Step into Dance is an inclusive dance programme run by the Royal Academy of Dance in partnership with the Jack Petchey Foundation. The initiative enables young people to develop their skills and passion while deepening their understanding of dance. The programme engages around 3000 students across the UK each year through its inclusive schedule of classes, workshops and performances.
The CANDI dancers joined around 200 students from across London and Essex on the Britten Theatre Stage at the Royal College of Music at the Step Live 2024 event. During the event, they showcased the skills and dance routines that they had learnt as part of the Step Into Dance programme. The recital included a wide range of dance styles such as jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, commercials and afro-fusion
Gemma Juma, Jack Petchey Foundation’s CEO, said: “Dance supports the physical and mental well-being of young people, and that’s why the programme meant a lot to Sir Jack Petchey CBE. The young performers have worked so hard over the year and have delivered a show-stopping spectacle of youth talent – they should be proud of their achievements!”
Alex Lowe, Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance said: “It was a delight to witness the diverse range of dances and talent showcased by each of the schools. This event truly highlighted the transformative power of dance.”
Lucy Pinho-Kadlec, who is studying Performing Arts and Production Arts – Level 3 Extended Diploma, said: “I loved it. It was so inspiring to see so much diversity. Everyone had their own story to tell, and to be a part of that was such a mesmerising experience. I felt alive.”
Facilities Management Level 4 Apprenticeship student Lewis Wingate tells us about his experience of completing the course.
Lewis Wingate, Site Manager at Patcham High School in Brighton, recently completed the 2-year Facilities Management – Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship with Capital City College Group’s (CCCG) training arm, Capital City College Training (CCCT), and was awarded a Distinction overall. He talked us through his experience of doing a fully remote course while working full-time.
What led you to do an Apprenticeship?
I’ve been working at Patcham High School for about 10 years. During my annual appraisal a couple of years ago, we looked at ways to enhance my skills and knowledge. Our school is currently one of three large secondary schools in the area managed under a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract which comes to an end in 2027. This means that some of the management services are taken on by a maintenance company, while others remain the school’s responsibility. I currently manage soft services such as cleaning, site teams, access and security. I started the Apprenticeship Training so that I’d be in a good position to move forward and potentially manage more in-house when the PFI contract ends.
Why did you choose CCCG?
My school pays into a training levy through the local authority, and from there training funds are allocated to members of staff. I was enrolled by Brighton City Council through their Apprenticeship scheme and they chose Capital City College Group as the training provider.
How did you find doing a fully remote Apprenticeship?
The whole course has been online and it’s been really beneficial for me. Travelling from Brighton up to London would have been really time-consuming.
At the beginning of the course, I was a little nervous as I only currently manage soft services on a school site, which was different to many of the other students in my cohort – but I can honestly say that I have learnt so much and gained more skills and knowledge than I imagined.
It was good to meet other people doing similar roles from completely different sectors and environments and share their experiences and knowledge. Lots of the other students were from private companies looking after office buildings or rail networks and so forth.
How did your cohort support each other?
I felt that we were able to share our varied experiences in a way that was really beneficial. I got to talk to other members of the cohort who were more experienced than me or had dealt with a range of situations in other job roles with different responsibilities.
In particular, our cohort supported each other during the End Point Assessment (EPA) part of the course, which included a project, a presentation and a professional discussion. We were encouraged to practice in front of each other and get feedback. Before my final presentation, I managed to watch a couple of other people’s presentations and hear the feedback they’d received from the tutors.
After my presentation, I spoke to another person in my cohort who’d already done their final professional discussion and presentation with the examining body. We had a conversation about the kind of questions they asked and the feedback they gave – so it was really good to have that kind of connection with the other learners.
What did you like best about the course?
I liked the structure and the way the course was set out over the two years. We’d have an online session with our tutor, Rod, on a specific subject. It was always quite interactive and we’d go into breakout rooms and have the chance to speak to other course members in smaller group discussions. I liked that we weren’t just looking at the screen and listening.
