BHASVIC supports Trees For All Campaign
Press release 20th November 2008

BHASVIC (Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) are looking to advance their biodiversity agenda by planting 30 trees during National Tree week (24 – 28 November). The Woodland Trust have donated the trees to BHASVIC in celebration of National Tree week with plans to provide additional trees for planting in subsequent years.

Geography society students are involved in planting the trees. Project co-ordinator at BHASVIC Jane Terry said: “The tree planting marks a further step in the BHASVIC Biodiversity plan. This is designed to improve the environment on campus for our students, to add to the biodiversity of the local area and to reduce our carbon footprint”.
The trees are all native broadleaved which means, that with a little luck, they will be growing on well into the next century – to be enjoyed by future generations in Brighton and Hove.

The Woodland Trust’s Tree For All campaign is the largest tree-planting mission the UK has ever seen. Launched in 2004, the five-year project aims to see 12 million trees planted. It’s hoped that through the simple act of planting trees, young people will grow up with a respect for the environment.

Young Peoples’ Question Time
Press release 15th October 2008

A Question Time style debate plus exhibition for two hundred young people, organised by Brighton & Hove City Council is to be held at BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) on Wednesday 15th October 2 – 5pm. BHASVIC students plus local secondary schools and colleges (Dorothy Stringer, Varndean, Longhill, Falmer, Hove Park, Cardinal Newman 6th form and City College) will have the opportunity to put questions to the panel: Mrs Carole Shaves (MBE) Justice of the Peace and Sussex Police Authority Lead Member for Young People; Chief Inspector Laurence Taylor who is in charge of neighbourhood policing in Brighton & Hove plus additional elected Councillors. In advance of the Question Time students will have the opportunity to visit an exhibition of stands and speak to representatives from organisations such as – Healthy Schools, Young Carers, Hove YMCA, YAC and Stopover, Brighton & Hove Volunteers, Police, Brighton and Hove Youth Consultants and Princes’ Trust (to name a few!). This event is being used to also celebrate “Local Democracy Week”

BHASVIC’s Question Time will be introduced and chaired by writer and broadcaster, Simon Fanshawe. BHASVIC College Principal, Mr Christopher Thomson said: “This is an exciting opportunity for our students to get an insight into politics; particularly for those experiencing their first Question Time. Congratulations to Aaron Robin (Brighton & Hove Council, Democratic Services) and Donna Comerford (YAP Youth Advocacy and Participation Team) for successfully organising Young Peoples’ Question Time at BHASVIC.”

Olympic Masterclasses at BHASVIC
Press release 1st October 2008

Olympic masterclasses are being held at BHASVIC on Thursday 9th October for BHASVIC students and Friday 10th October for Year 11 pupils at the following secondary schools: Varndean, Patcham, Falmer, Longhill, Dorothy Stringer.

Each British Olympic Foundation MasterClass is a 1.5 hour interactive presentation with visual and practical demonstrations on areas such as sports nutrition and hydration strategies. The MasterClasses are operated by Olympian, Suki Brownsdon and Team GB Sports Dietician, Gill Horgan.

Suki Brownsdon is a former Olympic swimmer having competed in 4 Olympic Games for Great Britain. She has 5 Commonwealth Games’ medals including Gold, a European silver medal and is double World Cup Champion. Gill Horgan is a Sports Nutritionist consultant and was appointed to work for Team GB at the 2004 Athens Olympics advising them on all their sports nutrition and hydration strategies.

The British Olympic Foundation (the charitable arm of the British Olympic Association) is committed to developing participation in sport at all levels, as well as encouraging and inspiring young people to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, and fostering an appreciation for the Olympic ideals.

Masterclass organiser at BHASVIC, Lucy Mallia said: “The objective of holding the Olympic masterclasses at BHASVIC is to develop knowledge, related to the Olympic experience, and provide a unique insight into elite level British sport, to inspire and motivate sports students”

BHASVIC students achieve record results in 2008
Press release 14th August 2008

For the third year running, BHASVIC students have achieved record results at A Level. 648 students sat A level examinations in June 2008, 59.7% have achieved the top A and B grades and a record 98.9% of students passed over all. An outstanding number of 33 subjects out of 42 had 100% pass rates. 87 students gained 3 or more A grades and many will be reaping the rewards of their success as they move on to top universities in September. All 13 students who were awarded conditional places at Oxford or Cambridge, have achieved top grades and are on their way. Particular praise needs to be given to the six Perspectives on Science students who were amongst the top ten highest achievers in this subject in the country.
The academic excellence of these students was mirrored by 2 students who were amongst the top five highest achievers in Accounting and Psychology A level and 4 students who were amongst the top ten highest achieving students in English Language, English Language and Literature, History and Textiles.

