Well done to 50 of our A Level Chemistry students who participated in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge.
The challenge is designed to stretch and challenge students interested in chemistry, taking them beyond the A Level syllabus.
We are incredibly proud of the results: 2 students achieved the gold award, 12 achieved the silver award and 24 achieved the copper award.
All students were recently presented with their certificates by Carl Sykes and Megan Smith from Syngenta, who came into College to celebrate our students’ success whilst taking the opportunity to look around our recently opened Hirst Building, and see our students in their brand new lab coats which Syngenta kindly donated to the College.
Congratulations to Grace Dunleavy, Shauna Hyland, Aiya Agustin, Jasmine Rickwood and Charlotte Royston, who are amongst the successful GC student applicants achieving a nationally competitive place on this year’s Telegraph Media Literacy Programme. The virtual programme begins today and will run till 26th March 2024, providing access, insight, training and mentoring with Telegraph journalists from News, Sport, Culture, Travel and many other teams. All students who applied for the programme have also participated in the Greenhead College Journalism enrichment and completed a rotation on the Greenhead College Resident Journalism scheme to enhance their copywriting skills.
Congratulations to all who have applied and secured a place on this scheme.
Pictured above: James Garfield, Jeremy Stocks and Luke Barraclough
125 of our A Level Computer Science students recently participated in the Elite Bebras UK Challenge, competing against 14,570 students nationally.
The challenge is designed with a focus on computational and logical thinking, and all students who score in the top 10% nationally then qualify to participate in the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC) and receive a gold award.
We are delighted that 16 of our students placed within the top 10% and were invited to take part in the OUCC in January 2024. Competing against 1457 students nationally, our students achieved some outstanding scores!
Some notable achievements include:
Thomas Cooper, who was graded a Merit in the OUCC and was the highest scoring Greenhead College student overall. Thomas scored in the top 10% of the OUCC and in the top 1% of original Bebras cohort.
Jessica Burton, who was the highest scoring A1 student from Greehead College and placed in the top 15% of the OUCC and in the top 2% of the original Bebras cohort).
Congratulations to all 16 students who qualified for the OUCC. To achieve qualification is an outstanding achievement as this competition is designed to specifically put the best problem solvers and programmers to the test!
Names as follows: Thomas Cooper, Jessica Burton, Luke Barraclough, Aaron Crosbie, Ayush Gautam, Jeremy Stocks, James Garfield, Kacper Struziak, Mayon Gupta, Toby Stringer, Ethan Bajulaiye, Nikash Shinde, Logan Bullett, Adlan Albakov, Sai Pallavajjala and Chloe Tancinco.
Well done to all 125 students who participated in the competition.
We are thrilled to reveal that 27 students have secured offers to study at the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
This is an exceptional achievement following a rigorous application process, involving admissions tests and multiple interviews, competing for coveted places against a worldwide field of applicants.
Offers have been made in a range of disciplines including Computer Science, Law, English, Chemistry Biological Natural Sciences, Economics, History, Modern Languages, Mathematics, Archaeology, Experimental Psychology, Physics and more.
Bella Craig, who came to Greenhead College from Salendine Nook High School, secured her offer to study French and Spanish at Oxford University said:
“For future applicants, I’d say to believe in yourself, believe that anything is possible and be open and honest on your personal statement.”
Laura Verdina, who came to Greenhead College from Dixon’s City Academy, secured her offer for Cambridge University to study Biological Natural Sciences said:
“The support at College is really great, I had a mock interview for my subject before my actual interview and that really helped me be prepared and understand what it might feel like to go through an academic interview.”
Greenhead College remains to be the leading state educational institution in the North of England for Oxbridge success. Aspiring students benefit from a dedicated Oxbridge Support Enrichment Programme, comprising of masterclasses, mock interview workshops, dedicated Oxbridge admissions tutors, residential visits, and practice admissions tests.
Richard Pember, Oxbridge Coordinator at Greenhead College commented:
“I’d like to offer my congratulations on behalf of the Oxbridge Team at Greenhead. We have an incredibly talented team who support the students in small group sessions to help them through the application process. We’re immensely proud of the 27 students who received offers; it’s an amazing achievement. Competition becomes more acute year on year, and for Greenhead to remain the most successful school or college outside the South East is a reflection on our wonderful students and staff.”
A bespoke app, created for the RSPCA by A2 student Nick Marshall, has been commended by the charity and will be launched to the public later this spring.
