Photo: Group photo of both winners with Aimhigher Kent and Medway staff
L-R: Lisa Egan, Chelsea Cook (6th Form Learner Achievement Award), Mrs and Mr Cook, Rachel Calver (Partnership Practice Award), Felicity Dunworth, Jess Soames (Partnership Practice Award), Sarah McGinnety, Brian Dunne (Partnership Practice Award) and Lisa Clements.
Our Partner, Thanet College and Associates and students have been recognised this year for their achievements at the national Aimhigher Awards ceremony. Also, Aimhigher staff and Head Teacher Andrew Olsson from our Partner school, the Charles Dickens in Broadstairs, have contributed to the national Aimhigher Annual Conference.
Aimhigher National Awards 2009
Two awards and several shortlists for Kent and Medway!
Two nominees from Aimhigher Kent and Medway were nationally recognised through Aimhigher Awards this year. Chelsea Cook from Astor College for the Arts won an Award for sixth form Learner Achievement. Thanet College won a Partnership in Practice Award. Both received certificates from the Right Honourable Pat McFadden MP, Minister of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills at a ceremony in London on 6th October.
Chelsea said, "I'm really proud of myself, being the only Learner Winner for Kent and Medway is a big thing".
In addition, Andrea Fassolas was shortlisted for the Associates Award and Amy-Estelle Quamina from Northfleet School was shortlisted for the Key Stage 4 Learner Achievement Award.
See press releases and pictures in "Latest News" on this website.
Partnership in Practice Award entry:
Thanet College of Further Education is an exceptional partner to the Aimhigher Kent and Medway Partnership (AHKM). This year, the College facilitated 2,877 Aimhigher student experiences, ranging from individual support and advice through to talks on higher education, student finance and subject tasters at university.
Thanet College’s contribution is shaped by its position in an area recognised as highly deprived, with a significant concentration of looked-after children. Thus it is ideal that its Student Support Team leads for the Aimhigher partnership in developing strategies and materials to support young care leavers.
Felicity Dunworth from Aimhigher Kent and Medway said:
"Thanet College’s support is generous, unmeasured and remarkable for combining expertise with passion. The College has created links with local schools in order to ease the transition of young people at 16, and have more than 13 members of College staff involved in delivering AHKM activities; an indication that the College has created an environment in which the work of AHKM can be sustained and extended. "In particular, they have devised and managed our AHKM Designated Member of Staff scheme, which ensures that young people leaving care are able to access a trained, specialist advisor in all AHKM partner HEIs and FECs. The College leads by example, providing a welcoming and supportive environment for Care Leavers that has contributed to their confidence and progress."
6th Form Learner Achievement Award entry:
Aimhigher Learning Mentor, Lisa Egan first met Chelsea Cook at Astor College when Chelsea was in Year 12, and was struck by how reserved and withdrawn she seemed. She lacked confidence, both in her social and academic abilities, but it was apparent that Chelsea had the potential to succeed in her studies. During their sessions, Lisa helped Chelsea to formulate strategies to cope more effectively. They also discussed ways to enable her to develop and maintain relationships with others. As well as regular mentoring sessions Chelsea has undertaken a variety of Aimhigher activities, including ‘Teaching Taster’ days, UCAS preparation days and participating in an Ambassador scheme. She also attended an Aimhigher summer school at Reading University in July 2008, which proved to be a turning point in Chelsea’s life as for the first time she realised that she was capable of going to university. Significantly, Chelsea has now applied for a place at Canterbury Christ Church University to study Crime and Policing.
It is a measure of Chelsea’s personal development that she won the ‘Pam Lesley Memorial Cup for Life Skills’ at the end of Year 12. Her self-confidence and social skills have increased to such an extent that during Year 13 she was made senior prefect and she became secretary to the sixth form committee.
As Lisa Egan, her Aimhigher Learning Mentor stated:
"I have noticed a huge change in Chelsea’s confidence, ability to stick up for herself, and how she deals with difficult situations, not only in college but in her everyday experiences. I know that she leaves Astor College a stronger and more resilient individual."
Judge’s comment, "Her personal determination and willingness to struggle forward against a background of low self-esteem and unhappy school experiences are laudable and prize-winning."
Aimhigher National Conference 2009
Andrew Olsson, Head Teacher from the Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs, was the keynote speaker at the Aimhigher national conference held in London on 7th October 2009. He described the ways in which the Kent and Medway Aimhigher partnership had helped the school to improve examination success and to establish excellent working relationships with local universities and further education colleges.
'Dr John Selby, Director for Education and Participation at the Higher Education Funding Council for England said, "I was impressed by Andrew Olsson's presentation at the recent Aimhigher conference. He spoke with great enthusiasm about the programme and described very clearly the impact he felt it had had on his school. He argued very strongly that Aimhigher has made a real difference to the performance of his students and had a significant impact on the whole culture of the school."
Members of the Partnership Core Team led workshops with colleagues from around the country. Felicity Dunworth, our Director, with Jo Wiggins Director of Aimhigher Greater Manchester on communications; Stuart Goodall, our Operations Manager, with colleagues from London Metropolitan University on Aimhigher Associates and Sharon Smith, our Research and Evaluation Manager and Lisa Clements our Schools Manager, with Hannah Ordoyno from Aimhigher Nottinghamshire on the Learner Progression Framework and a New Online Activity Planning System.
