Evening of Celebration

Staff, students and parents/guardians alike enjoyed a fantastic Evening of Celebration night recently, full of heartwarming speeches, jubilant celebration and overall cheer.

Our Evening of Celebration is a wonderful night where we celebrate and congratulate the learners leaving CTK that year. Certain learners, who have been nominated by our staff, are also selected to win awards which vary from department awards, all the way to Chaplaincy awards.

Below is a list of winners:

Jessica Benjamin – Textiles

For always being such an enthusiastic creative and going the extra mile with her work. I am certain
you will do wonderful things for fashion in the future. Well done, Jessica.

Lorraine Duncan – Fine Art

For a strong effort at the end and creating some lovely experimental collages that really push the
material process.

Jessica Benjamin – Photography

Again, for always committing 100% and taking some stunning photos along the way.

Mohamed Serrieh – Graphics

For really pulling it out of the bag at the end of the year and creating a personal and thought provoking final piece. Well done, Mohamed!

Rodas Haile – Film Studies

For always being the first to step into the unknown and volunteer her thoughts in class and for her
burgeoning ability to write succinctly and accurately about Film.

Lamarni McEwan – Business Studies

Lamarni has become a model student. He has good attendance and has consistently done well on
all his FSAs over the two years.
In addition he has mentored a first year student at my request without any fuss or hesitation and
always supported other students in his classes.

Omedo Madey – Economics

Has shown a consistent enthusiasm to the subject throughout the course. Omedo has always
demonstrated a positive attitude and is keen to take on difficult concepts, showing a high-level of
resilience and determination.

Francesca Daly – English Lit

Working consistently throughout the course. She writes insightful and sophisticated English essays
and has participated well in revision lessons since I took over the class.

Siobhan Cardy – Politics

Siobhan is an excellent, hardworking and smart working student of politics. She has an excellent
attendance record and consistently does well in her FSAs.

Daiswa Wright – History

Daiswa is a superb student of A level history and her progress throughout the two years of the
learner journey has always been on an upward trajectory. She will be an asset to any university or
organisation that she studies and works for after CTK.

Ashley Rita Huys – Geography

Ashley maintained a high level of commitment to geography over the two-year course, showing
passion and enthusiasm across many topics. She also produced an outstanding NEA on the impact
of gentrification in her local area.

Rachel Quadri – Religious Studies

Tenacious. That is the best word to describe Rachael’s approach to the study of Religious Studies.
During the course, she has wrestled with challenging ideas and made great efforts to master the
many topics covered. In spite of set-backs, Rachael always takes advice before re-committing to
studies time and again. She is now confident in RS – something reflected in improving grades – and
is ready to support her peers when necessary. The journey which commenced at Aquinas will continue through to university as Rachael pursues study at undergraduate level. Well done!

Emmanuella Ansah – French

Emmanuella’s work in French has been exceptional, her commitment and dedication to the course
is incommensurable. She has worked hard since day one and has been a real pleasure to teach.
Her strong spirit and work ethic is an excellent example to all her peers. She was awarded the Jack
Petchey Achievement Award for her fantastic work in lessons, especially, during remote learning.

Emmanuella has always been keen to participate actively in events inside and outside the curriculum, establishing very good relationships with peers and staff alike. I am confident she will excel studying at university and wish her the very best for the future.

Rachelle Ryan – Spanish

Rachelle has been an outstanding student throughout the two years of the course. She has a
natural ability for languages that she has complemented with the motivation to keep progressing
and challenging herself. Her curiosity for Spanish culture has allowed her produce brilliant
investigations on Spain and Latin American countries. Rachelle has been keen to participate in all
extracurricular events; moreover, she has also supported her classmates to succeed in their own
language studies. I am sure she will continue learning and becoming even better in her language
journey. I wish her the best in her future endeavours.

Samuel Balogun – Italian

Samuel has shown incredible dedication to Subject over the past two years, putting in a lot of effort and resilience. He is always very focused, involved, interested in the Italian language and culture. Samuel has always shown great dedication to what happened in the classroom, applying himself a lot even outside the classroom with extra work and homework. Always on time, excellent attendance, producing tasks on schedule and improving a lot during the course. I wish him to continue his future studies with this same dedication and talent.

Kayla Crowder – Sociology

Kayla has demonstrated herself an excellent sociologist. She has been a consistent hard worker
and deserves all the success in the future.

