Author: marketing

Christ the King Sixth Forms is proud to announce that we have been awarded the Oscar Romero Award at Participator Level in recognition of our commitment to Catholic Social Teaching (CST), social justice, and solidarity. The award was presented at a special ceremony at Southwark Cathedral, where our students had the privilege of representing CTK alongside other award recipients.

The Archbishop, John Wilson, and the Oscar Romero Representative, Mugeni Sumba, commended CTK for our dedication to these values, noting how rare it is for a sixth form to receive this award. Our students were exemplary ambassadors, fully engaged in the ceremony and demonstrating the ethos of CTK with pride.

Canon Michael Branch, Cathedral Dean, also acknowledged the significant progress CTK has made over the years, reinforcing our commitment to living out our mission and values. We extend our sincere gratitude to the staff who accompanied our students, ensuring this was a truly meaningful and memorable occasion.

This achievement is one we will continue to celebrate across our community. As we mark the 45th anniversary of Oscar Romero’s passing, we will be sharing reflections on his legacy and how it aligns with our mission.

We look forward to further promoting Oscar Romero’s teachings and values in our classrooms, community service, and throughout CTK.

Learn more about Oscar Romero’s mission: CAFOD – About Oscar Romero

Together, we celebrate this incredible achievement as we continue to shape a brighter future for our students.

Shireen Razey Awarded OBE in King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for Exceptional Service to Education and Social Mobility 

Christ the King Sixth Forms (CTK) is delighted to announce that Shireen Razey, Executive Principal, has been honoured with an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024. This distinguished recognition highlights Shireen’s outstanding contributions to education and her unwavering commitment to promoting social mobility. 

Shireen studied for her A Levels at a FE College in Kent and four years later returned to the same College as a qualified teacher. With over 20 years of exemplary service as a senior leader and Executive Principal at Christ the King, one of London’s largest sixth forms, Shireen has proven to be an exceptional educational leader. 

Her courage, strategic vision, and operational acumen have been pivotal in the expansion of CTK, including the successful turnaround of two failing institutions in Sidcup and Brockley. Under her leadership, these institutions have transformed into thriving academic and vocational sixth forms within a diverse and inclusive community. 

Shireen’s tenure at CTK has been marked by her dedication to students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are in receipt of free school meals and sixth form bursaries. Through her commitment and dedication, these students have consistently achieved higher education progression rates that surpass national sixth form college averages, with many being the first in their families to attend university.  

 Chair of Governors, Nana Reynier, said: “I am thrilled to extend my congratulations to Shireen on being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This prestigious honour is a testament to Shireen’s outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication. Her achievements have truly made a significant impact, and this recognition is well-deserved’. 

Shireen’s transformative impact extends beyond academic achievements. Shireen’s emotional intelligence and compassionate leadership have strengthened the college community, staff and student wellbeing are central to her beliefs.  Her passion and commitment to community engagement and social impact is evident through numerous projects that encourage both staff and students to serve their communities, fostering strong social and moral consciences. The College’s highly successful Christmas Gift Appeal, and Acts of Charity Days are just two examples.  

In addition to her role at CTK, Shireen’s leadership is recognised through her numerous voluntary roles in education and supporting others including, Chair of Governors at Oakwood Park Grammar School and Vice-Chair of St Benedict’s Catholic Academy Trust. Her unwavering passion for educational leadership and her strategic approach to inclusivity and social mobility have left an indelible mark on the education sector. 

Shireen Razey said: “I am immensely proud and humbled to receive this award.  Since studying for my A Levels in a Further Education College, teaching has been my calling. The compassion and support I was shown transformed me as an individual, my teachers had huge belief in my ability and inspired me to enter the teaching profession.  I am truly honoured to receive this OBE and it is recognition of all the work that colleagues do to ensure students reach their full potential, often overcoming significant life challenges. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with so many fantastic students who make my job so rewarding and worthwhile every day. I have been blessed with the exceptional team of staff and colleagues that I have worked with and the great networks that have supported me.  My husband and son give me huge strength and tremendous support and I know my late parents would be immensely proud of my nomination.” 

Dr. Molly Makota, Chief Financial and Resources Officer at CTK, said: “Shireen Razey’s dedication and leadership have been nothing short of inspirational. Her vision and strategic approach have transformed Christ the King Sixth Forms into a beacon of excellence and inclusivity. Shireen’s commitment to social mobility and her ability to create an environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed are truly commendable. This OBE is a well-deserved recognition of her remarkable contributions to education and her tireless efforts to uplift our community. We are immensely proud of her achievements and honored to have her leading our institution.” 

At the pinnacle of her career, this honour rightly acknowledges her significant achievements and ongoing dedication to transforming lives through education. 

A Level ICT and Physics students recently had the exciting opportunity to attend an AI workshop led by Jeremy Samways, the founder of ThinkAlumni.

The workshop, titled “Present AI and the Future of AI – Your Tomorrow,” provided an engaging and informative look into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.

Students were captivated by the insights into how AI is shaping our world today and the possibilities it holds for the future. They participated in interactive discussions, explored real-world AI applications, and considered the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an AI-driven future. This workshop not only enhanced their understanding of AI but also inspired them to think critically about their roles in this dynamic field. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to connect classroom learning with cutting-edge technology and to envision their future careers in ICT and Physics.

Celebrating Success: Annual Careers Conference 2024

This year marked a remarkable milestone as we successfully organised both the Careers Conference and the Careers Fair on the same day for the first time since the onset of Covid-19. This unique opportunity allowed our students to fully capitalise on the diverse range of speakers and visitors available to them.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the dedicated members of the Careers Team who orchestrated such an exceptional experience for our students. We also extend our gratitude to all staff across teaching and professional services for their immense efforts behind the scenes.

