Opening of new Learning hub at CTK St Mary’s 

New facilities were made possible by securing a Capacity Fund from the Department of Education 

The MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup Louie French, The Mayor of the London Borough of Bexley, Councillor Nick O’Hare, James Kewin, from the SFCA, Sidcup Ward Councillors and the Mayoress, attended the official opening of the new Learning Centre at CTK St Mary’s today. 

CTK St Mary’s were delighted to be selected for a Capacity Fund from the Department for Education to expand its teaching and learning facilities, due to increased numbers of students at the over-subscribed Sixth Form.   

The new learning hub includes, four brand new classrooms, independent learning area and career hub 

CTK St Mary’s in Sidcup is a successful Sixth Form serving 16-19 learners from in and around the Bexley borough.  The Sixth Form offers a wide range of A Level and BTEC courses and has recently added T Levels to the curriculum offering. 

MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup Louie French said; 

“It was a great honour to join the official opening of these excellent new facilities at CTK St Mary’s in Sidcup this morning. With the support of government funding from the Department of Education to expand its teaching and learning facilities, CTK ST Mary’s have successfully delivered a new teaching area and Careers Hub, which will benefit many students in Sidcup both now and in the future”. 

Christ the King Sixth Forms Executive Principal Shireen Razey said;  

“We were delighted to receive this funding from the Department of Education to enhance our teaching and learning facilities.   We are excited about the benefits the new learning centre will offer our students and were honoured that our MP Louie French could host the grand opening for us.  CTK St Mary’s can now offer students a state-of-the-art learning experience in the heart of Sidcup, and alongside the recent opening of our hospital ward at CTK Emmanuel, we are able to offer learners across Southeast London and Kent the best teaching and learning experience in a Catholic Sixth Form environment. We are thankful to the James and SFCA colleagues who represent Sixth Form Colleges across the UK. They play an important role in raising the profile of colleges and worked hard to ensure Sixth Forms were included in the Capacity Fund bids”. 

The grand opening was attended by the the Mayor of the London Borough of Bexley, Councillor Nick O’Hare, who officially opened the centre, the MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup Louie French, James Kewin, from the SFCA, Sidcup Ward Councillors June Slaughter and Richard Diment (Cabinet Member for Education) and the Mayoress. 

CTK St Mary’s Student Governor Damar Brown gave a heart-warming speech, thanking Shireen Razey and the Christ the King Sixth Form Governors for making this vision possible. 

In keeping with the Sixth Form’s Catholic mission, Father Michael blessed the opening of the new centre and the CTK St Mary’s gospel choir sang a beautiful rendition of Hosanna, Oh Come Al Ye Faithful and We wish you a Merry Christmas, to the VIP guests and students.  Staff, students and Christ the King Sixth Form Governors, were delighted to be able to celebrate the new learning hub opening together at this momentous occasion.