Meher Khan – Psychology

Meher had just moved to the UK when she joined us at CTK, and she has adapted magnificently.
Meher was faced with the task of becoming acquainted with a new area, making new friends
and a new education system. This can be a daunting experience for most however Meher coped
admirably. She settled into class well, she has continuously been well-mannered and merely a
joy to work with. Meher has consistently achieved outstanding grades in all her formal subject
assessments and on no occasion did she lower her standards. Meher is deserving of this award,
and I hope that you achieve everything you have set out to do on this new journey you are about to embark on!

Ismail Adam Adi – Mathematics

Adam, your work ethic is unparalleled. You have shown exceptional academic resilience this year.
Your drive to succeed has not gone unnoticed. It has been a joy to watch you grow into a strong
confident mathematician. You are a role model to your peers and have gone out of your way to
enhance their learning. I am excited to see you accomplish all your dreams. I wish you all the best in your future studies in Aeronautical Engineering.

Ashleigh McDonald – Biology

Ashleigh, you never give up. You embody the qualities of hard work and resilience. You have
constantly tried your best and have received and acted on feedback with charm and good humour.
Congratulations on your efforts in Biology, you deserve all the success that I’m sure will come to
you in the future.

Samson Omotoso – Chemistry

Samson has shown great resilience and dedication through his A level Chemistry studies. He has
used teacher’s feedback in a very effective manner to significantly improve his written answers. He
has been an exemplary student, always completing his homework and lab book in thoughtful and
thorough manner.

Bradley MingielePhysics

Bradley has shown great dedication and commitment to his studies. His work ethic is exemplary.
Bradley has also played a pivotal role in supporting other students in calm and patient manner. He
has been an outstanding student of Physics over the last two years, always obtaining high grades in FSAs and meeting all his homework and lab book deadlines.

Sophie Oughton – Chaplaincy Award

Sophie has supported chaplaincy throughout her time at CTK. Writing for the Diamond club
magazine for the last year. She has helped quietly with charity and events, always being willing to
get involved.

Issa Akmed Serry-Kamal – CTK Graces Award

Issa at all times has demonstrated the GRACES. When faced with challenges he has been resilient
and never given up. He has shown the deepest respect to all members of staff, other students and
himself. In restarting year 13 he was fully aware of what he needed to do and demonstrated a high
level of self-control when working hard in the LRC. He has endeavoured to achieve the high goals
he has set for himself. Issa has been a model student. endeavours.

Daniel Adekoya – Student Enrichment Award

Daniel volunteered to write for the Diamond club magazine for older people during lockdown. He
wrote for six months.

Siobhan Cardy – Student Enrichment Award

Siobhan has been an active member of the eco group throughout her time at CTK, getting involved
in campaigns and attending meetings.

Daniel Adekoya – Careers Award

Since arriving at CTK AQ, Daniel has been proactive in planning his progression and has made
excellent of careers opportunities (many of which take place outside of the Sixth Form day) to develop his personal and professional skillset, such as the BT Elevate mentoring programme. He has made regular use of the Careers Department to review his progression options and to have support with preparing for his university and degree apprenticeship applications. Throughout he has been polite, professional, engaged and enthusiastic, always willing to take feedback and act upon advice given and to go the extra mile. It has been a pleasure to support him and through his dedication and by challenging himself, he now has a bright future ahead. We wish him all the very best.

Mesha Atkinson – LRC Award

Kind and considerate user of the LRC. Always has a smile and listens to ideas.

Jervonte Beckford – Aspire Award

Jervonte has shown incredible determination and resilience whilst he has been at CTK Aquinas. He
has exemplified our motto ‘Be your Best’, working to the best of his ability in every subject and even mentored younger students in Biology.

Esosa Ibude – Outstanding Ambassador Award

Throughout the whole time with us Esosa has been an outstanding ambassador for Aquinas. He
has positively promoted Aquinas and passed on his experience and knowledge to prospective,
students, parents, and governors. He has always been incredibly supportive, and we have really
appreciated the time and energy he has dedicated to Aquinas.

Francesca Daley – Special Endevour Award (In Memory of Andile Mabena)

We dedicate this award to Franky as she has been an outstanding student who showed a great
example of how to overcome any challenges and still achieve high grades! She is a true example
of our CTK Graces especially Grit and Endeavor as Franky has not at any moment decided to give
up when things became more difficult but rather persevered. She came to CTK as a young girl but
leaving as an independent young woman ready to conquer her dreams! We wish her a successful
journey in life and may she continue to inspire those around her.