The variety of talks offered, ranging from midwifery to finance, and from UCAS guidance to applying for degree apprenticeships, truly enriched the event and provided invaluable insights for our students. It was inspiring to welcome back former CTK students Daniel and Rianna, who returned with their degree apprenticeship employers, Bailey Garner and Bloomberg respectively. Their presence provided our current students with invaluable role models and tangible pathways to aspire to.

Thank you once again to everyone involved for contributing to the success of the Annual Careers Day.

A huge congratulations to Esther!

Esther, is a Year 13 English Literature student for entering the This is Me!, Young Writers national poetry competition. Her poem was published in the recent edition of the Young Writers This is me! book.

A Song – Esther

Nature sings me a song

The fountain of water goes bubble babble

The leaves on the trees go filter flutter

Sure, the tree trunks blow the trumpet

But the leaves on the floor go crunch crunch

Stepped on like fallen soldiers in battle

My hand swaying in the water, I feel the rhythm.

Look around and I see the unspoken lyrics

pennies at the bottom of the fountain of untold wishes.

Sit on the green grass

No need for the noisy streets

Or stubborn kids, crying kids

Come here where it’s all part of the song

Ignore the tune is what I wouldn’t do

Come over here. Join me and enjoy the view

Make memories you wouldn’t want to let go off

Trust me it’s the sound of healing

No need for disturbing sirens

Just stay under her loud silence

The healing process of the musical forest

A sound I wish forever to last

And not be disturbed by constructions and buildings

Restore the free peace that everyone can share

And not the hard material that gives us all a glare.

You can find out more about the competition here

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Easter Egg Appeal this year!

We’re thrilled to announce that we surpassed our target, raising an incredible 655 eggs for Demelza Hospice and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Your generosity has made a significant difference in our community

CTK students and staff will be embarking on an epic adventure to Rome!

Join us on this journey as we share the magic of Rome!

Buon viaggio!

The CTK Rome trip has commenced! Look out for our Rome 2024 diaries to see what the group get up to each day!

Ready for take off

Ready for take off

Day 1

Christ the King Sixth Forms are pleased to announce the appointment of Nana Reynier as their new Chair of Governors.

The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all – Pope Francis (Laudato Si 2015). 

This year’s annual Staff Conference on environment and sustainability focused on how as a community, we can continue our journey from an “emerging “to “established” sixth form in promoting environmental sustainability, deepening our understanding of environmental issues and reducing our Carbon footprint.  

We were delighted that Steve Frampton, FE/HE Climate Commissioner launched our conference this academic year. The conference was opened with an overview and discussion of our role as a sixth form in tackling the climate crisis. 

The day was packed with guest speakers, experts in their fields on sustainability and environmental issues. 

Two speakers from C40 cities took part, Andrea Fernández and Aaron Kiely. Around the world, C40 cities are taking bold climate action, leading the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. They drive the global climate action agenda by creating unique opportunities for cities to come together and showcase their achievements and underscore what needs to be done to secure a greener, healthier and more prosperous future for all citizens. 

Andrea Fernández introduced the science of climate change, its impact and the importance of the global climate conference in Glasgow in November. This followed a discussion on how to maximise the opportunity of COP26 for our sixth form. 

Aaron Kiely, Senior Campaigns Manager for Youth Initiative at C40 Cities, led a discussion on how youth around the world are engaged and what are the key issues for young people, followed by a discussion on how we could engage students on this topic. 

Our approach adopted to sustainability is based on engagement, education, communication and involvement and our second keynote speaker Charlotte Bonner, National Head of Education for Sustainable Development (ETF), discussed what is ESD, the current ESD landscape in FE and how we can embed sustainability in our learners’ experience and also within our community. 

Deacon Javier and Susan Kambalu from CAFOD  presented ‘Caring for our environment’. They explained the work of CAFOD and the call by Pope Francis inviting everyone to take seriously the need to care for creation. Susan explored why we are called by Pope Francis to care for our common home, through sharing the work of CAFOD and providing us with practical actions and resources to help us respond to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (Laudato Si’ 49). 

Our Environmental Green Group have, this year focused on developing a 10-point Environment plan. We were excited to be able to launch this to our student and staff Community. All members of CTK are encouraged to contribute to the 10-point environment and sustainability endeavour, working collectively and individually to promote the common good and to model attitudes through the way we act. These breakout sessions will provide an opportunity to attend two workshops on how we can make a change by following our 10-point Environment plan. 

Our afternoon session heralded an opportunity to listen to our own researchers as they presented our sixth annual Teach Meet. We are always encouraged by their generosity in sharing their pedagogical reflections and research. 

We held a remote evening of celebration at the end of the academic year to highlight the amazing hard work done by our students despite the tough year we have all had!

The cross site event highlighted the hard work and achievements at each and every site across the wide range of subjects we offer by both students and all staff.

Below is a selection of images and messages from staff and students at the end of year celebrations:

Subjects and Winners

-Applied Science- Kirudsika

-Business- Ahandullah

-Health & Social Care- Caroline

-ICT- Andre

-Law- Moyosolaoluwa

-English Language & Literature- Lauren

-Mathematics- Daniel

-Politics- Oliver

-Spanish- Benedicte

-Sports and Exercise Science- Reece

The Sixth Form Association (SFCA) launched a national art exhibition this week, featuring work from CTK students. Entitled ‘Fake News’ the exhibition showcases students’ creative interpretation of the Fake News theme and their reflections on how hard it can be to distinguish fact from fiction.