Another thing I liked was the regular reviews we had with our tutor, which took place every couple of weeks. They really helped me focus on where I should be, and what I should be doing and Rod was particularly good at making sure we met at regular intervals. It meant I could ask questions about any of the assignments or projects that we were doing, and towards the end of the course, I was able to get advice on planning my presentation and preparing for the professional discussion.
What would you say to anyone considering an Apprenticeship?
I would say, “Go for it!”. When I started my course, I was in my late 30s. I thought Apprenticeships were for younger people but you’re never too old to learn new skills.
My cohort was aged from around 25 to 45. To do this Level 4 qualification you’ll need some experience in Facilities Management or a Level 2 or Level 3 Facilities Management qualification. It helps to be on the job because you have to do quite a lot of research into the projects and you need to be able to find information and speak to people.
The course has given me extra knowledge and confidence in dealing with different challenges – and I’m so pleased with the final outcome.
What practical advice would you give to someone embarking upon this type of Apprenticeship?
It’s really important to keep on top of projects and assignments and do them as they come in. You normally have a 2-hour online seminar and then your tutor will go through your assignment and give you notes about what to include. Then, you get six to eight weeks to complete each project or assignment which is focused on one specific area such as financial management or asset planning.
I did get a little bit behind at one stage and I ended up trying to do two or three at the same time, and I found that really difficult. In total, there were eight projects and eight assignments, and you can’t get to the EPA stage unless you’ve passed them all and your time log is up to date.
The time log keeps track of what you’ve been doing. With this Apprenticeship, you’re expected to do eight hours of studying a week. I’d advise anyone doing the course to make sure that you list exactly what you’re doing on a weekly basis. If you leave it for a few weeks and have to go back and fill it in, it can be quite challenging to go back through your calendar and work out what you’ve done.
How did you find the final assessment?
You’ve got 18 months to do the projects and assignments, and then you spend the last six months getting ready for your EPA, which includes a final report, a prepared presentation and a professional discussion with an assessor and a facilities management expert.
I’d practiced the presentation a few times and got some feedback so I was pretty happy going into that. The professional discussion is quite relaxed but also quite intense because they ask you lots of questions over the course of an hour. It was a bit daunting but I felt that the two people in my assessment were trying to get the best results out of me. They’d rephrase the questions if I didn’t fully understand them which was helpful.
I’ve learned so much over the course and I’m really happy with my grading. I got a Merit for the final project and Distinctions for the presentation and discussion, meaning that I got a Distinction overall.
What does this qualification mean to you?
I’ve got quite a varied background and am a trained plumber with experience in leisure and schools. I did an NVQ in Management about 20 years ago, so I see this formal qualification as a stepping stone to move forward in my career.
Over the two years, I had some ups and downs with operational issues at work. There are times when we’ve been short-staffed, and I’ve had other commitments like jury service in addition to balancing life with a young family. For me, it has been really beneficial to get this qualification.
What’s next for you now that you’ve completed your course?
I went on holiday the day after my EPA in May, so I’ve had a chance to relax before the next thing. We’ve got lots of projects at work starting over the summer so I’m currently finalising various things for those. With the end of the PFI contract in 2027, there will probably be scope for operational roles with regard to managing more services within the school or the local authority. Hopefully, there will be opportunities for progression within those routes.
One of the really good things about this qualification is that it’s not based around one industry. Now that I’ve become an IWFM (Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management) member and established my professional grade with them, I can take my qualifications into any Facilities Management job. If I move to a different sector, the skills and qualifications from this Apprenticeship will be very useful and relevant.
The knowledge and experience that has come from other people on my course have been great. It’s been difficult at times, but once you get to the end of it and you get your final grade, it’s 100% worth it.
“I can honestly say that I have learnt so much and gained more skills and knowledge than I imagined.”