Nick, who is hoping to go into a career in Software Engineering, developed the majority of the ideas for the app during the College’s Step Into Your Future week in June 2023, alongside his peers, but has since taken the development of the app further, working closely with the RSPCA representatives to get a full understanding of what features they required. After months of hard work (alongside his studies), Nick reached the final goal, a point where the local RSPCA have now taken delivery of the app and are now in the stages of rebranding it for an official release.
When asked about the features the app has, Nick said “The app has been designed to allow for better and easier communication between the local RSPCA and its supporters and volunteers. It features an updates tab, where users can be notified of things happening within the local RSPCA, an events tap where users can view upcoming events and all the event information, a maps tab to allow users to see nearby RSPCA branches, and an animals tab where the RSPCA can post photos of animals that either need a home or are being rehomed.”
Fay Gibbons and Lauren Moore from the RSPCA have both showered the app with praise, stating “We’ve launched it in-house with our staff and volunteers who think it’s amazing and you’ve really opened up our eyes to this new communication tool that can seriously benefit our charity!”
A very worthwhile use of Computer Science skills and a great way of networking with a local business and the community, all while building up a portfolio. Excellent work Nick!
RSPCA App – Updates pushed out to subscribersRSPCA App – Donation link built into the site for maximum charityRSPCA App – News and updates can be pushed to interested followers and supportersRSPCA App – Animals for adoption can have their story toldRSPCA App – Events can be advertised with key details to followersRSPCA App – Maps to locate your nearest RSPCA charity store for donations
L-R: Freya Jacks, Grace Ford, Harry Holbrook, Amaani Ali, Anna Robinson, Heidi Butterworth and Finn Boyle
Congratulations to a group of our Celluloid students on their successful applications to the prestigious British Film Institute Academy, a competitive and highly sought after academy for aspiring film makers.
Heidi Butterworth, Freya Jacks, Amaani Ali, Harry Holbrook, Finn Boyle, Anna Robinson and Grace Ford were all successful in gaining places onto the Leeds and Bradford BFI Academy Programmes, allowing them the opportunity to explore a range of different aspects to film making including directing, filming, editing and sound, and to work with industry-standard kit and professional mentors from the industry. The students will also gain an additional qualification equitable to a GCSE and a pass to all films in this year’s Leeds International Film Festival.
A huge well done to all 7 students on this exceptional achievement.
“Civilisation is not to kill human beings, not to destroy things, not to make war. Civilisation is to hold mutual affection and to respect each other.” —The Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fuji.
One of the highlights of this year’s trip to London was our visit to the Battersea Peace Pagoda. In a turbulent world, where war sadly is a tragic reality for many. The Peace Pagoda serves as a beacon of hope and a stark reminder of the need, more than ever before, for world harmony and peace.
As part of the 1984 Greater London Council Peace Year, the Pagoda was offered to the people of London by Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order by its founder the Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii, a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi. Nipponzan Myohoji is a relatively small and unknown peace movement with a few thousand followers worldwide, of monastics and lay people, that emerged from the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism. Since 1947, the movement has been constructing Peace Pagodas all around the world including Europe, Asia, and the United States to promote world peace.
A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa, which in Indian means ‘heap’ and contains relics of the Buddha, resembling in shape an upturned begging bowl and folded monastic robes and a stick. The Battersea Peace Pagoda is a two-roofed structure, made of concrete and wood and has on each of its four sides four large gilded bronze sculptures of the Buddha depicting a key event in his life.
On our visit we met up with Reverend Gyoro Nagase who helped to construct the Pagoda and who the serves the Pagoda daily, living close by in his temple in Battersea Park itself. Reverend Gyoro kindly gave us a brief talk on the movement which primarily involves its followers chanting a mantra; Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō and beating hand drums while whilst undertaking peace walks throughout the world promoting peace and non-violence. On 9 August, Nagasaki Day, Reverend Nagase will go on a Peace walk from Westminster Abbey to the Battersea Pagoda to commemorate all the victims of war. As we left, we reflected on the words of Mahatma Gandhi:
“The moral to be legitimately drawn from the supreme tragedy of the bomb is that it will not be destroyed by counter-bombs, even as violence cannot by counter-violence. Mankind has to get out of violence only through non-violence. Hatred can be overcome only by love.”
Students comment about the trip.
“Great experience not only for learning but socialising with classmates.”
“Really fun and educational.”
“Helpful in consolidating knowledge and very enjoyable.”
We are over the moon for A2 student Alexandra Harrison as she is offered places at 4 leading Music Conservatoires, with 3 of them offering her scholarships. This is truly a remarkable achievement.
