NewsletterSpring 2021

Esher Students set their sights on Uni

To date, 830 UCAS applications have been submitted this year, beating last year’s record of 731. Of those applications 48 were made to Oxbridge and a third to Russell Group Universities. The University of Bristol, University of Manchester and Nottingham Trent University are currently all contenders for most popular destination of 2021.

Using Unifrog, our online destinations platform, students research suitable courses and universities, in line with their intended career aspirations. They then submit one UCAS application for their top five preferred university and college courses, or make an application to art school. Students are helped by their tutors, their subject teachers and our Progression Guidance team to write their personal statement and record their full educational, work experience and employment history to showcase the best of their abilities – before everything is finally double-checked by our diligent Progression Guidance team.

Clare Lewis, who came to us from Esher High, is studying English Language, Politics and Psychology A Levels and has been offered a place to study Psychology at the University of York. She says, “During the application process I was really nervous to begin my personal statement as there was a lot of pressure to get everything exactly right. But my tutor and psychology teacher helped me with very concise and straightforward

feedback and I was able to receive offers from all of the universities I had applied for. I’m determined to pursue a career in criminal psychology or forensic psychology. I cannot wait for what university has in store for me!”

3D Design A Level and Art & Design BTEC student, Max Taylor, hopes to use his design skills in motorsport or architecture and has applied to Bournemouth to study Design. He says, “The UCAS website was very helpful in understanding how to find different courses and subjects, which would interest me.”

Donya Khorsandi, a BTEC Music Technology and A Level Dance and Psychology student at Esher has her eyes set on Solent University at Southampton to study BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance and says, “The hardest part was choosing the right university, as you can’t really go back and change your options further down the line. I would love to be a recording artist and put my own music out on multiple platforms. That is the dream, but if all fails, I would like to work for a label or radio station or managing other artists.”

Nicola Wilberforce, Head of Progression Guidance, says, “Students are seeing university and higher education as an investment in their future. It’s a fantastic achievement that at the end of each academic year, we are able to help up to 90% of our students progress to higher education.”

& much more!

Letter From Dan Dean 2

Christmas Concert 3

Meet the Teacher 4

Black History Month 5

College Production 6

Blast from the Past 7

Politics Talk on the Middle East 8

Young Poet of the Year 9

Politics Lectures 10

Esher Extend Programme 11

Dates For Your Diary 12

At the time of the UCAS deadline on January 29, Esher Sixth Form College submitted another record number of UCAS entries for its 6.2 students.

Dear parents and carers, students and friends

While we had hoped for a different start to the year, students and staff have taken to the challenge of returning to lockdown this term with incredible resilience. Students are continuing to work to a full timetable on a remote basis – with the college remaining open to vulnerable students - and we are encouraging all students to work as hard as they can, not just for their grades but to best prepare them for their next steps.

Despite our best laid plans, formal assessments for our 6.2s in January could not take place due to the prevalence of the new strain of the virus. With summer A Level exams also now cancelled, we are waiting government guidance for arrangements that will allow students to progress fairly. In the meantime, all subjects are concentrating on completing the course content.

Ensuring that students continue learning is our first priority. Progress Review meetings will start after half term, which include individual interviews for each student in each of their subjects. These meetings are important benchmarks to allow feedback and give students the opportunity to reflect on their work and agree priorities for improvement with their teachers.

Looking ahead, a virtual Higher Education Day is planned for March, which marks the start of planning for progression for our 6.1 students. Our Progression Team has also teamed up with 8 Billion Ideas, a local online and mentoring educator, to produce a three-day Internship Programme for Esher students in the summer term. This will be an exciting first for the College, so please do look out for more details to follow soon.

Admission interviews are continuing on Microsoft Teams for entry in September 2021 and we are looking forward to

meeting all our Year 11 applicants at Introduction Day in July, and we very much hope we can do so in person.

In the meantime, please keep yourselves safe and healthy and we look forward to welcoming all students back to College as soon as restrictions allow.

Dan DeanPrincipal

Letter from Dan Dean

During lockdown first year Film and Television BTEC students met top assistant director, Lydia Currie.

One of the top women in her field, Lydia took some time out of her manic schedule to speak to Esher students via a recorded zoom session where she answered questions from students about storyboarding, referring to her current project Avenue 5.

She also gave them some tips on how to get into the film industry – and was very inspiring.

Natascia Phillips, Teacher of Media

Boomerang face masks

A big thank you to the Thames Ditton Boomerang Bag project who made a very welcomed stop at Esher Sixth Form College with a donation of reusable face masks for teachers and staff.

Principal, Dan Dean, took delivery from Tricia Bland, organiser of TDBB and local councillor, of a colourful array of masks that were quickly snapped up.

The Thames Ditton Boomerang Bag Face Mask initiative was prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the proliferation of face masks made from a variety of plastics - this includes the ubiquitous blue and white ‘disposable’ face mask which looks like paper (anything but!). These take up to 450 years to biodegrade and are being incinerated or ending up in landfill or the sea, leading to an environmental catastrophe.

