its Centre for Applied Sciences at Angel were honoured at a ceremony attended by staff and parents on 29 June.
Curriculum Managers presented students with awards in four categories after choosing the winners from nominations made by teachers at the college’s centres in Goswell Road.
Awards were presented in each of the following categories:
Outstanding Achievement, for students who have attained the best grades.
Curriculum Area Award, for students who have overcome adversity.
Outstanding Commitment, for students who have worked hard.
Contribution to the Course, for students who have helped others or supported the college.
Among the Outstanding Achievement winners was Engineering student Gino Tsotsi who was recognised for his high level of dedication to his studies, which had been reflected in his results.
Gino, 17, said: “The teachers have supported not just me, but all the students on the course. When you ask them anything, they answer straightaway. They want you to ask questions so they can help you. They are very knowledgeable and experienced and explain things well, which is all going to help me. Having good teachers will get you far.
“I want to thank them for seeing something in me and picking me for this award. It makes me feel very happy. It makes you think you’re the best on your course, which has given me the confidence to go further and do well next year.”
A Level student Tanya Qusham, 18, was presented with a Curriculum Area Award for commitment to her studies in the face of mental health problems following an incident at school.
She said: “Compared to secondary school, my teachers at college really helped me. I would have frequent panic attacks in class and it got to the point where sometimes I couldn’t come into college, which meant I found it hard to get my work done.
“My teachers were very patient with me, which is what I needed, and gave me more time to do my assignments. If I left the room, they were fine with it and would come out and check on me. If I wasn’t in, they would email me everything.
“I feel much happier in myself knowing they have recognised I have really tried and put in a lot of work. Everyone at college helped so massively. Without them, I don’t think I would be where I am now.”
Special Recognition Awards were presented to five A Level students who initially joined the college’s Home Education Hub when they were 14. The hub provides Year 10 and 11 students with part-time tuition in English, maths, science and history, and the chance to experience studying at college.
The ceremony was compered by Dominic Eady, Deputy Director of the Sixth Form College, and included guest speeches from former CANDI Health and Social Care Diploma student Zahra Ga-al and Law Amankwah, UK Student Recruitment and Schools Liaison Officer at City, University of London.
Zahra, 23, is about to start work as a primary school teacher after completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Roehampton where she previously graduated with a BA (Hons) Education Studies.
Offering her advice to students leaving this year, she said: “If you are going to university, make use of all the support on offer. Your lecturers will be so supportive if you need to talk to them about your assignments. Have confidence. You can do it. You just need to work hard and you’ll go on to do amazing things.”
The evening also included talks on both the Sixth Form College and Centre for Applied Sciences by Deputy Directors Jenny Nolan and Adam Beral.
Congratulating the award winners, Assistant Principal Matt Wojtyniak said: “It’s a real pleasure to celebrate many of our individual student’s successes this year. In truth, we could have nominated many more students for awards as this current cohort of students has been phenomenal, and I am certainly very proud of them.
“The majority of students receiving awards tonight are the ones that we feel have been most affected by the pandemic, who didn’t sit their GCSEs, and had to work even harder to overcome more barriers than students in previous years.
“Tonight is also about celebrating everyone that has helped to make this happen, the teachers and the support staff who run the libraries, career service, enrichment, and all those who work so incredibly hard to make our college a success.”
School-leavers were urged to choose the right education and career path for them when they discovered more about their post-16 options at the first Evening Standard Step Up Expo.
Thousands of students descended on Olympia London where more than 100 education providers including Capital City College Group (CCCG), employers and youth organisations had stands.
CCCG is London’s largest further education college group and comprises City and Islington College, Westminster Kingsway College and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, and apprenticeship and training provider Capital City College Training.
Adam Beral, Deputy Director at City and Islington College, and Carl Boyd, Assistant Principal at Westminster Kingsway College, shared their advice at a series of panel discussions at the show.
“There are two things I speak about when people are trying to make a decision about what they want to do when they leave school,” he said.
“The first thing is what do you see yourself doing in the future, what’s your goal, what’s your career ambition? There are very few jobs, I would say you need to do A Levels for. We’re talking about medicine, veterinary and politics, and even in those subjects there are still students doing BTECs or T Levels who will go on to get those jobs. For any other career, you can choose whatever route that best suits you to get there.
“The second question I always ask is what do you enjoy doing? Are you someone who learns best by classroom learning from expert and taking notes and doing academic research, or are you someone who learns best by doing, using your hands and applying that knowledge?
“If you are someone who learns best by doing, then something like a T Level or BTEC or an apprenticeship is going to get you where you want to go, not only quicker but you’ll have a bit more fun along the way.”
Adam explained that A Levels results are determined purely by end-of-year exams whereas T Levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships use a mix of exam and course assessments but both are legitimate routes to university.
“Even if you go down the T Level or BTEC route and you decide you want to continue your education, you still can. It isn’t so much about A levels requiring one set of entry requirements and T Levels and BTECs requiring another, but much more about your preferred way of learning and what your aspirations are,” he said.
Hundreds of students visited CCCG’s stand to find out more about the extensive choice of qualifications available and its relationships with employers across London.
CCCG’s innovative tuition free coding school 01 Founders also had a stand where students had the chance to take part in some basic coding challenges including programming a drone.
Harry Gardiner, 26, joined 01 Founders eight months ago having felt uncertain about his future after working in various jobs since graduating with a degree in music technology.
He said: “I like games and seeing how things work and using maths algorithms, so I thought I would look at some bootcamps and third-party training because I didn’t want to go back to university. I stumbled upon 01 Founders. It looked really good and had a job at the end of it, and it was free.
“I’ve found it fascinating, as I have never had this type of learning style before with no teachers or set time to complete a course. It’s really down to your own self-discipline and motivation, but you also get to collaborate as you learn. When you come up against a wall and everyone has the same problem and you work together to solve it, it gives you so much confidence.
“I’ve been working with my team to create a new social network. If someone had said to me at the very start of the course in eight months you could be making something like Facebook or Instagram, I would have laughed in their face. The course leads you from project to project– once you’ve learned this you can apply it to this, and when you know that you can do this – it’s very fluid.
“I now feel confident about my future. If I work hard and nail the projects, the world’s my oyster.”
Students leaving school this summer are urged to apply now with enrolment taking place in August.
Find out more about course and apprenticeships with CCCG and apply here.
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