Owen McCarthy – Grit Award (CTK Graces)

Ben Ravoninjatovo – Respect Award (CTK Graces)

Jeyimbel Dos Reis – Awareness (CTK Graces)

Jaheim Burford – Curiosity (CTK Graces)

Samuel Edo-Osagie – Endeavor (CTK Graces)

Tanya Lam – Self-Discipline (CTK Graces)

Jacob Chacko – ALS Award

We dedicate this award to Jacob for his continuous hard work daily, punctuality and always having
a ‘can do attitude’ which reflected in his academic learning but also as an individual, he has learned
his self-worth and grown in confidence. We admire his dedication and wish him all the best!

Congratulations to all the winners from tonight, and a huge thank you to everyone who attended!

Researchers in Schools Forum

CTK Aquinas is delighted to host the “Researchers in School” forum, organised by both Eton College and Christ the King Sixth Forms on Wednesday the 23rd of March between 1-4pm. The forum includes a number of external speakers offering talks on a variety of subjects including developing a reflective culture in schools and a reflective look at using online courses between schools, to name a few.

To find out more information on the event, please read over the document here. The Event is open to all parents/guardians who wish to attend.

We hope to see you there!

Fantastic French Start!

A wonderful trip and movie magic

A level French students started the term with a visit to the French Institute in London. They went to Ciné Lumière to watch Annette – the new film of Leos Carax. In addition to being a fun day out and a great opportunity for the Year 1 students to meet the Y2 cohort and vice-versa, this outing was aimed at supporting the students in their academic studies, especially the cultural and linguistic aspects of the course. We cover the topic of Cinema as part of the A level curriculum and this was a fantastic opportunity to view the work of Leos Carax with Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard in the lead roles.

The film was presented in the Cannes Film Festival 2021 official competition, Annette won Leos Carax (Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, Holy Motors) the Best Director award this year. We all had a great time and the weather allowed for a picnic with French baguettes and delicacies in Hyde Park. Not quite the South of France but the next best thing for now!

Oprah Year 12 student said: “Today was really nice and fun. I liked the French Institute and seeing the place; it looked like a palace! It was also fun talking to the 2nd years as they were very friendly. The movie was great! The plot twist was amazing and the way it ended was so annoying! There needs to be a part 2.” Emmanuella Year 13 student said: “I quite enjoyed the movie, and it helped me to notice how script or movie narratives may differ within countries. I doubt I would ever see s

Christmas Gift Appeal

Christ the King Sixth Forms has teamed up with the EKC Group in Kent to launch a Christmas Gift Appeal. 

We will be collecting donations of toys or Christmas presents, or donations  to ensure that those in need still get to experience the joy of receiving something special this Christmas.  

Shireen Razey, Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms says; “Our students are keen to make a difference in the local communities where they live and work, many of which have been effected by the pandemic. Our Sixth Forms do a lot of work supporting charities, and we all wanted to make the festive period special for young people who have experienced such hardship this year”. 

If you would like to donate to the campaign you can donate presents off at CTK St Mary’s in Sidcup, CTK Emmanuel in Lewisham or CTK Aquinas in Brockley.   

Suitable Donations: 

The charities are only able to take new items, sealed in their packaging. The items they can accept are: 

  • Toys 
  • Puzzles 
  • Colouring Books or Puzzle Books 
  • Gift vouchers 
  • Toiletries 
  • Chocolates/biscuits or hot chocolate 

You can also donate money at the fundraising page EKC Group and Christ the King Sixth Forms have set up:  gf.me/u/y8iw73

Charities 

The charities we are collecting for are: 

Demelza Hospice Care for Children https://www.demelza.org.uk/ 

St Vincent de Paul Society https://www.svp.org.uk/node/606 

Refuge https://www.refuge.org.uk/  

Our Gift Appeal in the Press 

You can read the full article at https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/58649-college-couple-team-up-to-make-christmas-special

Coronavirus – Latest Update

Update – 20th March

Following the announcement that education providers will close, apart from to the children of key workers and vulnerable students, the Government has now published its list of Key workers here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

If you fall into the key worker category, please email us to confirm at enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk, that you would like your child to attend College.   All the parent’s whose children fall into the vulnerable category were contacted by email yesterday.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

Update – 19th March

College Closure 

Christ The King Sixth Forms will be closed from Monday 23rd March to all students, until further notice (apart from key worker’s children and vulnerable students) following the Government’s announcement last night that all schools and colleges will close at this date, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. 