Teaching and support team members from across the college group attend a festival at CONEL to celebrate the One Thing initiative.
Colleagues from Capital City College Group (CCCG) gathered to take part in the One Thing festival, celebrating their achievements and learning.
CCCG’s One Thing initiative was introduced as part of the college group’s Teaching, Learning and Assessment Development Policy in 2021. Since then, over 600 staff members have worked together to take ownership of their career development by focusing on one area of their work that they would like to improve. This is supported by coaching from colleagues known as Expert Practitioners (EPs).
This year’s One Thing festival took place on 5 July at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London’s (CONEL) Tottenham Centre. During the event, Expert Practitioners, Teachers and Assessors shared experiences and examples of good practice from the academic year that related to their One Thing. They detailed how their learning and experiences have impacted their practice and the effect this has had on learner outcomes.
The event provided CCCG colleagues with lots of opportunities to ask questions, share ideas and spend time reflecting on their One Thing. They were also able to learn about becoming an Expert Practitioner for the coming academic year.
During the event, there was also an awards ceremony to recognise individual colleagues and teams. The awards ceremony included accolades for:
High Performing Teachers/Assessors
High Performing Team of the Year
High Performing Support Staff
Most Innovative Use of Technology in Education
Most Proactive Teacher/Assessor in Sharing Good Practice
Long Service
The awards were presented by CCCG Group Principal, Jackie Chapman and the Assistant Principals.
Congratulations to all colleagues across the college group for working on their One Thing!
Learn more about the wide range of courses delivered by our dedicated and highly knowledgeable teachers, lecturers and support team members.
Reza Orak, a Maths Specialist at CONEL receives an award for Recognised Excellence in Mentoring in Initial Teacher Education at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Mentor Awards.
Reza Orak, a Lecturer in Functional Skills – Maths within CONEL’s Health Care and Early Years department, received an award for Recognised Excellence in Mentoring in Initial Teacher Education at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Mentor Awards 2024.
The event, which took place on 11 July, was held at Canterbury Christ Church University where Reza attended along with his colleagues. Reza was nominated for the award because of his contribution to CONEL’s Teacher Education mentoring scheme. The award recognises his positive approach and supportive nature which has had a positive impact on those under his guidance.
Reza has mentored trainee teachers for around eight years, with most of his mentees securing a position at the end of the training period. He participates in regular Continuing Professional Development sessions organised by Canterbury Christ Church University and has demonstrated a commitment to developing his mentoring skills to better support trainee teachers.
Reza said: “It has been a privilege. I studied at CONEL, trained at CONEL and now teach at CONEL. Now I want to develop and help teachers to flourish and teach.”
David Bryan, a Health and Social Care Lecturer at CONEL, said: “The award could not have gone to a more deserving colleague who truly represents the college values. He demonstrated excellent mentoring and bringing much-needed people into FE teaching.”
Congratulations to Reza and the CONEL Teacher Education team on this great award!
Carlo Liu, Head of Work Experience and T Level lead at CCCG, said: “We wanted to celebrate all our wonderful employer connections and thank them for supporting our students this year with impactful employability work placements and career insights.”
Rebecca Davies, Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon, said: “Working with CCCG is a really big important part of what we do. […] Capital City College Group has got an amazing talent pool of young people that come from all across London.”
The event highlighted the importance of work experience opportunities and showcased the tangible benefits for students completing placements with the college’s industry partners.
Alfie Gillan recently completed a work experience placement that led to him being offered a permanent role at the end of his course. He said: “Whilst with Westminster Kingsway College, I did work experience at Wates where I was a Processing Assistant and I learnt how to process invoices. I learnt how to work in an office environment very well, get along with co-workers and I was involved in a Riverside Bid Group where we were bidding for a new contract with the council.”
Christina Byrne, Regional Social Value Manager at Wates, said: “Events like this are really important, particularly to employers and also to students and teachers. It gives everybody the opportunity to network and I always say to the students who come to do work experience that networking is really important because you could end up getting a job opportunity out of it.”