More than 250 students from 58 colleges submitted their artwork for the exhibition, which runs from 1^st to 22 July.  All pictures can be viewed at the SFCA gallery website here.

Art work from numerous Christ the King Sixth Form students has been included in the online exhibition;

‘Fake News’ by Jessica Benjamin, an A Level Photography student

‘Mid Cap Value Equity’ by Mya Scott, studying A Level Graphic Communication

‘Monitor’ by Amrit Khaira, an A Level Fine Art student

‘Schrödinger’s Cat’ by Rimmini Cameron who is studying BTEC  Extended Diploma Art & Design

‘Segregation’ by Destiny Kiberu, an A Level Graphic Communication student

‘Surveillance’ by Nathan Osei- Prempeh an A Level Graphic Communication student

‘Textn’ by Victoria Pansu who is studying A Level Graphic Communication

‘we’llwatchtheworldburn’ by Matilda Millbank, an A Level Graphic Communication student.        

 Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:  “The Fake News exhibition is a celebration of the arts and a recognition of the excellence in sixth form colleges, which are a vital supply pipeline of talented artists. But it also highlights how young people feel about having to navigate the vast amount of news and information that is available in the modern world, and at the same time, to discern what is the truth. Art has always played an important role in social and political commentary, and the students featured in Fake News have shown they have the talent to communicate their feelings about this important subject in a powerful and effective way”.

More than 250 students from 58 colleges submitted their artwork for the exhibition, which runs from 1^st to 22 July.  All pictures can be viewed at the SFCA gallery website here.

The SFCA will be promoting the exhibition online using the hashtag #6thFormArt2021

CTK have been featured in an article in TES magazine to showcase our partnership with Metric Capital.

Metric Capital have been providing support to CTK students with university scholarships, and boosting young peoples chances of employability and career progression.

For Act of Charity Day, CTK students took part I writing thank you notes and pictures thanking the NHS, local Fire brigade, Kent Police, TFL, Key workers at Queen Mary’s hospital, local care homes, and local supermarkets.

Dear NHS workers, 
Thank you so much for your hard work during these tough times. The NHS is a unit full of amazing people. 

It really does take a group of truly special and selfless people to help the whole country and make a huge difference on a daily basis. 

The NHS has helped this country of millions and millions innumerable times. We are all in your debt for this amazing 

care that the whole organisation provides. 
The NHS has set a global example of what national healthcare should look like. It is undoubtedly the best in the world. 

Filled up to the brim by people willing to make sacrifices day in and day out. You have all put yourself and your family 

in a vulnerable position. However that hasn’t stopped any member from being brave and helping the global effort to tackle 

not just a virus, but provide the right of healthcare to everyone irrespective of their background. 
The determination required for this task is truly a feat in which everyone should aspire to reach in order to excel in anything 

they pursue. Pots and pans will never be enough to show how much we appreciate the greatness that comes from each 

individual working long hours to make sure that a whole nation is put to rest assured that they will be safe. 
Happiness, rainbows and pride fill the streets. The NHS has provided a light in the darkness that is the state the world is

 in at the moment. People are happier knowing that the NHS are forever fighting illness and are on our side. 

We, the nation, wholeheartedly support the NHS and is thankful for the heroes who make it what it is today. 

This week, three Christ the King sixth form students have been awarded a scholarship from Private capital fund management firm, Metric Capital worth £15,000 each.

Each successful student was carefully selected according to their academic performance and formal virtual interview process.  Christ the King students Temitope Idowui, who hopes to study English Literature at the University of Cambridge, Keona Burey who hopes to study Primary Teaching at the University of Chichester and Jon Hamilton who hopes to study Biomedical Sciences at the University of Southampton, all successfully received a scholarship worth £15,000 over the course of their University degree.

The Metric Capital scholarship programme with Christ the King is in its ninth year and to date has awarded almost £500,000 in scholarships to hardworking, ambitious Christ the King students.  Metric Capital, worked in conjunction with Our Turn Global, a charitable organisation that uses social media to raise awareness about initiatives that have a positive impact on society to award the scholarship.

The scheme is led by Metric Capital’s Managing Partner, John Sinik. John was first introduced to Christ the King by one of his mentees, and he was inspired to create the Metric Scholarship Programme after meeting high performing, aspirational students at Christ the King, who dreamt of going on to University, but faced financial challenges in doing so.

Metric Capital Managing Partner John Sinik says:  “Tuition fees are only a part of the expense of going to University. There are living expenses that can be overwhelming for people and ultimately drive their decision not to go.  The scholarship plays a key role in allowing the students to pursue their dream of obtaining a University degree”.

Collegiate Principal Shireen Razey says: “We are delighted to continue working in partnership with Metric Capital with this fantastic venture. We are so proud of our hardworking students at Christ the King and it is a great opportunity to support them in their university aspirations.”

Temitope Idowui, who is currently studying A Levels in English Literature, Media Studies and Sociology at CTK said ‘I can’t tell you how happy I am right now. I can’t wait for my mum to get home from work so I can share the news with her. A scholarship like this will really help me financially in the year ahead and it will mean I do not need to find a part time job and can concentrate on my studies.’

Keona Burey, who is currently studying a BTEC in Health & Social Care at CTK said;  ‘I am so blessed to have met such amazing inspiring individuals this morning. I am delighted to have been awarded this scholarship and I know it will help me greatly at university.’

