9 December 2010 - LLDD Presentation Evening at SCOLA

How privileged I felt to be part of the LLDD Presentation Evening at SCOLA on 9th December. 104 students received their certificates – students of all ages who have chosen to share their lives and their learning experiences with us at SCOLA. The students have worked hard to achieve their goals and receiving their certificates is evidence that they have done this.

A big thank you to all the unsung heroes of the team who have helped to make this happen – the teachers, the administrators, those who have given their time to drive students to the college, the parents, carers and support workers – the list goes on….

The Mayor of Sutton, Cllr Margaret Court, presented the certificates to the students. Also present was Steven Ingram – a SCOLA Governor and Exec Head of Service Management, LBS, amongst other VIPs. Tom Brake MP had a chance to congratulate students and to share a few words with them about their experiences of studying at SCOLA. SCOLA aims to enrich the lives of people and help them to succeed and achieve their goals and it is fantastic to be part of events such as these.

What a wonderful evening and well done to all the students who received their certificates!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

9 December 2010 - A 'thank you' lunch!

I attended the AOC Conference in Birmingham on 16 and 17 November 2010 and was so proud of the team from SCOLA’s Complementary Health Department who had an exhibition stand at the conference, giving free treatments to the delegates.

Georgina Benjamin, Consultancy & Training Co-ordinator - AoC Create Ltd - had this to say about Jacqui McElwee (Head of Complementary Health) and her team‟s contribution to the AoC Conference :

“Thank you so much for your contribution at our Conference - it was such a pleasure having you there, and you really brought your stand to life. I hope you and the students found the experience enjoyable, too. I think it was great that your very own Principal got to see you in action!!”

Thank you, once again, Jacqui and your team for representing SCOLA so well at the conference - it certainly did make me proud to be the Principal of SCOLA!

To say thank you to the team I took them to Lunch at the Maneeya’s Thai Restaurant in Carshalton village to thank them for supporting the college in this way and for showcasing their skills. The students who took part spoke highly of their experience of studying at SCOLA, how they have gained self confidence and how their studies at SCOLA have given them a career to follow. Both the students have done their PTLLS and are now teaching at SCOLA.

The food was excellent and there was a wonderful ambiance in the restaurant – a wonderful time was had by us all!

Saboohi Famili – Principal

08 December 2010 - The story of Horace continues...

Horace awoke with a start. The snow had melted. It was cold, but it was not the snow or the cold that had woken him. A ripple of embarrassment ran through him. His spikes rattled. He recalled the opening to Charles Dickens’ novel, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. Although he did not have a big tail, for a while he’d been drawn to reading everything that had the word ‘tail’ or ‘tale’ in the title. It was just one of those hedgehog things, you know, searching for your identity, why am I here? The usual. He even remembered a poor joke that someone had recounted based on an old radio programme, ‘Listen with Mother’:
“Are you sitting comfortably? Good. Then I’ll begin. I have a tale to unfold …”
“Well you can’t be sitting comfortably then!”
No, it wasn’t a stunning joke but it was better spoken than read. Anyway, we digress. ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. The opening was:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.”
Horace felt that he had done all of that! In the past week!! After he had enjoyed himself at the IAG, he’d been to see the nice ladies in the recruitment centre. They had smiled at him and been extremely helpful in enrolling him. There had been a little hiatus regarding the fees however. What do you charge a two year old hedgehog? Should you enrol him at all or should you insist that he goes to school? But all that had been resolved by a very helpful lady named Jenny. She seemed to know everything about everything. She’d rattled off rules and codes and statistics whilst talking simultaneously to six other people without a hint of impatience. It was bewildering but it had resolved his problems and he was happy. A good start.
Even better was when he went to the clock repair class. It was at the top of the building so he had to take the lift. He couldn’t reach the buttons but he found a walking stick and waved it around a bit until he hit the right button. To an outsider it might have looked a strange sight, a small hedgehog thrashing around in the lift with a walking stick. Someone once said, ‘The ends justify the means.’ I think it was probably Machiavelli. Trotsky then said, ‘The ends determines the means’. Anyway, it worked.
Arriving on the second floor he found the door and went in. It was marvellous. It was fantastic in the true sense of the word. It was another world. There tall men and short men, fat ones and thin ones. There were men with beards and men without, men with glasses and men without. It was all men but, he recalled, not once had they talked about football. Remarkable! Refreshing.
They had all turned to look at him as he entered, but in a kindly and curious way. No-one had commented on his being a hedgehog even though you probably don’t get many in the average clock repair class.
They showed him where to sit and even piled up some books for him so that he could reach the bench. They seemed very impressed when, as he was dismantling his clock, he stored the various cogs on the prickles on his forehead. They didn’t laugh when he sneezed and the whiplash sprayed cogs all around the workshop. They had tutted sympathetically and helped him to retrieve them all, even going down on their hands and knees to look in the dark places under the benches. One of them had a sort of miner’s lamp on his forehead that was really useful for that. They had all said things like, “Ah well, these things will happen.” and other phlegmatic comments. Yes, these clock repair people were a race apart. As was the tutor! He was so knowledgeable, so self-effacing and he had a really good sense of humour. Just what Horace enjoyed.
No, these clock men in the sky really had their hands on time. They were Olympian. When he left at 9.00pm he wondered if they all actually stayed there. If he opened the door any night in the week, would they still be there managing time and ready to turn and greet him again? It was another world. Did they organise the difference between night and day? Did time speed up or slow down as they took their clocks apart and re-assembled them? Did their pendulums cut the holes in the sky that let the rain in? (What was the plural of pendulum? Perhaps that was for a later class.) No, the clock world was great. It was the Pilates where he had had problems.

