Bishop Laney Sixth Form’s newly appointed Student Council visited Ely Cathedral on Wednesday for the first stage of training in their new roles.

The Student Council visited the Cathedral as its staff set up for the annual Christmas Food Fair. During their visit, students gained an insight into the steps of organising and running a large scale event, gaining skills they can now implement as they organise future events at Bishop Laney Sixth Form.

During the day, the Student Council saw each stage of setting up and the importance of teamwork in creating a successful event. They took part in a mock committee meeting, where they were able to help make important decisions and learnt to consider different viewpoints. They also learnt how to take responsibility as a team for organising and planning an event, the etiquette of working in a team and had an introduction into the types of functions that can be run.

Adam Steels, leader of Bishop Laney Sixth Form said: “We are delighted to have been able to re-establish the Student Council at Bishop Laney Sixth Form this year. We feel it is a vital aspect of the student experience and provides the opportunity for the students involved to take responsibility and organise events, benefitting not only their fellow students, but the Sixth Form as a whole and the wider community.

“The time the students invest and the skills they develop are recognised through the PLEDGES Plus Scheme we run at Bishop Laney Sixth Form. The scheme recognises students for their involvement in extra-curricular activities which enhances their employability and the skills needed at university.”

Sydney Owen, Chair of Bishop Laney Student Council said: “We would like to thank Ely Cathedral for inviting us along for the day. It was really informative and hands-on and we have learnt so much that we can use in the planning and hosting of our own events at Bishop Laney Sixth Form. It has really helped us to bond as a team and we are excited for the year ahead where we will be working with other students in the school to organise a calendar of events they would like to take part in.”

The council comprises of 10 representatives with responsibility for a range of areas including student support and welfare, as well as coordinating students’ charitable contributions. 

Bishop Laney Sixth Form is now taking applications for its September 2018 intake. They offer a range of A Levels, technical, applied and professional qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3. If you would like to find out more information about the Post 16 provisions on offer at Bishop Laney, please contact reception on 01353 652818 or visit the website www.bishoplaney.org

 

Ely College young thespians tread the boards and gain crucial life skills in world’s largest youth drama festival.

Last week students took to the stage at the Mumford Theatre in Cambridge to perform an abridged adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’.  They joined young people from across the UK to take part in the world’s largest youth drama festival this autumn, run by Shakespeare Schools Foundation.

The cultural education charity has recruited over a thousand schools across the country to perform as part of its annual Festival. These students are the latest cohort of a record 280,000 young people to have participated in the Festival since it began. 292 performance nights will take place throughout the UK between 16th October and 8th December. After months of preparation, Ely College students made their community proud as they bravely stepped onto the Mumford Theatre stage to a paying audience.

   

The experience can give young people confidence and self esteem to last a lifetime. Ely College student, Sam, who took one of the lead roles this year, said: “I have made a lot of friends around school now and am a lot calmer and happier. I have learned that there is nothing to shy away from. I am proud of what we have achieved.”

Other students added: “I was so nervous on a professional stage but now I just want to do it again and again.”   “It was a great experience, but it was challenging to learn so many lines, and olde English ones at that!”  “Working as an ensemble member was demanding, any slight movement out of place would have been noticed.  It’s taught me how important team work is!”

Kolade Agboke, drama teacher at Ely College, said: “At the College, we work hard to provide a wide variety of opportunities for our students, ensuring they have high aspirations for themselves and go into the world as well rounded individuals capable of anything. Over the course of the night our students showed that they have these skills and more as they took on a complex Shakespearian play and made it funny and accessible to their peers, whilst retaining the dialogue and atmosphere that a paying audience fully appreciated. Their hard work shone through and they made us all proud.”

   

Taking part in the Festival leaves a real legacy. SSF Chief Executive Ruth Brock says: “Every workplace needs people who are confident and can work as a team and every community needs people who can get on with other people of very different backgrounds. Taking part in the Festival teaches these things - and, crucially, it helps young people make friends and have fun.”

Ms Seymour, Head of Drama at Ely College and Mr Agboke are determined to continue this legacy and are planning for a repeat performance of the Comedy of Errors at Ely College, Needham’s Hall on December 14^th.  Tickets will go on sale later this month. The Festival brings over 65,000 people from the local community to the theatre. Of these, 43% say they had never been to their local theatre before. Join these students for another great show!

   

   

 

 

Congratulations to the amazing Ely College students Mateusz Wojewodzki  (Year 8) and Andrew Itsaravisut (Year 11) who have just become regional winners in a national multilingual poetry competition.

Oliwia Zawadzka in Year 9 and Weronika Uzarska in Year 11 were runner-ups.

Congratulations also go to Maria Magyorosi, whose poem was shortlisted for the competition.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue is a multilingual poetry competition that celebrates cultural diversity and the many languages currently spoken in schools across the UK.  It is run by the University of Cambridge and the Routes into Languages Project which aims to celebrate languages, culture and to give the students the opportunity to appreciate their heritage, using poetry.

Students who speak English as an additional language submit a poem or a song in their own language and also write a short paragraph in English explaining their piece and its significance to them.

Joelle Taylor, a poet supporting the competition said:

“Some people use words as border patrols. Some use words as passports. Others use words as fences. Mother Tongue Other Tongue uses words as bridges”.

Ely College was one of six secondary schools from the East region that took part in the competition. The winners were announced at the lovely Celebration Event at Cambridge University, as part of the Cambridge Festival of Ideas .

All five students are now published poets in the Routes into Languages East Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2017 Anthology.

Well done to all of them!

Mrs. G. Bates, EAL Co-ordinator