Jon Hamilton, who is currently studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics at CTK said; ‘I am so happy to gain this scholarship. I had no idea my teachers thought so highly of me and it will be a great help in my ambition to become a doctor.”

Since the start of lockdown CTK as a community have been making a conscious effort to support our local charities and people in need, and we are delighted to have been featured in The Pilgrim newspaper outlining the work the Sixth Forms has done during COVID-19.

The article is titled ‘Staff and students rise to the COVID-19 Challenges.’ We at CTK continue to ensure all students and staff, as well as our surrounding community, are supported through this difficult time. We have prayer everyday, as well as coffee breaks and staff meetings to ensure all of our staff feel supported, and we have raised over £1000 for various charities in the surrounding boroughs.

CTK student Mya recently entered a photography competition for the opportunity to be showcased in the Historic England Archive. Out of over 1000 submissions only 100 photographs were picked for the archive, Mya was included in this chosen 100.

Polly Braden, an renowned artist and photographer who focusses on culture, the everyday and communications, selected Mya’s photo as her favourite out of all the photographs, and the BBC contacted her to write a story about her.

Today sees the launch of At home, an online exhibition of photographs taken by sixth form college students during the Covid-19 lockdown. Over 140 students from 46 colleges submitted their photographs for the exhibition that runs from 4th to 19th June 2020. The exhibition is being co-ordinated by the Sixth Form Colleges Association and all photographs can be viewed on the SFCA gallery website here.

Launching today’s exhibition, Gillian Keegan, Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, said:

“This has been a difficult time for the entire country but this exhibition is a wonderful example of how creativity can flourish in the face of adversity. It’s great to see how these sixth form students have captured the experiences of lockdown from a young person’s perspective. A huge congratulations to all exhibitors and I wish them every success for the future”.

Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:

“At home highlights the extraordinary artistic talent that exists in our sector. We are holding this exhibition to recognise and celebrate excellence in sixth form colleges, but also to stimulate our thinking about the world this summer. It is imperative that we keep the arts in education secure and flourishing. If young people are to make a valuable contribution to society – even if they are to be successful scientists, engineers, doctors and technicians – they need to develop their creative skills, their artistic sensitivities and their ability to interact with others. All of this will be more important than ever in the post-Covid world”.

‘At home’, the SFCA National Photography Exhibition 2020 can be viewed here: https://www.sixthformcolleges.org/411/at-home

Our CTK A Level Graphics students who have been entered:

Emilia – ‘The Search For Life’

Matilda – ‘Isolation

Victoria – ‘Through the Dark’

If you’re a Year 10 or 11 student interested in Photography and feel inspired be sure to enter our CTK Photography competition here –> https://www.ctk.ac.uk/year-11-virtual-school/ctk-photography-competition/

On International Nurses Day we at CTK want to thank all our nurses, like our former student Sarah, across the country for all that you are doing. These unprecedented times have made it most important to value and protect our NHS and so much of that weight falls on all our nurses all over the country, helping us win the battle against Coronavirus. From here at CTK: thank you Nurses!

Our staff, students and wider CTK community are always keen to help support local charities, especially now during the Coronavirus pandemic.  The outbreak has had a major impact on all of our lives but particularly for vulnerable groups who need support now more than ever.

Volunteering and supporting others is at the heart of our Catholic Mission and we always strive to support our local community; now more than ever we need to come together to give back to those who are most vulnerable. 

We set up a Just Giving Page, aiming to raise £1000 to be shared between three local charities that we work closely with:

Greenwich Bexley Hospice need our support at this difficult time.  

The Athena service Lewisham/Greenwich, run by Refuge, offer support to young adults suffering gender based violence. With a 25% increase in domestic violence locally, any money raised will be a lifeline for this charity.  

Lastly, Lewisham Foodbank which CTK also supports regularly.  Food banks are experiencing shortages during the crises and every pound raised feeds a local vulnerable family in need.

We actually surpassed this, and our current total is at £1148! Thank you for all your donations, it is greatly appreciated to help these charities serving the local community in need at this time.

We are so excited to see our CTK family helping to brighten up peoples daily walks and help us all through this difficult time by joining the many other houses painting rainbows and putting up supportive messages for our NHS.

Credit to Ms Johnson’s son James for his amazing window art.

Ms Power’s son Joe aged 4, for his brilliant rainbow.

Ms Schutze’s daughter Natalya aged 4 for her beautiful creation.

This year for Sport Relief students and staff were invited to wear sports clothing for a £1 donation for those in need across the UK and the worlds poorest countries. A huge thank you to everyone who supported our charities and took part.

A great deal of students even took advantage of using the fitness suite and taking part in other sporting activities to get into the sporting spirit.

Easter is a very special time here at CTK and despite not being together at this time, this did not stop us celebrating together. We encourage students and parents to spend time with all the family they can, and although we cannot attend Church at this time, there are lots of resources that allow you to take part in mass and services from your own home. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIsefyl9g9A5SGWA4FvGIA

Our choir director Ms Christian-John had some great words of wisdom this weekend:

“A MESSAGE TO MY CHOIRS: 1. Don’t stop singing 2. This virus won’t last forever 3. Please keep on singing at home 4. I miss you already 5. I look forward to seeing you all again soon 6. I’m praying for you and your families 7. Keep the faith and be encouraged I’mSoProudOfYou!”