Made from second hand, biodegradable fabric, the masks are made by TDBB’s team of sewing bee volunteers.

Film and Television students meet Avenue 5 assistant director

As sure as night follows day, so students love doughnuts. The Student Union were out in force in the two weeks before Christmas with a large supply of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to raise money for the College charity, ECAT.

Demand was so great that they made another order to sell and raised £67.60 for the Esher College Africa Trust (ECAT), which supports the Dope School in rural Zimbabwe and helps pay for the education of AIDS orphans. You can still donate on the Esher.ac.uk website.

The SU also collected funds on our Christmas jumper day for Save the Children.

SU makes some Dough

As 2020 drew to a close, the Music Department celebrated all that is positive and good in life with an inspired online Christmas Concert with more than 30 student performers.

Available for students to watch on the College video portal, 12 pieces were pre-recorded and live streamed just before the end of term featuring Christmas classics such as Carol of the Bells and more contemporary numbers including Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die and Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. A mix of Music A Level and Music Technology BTEC students took part, including the College Choir.

Claire Whittaker, Head of Music, said, “Music is essential in everything we do. It lifts our spirits and helps us to connect with our own emotions and connect with others. I am so proud of the talent we have at Esher. Our students are diverse, multi-cultured and proud of their differences with a wide range of interests, skills and expertise.”

With many thanks to all the students and the Music Department working hard behind the scenes including Claire, Adam Wolters, Paul Jenkins and Ollie Franckeiss-Moor.

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Out on a High Note

Bright Skies – Isaac WaddingtonGeorge Lavender George Harris

Canzonetta - Tchaikovsky violin concertoRoxanne Bento

Fade into You - Mazzy StarRosie CooperTrinity GillmanHannah HenryJessica CheneyHarry Gamble WhiteLuke Hallawell

July - Noah Cyrus Nikolas AgourakisIsabella Litvak

Carol of the Bells, arranged by Peter WilhouskyChoir: Meg AharaLiv CosterEva CoppingMegan KerrJessica BellSophie CuttingNiall Tamana-Nicholson

Pink Floyd improv backing trackHarry Prescott

Rosemary’s Waltz - Richard Rodney Bennett Phoebe Stokes

No Time to Die - Billie EilishMitchell KeayLucia Harris

Introduction and Polonaise - Carl Bohm ArabeskanMartha Pearce

Fish - Will Joseph CookMilana Mandarino-SimlerNikolas Agourakis

Paranoid - Black SabbathNatasha BrayNathaniel DauzAmy GrahamTheo Karidis

Music A Level CompositionGeorge Harris

The 2020 Christmas Concert Set List

Name: Shamsa Gulaid

Position: Teacher of IT

What inspired you to go into teaching?

Having been a young child with immigrant parents, my upbringing has meant that I have always understood the value of education. I carried their hopes and dreams on my shoulders. What started off as a burden at times, became a blessing. I began tutoring EAL students (English as an Additional Language) who spoke little to no English but enjoyed learning and they helped bring that love for teaching out of me. As a student studying ICT at Brunel University, I made the conscious decision to take a different path, away from the corporate IT world to the exciting classroom.

Why have you chosen to work in a sixth form college?

I have been fortunate enough to work in Primary, Secondary and Post-16 teaching. However, I’ve found teaching sixth form students the most rewarding. I found that at this age many students begin to recognise what career path they would like to take. In my own experience, it was in my sixth form years that I started to understand my strengths and where my interests lie. Therefore, to be able to teach young minds who enjoy learning about the everchanging world around us as much as I do, is incredibly fulfilling.

What’s the best thing about your job?

I love it when students walk into my classroom after completing their GCSEs, feeling timid and shy about embarking on this unfamiliar part of their life. Then in

the space of two thrilling years, they are able to deepen their understanding of their chosen subjects and grow as young individuals. To witness them walk out as driven, confident and young adults who are self-assured about where they are headed is wonderful.

What achievement are you most proud of?

My most pivotal achievement is receiving a First-Class Honours in my Bachelor of Science degree from Brunel University. Receiving this meant that I was able to overcome any doubts that I had in my own abilities. It was also the first time my family were able to witness their child receive a prestigious award. It was an extremely proud moment for me.

When you were younger, what teacher inspired you the most?

My Maths teacher, Mr Warhui, was inspiring. His lessons were engaging and unpredictable. He was able to make a complex question into an exciting one, where you would become so engrossed in finding the answer, you would forget that the bell had rung.

���What�book�or�film�has�inspired you the most?

Recently, I watched an incredible film with my young boys called ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’. The film is centred around this intelligent boy who struggles to get education because of financial issues, so he ends up fighting to teach himself the science he needs to help him live a better life. The boy devises a plan to build a windmill that powers an electric water pump in order to save his village from drought. It’s based on a true story and taught me that when our mind is set to achieve something, no obstacle is too daunting when greatness is being pursued.