All full-time students at CCCG can take part in our excellent Work Experience programmes. We work with a variety of employers across London who provide professional placements to enhance students’ understanding of their chosen field.
Building on the success of last year’s event, this year’s conference welcomed more Science Technicians, speakers and sponsors from the world of science education. After an introduction and welcome from Matt Wojtyniak, Deputy Principal at CANDI, attendees enjoyed an exceptional day of subject-specific learning and networking.
The keynote speech was delivered by Steve Jones, Director of CLEAPPS, the supporting body that regulates practical work in science education. During his speech, Steve stressed the importance of STEM Technicians in education, highlighting their expertise and the impact they have on students through their practical and engaging work.
The attendees were then able to choose from an impressive range of 24 workshops, delivered over three sessions. The vast array of workshops on offer covered everything from GCSE and A Level specific practicals to skills such as laser cutting, soldering, microscale distillation and data harvesting. Guests were also able to delve into the use of AI and machine learning, learn how to unleash the power of 3D printing and explore a number of practical techniques to promote engagement and encourage creativity.
A particularly popular workshop, titled My Technicians Journey, focussed on the career paths of three Science Technicians from CANDI’s Sixth Form College and the Centre for Applied Sciences, Britney Ofori, Colette McNamara and Becca Moore began their Science Technician careers within the college, either as junior employees on apprenticeships and now make up the core science delivery team.
The schedule allowed plenty of time for attendees and exhibitors to network and discuss their ideas and discoveries – with lunch provided courtesy of event sponsor Phillip Harris. The conference concluded with a raffle and special prize draw, where winners took home equipment and resources from sponsors Labexpert UK and Vitta Education.
The event offered Science Technicians from across the UK the opportunity to come together, allowing them to network, learn new skills and celebrate the importance of their role within education.
One attendee said: “I am the only Science Technician at my school. It’s fantastic to be able to come and meet so many other people who do my role, learn from each other and feel invested in. It really gave me a sense of belonging. Also, the conference organised by the phenomenal Science Technicians team working under Chris Pambou (Chief Science Technician at City and Islington College) was so well organised and the topics covered were so useful for me. I’m definitely coming back next year!”
We offer an excellent range of Science and Forensics Courses for learners of all ages and backgrounds – all supported by our dedicated team of Science Technicians!
Three students from CANDI and WestKing will exhibit their original music productions and fashion creations at UAL’s Origins Creatives 2024.
A creative trio of students from Capital City College Group (CCCG) have been selected from over 500 entries nationwide to exhibit at the University of the Arts London (UAL) Origins Creatives 2024.
The UAL Origins Creatives exhibition provides an opportunity for students, teachers and families to come together and celebrate student creativity and innovation in a number of creative forms. The event brings together student work from a range of Art and Design, Fashion Business and Retail, Creative Media, Music Performance and Production as well as Performing Arts courses. The 2024 exhibition will take place at the Mall Galleries between 17 and 20 July.
This year, two music students from City and Islington College (CANDI) and one fashion student from Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing) have been selected to showcase their work at the Origins Creatives 2024 exhibition.
Izzy said: “I have always been involved in my church worship team and choir at Christmas time, alongside being involved in any music activity at school. Although it took me some time to find my voice, one of the major events that increased my confidence was performing in the Hackney Empire and winning first place in a competition.”
Izzy’s influences come in the form of an array of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, The Smiths and Van Halen – all of whom have inspired the use of different genres in original compositions.
Noelia Carrera Montenegro, who is also studying Music Performance and Production – Level 3 Extended Diploma at CANDI, is a music producer, rapper, and songwriter. For Noelia, music has always been a way to express emotions. Noelia’s entry in the Origins Creatives 2024 exhibition comes in the form of a song titled Baila Mi Amor.