Students taking AS levels in 2008 also achieved record results. 1226 students took 1 or more AS levels at BHASVIC this summer. 98 students achieved 3 or more A grades and the overall pass rate was 92.7%.

These record results also come in the wake of the College’s Ofsted Inspection earlier this academic year in which BHASVIC’s student achievements: leadership and management, capacity to improve were all rated ‘outstanding’. BHASVIC prides itself on being ‘open access’ – prospective students can study A levels here if they have achieved 5 or more grade Cs or above at GCSE.

Chris Thomson, BHASVIC’s Principal, praised the outstanding achievements of the students “ In July we were awarded Beacon status – national recognition that BHASVIC is an excellent College that consistently delivers high quality teaching and learning. The whole College community takes immense pride in this summer’s results and I would like to congratulate everyone involved : schools, parents and above all our excellent staff and students.”

Beacon Status for BHASVIC
Press release 1 July 2008

Beacon Status is public recognition of the excellence and innovation that exists within the further education system. BHASVIC is nationally recognised as an excellent learning provider that consistently delivers high quality teaching and learning, supported by strong and effective leadership and management

As a Beacon Status College BHASVIC will join a national diverse network of outstanding providers providing support on key government priorities for the further education sector by transferring good practice and helping others to raise standards of performance in the south east region. The award of Beacon Status comes from the FE Minister, Bill Rammell and in the wake of the College’s Ofsted Inspection earlier this academic year in which BHASVIC’s leadership and management, capacity to improve and student achievements were all rated ‘outstanding’

BHASVIC Principal, Chris Thomson said: “Our Beacon Status award is a real accolade to the high standards achieved by students and staff. We look forward to working with the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) in sharing and transferring BHASVIC’s educational expertise to other further education colleges.”

Recreating the Oscars
Press release 12th June 2008

Oscar-style awards are to be handed out at The Duke of York’s cinema in Brighton on Monday 23rd June for ‘BHASVICTORs’ - the annual film show and awards ceremony for BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College). London Film Academy and Duke of York’s will each be awarding special prizes to the top Media, Film and Communication students at BHASVIC. Nick Broomfield, award-winning film director will be presenting ‘BHASVICTOR’ awards for: Best Short Film, Best Music Video, Best Reality / Documentary TV show, Best Thriller Opening Sequence, Best Communications Campaign, and Best Communications Presentation and Project. Nick Broomfield has recently completed a drama called Ghosts for Channel 4 inspired by the 2004 Morecombe Bay cockling disaster plus his current film project on the Iraq Haditha killings, Battle for Haditha.
BHASVICTORs will also showcase the best print and multi-media work in Communication Studies. The film show is free and will be open to members of the public. A press reception will be held at the Duke of York’s cinema, from 5.30 – 6.30 pm, prior to the screenings, when the Producers, Directors and Stars will be available for photographs and interviews. The Film Show is scheduled to run from 6.45 – 8:00 pm.
Alison Cousens, Head of Media, Film and Communication Studies, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to have their films shown in a real cinema. Many of them have a bright future ahead in the industry – their films range from the exotic and dramatic to the amusing and surreal. They include ‘Technological Disasters: Sat-Navs’ our very own version of a TV reality show and a range of new thrillers with titles like ‘3000 Angels’ and ‘Fatal Flaw’. Come along and join us in celebrating our students’ highly professional achievements.”

Anti-death Penalty speaker visits BHASVIC
Press release 2 May 2008

Clive Stafford Smith, a british-born lawyer, who has devoted his entire working life to fighting America's death penalty is visiting BHASVIC on Tuesday 6th May to talk to students about his experience in the USA  representing people on death row and other civil rights issues. 
During the past 25 years he's saved hundreds of lives and counts his clients among his friends - he has lost just four out of "about 300" murder cases - many of which have been death row sentences that he has helped to overturn. Awarded an OBE in 2000 for ‘humanitarian services’, Clive represents prisoners in Guantánamo Bay and on death row as a Louisiana licensed attorney at law. Clive was made a Rowntree Visionary and Echoing Green Fellow in 2005. In 1999 Clive founded the UK legal charity ‘Reprieve’ to fight for the lives of people facing the death penalty.
Clive describes ‘his work as his calling - one he was drawn to after writing an essay on capital punishment while at school.  Initially he thought it was a history essay and was appalled to find the death sentence was still in use.   He planned to become a campaigning journalist, but a summer spent meeting prisoners on death row inmates convinced him that he would be able to achieve more by representing them directly.  So he trained in law and set up his own legal practice to enable him to do so. The justice system, he says, is shockingly weighted in favour of those with money. It is the poor who end up on death row, all too often - because they get bad lawyers. ‘ In 1993 Clive established the Louisianna Crisis Assistance Centre, a non-profit law office.