What words of wisdom would you give your 16-year-old self?

You are the key to your own potential. So be confident in who you are.

Meet the Teacher

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Bonjour! Hola!

Enrol on one of our adult language courses

Brush up on your language skills for the summer with an essential survival course.

Adult Evening Courses at Esher Sixth Form College include two short ‘Survival’ courses in French and Spanish. Over five weeks you will learn how to greet somebody, ask for help, exchange simple information about yourself, make some simple requests, and find your way to a specific place. The courses are also ideal tasters for the Level 1 language courses starting in September 2021.

Survival French Starts Tuesday 8 June, 7-9pmSurvival Spanish Starts Wednesday 9 June, 7-9pmCourse fee: £75

Sign up online now at www.esher.ac.uk/adult-education or call us on 020 8335 2544.

Studying Information Technology at EsherIf you are keen to become a skilled user of computers or to pursue a career in this area, a BTEC in Information Technology can give you the practical skills and expertise to operate a range of software.At Esher, we offer a two-year BTEC course (equivalent to one A Level). Focussing on the ‘user side’ of computers, we will show you how to create and manage databases, develop websites and use social media in businesses.

In addition to the syllabus, Lori Peel, Head of IT, says they also arrange extra-curricular trips to take part in IT/computing-related visits to Kingston University Gaming Labs, Emirates Aviation: IT in the Airline Business and ‘behind the scenes’ at Thorpe Park.She says, “The biggest compliment we get from past students is when they tell us that the knowledge they gained from our course (and being able to use a variety of employability software), really gave them a working advantage over other students and colleagues at university or in the workplace.

The Sociology Department arranged a virtual talk from Emma Winch and Aaron Myall from Hackney Council. As one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK with long established African Caribbean communities, student Isha Neerghin writes about how they are combating racism.

Hackney Council, located in the north east of London, is filled with history and culture. Statues and monuments fill the streets, but the controversial discussion is over the name of them, as many are named after colonisers who were idolised during the British Empire. Numerous names, such as John Cass, are of people who supported slavery.

The Hackney Council acknowledged this issue and tried to bring about change by renaming some of these landmarks. This project was inspired by the BLM movement and the killing of George Floyd, who for many, made us think about racism in our own daily lives. The monuments were passed through a traffic light system, where if they were placed in the red category (meaning they were very controversial), they were renamed.

Many locals objected to the change as it can be argued that Britain’s culture is being lost by removing these historical names. However, the Hackney Council encouraged conversations with the locals about how these names in their local area made them feel, and they tried to educate the public about the origins of these names. These types of open conversations and education is something that we could all take away in our own lives to raise awareness and combat racism.

It was very interesting and inspirational to hear how the council is trying to actively make a change, especially because Hackney is so local. Hackney is uncovering deep rooted and outdated values that are integrated in the British culture and are in the process of removing them. One thing that is clear is the message that “in a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, you must be anti-racist”.

Isha Neerghin, 6.1 Student *The name of slave owner John Cass was removed from Hackney gardens in December.*Photo credit; Hackney Council.

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Black History Month celebrated across the curriculum

The College’s Anti-Racism group, which meets termly with a mix of teachers and students, inspired a range of Black History Month-related lessons, quizzes and activities in cross-college lessons in October.

As well as raising awareness within the College, here’s just some of the things our departments ran, to celebrate Black History Month:

The Maths Department highlighted Katherine Johnson, dubbed the human computer at NASA, who used trigonometry to calculate the path that a spacecraft would need to take in order to orbit Earth and land on the moon, and Dr Nira Chamberlain who is currently President of the Institute of Maths and its Applications (IMA).

The Philosophy Department encouraged students to read acclaimed authors, including:

• Frantz Fanon’s classic account, The Wretched of the Earth, about the struggle of the oppressed.

• CLR James’ The Black Jacobins, about the history of one of the first successful slave revolts in Haiti.

• Cornel West’s Democracy Matters, which mixes Christian convictions with democratic politics.

In Media, students learned about Michaela Coel’s career. The English actress created and starred in the BBC drama, I May Destroy You.While the Student Union raised awareness of Black Music, introducing students to Sister Rosetta Tharpe – the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll. Sister Rosetta could out sing Aretha Franklin and out play Chuck Berry on the guitar – yet despite influencing everyone from Elvis to Rod Stewart, her music is still relatively unknown.

Delving into Britain’s history and deep-rooted racism

BLM BOOK GROUP As the BLM book group at Esher Sixth Form College, we are dedicated to challenging racism as individuals as well as an institution. We meet once a week to talk about books written by black authors, that discuss the challenges black and people of colour face in everyday life, as well as having discussions about current affairs to do with racism and thinking of ways we can make a difference in our community.