Noelia said: “For the final project, I produced three tracks, each in a different style of Latin music—cumbia, bachata, and reggaeton. Being Latina myself, I feel a strong connection to Latin music’s roots and history, so I want to bring that into my work. My goal is to celebrate my culture and create music that’s unique and meaningful to people.”
Adriana Holguin Silva has just completed the Fashion and Communication – Level 3 Extended Diploma (UAL) WestKing. Adriana’s submission Depths of Sorrow explores fluidity and submersion in water as part of her experimentation with textile and fashion construction techniques.
Congratulations to Izzy, Noelia and Adriana on being selected for the Origins Creatives 2024 exhibition!
An esteemed chef from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group visits WestKing’s School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality to demonstrate the delights of Korean cuisine.
The event featured a fantastic demonstration by renowned Korean chef, Jihun Maxime Kim, who is the Executive Chef of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Chef Kim demonstrated the use of Korean fermented sauces to create an array of innovative fusion dishes.
Guests at this event included a number of senior chefs from some of the most recognised names in UK hospitality. During the event, attendees had the opportunity to observe Chef Kim as he prepared dishes such as kimchi a la minute, turbot with makgeolli butter and seaweed, and yukhoe (beef tartare) bibimbap.
Photo credit: Isobel Scarlette Photography
While watching the demonstration, guests were able to sample tasters prepared by a group of seven students at WestKing’s School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality under the watchful eye of Chef Lecturer Tom Egerton.
The event was hosted by WestKing in collaboration with the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Organisation, a Korean Government agency promoting trade, exportation and marketing of Korean food and beverages from around the world.
Photo credit: Isobel Scarlette Photography
Tom Egerton, Chef Lecturer at WestKing, said “Getting involved in the event has been a fantastic opportunity for our students, enhancing their knowledge and skills of Korean ingredients and fusion dishes. Preparing new, intricate dishes in a short time was certainly a challenge but they excelled at it.”
Ben Murphy, Chef Patron at Launceston Place, said “The event was a truly great experience. I learnt a lot about Korean ingredients and look forward to adding them to future dishes.”
CCCG teachers take on their students in a special football match.
On 26 June a group of City and Islington College (CANDI) students and teachers took to the football pitch for an end-of-year Teachers vs Students game.
CANDI teacher Vijay Goswami, who teaches Maths and Computing, put together the 10-person teachers’ team.
The teachers took the lead in the first half, racking up an impressive five goals, and at half time, the score was 5-1. By the end of the match, the students had come from behind to claim an impressive victory, winning 10-6.
The event was organised as part of the Haringey Eco Urban Festival and London Climate Action Week to showcase a range of organisations and the career opportunities they offer. The organisations present at the event included:
Haringey Works – an organisation helping local residents into sustainable employment through career advice, training, access to employability services and in-post support
Retrofit Works – a non-profit cooperative that offers services aimed at lowering energy bills, creating healthy homes, reaching Net Zero and improving the environment for contractors, homeowners and everyone across the UK
The Nova Team– a construction, landscaping and school maintenance company offering retrofit services
4U2 – a community enterprise and Newsmag providing practical and informative content for the local community
The event also enabled a number of construction and construction training companies such as Mulalley, 3t training services, K&T Heating Services, Ecofurb and Sureserve to share information about their courses, job openings and apprenticeship opportunities.
During the morning, the event welcomed both CCCG students and members of the public looking to gain insight into the Green Sector. They were able to learn about the courses on offer through CONEL’s Green Skills Academy, access free resources, and attend mini-sessions and keynote talks to boost their green knowledge. Attendees also had the opportunity to gain practical insights into ways to improve energy efficiency within their homes with guidance from industry experts.
The afternoon session was open to small businesses from all sectors and industries. During this part of the event, small business professionals were able to learn about specialised training while getting advice and support on developing green and sustainable practices. Builders, contractors, surveyors and installers were also able to attend expert talks about opportunities in the retrofit market.