Home/Distance Learning 

  • Students should check their College emails, teachers will be setting and marking classwork. Students have been fully briefed on how to study from home using online systems, Microsoft Teams, Moodle and email. 

Exams 

  • The Government announced yesterday that examinations will not take place this Summer.  We do not yet know what the Government’s plans for awarding grades will be, students should be encouraged to keep completing work set and submitting all work, please continue to check your email for updates. 

Vulnerable students and Key worker’s children 

  • We aim to remain open in some capacity for Key Worker and vulnerable students. We will be writing to those students separately to inform them of this. 

Bursary Payments 

  • A full payment will be made to all students who receive bursary payments, in the next few days.  We will continue to pay your money directly into your bank accounts, with an additional payment of £4 a day to cover free school meals.  The FSM payment will be made until the Easter holidays in the first instance as we understand a national scheme will be set up and we will update students with the information as soon as we have it. 

Students who have been offered a place for study at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

  • Please rest assured that this will not affect your application.  Once we know what the Government’s plans for awarding grades, we will update you.  

Students who have applied for a place for study at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

  • We will continue to process your application as normal.  We are postponing interviews for the present time. As an oversubscribed sixth form, we don’t want you to be disadvantaged by this so we will be making offers based on application and school report/reference.   

Students who wish to apply for a place at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

  • Applications will remain open, you can apply online or download an application form.  We will be touch once we receive your application. 

Contacting the College 

If you need to contact us during this time, please contact staff on their usual email address. If you have not heard back within 24 hours or the matter is urgent please contact us via  enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk  

We will continue to keep you updated via email and website announcements on our website, please also keep up to date with Government guidance which is updated daily on www.gov.uk/coronavirus

We keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. 

Update –  18th March 

PARTIAL CLOSURE OF SIXTH FORM for Lower Sixth BTEC Level 3 and Lower Sixth A Level Students 

Following the Government’s recent announcement regarding self-isolation measures, unfortunately staffing levels are at a point where we are unable to teach all students safely onsite.   The health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority at all times, therefore we will be implementing the following measures: 

From tomorrow, Thursday 19th March, until after the Easter Holidays, Tuesday 21st April, only Year 13 (Upper Sixth students), BTEC Level 1 & 2 students and those sitting GCSE/Level 1 Maths and English should attend lessons onsite. 

All remaining students should stay at home and teachers will be setting and marking work online. It is important that students continue to work hard and keep up to date with their studies. In tutorial yesterday students were fully briefed on how to access their college work from home using Microsoft Teams, Moodle and email. 

The situation is changing daily, we anticipate there will be further developments, parents and staff will continue to be updated via email.  We will continue to post updates on our website.  For further information on Coronavirus, please visit the Government website, which is updated daily. 

Update – 17th March

As you are probably aware, the Government announced new guidance yesterday regarding coronavirus.  We will continue to keep parents/guardians updated via our website but please ensure you are following the Government guidance which is updated daily www.gov.uk/coronavirus

I want to reassure you that Christ the King Sixth Forms are taking all necessary steps to protect our community and are continuing to follow official guidance from the Government and the local authority. We have taken protective measures which includes, asking that external visitors do not visit our sixth forms, postponing work experience, extra curriculum events and all trip and visits.   

Our sixth forms remain open for all students – this is the current official Government guidance.  If your son/daughter is unwell or self-isolating, report this as you would normally by following the absence procedure and telephoning us.  

If your son/daughter has the symptoms below, please keep them away from college.  Latest Government advice on how long they should stay off for can be found by visiting  www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection 

  • A new persistent dry cough 
  • A temperature that is above 37.8 C 

Government guidance now also says that if anyone in your family has these symptoms, the whole family should isolate for 14 days.  

Today in your son/daughter’s tutorial we have outlined the above, as well as given them instructions on distance learning, so that they are able to access their emails and college work from home, should they need to at this present time or near future. 

Current Government advice is that anyone at risk of increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus, needs to follow social distancing measures.  All students with a pre-existing condition that this applied to will be written to today.  If you think this applies to your son/daughter and we aren’t aware of their medical condition, please contact m.nunes@ctksfc.ac.uk 

Update – 16th March

Ensuring the health and wellbeing of students, staff and our sixth form community is of the upmost importance to Christ the King Sixth Forms.  We have therefore decided to implement a range of measures aimed at attempting to protect our community from the transmission of coronavirus. 

We continue to closely follow the Government’s advice and our sixth forms will remain open at this present time. However, we will be taking a number of measures to mitigate against transmission of coronavirus. 