The book we are currently reading is ‘Queenie’ by Candice Carty-Williams, which discusses issues like the fetishization of black women in our society, and the white ‘beauty’ standard. We are currently working on a project to launch an art competition, inspired by black liberation, and the winner’s art will be displayed in College. We hope that this will be a constant reminder to the students and teachers at College to think about ways we can challenge the racism we see around us as individuals.

Beth Payne, 6.2 Student

It’s Been Epic! Not even a pandemic could stop the Drama department putting on its annual College Production as students performed John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids – with a cast of 22 performing both live on stage and from home. Esher Sixth Form College has presented a College Production every year without fail for many years. And 2020 was no exception. As part of their Complementary Studies, 22 students have been working hard for four months on The Chrysalids by John Wyndham.

The Chrysalids follows the journey of a group of teenagers as they negotiate their new-found telepathic powers in a post-apocalyptic society. The script is based on a radio play by Barbara Clegg and has been adapted and edited by staff and 6:2 student directors. The production followed socially distanced guidelines and actors were divided into their Bubble A and B casts, performing to a small, socially distanced audience and live on the College Video Portal.

Mary Cassidy, acting head of drama and the play’s director, said, “It has been epic! It was a huge challenge for the first year cast and second year production team, who worked so hard to create this amazing show under such difficult conditions.

“College Production is about invention, leadership and working in an ensemble. It is a unique activity, which brings second and first years together from all subjects and varied levels of drama, music, stage craft and technical experience.

“The playful environment of Wednesday afternoons is a haven from A Levels and study, and allows the best ideas to bubble to the surface. It has been very inspiring to see how the students and staff continued to work creatively in spite of social distancing restrictions.”

With thanks to Mary and her team; Emma Rising and Malcolm Hart, who worked behind the scenes to make it all happen.

Backstage with student actor, Daniel McElroy

“This year’s production was a big challenge for everyone involved. We navigated through many obstacles using Microsoft Teams, which proved a significant learning curve for us. Performing over a call is totally unconventional, and the idea initially sounded a little bizarre to us, but by the end we were able to convey our characters to an accurate enough degree that it felt effective. “Performing in the room bought an entirely different set of challenges. It took a lot of planning to figure out ways to project the emotion each scene presented from a safe distance. Exploring ways to play fraternal protectiveness, romantic scenes, and even some fight scenes from an appropriate proximity was a task which none of us had ever undertaken before. We had to really concentrate on our physicality and delivery to make it all work.

“Having these universal challenges bought the cast really close together. The Drama department and 6.2 students involved helped to create a fun, productive space in which everybody felt passionate about our show. A lesson in acting and in time management, it was a really great experience overall.”

Daniel McElroy, 6.1 Student and B Bubble cast of The Chrysalids

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A Blast From the Past Freddie Brown

Freddie’s time at Esher Sixth Form College was pivotal in deciding why an apprenticeship, over university, was the right choice for him. Having left in 2018 with BTEC Distinctions in Performing Arts and Creative Media Production, he secured an apprenticeship with one of the world’s leading media agencies, MediaCom, where he completed his Level 3 Apprenticeship NVQ in Marketing. He is now a producer with the branded entertainment team at MediaCom and working on some household TV shows including Supermarket Sweep, Celebs Go Virtual Dating and the return of Changing Rooms.

Why did you choose a sixth form college:

Short answer. I wanted a change. My secondary school, St Paul’s Catholic College, had a sixth form, but after five years of being there, I wanted to see what else was out there. I wanted to travel a bit further from home and to meet new people.

What�was�the�first�thing�that�struck�you�about�Esher?�

The warm welcome you feel when you arrive here. My favourite place was the courtyard area outside the main drama studio. I’m very independent and loved the freedom of studying here.

What were your course highlights at Esher?

For Media Production BTEC, a highlight would have to be working on my music video with Gareth Jones in the department. Although, Lucy Beeharry’s screenwriting unit in the 1st year was also brilliant. We only had to create the first few pages of a pilot, but I actually went on to write a few episodes in my spare time. Must dig them out actually!

In Performing Arts BTEC, I thoroughly enjoyed our Greek Tragedy work and the Bob Fosse unit was sheer brilliance. But my all-time favourite was performing ‘American Prophet’ from The Book of Mormon for our end of year 2 musical theatre unit. We had a laugh every night we did it.

How did your teachers inspire you?

I actually started life at Esher doing Business A Level. By the end of Year 1 it was clear that exams weren’t how I worked. I am a lot more practical, a lot more BTEC! With help from my amazing tutor, Jayne Taylor, I managed to convert that A-level into two BTECs with Media.

Jayne and Lucy taught me that anything is possible as they worked so hard to implement this conversion for me. It taught me that it’s better to be at the bottom of one ladder you want to climb, rather than half way up one you don’t. That stays with me.

I have to mention Gail Deal. She was my rock at Esher and the one I always went to for advice and a cake if I was lucky. Not only did she inspire me in a performing sense, she taught me how important it is to look after your own mental health and look out for others. Gail is a treasure to Esher.