Director of Amnesty International visits BHASVIC
Press release 14 February 2008

Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK since 2000 is visiting BHASVIC on Monday 25th February to talk to students about Terrorism, Security and Human Rights – how in the current political climate, fear can breed intolerance and threaten diversity - the Amnesty report said that it destroys our shared understanding and our shared humanity, making us willing to barter human rights for security. She will also be talking about her experiences at the Refugee Council where she headed the UK emergency evacuation programmes for Bosnia and Kosovo.

Amnesty International UK has more than a quarter of a million supporters and is the second largest Amnesty section worldwide. In May 2006 she launched an international campaign on internet censorship and repression.

Allen has travelled around the world for Amnesty on research and lobbying missions. In March 2006, she travelled to Nepal where she met both high level members of the Nepalese army, and commanders of the Maoist rebels to discuss human rights concerns.

World’s Largest Ear at BHASVIC
Press release 7th February 2008

BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) is hosting the Bionic Ear Show on Tuesday 26th February at 7pm. Building the world’s largest ear on stage – a huge outer ear on one side and a giant brain on the other – the shows presenters give interactive demonstrations with models illustrating every stage of the hearing process.

This unique interactive show tells the story of sound as it travels through the ear to the brain, what happens in different parts of the hearing system, and how each part of the system can fail or break down. The audience will see the complex machinery that lies deep inside the ear, how it helps us hear sounds and music, what causes it to break down, and whether scientists can replace the parts to create an artificial ear.

Sponsored by Specsavers and Deaf Research UK, the show aims to raise awareness of the importance of hearing, how it can be damaged and what you can do to protect it. By looking at whether we can fix or replace each part of the hearing system, the show will also communicate what scientists are doing to develop new technologies and medical treatments for deafness and the huge potential that exists to find cures. After the show, there will be a chance to meet the scientists from Deafness Research UK, have a go at some related experiments, and see some accessible science presented by BHASVIC A level students

Tickets £2/£1 (to include wine or fruit juice) are available in advance from BHASVIC (from the College’s cash desk daily from 9.00 to 12.30pm and from 1.00 to 2.30pm) or on the door on Tuesday 26th February.

Thirteen students from BHASVIC (Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College) have been offered places at the universities of Oxford or Cambridge in this year’s round of applications.

Eight students were offered places at Cambridge: Silkie Carlo former pupil of Brighton & Hove High School; Andrew Hobson former pupil of St. Andrew’s High School for Boys, Worthing; Eve Lacey former pupil of Brighton & Hove High School; Bahig Saleh former pupil of Unity High School, Khartoum, Sudan; Louis Sinclair former pupil of Blatchington Mill High School; Jay Springham former pupil of Dorothy Stringer High School; Sam Wolfe former pupil of Priory School, Lewes; Max Wood former pupil of Lewes Priory School.

Five students were offered places at Oxford: Rebecca Bleach former pupil of Lewes Priory School; Vanessa Fairbank former pupil of Brighton & Hove High School; Claire Holliss former pupil of Davison CE High School for Girls; Oscar Howie former pupil of Longhill High School; Alan Wordsworth Yates former pupil of Blatchington Mill High School.

“Our students have done outstandingly well and made really effective use of the full support offered by their teachers and I congratulate them all” said College Principal, Chris Thomson.

BHASVIC students blast to ‘Return of the Forbidden Planet’
Press release 23 January 2008

BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) students are into the final countdown before they blast off into hyperspace... and beyond! They’re rehearsing for a production of Return to the Forbidden Planet which is being performed at the College from Feb 11th to 14th.

This smash-hit musical takes the 1950’s classic sci-fi movie Forbidden Planet and sets it to a score of red-hot rock and roll hits from the 1960s and 70s including Great Balls of Fire, Good Vibrations, Teenager in Love, The Young Ones and The Monster Mash.

The show stars College students James Lillywhite as Captain Tempest, the square-jawed hero, Stefan Ward-Caddle as Dr. Prospero, a mad scientist and Lucy Thaxter as Miranda, Prospero’s sweet and naive daughter. Add to them a Robot with a soft heart, a Cook who’s a hopeless romantic, a Woman With A Mysterious Past and a large supporting cast of talented singers and musicians and you have great, fun show for all the family.

So… fasten your seat belts, set your ray guns to stun and get ready for a cosmic adventure of meteoric proportions as BHASVIC goes supernova!

Tickets for BHASVIC’s Return to the Forbidden Planet are available from the College Reception (01273-552200) and cost £5 each in advance and £7 on the door.