Ms Christian-John also posted an amazing video on her YouTube channel dedicated to all the students and staff at CTK at this hard time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=210&v=vAqWaes0-oc&feature=emb_logo

Here at CTK we value charity, community and supporting others wherever we can, and this has never been more important than now. Christ the King was happy to be able to help our NHS by donating 200 science goggles and 600 pairs of disposable gloves and an array of chocolate goodies to Lewisham hospital. We also donated milk and biscuits to St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales).

We also donated over 200 Easter eggs to local charities and our students will be writing messages of support to NHS start using https://www.thanksamillionnhs.co.uk/

Upon the news that pubic gatherings, including mass and church ceremonies, have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, our Chaplaincy team have worked hard to ensure all staff and students have all the resources to keep the faith in the hardest times. Alongside conducting our daily College prayer online every day, our Chaplains have been providing prayers and videos for us all to follow and watch with family to help us all through difficult times. We encourage everyone to visit https://pray-as-you-go.org/retreat/pray-as-you-stay for a great Prayer series containing reflective music and words for each day as people are at home to encourage daily prayer.

“God of Love,

As members of the Christ the King Sixth Forms family, we ask for your continued blessing upon our work and study. You are the source of all truth and wisdom.

May we experience in full the Life that you offer us each day, to become the best that we can be.

Let no distractions of fears prevent us from trusting in your endless care for us.

Shine your Light into our lives that we may become brighter beacons of faith, hope and love in our community.

We make this prayer through Christ the Lord. Amen.“

Spiritual wellbeing has never been more important, visit https://www.alonetogether.org.uk for more ideas, help and resources for getting through this time of self isolation and distancing from those important to you and our ordinary lives.

We are thrilled to receive inspiring work from our students, showing how to be productive from home. This stunning postmodernist architectural design for Unit 7 BTEC Extended Diploma is by Tarique.

Thalia, one of our Graphics students for her component 2 exam produced this with the theme of social media and conformity.

We are very proud that our CTK St Mary’s Scholarship Graduate Programme students Matthew and Hannah, have volunteered for local community work during the virus situation.

They are two of the 500,000 people that has signed up to be an NHS volunteer to help the vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis.

If you would like to know how you can get involved visit the NHS volunteering website and see what you can do for your community. https://www.england.nhs.uk/participation/get-involved/volunteering/

Geography students took a trip to Margate to assess the effectiveness of the coastal defences and to investigate if they have had an impact on the coastline.

They carried out Beach profiles, groyne measurements, questionnaires, measured long shore drift and carried out a bi-polar cost benefit analysis. The class split into groups and carried out different data collection to calculate consistent results.

Our CTK Alumni, Trevor Gomez, visited the BT Sport Studios for the new brand launch; and got the chance to talk on camera, touching on what it means to go ‘Beyond Limits’ with BT. Trevor talked to CEO Philip Jansen about his views of the exciting changes at BT, and an inspirational quote from Philip was ‘If we start with our people the possibilities for our customers are limitless’.

Trevor talked to Philip about ‘ELEVATE’; a skills development scheme for young adults, linked to his very own scheme he is running; the BT ‘Work Ready’ Programme. Trevor says he is looking forward to carrying the theme of ‘Beyond Limits’ when he presents to the Marketing Unit of BT about his role and work as a ‘5G Maker.

Trevor is an inspirational alumni to represent CTK; working with young adults and helping to revolutionise the world of technology.

We are extremely proud to see many of our students embracing working from home and not letting it halt their enthusiasm or stop them from producing amazing pieces of work.

CTK A Level Photography student Tillie has taken this image this week entitled ‘isolation’.

Great progress from an A Level art student demonstrating how to be productive and work towards your goals from your home.

Here at Christ the King, we recently hosted our second successful Spirituality Conference, welcome to all students across all sites, focusing on The Power of the Word.

The conference started with a welcome talk about what the days events and a song from the Gospel Choir. Throughout the day we were welcomed by many guest speakers, including Father Christopher of the St. Fidelis Friary, an Ash Wednesday lunch service, and a special performance from professional Gospel singer Natalie Christian John.

The day was a huge success and allowed a space for staff and students to network, but also reflect and learn about themselves and those around them.

CTK St Mary’s football team played their last League fixture of the season this week. They won 12 games out of 18, meaning they are now set to finish 3rd in the Division.

A huge well done to all the lads who played this season.

Maths students at CTK St Mary’s were delighted to have David Fazakerley and Karen Jacks from Deltas Society come and talk to them about jobs and apprenticeships in the technology and legal industries.

DELTAS was created by a group who are passionate about creating change within the legal IT community.

David and Karen highlighted that over the last thirty years, despite tremendous progress being made in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion within our everyday lives, a vast portion of professionals don’t believe that this is the case within the Legal IT community. Whether it be through media bias, education, personal experiences or individual expectations, diversity is still a challenge and one that they are hoping to change.

CTK A Level Fine Art, Photography and Graphics students visited the Ashmolean Museum, the Natural History museum and the Pitt Rivers museum in Oxford in preparation for component 2 of their exams.

In an event hosted by the Education Commission, our Chaplains from all Christ the King sites, took a trip to Aylesford for a Chaplaincy day.

Along with chaplains from all over our diocese, our chaplaincy team attended talks and activities, all guided by lead speaker Fr David O’Malley, a Silesian of Don Bosco, who guided and informed our team with his years of chaplaincy and classroom experience.

With over 20 years’ experience in chaplaincy and youth support, our chaplaincy team received invaluable first hand advice and information to bring back to Sixth Form and utilise in strengthening our community.

45 students from Christ The King St Mary’s and Emmanuel travelled down to North Kent College to take part in the first multi sport tournament of the year. It was such a great sight to see so many enthusiastic netballers and basketballers ready to give it their all.