 These will include, but are not limited to: 

  1. We are asking that external visitors do not visit our sixth form.   
  2. Student interviews will be postponed, all students will be contacted with information regarding this. 
  3. We ask that parents do not visit our sixth form.  Any parental meetings will be conducted by telephone.   
  4. We will be cancelling any external activity for students, such as work experience, visits or trips, they might have been planning to take as part of their course.  

Any further updates will continue to be posted on our website.  If you have any questions about these measures, please get in touch, by emailing enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk  

Further information about Coronavirus can be found by visiting https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response  

Update – 13th March

Coronavirus (COVID-19): UK government response – Updated 13 March 2020

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

New continuous cough and/or

High temperature

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

Key messages

If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See ending isolation section below for more information).

Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water.

Stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible

You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days contact NHS 111 online. If you have No internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

For more information on the above, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Update – 2nd March

Department for Education Coronavirus helpline

Today, the Dfe have launched a new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

We know that some of you may have concerns or questions about the current outbreak of Coronavirus – officially known as COVID-19.

We want to reassure you that we are working hard to minimise the risk to our students and staff and are following Government guidelines at all times.

For the latest information and guidance, please see the Government’s website.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

CTK Alumni Visit

We were delighted to welcome back to Sixth form yesterday evening, CTK alumni, who have studied Medicine or studied at Oxbridge to share their experiences with current Y12 students. The alumni represented a range of careers from junior doctors, to the media to politics.

Mrs Nadori, who organises the annual Alumni Evening, said: “ Our alumni offer great advice to students aspiring to study Medicine or applying to Oxbridge. It is always fascinating to hear how they have progressed in their respective careers.

Urban Synergy

Urban Synergy’s ‘Tips to the Top’ Role Model seminar is one of the highlights of the academic year at Christ the King Sixth Forms. The annual cross-site event, which features panel discussions and speed mentoring sessions, inspires confidence in our students and gives them an opportunity to interact with leading industry professionals.

Discussions of this kind not only broaden student horizons but also provide a valuable insight into the qualities of academic and professional success. The mentoring programmes and inspirational seminars organised by the charity provide support, guidance and encouragement for young people, and motivate them to achieve their best.

This year Christ the King Sixth Forms was fortunate enough to welcome the following guest speakers to the panel:

  • Colin Donaldon, Bristh Airways Pilot
  • Ade Adelekan, Chief Superintendent
  • Troy Von Scheibner – Magician & TV Personality (CTK alumnus)
  • Mahta Mehari, Senior Software Project Manager
  • Adrian Grant, Entertainment Producer

The evening opened with an introductory session, in which the panel discussed their personal journeys and outlined the steps they have taken to get to where they are today. This was followed by an insightful Q&A session, in which students addressed personal questions to members of the panel.

Students, as always, left the event feeling both inspired and motivated about their future potential!

Elevate Mentoring Programme

The Elevate Mentoring Programme was launched this week to CTK students by alumnus Trevor Gomes and his BT colleagues Tom Culley and Radostina Velinova.

The programme was created by Trevor to equip students with the skills and experiences required to enter the world of work and higher education.  Twenty students took part in the launch and the programme will cover topics including: Personal Branding, Networking, Interview skills, Resilience at Work, Mentoring and careers at BT and EE.

As part of the programme students will take part in a number of activities and external visit including a trip to Wembley Stadium and meeting businessman Levi Roots.

Barclays Rise Programme

The Barclays RISE Programme (Revealing the Industry to Secondary Education) was launched this week to CTK students by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy, Yaa Ofori-Ansah, Adetola Oshin and a number of their Barclays colleagues.

The programme has been running for a number of years and was originally created by former CTK student, Michael Lee, and his colleagues within the Barclays Graduate Scheme. They wanted to provide a platform where they could share their experiences whilst mentoring students who may have limited opportunities and insight into working in professional industries.  

Each student on the programme is assigned a mentor and works with them through a four session programme.  The weekly sessions are split into two parts with the first part being an interactive presentation on the development topic of the week.  The second part is an opportunity for each mentee to have the chance to speak to and work with their mentor individually.

Following the successful completion of the mentoring programme there is also the opportunity for students to gain work experience with Barclays.

Paula Dunkley Visit

CTK Aquinas was delighted to host a talk Paula Dunkley from Lewisham Council. Paula spoke to students about what Higher and Degree Apprenticeships are and how students can gain a fantastic experience in the working world that demonstrates to employers that they can ‘hit the ground running’. 