What were your career plans for life after Esher?

I did consider university and I was preparing for a year out, working in retail and getting some production work experience in the industry.

I also found myself winning ITV’s Tipping Point which aired last November. I think I had a bit of an early mid-life crisis!

What made you apply for an apprenticeship and not university?

University wasn’t for me and I knew this very early on at Esher. When I compared how well I was doing in my A-level classes compared to my BTEC classes, it was clear I was someone that prefers to learn on the job.

What advice would you give someone thinking about taking an apprenticeship?

It really is about the people you meet. From the very start I have been working with leading industry experts to deliver first class work to our clients. I’ve made fruitful working and personal friendships through the apprenticeship and my career so far. Also, when you are on the scheme, there really isn’t anything stopping how much you can learn, as long as you are willing to really apply yourself.

What are the best bits about an apprenticeship?

Being the ‘new guy’ is never fun, but you get past that.

But taking an apprenticeship like mine in central London, it was the commuting that took its toll! The transition from secondary school to college was fine. But to go from college to working 9to5, was a shock to the system. It took me three months to start feeling comfortable, confident and used to this new routine.

What have been your career highlights so far?

Delivering and bringing back Supermarket Sweep on ITV2 with Tesco and more recently producing the E4 spin off series Celebs Go Virtual Dating with Extra Gum during the first lockdown.

An upcoming highlight for 2021 is my work on bringing back Changing Rooms to Channel 4 with Dulux. I was only 4 when Changing Rooms came to an end in 2004, but the return of the show series is due out towards the end of next summer and we are very much in the pre-production phase at the moment. Can’t wait for show 1 to air!

What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?

Always ask questions, big and small! Be kind. Expand your network at every opportunity. Never take anything for granted. But most of all, work out what makes you, you.

Follow Esher Sixth Form College

The�Politics�Department�welcomes�its�first�guest�speaker�since�the�March�Lockdown�to�talk�about�the�Israel-Palestine�conflict.

In true democratic style, Politics students voted for the topic of their next lecture and chose Chris Doyle, from the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), to deliver a talk on the Israel- Palestine conflict.

In order to facilitate the event, the College’s Covid Charter was strictly followed with social distancing enforced to ensure maximum safety. The talk was simultaneously streamed on Teams to many Politics and other students and staff who tuned in from home. Doyle is the director of CAABU, which is a non-government organisation that was set up in 1967 after the Six-Day Arab-Israeli war. He is the leading spokesperson for CAABU and has spoken at the UN and regularly educates and accompanies British politicians on delegations around Israel and the Middle East. Chris spoke about the historical and current political, religious and humanitarian aspects of the Israel-Palestine struggle, giving a well-rounded and balanced perspective on a deeply complex conflict. It was clear at the beginning of the talk that no student present had a firm understanding of the complicated issues surrounding the region’s tensions. However, Chris’ clear presentation of their origins, and the current divisions present in the Middle East, provided many insights into what remains one of the world’s most longstanding and seemingly insoluble struggles. One specific issue was the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where two million refugees now face practically unliveable conditions: the water quality is shockingly poor, and the rate of poverty extremely high. This situation has been significantly

worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Palestinians lack ventilators, PPE and access to testing. The talk ended with a Q&A from students, one asking whether there’s hope for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine in the future. Chris answered that “resolution is possible with political resolve” and with an increase in humanisation by both sides in the conflict.

I found the talk fascinating and enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about global politics as well as the focus on human rights issues in the conflict. It was an incredibly thought-provoking talk on an ever-important and complicated topic and a welcome return to physical ‘in-person’ lectures that have been missed greatly in the pandemic.

Lizzie Child, 6.1 Politics Student

Thought-provoking talk on the Middle East

Sneak Peak Backstage with 6.2 Drama Drama and Theatre A Level students relished the opportunity to perform together for their exams with socially distanced dress-rehearsals inside their learning bubbles.

The students were performing devised pieces based on various stimuli that were introduced pre lockdown in March 2020. Miraculously they managed to develop scripts, characters and impactful storylines in the style of the Kneehigh Theatre Company, whose emphasis is very much on ensemble performance, movement and dance.

Social distancing was a hindrance when students were actually able to stage the piece but they overcame the challenge to superb

effect. The drama department was thrilled with the resilience and creative determination the students showed in order to get their work to exam level, especially considering rehearsals ran fortnightly so needed to be done on Teams too, which was a challenge they rose to with confidence. We are so proud of our creative, bold and tenacious drama students.

Emma, Malcolm, Mary and Jayne – The Drama Department.Photos by Poppy Higgins, 6.2 Student and College Photographer.

Young Drivers aspire to Safe Drive Stay Alive

Firefighters�from�Guildford�and�Chertsey�Fire�Stations�brought�their�thought-provoking ‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ campaign to Esher. Delivered to all students as part of their Personal Development Programme – here’s one young driver’s take on the talk.