The basketball was very successful for Christ The King, with St Mary’s winning all 3 of their games to take the gold medal, including a good win over Emmanuel. Well done boys! Christ The King Emmanuel also competed very well, coming away in third place on goal difference. Nearly a ‘1-2’ for Christ The King in basketball!

Christ The King St Mary’s also did very well in the netball; winning 2 and losing 1 to come away with the silver medal. A great achievement for a group of girls who have only just come together as a team. Christ The King Emmanuel finished fourth in the netball but it was great to see so much effort being put in even though games weren’t going their way. With a few more weeks of training, I am sure both teams will improve dramatically and more medals will be brought away from future tournaments. A huge well done to all that took part and we look forward to more success in the future!

On 27 September, nearly 40 CTK students enjoyed a visit to the busy and bustling Apprenticeship Fair at the Emirates Stadium in North London.  The event gave students the opportunity to talk to employers and training providers about apprenticeships, as well as speaking to the many universities present about Degree Apprenticeships. 

One of the Upper Sixth students who attended and had found it worthwhile, said:

“I didn’t expect to find so many degree apprenticeship opportunities to get my qualifications for accounting and finance.”

If you are planning to look for an apprenticeship alongside or instead of applying to university, please book an appointment to discuss this with the Careers Team at your site or email: careers@ctksfc.ac.uk

Press Release Thursday 26 September 2019

Christ the King Sixth Forms announced plans today to create the borough’s first Catholic selective sixth form centre.  CTK Aquinas will open its doors in 2020 to high performing A Level students and will be the area’s only sixth form centre of its kind.  In another first, Christ the King Sixth Forms will also be launching London’s only Catholic sixth form centre for vocational students, CTK Emmanuel.

Under the plans announced today by Joint Collegiate Principal Shireen Razey, new students joining Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020 will choose from three distinct sixth form centres, based on their university ambitions, career aspirations and prior academic performance.

CTK St Mary’s will continue to provide an extensive range of both A Level and high level BTEC qualifications at its sixth form in Sidcup.

Joint Collegiate Principal Shireen Razey says: “Over the past 12 months, we have consulted extensively with staff, parents, alumni, universities, our employer advisory boards and Catholic partners.  As a result we have built a distinct picture of why students and parents choose each of our sixth forms as a place to study, what they value about their environment and teaching, and where there are additional opportunities to supply something unique which is not currently offered within the local community.”

From September 2020, CTK Aquinas will launch as a selective A Level centre for excellence.  The Christian values of the Catholic college, combined with a high quality curriculum, developed in partnership with independent schools and the scholarship graduate programme, will appeal to those with top GCSE grades.  Students will be taught in a purpose built sixth form, by specialist teachers with a focus on progressing to the UK’s top Universities.

Students will be offered a range of 23 subjects at A Level and will need to have achieved at least 48 points at GCSE in order to apply, with an average grade profile of 6. Those studying Science and Maths will require a GCSE grade 7 or above.  Students wishing to study for an A Level subject will need a grade 6 or above in that subject at GCSE.  Dress code will be formal, with students required to wear business-like suits, with tailored trousers and skirts.

Another first will be the launch of CTK Emmanuel as a centre for professional excellence.  From September 2020, CTK Emmanuel will provide high level technical and vocational qualifications, for students who aim to progress to university or into careers in engineering, science, media, business, law, health, education, sports and performing arts.   Currently, almost 90% of Christ the King’s BTEC students progress onto university, which is significantly higher than the national average.  In 2018, 50% of Christ the King students that secured a place at a Russell Group University, had studied a Level 3 BTEC Qualification.  CTK Emmanuel will offer the widest range of university focused vocational courses in the area and will be London’s only dedicated sixth form specialising in vocational courses.

In Sidcup, CTK St Mary’s will continue to provide a wide range of 30 A Level and BTEC courses and graduate programmes to suit a variety of abilities, including the highest performing GCSE students on the Advanced Graduate Programme. 

The three sixth forms will provide extensive choice for local students across London and Kent with a wide range of courses on offer to suit all abilities and aspirations, and a place for all hardworking, ambitious students.

Christ the King Chair of Governors Rupert Evenett says; “We believe that across each of Christ the King Sixth Forms, we are able to offer every young person with ambition, drive and aspiration the chance to study up to the highest level and gain entry to leading universities. Our Christian values are underpinned by our CTK graces, built on character education, which are; grit, respect, awareness, curiosity, endeavor and self-control. These values are key to the success of our students and key to our sixth form communities.”

A level French students enjoyed a dedicated translation workshop at King’s college. They learnt the techniques of translation from one language to another. They look at the importance of understanding the text, the context, the period and played with the language. There was also a Q&A about studying at University and the students found the whole experience useful. 

First year photography and graphics students from Emmanuel attended a workshop at Autograph Gallery in Shoreditch earlier this month.

After photographing some of the sights around Brick Lane, we went to Autograph – a gallery whose mission statement is ‘to share the work of artists who use photography and film to highlight issues of identity, representation, human rights and social justice’. In response to the exhibition by Phoebe Boswell, students made collaborative drawings and a sound piece using their mobile phones in the workshop. The drawings were then hung up outside in a space chosen by each group.

The aims of the Jack Petchey are twofold. It aims to both inspire and challenge young people to achieve what they can be.

Normally this takes place before the award is won, but it doesn’t mean that these are not relevant aims even afterwards. So was the case when one Jack Petchey award winner decided that she would take a group of fellow students to Go Ape Battersea, the treetop adventure course.