Apprenticeships are a great alternative to university and can give students a real chance to put their skills into practice and helps them to gain more confidence in a working environment. They also get to earn while they learn.

CTK Fast Track Programme

Everyone needs to be aware of the career opportunities available to them in the future and how to best take advantage of them. To support this, the October half term saw the launch of the sixth annual CTK Fast Track Programme. As in previous years, the programme involved a large number of students from all three CTK sites coming together at CTK: Emmanuel for two days of training.

The morning session of the first day was led by CTK alumnus Seye Olokede who spoke about his own experiences and how students can “Develop a professional work ethic.” During the talk Seye covered topics including the importance of time keeping, personal presentation and the skills needed to work well and succeed in the modern workplace. During the second part of the first days training, we welcomed Trevor Gomes and Louis Howell who spoke to students about a wide range of opportunities they could become involved in. They also spoke about the use of social media in a professional environment and the benefits of networking through LinkedIn.

The first day concluded with Maria O’Regan along with her colleagues from Santander conducting two workshops “Building and presenting a compelling CV” and “Competency based Interviews”. Working in small groups, students had the opportunity to get advice and guidance on their CVs and how they could develop their interview techniques.

The second days training started with a presentation from Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy and Tola Oshin from Barclays regarding the RISE programme. The rest of the day was run by The Unloc Enterprise Academy and focused on alternative career routes for students; specifically on self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Feedback from students and guests was that the training was hugely beneficial and will have a positive impact on their career aspirations and goals.

Question Time Experience

Christ the King Sixth Forms organised a pre-election ‘Question Time’ experience for students across our three sites on Wednesday 45th December. Candidates from the local constituencies were in attendance to field questions from students ranging from how they are engaging young people in politics, tackling knife crime and mental health issues amongst young people, to housing and of course Brexit. The students asked searching and challenging questions of the party representatives.

The following candidates attended and fielded questions from our audience; CTK Emmanuel – Richard Galloway (Young people’s party), Janet Daby (Labour), Gavin Haran (Conservative), Ade Fatukasi (Lib Dem), Rosamund Addo-Kissi-Debrah (Greens) and Roger Deep (Independent), CTK St Marys – Simone Reynolds (Lib Dem) and David Tingle (Labour), CTK Aquinas – Andrea Carey (Greens), Bobby Dean (Lib Dem) and Adam Abdullah (Labour).  It was an excellent, thoughtful and informative experience for all concerned.

Louis Howell Visit

CTK students at Aquinas and St Mary’s were delighted to have Louis Howell, Director of Revolution Hive, talk to them this week about his life and career.

Louis explained to students that as someone who has interests and experience in Marketing, Media, Sports and Youth programmes, he has had to demonstrate a versatile skill set that has helped him to excel at roles in both the commercial and voluntary sectors.

Louis also spoke to students about the different roles he has managed, co-ordinated and delivered in Marketing, whilst also demonstrating a flexible and adaptive approach to everything he does.

Having grown up in Lewisham it is always a pleasure for our students to hear from Louis and he will be back in October to help with the CTK Fast Track Programme.

Magdalene Adenaike visit to Aquinas

CTK: Aquinas was pleased to welcome Magdalene Adenaike, award winning entrepreneur CEO, Founder of Music Relief and a member of the FRSA (Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts) for a talk to its students.

Magdalene has been a regular visitor to us over the years and she shared with students her experiences of being a teenage mum who faced redundancy and homelessness but never gave up on her dream of being successful in the field of music. Having left school she decided not to take the Accounting & Statistics course her parents wanted her to. She eventually worked for Barclays for four years, until she was made redundant.  Supported by her partner she studied for a degree at UEL in Music Industry Management whilst also volunteering as a vocal coach in the local community.

It was at this stage of her life that Magdalene fully realised the healing power of music, not just on her, but on the community: bringing people together and helping them share their issues. This is when she was inspired to found Music Relief in 2011, inspiring young people to grow their business through their talents, transforming their lives through the process and breaking down barriers that stops them from progressing. 

Magdalene is also author of the book “From Shame to Strength. Music Saved Me” in which she describes the influence of music in her life. Magdalene advised the students: “In growing up, life has its way of throwing challenges at you. Its your job to deal with those challenges .”

CTK Aquinas
Sprules Road
Brockley
London SE4 2NL
020 7358 2400
aquinas@ctksfc.ac.uk
Christ The King Sixth Forms