Alexandra has been student at juniorRNCM for five years, studying viola and violin. She is also a member of the National Youth Orchestra and has just returned from a winter residency where she performed in various concert venues including the Barbican, Nottingham, Warwick and Liverpool. She was also a member of The Halle Youth Orchestra and Musica Kirklees, before joining juniorRNCM. She really is an immensely talented individual!
Alexandra applied to study an undergraduate Bachelor of Music at Conservatoire at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Following a tough application process, which involved an earlier submission deadline for her personal statement, an audition process (playing set repertoire and a contrasting piece, sight reading, aural exercises and musician questions), and an in person interview with the audition panel, Alexandra was offered places at all 4 Conservatoires, and scholarship offers from the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music and Royal Northern College of Music.
I feel very proud and honoured to be offered a place at all four Conservatoires I applied for as well as being offered financial support to study there. Greenhead has ensured I was prepared and organised for the application process as well as being encouraging for the auditions and supportive with the amount of time I have had to be absent through the Autumn.
Quote from Alexandra
Well done Alexandra on this outstanding achievement, we are so proud of you and can’t wait to follow your musical journey in the future.
Greenhead College Chemistry Department has been named the winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Team Prize for Excellence in Secondary and Further Education.
Nominated by their peers, the team was chosen by the RSC’s prestigious panel of judges as one of the most inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in education.
The team has now become a winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Team Prize for Excellence in Secondary and Further Education, for enhancing and enriching the chemistry learning of a huge and diverse group of students by offering a high quality and broad chemistry education and through effective outreach.
Ruth Farnell, Head of Chemistry at Greenhead College said:
“Working with young people can be incredibly rewarding. However, the extent of the work that teams like ours put into ensuring that every student receives not only an outstanding education but also so much more in the way of enthusiasm for and opportunities in chemistry isn’t often recognised. Receiving an accolade like this where our efforts are publicly acknowledged, valued and celebrated means so much to everyone in the team.”
The chemistry team at Greenhead College use their skill, expertise and passion to bring chemistry to life for the almost 1000 students studying in the department. The team have developed an interesting and varied scheme of work that is enhanced and enriched by work outside the classroom.
Students in the department are given opportunities to work with local primary schools to share their love and passion for chemistry with Year 6 children whose enthusiasm for putting on a lab coat and using a Bunsen Burner is infectious. If the students are considering a future in chemistry or research, then there is also the chance to work alongside researchers at the University of Huddersfield to conduct a project as part of our Real World Chemistry enrichment, the results of this work are presented both in the college and at the University using PhD style poster presentations.
The team supports all learners to make the most of their chemistry education whilst at the college. Additional support comes in many forms such as peer mentoring, 11 staffed support sessions a week, a dedicated classroom where students can work quietly in their free time, student study groups and video tutorials covering the entire course. Enhancement in the form of the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, RSC Schools’ analyst competition, RSC Chemistry Olympiad, Cambridge HE+ scheme, Alumni interactions, University outreach talks and trips to Huddersfield University and a residential to the Chemistry department at Oxford all enrich the chemistry curriculum.
Dr Helen Pain, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said:
“It’s of vital importance that we recognise the crucial role that educators play in the advancement of the sciences. And that we commend their ability to inspire and nurture the next generation of bright young minds, so that they can go on to make new discoveries and innovations.
“Society faces many challenges, and educators give us the tools we need to advance our understanding of the world around us and solve many of the problems we encounter. The team’s work demonstrates an outstanding commitment to chemistry education, and it is our honour to celebrate their considerable contribution.”
Gill Reid, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said:
“For many of us as chemists our teachers were our inspiration – their influence in driving the next generation of amazing scientists cannot be underestimated. That’s why I’m so proud of the winners of the Education Horizon Prizes, each of whom demonstrates an infectious passion for learning that sparks young minds to do amazing things.
“This year’s winners set exemplary examples of the impact this can make; it’s no exaggeration to say their successes will be felt for generations to come ”
The Excellence in Education Prizes celebrate inspirational, innovative, and dedicated people working in primary, secondary, further education and higher education – including teachers, technicians and more. These prizes recognise a wide range of skills – from curriculum design to effective teaching, and from personal development to working culture. This category includes specific prizes for teams and for those in the early stages of their career.
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s prizes have recognised excellence in the chemical sciences for more than 150 years. In 2019, the organisation announced the biggest overhaul of this portfolio in its history, designed to better reflect modern scientific work and culture.