“I can confidently say that as a teenager who is planning on getting their licence soon, I am much more knowledgeable and comfortable with regards to road safety after watching the Safe Drive Stay Alive documentary.

Prior to watching the video, I was very eager and excited to be able to apply for my theory test as soon as possible, however, I was also naïve to the many dangers that occur on the road and their consequences.

The video highlighted that even though only 8% of driving licence holders are aged between 17-24, they account for 20% of those killed or seriously injured on the roads. While drivers aged between 17-19 hold just 1.5% of driving licences, yet represent 9% of all drivers killed or seriously injured every year. The majority of these traffic collisions are a result of driver error and not merely a result of mechanical errors, showcasing that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, being distracted by mobile phones or simply not having your seatbelt on can have a huge impact - sometimes life-changing - on another driver’s life or even yours.

Personally, the video served a huge purpose in providing an early warning for me, as an aspiring young driver, of the many dangerous possibilities on the road, and educated me with countless ways to make sure that I am staying safe as well as aware at all times.

Moreover, it is crucial to acknowledge that no matter how safe you are on the road as an individual, there are other drivers who are not as cautious or knowledgeable. Therefore, I found the Safe Drive Stay Alive video to be incredibly useful in preparing me to be a safe driver and to be consciously aware at all times when in control of a vehicle on the road, because anything is possible.

I encourage everyone, especially young aspiring drivers to watch the Safe Drive Stay Alive documentary, listen to other people’s stories and learn lessons that could potentially save your life and that of other drivers around you.”

Hasti Mozhdehi, 6.1 Student

Young Poet Em, like, Wins It AgainCongratulations to 6.2 student, Em Power, who has won the prestigious Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award for the third year running.

Since 1998, the Award has been finding, celebrating and supporting the very best young poets from around the world. This year a staggering 15,966 poems were entered from young writers in 118 countries – including Afghanistan, Ecuador and North Korea.

Em’s poem is entitled ‘Canbury Gardens as a Prose Poem Dominated by the Word Like’. It is set in Kingston’s Canbury Gardens and it paints a vivid image of teenagers hanging out on a typical sunny afternoon by the river. Em, who came to Esher from Bishop Wand School and is studying English Literature, Film Studies and Classical Civilisation A Levels, was a top 15 winner in 2018 and 2019. She is thrilled to have won it again in 2020 with her evocative poem.

Em says, “The poem itself was inspired by how much I love my friends, and how helpful they have been in getting through such a tough year. Recording mundane days spent

hanging out at the park seems so much more important, now that things are so bizarre and we’ve been stuck inside so much.”

Em has also run two poetry workshops at College with fellow student and friend, Elizabeth Thatcher, which she says were well received and fun to plan. Of her future poetry plans, Em says although she can no longer submit to the Foyle’s competition as she will be over the age limit next year, she wants to study English with Creative Writing at university and potentially publish a chapbook. She says, “Without Foyle I don’t know that I would’ve applied to do English at uni. I would definitely recommend any writers eligible this year to send some stuff in!”

Thought-provoking talk on the Middle East

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To read Em’s Poem visit poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poet-of-the-year-awards

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Students meet the Deputy Speaker of the House of LordsHosted by UK Parliament Education, Politics A Level students enjoyed a behind the scenes talk from Baroness McIntosh.

Our A Level Politics course began on a high last term with the invaluable opportunity to speak with Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall via Microsoft Teams.

Baroness McIntosh is a Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords. She has been working tirelessly in the House of Lords since her appointment as a life peer in 1999 and has dedicated herself to debating and helping to pass British legislation ever since. She specialises in the arts, and other important aspects of society such as culture and sport. Baroness McIntosh’s career was firmly based in the performing arts, taking leadership roles in internationally renowned organisations, such as the National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. This eventually granted her a coveted position in the House of Lords as a Labour Party aligned Life Peer. It was an honour to meet her as I have recently become a Labour Party member.

It was an eye-opener to be able to talk with Baroness McIntosh and learn about her experiences in Parliament. After a brief introduction, we were able to ask probing questions and learn more about her and her role in the House of Lords. I was able to ask whether she had felt any challenges or discrimination against her as a female Deputy Speaker, a role which involves controlling the debates fought out between the peers within the House of Lords. She replied that many women within the House of Lords feel a lack of confidence to speak in front of the male-dominated House, which is a current issue that needs to change. I was very intrigued by her answer and will be interested to research into it further. The talk also involved a question about what reforms within the House of Lords Baroness McIntosh believed

should be put into place. She argued that the number of peers should be drastically decreased, yet she felt that it should not be democratically elected as it would merely replicate the House of Commons and also become too powerful. I agree with her stance. In my view, the House of Lords is an outdated institution that needs to be fundamentally reorganised so that policies from the House of Commons are effectively challenged. I hope that we can elect a government more dedicated to reforming the House of Lords soon, rather than frequently adding new party-aligned members to help pass their policies for them.

