Dear Parents and Carers,
I wanted to take this opportunity at the end of this academic year to share some of the highlights of our recent events and updates from our wonderful community.
Creative Arts
Our Creative Arts Showcase on 6 June was a hugely successful celebratory evening, marked by a high turnout and a dazzling array of performances and artwork from our talented Year 2 students. The event was a testament to the hard work and creativity of our young artists and performers.
Amy Dury, Programme Leader for Fine Art is exhibiting her work at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition this year until 28 August.
Sian Hutchinson, Drama tutor has also received some limelight for her one-woman comedy play, Tick My Box which will be performed throughout August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
National Acclaim for Textiles
Year 2 students have won prizes in the national high-profile, Mr X Stitch Student Needlework prize competition. Mia Rigg won third place and Asha Minns-Behrens first place. This is fantastic news, not least because many of the other winning entries were created by students completing their university degrees, while Asha and Mia are only just completing their A levels. We could not be more proud of them!
Debut of "The Detention"
On 13 June, our new amphitheatre was christened with its first summer evening performance "The Detention". The play, written and performed by our students, was a brilliant success and showcased the incredible talent within our College. The rain did not put us off!
Student Engagement in Election Activities
In the lead-up to the election, our students actively participated in various election-based activities, fostering a deeper understanding of the political process and the importance of civic engagement.
- Hustings:On 20 June, the College hosted a Hustings where Politics students and staff engaged with Brighton Pavilion candidates Sian Berry (Green) and Sarah Webster (Conservative). The discussion covered pressing issues such as the affordable housing crisis, gender self-identification, wealth inequality, and asset taxes. Lysander and I also met with the local Labour candidates Tom Gray and the now-elected Chris Ward MP.
- Mock Election:On 25th June our students held a mock election, which saw a significant success for the Green Party, reflecting their strong commitment to environmental issues.Students representing each political party delivered speeches outlining the key policies from their party's manifesto. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to present different ideas and policies from across the political spectrum.
- Amazing Citizens UK Event in London:On 1 July, one of our SU Presidents, Lysander, had the honour of addressing the now Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, at a Citizens Assembly in Westminster. In front of an audience of thousands. Lysander spoke passionately on behalf of the country's young people, advocating for enhanced mental health support services.2000 Citizens UK leaders meet with political candidates at a national assembly ahead of the General Election
- Parliament SquarePost-Election Action:On 11 July a group of students travelled to Westminster for the Citizens UK Post-Election National Assembly to meet newly elected MPs and hear about how they plan to support the Citizens UK manifesto.The visit provided valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the significant contributions Citizens UK is making towards building a fairer society
IB Collaborative Science Fair
On 20 June, our IB students presented their hard work at the Collaborative Science Fair, focusing on projects related to clean water and sanitation. The event was a showcase of scientific inquiry and innovation.
Green News and CEAG
As always we endeavour to be a leading institution in our commitment to sustainability, with nearly a fifth of our students achieving an additional qualification in carbon literacy this year. You can read more about our Green Newshere.
Careers and Employability
This termhas been yet another successful one for our students' employability skills, with them participating in a plethora of events to enhance and develop their skills and broaden their future opportunities.
We are delighted to have been recently awarded Careers Development Institute membership andfollowing on from the Summer Conference held on Wednesday 3 July, I am delighted to announce that as part of their annual recognition awards, we were nominated by our Enterprise Advisor and Careers Leader as an Inspirational Partnership. This was in recognition of the unique Varndean Internship Programme (VIP) in which Year 1 students have participated.
University Information Day
On 21 June, we hosted our University Information Day, providing students with valuable insights into their future academic opportunities. In the morning, students attended lectures in Student Finance, Student Life, and Personal Statements followed by an afternoon of engaging subject-specific talks by University lecturers. The event was highly effective in helping many of our students visualise their future at university. We know this visit has sparked a great deal of enthusiasm and ambition among our students in choosing their next steps. Next term we will continue to run lots of activities to support students in their University applications.
Work Experience Week
From 1-5 July, our students participated in Work Experience Week, gaining practical insights into a wide variety of career fields. Thank you to all of you who supported students to find placements.
Educational Trips - Summer Term
- On 26 June, IB students visited the Rampion Visitor Centre, the largest provider of sustainable wind energy off the coast of Brighton.The students were able to discover the importance of offshore wind energy and explore how this relates to climate change and modern lifestyles
- On the same day, BTEC Environmental Sustainability students explored the British Wildlife Centre at Lingfield, enriching their understanding of environmental conservation.
- On the 9th of July students attended a backstage tour at the National Theatre, and a performance of "Mnemonic."
- On the same day, there was a visit to the National Portrait Gallery for a Careers in History event.
Exam Results
For any students who have sat exams this year, they are available onMyVarndean from 9.00am Thursday 15 August for Level 3 qualifications and at 8.30am on Thursday 22 August for any GCSE results.
College Opening Arrangements over the Summer
Friday 12 July is the last day of lessons, however, the College operates as normal until Wednesday 17 July, after which our reception remains open for inquiries (information@varndean.ac.uk).
Any student coursework to be collected is by specific arrangement with staff before the Summer break.
Key Dates for Autumn Term 2024-2025
9 September - Lessons start
27 September- Lessons finish at 12.00 midday
28 September - Open Day
28 October to 1 November - half term
4 November to 8 November - Reading Week
18 December - End of Term Lessons finish at 12.00 midday
Thank you once again for being a part of our community and for supporting our student's happiness and success.
Best wishes for a lovely Summer break,
Donna-Marie Janson
Principal
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