Zhanae Payne, who was nominated for the hard work she put into the Chaplaincy Team, decided that the experience would be a beneficial one. The group of students, who were all eager to attend travelled down on Wednesday 15^th May after college. It was a fantastic experience. Three courses looped around the trees at Battersea Park, each more challenging, consisting of ropes, bridges and ziplines.   Those who were afraid of heights all managed to overcome their fears and by the end everyone was confidently stepping around the course. It was a truly memorable experience, and brought the group closer, as they supported and encouraged each other around the course.

Congratulations to our Level 2 Business Studies students who received the Runner Up award at the London Metropolitan University’s Big Idea Challenge finale on the 2nd of Mary 2019.

Our students beat 18 other colleges with their business idea “Enough is Enough” (see it here http://bit.ly/2I5DlQt). The finale event was held at the Royal Institute in Mayfair and was attended by Levi Roots, the founder of Cobra Beer and the founder of Mumsnet so it was surely a night to remember!

The University of Northampton Yellow Bus Tour recently visited all three CTK sites.

Students were given the opportunity to climb on board for interactive sessions on university applications with their Schools Liaison team. There was also the opportunity to speak to current Northampton undergraduates about their own experiences since joining the university.

The Tour was supported by a number of on air and online platforms as well as it being documented on social media.

A member of staff was keen that the community at Christ The King made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. A group of sixteen staff and students set off just before Easter.

They quickly settled into the prayerful routine of the place which is in Bosnia Herzegovinia.  Christine the guide who accompanied the group up Apparition Hill carefully explained the history of the place from when our lady first appeared at Medjugorje in 1981 at which  the country was under the reign of Communism.  Fr Leon who is the English chaplain and who has visited Woolwich talked to the group of his own religious experience Visits were also made to Mary TV, Mostar and Cross Mountain. Personal experiences included the ineffable quality of the music at international services, the smell of the roses, and the meaningful conversations end encounters that occurred.

Our Lady asks pilgrims to promote Medjugorge as the spiritual centre of the world and that we carry out the following;  read the Bible, go to confession, receive the Eucharist, fast of Wednesdays and Fridays and say the rosary.  To help us remember we can carry five small stones from Medjugorge.  The community at Christ the King offers an annual pilgrimage as part of its Catholic life programme. This pilgrimage to was exceptional because of its uniqueness.  Everyone in the group returned home a little bit changed for the better and would recommend to all.  It was perfect in every way.  You will not be disappointed.

On a beautifully sunny day last Wednesday, Christ the King Sixth Forms held its much anticipated annual Sports Day with events taking place across all 3 sites.

The competition between students was there for all to see but the gracefulness and comradery which shone through is something they all should be proud of.

On the football pitch, it was St Mary’s who ran out winners after achieving a hard fought 1-0 victory over Emmanuel with everyone getting the chance to be involved in the match and all enjoyed themselves.

Heading inside, onto the basketball court, a rivalry had been building over the past few months during the basketball season. Emmanuel had taken the early bragging rights but the St Mary’s team had come roaring back in recent weeks. It all came down to the final opportunity on Sports Day. With the Aquinas team added to the mix, it was sure to be an afternoon to remember. And so, with St Mary’s coming through victorious against both Emmanuel and Aquinas, they were crowned champions. With Aquinas pulling off a fantastic win against Emmanuel, they took a well-deserved second place, leaving Emmanuel third.

Netball and Futsal were both held at Aquinas, and it was Emmanuel who came away winning both events. The futsal was very competitive, as expected, with Emmanuel beating Aquinas 13-5 to claim maximum points.

Both Table Tennis and Badminton took place in the St Mary’s sports hall and it was a real hive of activity. Some very good talent was put on show with a lot of exciting matches taking place. In the end, a very skilful Aquinas team took the honours in the table tennis with Emmanuel pulling through against tough opposition in the badminton.

The new event this year ‘Mini Olympics’ proved to be a hit and was well enjoyed by all who took part. Events such as standing long jump, bean bag throwing, soft javelin throw and fun relay races took place with Emmanuel taking the gold ahead of St Mary’s in the male competition and Aquinas winning the female competition.

The ‘Gym Challenge’ ended up being very closely contested with the will to win being shown in abundance. Strength, flexibility, endurance and aerobic testing are all elements of the challenge and each competitor showed immense grit and determination in each. It was St Mary’s who scraped it in the end ahead of Emmanuel.

Overall, congratulations go to Emmanuel who triumphed on the day ending with 190 points followed by St Mary’s on 170 points and Aquinas with a respectable 140 points. Everyone who took part enjoyed the day and we look forward to a fresh competition next year.

At the end of term community day, Tutor groups put together Easter baskets of sweets and chocolates with a signed Easter card full of messages of hope and blessings.

These were delivered by the Chaplain, Deacon Elderfield with students: John, Princess and Andrea, to Demelza Hospice in Eltham who care for terminally ill children. The baskets were gratefully received by the staff on behalf of the children.

 Other activities during the day included a movie-drama presentation by the ‘Ten-Ten’ theatre company on the influence that exposure to pornography can have of young minds and developing healthy relationships. There was opportunity for discussion and reflection on this important issue effecting our youth and culture today.

Christ the King Sixth Form was delighted to recently host a talk by Sir Ian Cheshire who is the Chairman of Barclays UK.

Ian talked to almost one hundred of our students about growing up in Nigeria and the academic challenges he faced when studying before achieving a degree in Law from Christ’s College, Cambridge. 