Due to COVID-19 and the current hybrid lessons, half of the class were taking part in the event via Microsoft Teams and we were all able to ask plenty of questions. It was particularly exciting to hear her views on current events, such as the Brexit Bill that would involve breaking international law because she will have a direct impact on whether these controversial changes take place. The experience was a real insight into the House of Lords.

Holly Seabrook, Year 6.1

What should Joe Biden do next? Politics students joined the University of Southampton to discuss what items should be on the new President’s To-Do List.

On the day of the US Election, the University of Southampton held a live lecture called the ‘President’s To-Do list’ to discuss what might be top of the President’s agenda once sworn into office.

The topics ranged from the pressing issues of race and foreign policy to the possibility of space wars. Although the election result was then not known, the speakers focused on the fact that many of things Joe Biden might do, were created by the Trump administration. This was really apparent when race was being discussed because, for many Americans, Trump has divided and politicised racial tensions and the likelihood of him changing his stance seemed slim, at least according to Dr Charlotte Riley, a lecturer at Southampton.

The most thought-provoking section was on the current media system in the US, which is exceptionally polarising and causes many people to fall into dangerous echo chambers. Trump successfully used the media to aid his first campaign and the speakers again thought it was unlikely Trump would be the man to fix it. They did however discuss how Biden could solve these issues, ranging from platform regulation to media literacy education.

Another important discussion for the UK, was the differences in the candidates’ approach to foreign policy. The lecture focused on the topic of Brexit and how each candidate will impact that, as well as Biden and Trump’s different approaches to China. It was thought

Biden would tread a fine line between supporting Taiwan without upsetting the Chinese government too much. While Trump, on the other hand, has always been very harsh on his treatment of China and the implications of this have reverberated around the world.

The talk ended with polls from the audience, which showed that most people felt the most important job for the President would be addressing the social divides and toxic media within the country. With Biden this may be possible. However, Trump’s refusal to concede will further pronounce the partisan media and cause a large proportion of Americans to lose faith in their government. Re-building the trust of the millions of Americans who believe Trump has won, will be almost impossible as long as the right-wing media continues to follow the narrative that election fraud renders the election illegitimate.

I think that this election has really shown the lengths Trump was willing to go to in order to try and swing the election his way. Whether you like him or not, Trump’s political and social influence will not end just because he is not in office. The ideology of Trumpism will linger in America for a long time purely because of his incredibly loyal following and wild Twitter account. In my opinion his influence will, and has already, spread globally. We can see this from the rise of right-wing conservative and nationalistic populist politics in Europe

Overall, the talk really opened my eyes to the domestic and global issues that Biden will have to deal with.

Emma Drummond 6.1 student

Victoria Germanova

Vica left Esher in 2013 and went on to study English Literature at Cambridge.

She spoke to our High Achievers about her experience of applying to Oxbridge, working in corporate internships in Dubai and Moscow, her consulting career in London and now being at Stanford Business School and working in Strategy for Big Tech.

Vica, who studied Psychology, French and English Literature at Esher Sixth Form College, says she found Esher ‘a breath of fresh air’ and had ‘so many warm memories’. Sue Ockelford, a Teacher of English here at Esher, was a particularly influential teacher with her ‘passion and genuine love of the subject and her patience with her students’. Vica says it was the time spent in Sue’s classroom that led her to study the subject at Cambridge.

Her advice to today’s students; ‘Use your study periods as effectively as you can as your grades are really important. Use positive self-talk, be brave and believe in yourself. ’

Alex McKenzie Alex phoned in from Bangkok where she is the UK’s Deputy Ambassador to Thailand. She left Esher in 1996 after studying Philosophy, History, German and Psychology (AS) and went onto the University of Bristol before embarking on her career in the Foreign Office. Alex says so much of what she learnt at Esher impacted her studies, interests and eventually, her career.

Ahmed Babikir

Ahmed left Esher in 2013 with Actuary as his chosen career path and he went to the University of Warwick to study a prestigious MORSE degree - Maths Operational Research, Statistics and Economics – a four-year course with an integrated Masters, specialising in Financial Mathematics. After internships with Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas, he took a job at Chatham Financial in financial risk management before leaving in 2020 to launch his own start-up, Envaluate – which helps individuals monitor their spending habits and track their carbon footprint.

Ahmed says his top memory at Esher was taking Young Enterprise as his complementary studies option in the first year and making a pocket size travel kit, which he helped sell at Kingston Market. Most memorable teacher was John Hart and the Maths team, because without them he says, he probably wouldn’t have gone on to take Maths at University.

Mabel Baxter Dalrymple

Mabel recently graduated with a 1st in Medical Biochemistry from Manchester. She was the top student across all Biological Science degree programmes and received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award from the university. She has just started a PhD at King’s College looking at the control of cancer cells.

Esher Extend: High Achievers Talks Black Lives Matters Our growing community of Esher Alumni return to share their career and life experiences with students

This academic year has seen the successful launch of our Esher Extend Programme. We have always given considerable support to help students reach their full potential at Esher, such as our Oxbridge Programme, our ROSE (Roll of Sporting Excellence) Programme, support for Medics, Dentists and Vets and numerous subject-related enrichment activities.

Esher Extend is an umbrella programme, which will coordinate these activities and increase the extracurricular opportunities available to all students. The programme has nine Mentors to ensure that high achieving students take advantage of activities

on offer to increase their chances of success in ambitious course and career choices. Initially GCSE grades have been used to select students for the programme, but students with excellent Progress Review grades will also be invited to join partway through the year.As part of our Esher Extend Programme, every month we welcome past students to Esher to share their career stories, along with advice on how our current students can achieve their ambitions. We launched the series in the autumn term with Esher Alumni Victoria Germanova, Alex McKenzie, Mabel Baxter Dalrymple and Ahmed Babikir.

If any former Esher students would be willing to share their experiences as part of our Esher Extend Programme, please contact Cat Elmes (celmes@esher.ac.uk).

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Current students can access these talks in full, through the College video portal > Progression Guidance > Esher Extend Talks

Esher Extend Speakers

Dates for your Diary Social MediaFor more information on what’s happening at Esher Sixth Form College, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please be aware that dates published here may have to change. We will keep students and applicants abreast of any changes by email and on our website

Spring Term 2021Monday 15 to Friday 19 February Half Term

Thursday 4 March Progress Review Evening

Tuesday 16 March Higher Education Information Evening

Tuesday 23 March Higher Education Day and Evening Convention

Thursday 1 April End of Term

Summer Term 2021 Monday 19 April Term begins

Wednesday 21 April Employment Seekers Evening

Monday 3 May May Bank Holiday

Wednesday 19 May to Thursday 27 May 6.1 Progression Exams

Friday 28 May Catch-up Day (no lessons)

Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June Half Term

Monday 7 to Wednesday 9 June 6.1 Internship Programme

Monday 7 to Tuesday 8 June Inset Days

Thursday 10 June 6.1 students return to College

Tuesday 6 July After Esher Day

Friday 16 July End of Term

Dates for Prospective Students and Parents (September 2021 admissions) Tuesday 6 July Introduction Evening (parents)

Thursday 8 and Friday 9 July Introduction Days (students)

Start of Year 2021/22Tuesday 31 August to Thursday 2 September Enrolment for new students

Monday 6 September Start of 6.2 Day

Dates for Prospective Students and Parents (September 2022 admissions)Tuesday 13 July 2021 Open Evening TBC

12 Shoeboxes of ChristmasCongratulations to 6.1 JAR tutee, Bracken Johnston, for putting together 12 shoeboxes for his charity tutor event, the Samaritans’ Shoebox Appeal.

Bracken explains, “We collected money through an app called GoFundMe where people could donate money for the appeal. We ended up receiving an amazing £110 that we used to fill the shoeboxes that we had collected from friends and family. Inside the shoeboxes were colouring books, bouncy balls, cuddly toys, pens and pencils, a hat and a pair of gloves, toiletries and a Christmas card. We made 12 boxes in total and gave them in to a small local charity that helps distribute them far and wide, we have no idea where our boxes have ended up but we hope that it made some kids happy!”

The Samaritan Shoebox Appeal has been donating boxes to children in more than 160 countries since 1990. More than 178 million children have now received gift boxes filled with everything from small toys to school stationery supplies, toothbrushes or clothing accessories.

His tutor Jason Rynn, said, “This was a great achievement by Bracken. Something I’d like to get the whole tutor group to do next year.”

LRC Book ReviewsThe Sun Does Shine

In November, the Learning Resource Centre highlighted Anthony Ray Hinton’s book The Sun Does Shine as its book of the week. It tells Hinton’s story of spending 30 years on Death Row because of a racist system that still exists in America. He writes about how he emerged from the experience with a profound

capacity to forgive. Here four students give their verdict on his book:

Aimee: “The Sun Does Shine is an amazing true story that the reader gets to see through the eyes of Anthony Ray Hinton. I didn’t know anything about Death Row or the world of crime and this book really opened my eyes to that.”

Kai: “The Sun Does Shine is an eye-opening journey, leaving any and all readers in awe with the sheer power this story holds.”

Scarlett: “The Sun Does Shine gave me a vital understanding of the cruelty and injustices still in the world, yet I finished the book feeling hopeful due to the positive words and good heart of Anthony Ray Hinton.”

Anon: “A powerful and revealing story, projecting Anthony Ray Hinton’s everlasting kind and merciful spirit. He is a much better person than I am but aspire to be. In a time of greater focus on systematic racism, it’s vital to educate ourselves on today’s social injustice, and The Sun Does Shine is a great place to start.”