Ian spoke to students about his current role as Chairman of Barclays UK as well as his previous roles at Kingfisher and Debenhams. He also spoke about the various charitable roles he has including Campaign Chairman of Heads Together which is the mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

 The key message he had for students was that there are lots of opportunities out there if they are willing to grasp them and he suggested that there are fantastic opportunities on the fraud prevention and innovations sides of the financial industry.

The annual Barclays RISE Programme was recently launched by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy, Yaa Ofori-Ansah and a number of their Barclays colleagues to CTK students.

Barclays RISE (Revealing the Industry to Secondary Education) is a mentoring programme, initiated by the Embrace Forum at Barclays and supported by local charity Urban Synergy. It was designed to engage, equip and encourage young people aged 16-18 with the skills and confidence they need to excel in their futures. The scheme was founded by former CTK student, Michael Lee, and fellow 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 was assigned a mentor and worked with other students through a four session programme.  The weekly sessions were split into two parts with the first part being an interactive presentation on the development topic of the week.  The second part was 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.

The Careers Conference at Christ the King Sixth Forms continues to go from strength to strength.

The cross-site event comprises a variety of university and career based talks as well as a large-scale exhibition. The day provides a fantastic opportunity for our Level 3 students to start thinking about their future and to explore their options.

Students prepare for the Conference by pre-booking their places for the talks they wish to attend and individual timetables are created which include a visit to the exhibition, thus ensuring their time spent at the Conference is focused and productive.

Almost 100 external organisations supported the Conference by either exhibiting or providing speakers for the talks.  Many of the participants were returning, having attended the event in previous years.  The programme of talks included sessions on a wide range of careers from Medicine and the NHS to entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, banking and many more.

On the 2^nd March 2019, 25 CTK students from across all three sites attended the Flame 4 Congress in London.

They however were not just there to witness the testimony of several amazing speakers and participate in the worship and other activities that the day had to offer, but also to perform with several other choirs from across South London in a group performance that proved to be one of the highlights of the day.

 The Flame Congress is a biennial event taking place at Wembley’s SSE Arena, organised by the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation. It continues to be the largest regular gathering of young Catholics in England and Wales. Since it started in 2012, CTK has sent regular groups of students to the event, all of whom were inspired by the experience.

The theme of this congress was significance. Throughout the day, the young people involved had the opportunity to listen to some amazing speakers, including Robert Madu and Archbishop Eamon Martins, talk to fellow young people from across the country, and participate in worship and adoration. There were also spellbinding performances from Guvna B, Rise Theatre and Anglican worship leader Tim Hughes.

This most recent occasion was the first time they were given an opportunity to take part in the proceedings, an opportunity they embraced as they performed two songs, Stormzy’s Blinded by your Grace, and the classic Amazing Grace. For those of us who had the pleasure of attending with them, it was a profound and joyous experience, which will be looked forward to in future years.

On Wednesday 6th February 2019, 27 BTEC Health and Social Care students embarked on a 3 day trip to Disneyland Paris accompanied by three members of staff.  All students attended a Health and Social Care international conference related to their modules of study.  The Health and Social Care Conference covered modules such as equality and diversity, first aid, diet and nutrition, child Protection and safeguarding, meeting individual needs and health and safety.  Students were issued a free one day complimentary entry ticket to the Disneyland parks and Walt Disney studios centre.

Christ the King was delighted to have twelve students spend the afternoon with Dianne Johnson from Urban Synergy, and Katherine Chamberlain and Laurence Wolf from Capgemini to learn more about corporate mentoring and Degree Apprenticeships.

This is the 2nd year that Christ the King students have worked with Urban Synergy and Capgemini and this was the first in a series ofworkshops aimed at helping them to develop life skills as well as introducing them to Degree Apprenticeship opportunities. At the end of the series of workshops, Capgemni hopes to offer a number of Christ the King students a degree apprenticeship.

Christ the King was delighted to run our second, daylong event, with Unloc Enterprise Academy which was held for students wanting to consider alternative progression routes.

The Unloc Enterprise Academy programme was designed to inspire, motivate and develop the mind-sets of young people. The day helped to develop student’s skills in setting up and testing their own business ideas as well as exploring future apprenticeship opportunities.

Unloc started in 2011 as a small Portsmouth community project run by Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling who were young entrepreneurs that wanted to see students getting more engaged with local decision makers. Their aim is to help create a highly capable, actively engaged and civic minded generation of young people.

On Monday 7th January, the BTEC Sport Level 3 upper students welcomed Personal Trainer Joe Merry of GingerJoetraining.com.

Joe is from Lewisham and now runs a successful personal trainer business particularly focusing on performance athletes. He is also has a strong social media following. The group are currently studying towards the exam Unit 22 Investigating business in the Sports and Active Leisure Industry.

Students were able to listen to how Joe has built his business and asked questions in relation to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Students need to research the personal training industry and this was a valuable opportunity to support their case studies. Huge thanks to Joe who lit up the room with his energy and passion for chasing your dream.

All three CTK sites were delighted to have Duro from 2020Change come back once again this year and speak to students about the valuable work they do in the local communities.  2020Change was set-up to build the next generation of community, business and political leaders. 

 Duro spoke with great passion about how he strongly believes that today’s young people have the potential to become tomorrow’s leaders. He stressed that all they need is someone to show them how to use their past experiences as transferable skills and this would allow them to thrive in the corporate world.

Duro also explained to students how he successfully built and sold his first business before deciding to work in the charitable sector.

We hope to see Duro and 2020Change again next year!