(To be continued.)

25 November 2010 - Learning & Skills Research Network Conference (LSRN) - London

25 November 2010 - Learning and Skills Research Network Conference (LSRN) in London -Travelling together: evidence for practice in the Learning and Skills Sector.
Building confidence with digital technology: a collaborative action research project focusing on the use of Flip Video cameras to reflect on practical teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS)
The object of the presentation between Canterbury Christ Church University Senior Lecturers Noelle Graal, Jane Evershed and I was to share the key findings of a collaborative action research pilot project on the use of Flip Video cameras to reflect on practical teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS). My participation was to offer a sense of where this work had taken me and my learners since I joined the project two years ago whilst in my second year of the Diploma in Teaching in the LLS (DTLLS).
The filming of one of my French classes was the beginning of a deeper self-evaluation and enabled me to understand the meaning of critical reflection. Having seen myself teaching, I was able to adjust my practice much faster developing and using more learner-centred strategies as personal targets such as "voice on and voice off". As my learners and I had greatly benefited from watching and discussing authentic case studies and videos, I felt it was important to encourage others to do the same and recorded a podcast that students would be able to listen to on the university virtual learning environment with the aim of perhaps considering doing the same.
Since September I started teaching a new group of DTLLS students and in order to build confidence and trust among them and overcome anxiety, I made a conscious effort to plan activities into my lessons using technology so they too could potentially become digitally literate and confident in using Information Learning Technology. They saw first hand how videos can be used as an alternative method of informal and formal assessments or record achievements and how all learners were engaged and included.
As the purpose of LSRN and the annual conference is to encourage collaboration and mutual support, and having been involved in the construction of the Channel Tunnel, I concluded my presentation with a photograph of another great feast of Franco-British engineering: the Viaduct de Millau, the highest bridge in the world crossing the river Tarn in the South of France and designed by Norman Foster. It said “videos allow us to record our journey between our learning experience and its understanding so we can reflect more effectively”.
Our workshop had evidently attracted attention as it was full. Many conference participants could see applications of this device in their context such as observations, tutorials and professional development. It was good to see that later that day when attending another workshop on how to decide whether to pursue a Ph.D. or D.Ed. a participant was interviewing eminent professors including the inspirational Professor Yvonne Hillier, so she could inform her learners.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank many people here. First of all Sutton College of Learning for Adults (SCOLA) for providing continuity in my studies from learning English as a foreign languages over 25 years ago to completing my DTLLS and Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) this summer. This journey would not have been possible without my colleagues and mentors at Canterbury Christ Church University, Jane and Noelle and of course my family who gave me the time and the space to develop this.
But most of all, I would like to thank my students.
Je tiens tout d’abord à remercier toutes celles et tous ceux venant à mes classes de Français avec dans leurs bagages leurs expériences, leur bonne humeur, leur personnalité et leur défi, leurs espérances et leurs attentes. Merci d’avoir bien voulu participer à mes initiatives parfois singulières tout en me donnant la confiance et les moyens d’aller de l’avant depuis 10 ans, surtout dans mes moments de profondes incertitudes personnelles et difficultés professionnelles.
Mais aussi, my current DTLLS students, thank you for allowing me to use a Flip Video in my practice this autumn. I do hope that you will be considering its benefits and perhaps recording your learners’ journey with yours. Consider innovation, creativity and independence so you too, can become researchers and contribute with your own perspective as subject specialist to new heights in our profession and our society as a whole.
Danièle de Mori Calderon
Senior Lecturer
Sutton College of Learning for Adults (SCOLA)
Teacher training, Foreign Languages and Cultural Studies

25 November 2010 - Learning & Skills Research Network

During the nineties I was working for CETS (now CALAT) and it was drawing on a lot of European Social Funding which meant there was a lot of contact between ourselves and European partners so I think this would imply the same.
Quite a lot of visits took place.

All the possibilities for SCOLA seem to be under the programme called GRUNDTVIG which as Sue points out is in Section 4. I think there are quite a lot of openings there which could be tapped into such as:

" motivating individual learners to commit to learning, including through guidance services, out-reach strategies, awareness raising campaigns, validation of non-formal and informal learning, appropriate teaching and learning approaches and partnerships with enterprises; �� using ICT, e-learning and the media to widen access to adult learning; �� developing alternative learning approaches to integrate or reintegrate marginalised and disadvantaged citizens into society and the labour market."

But as I was following through the links in some of the small print to a document which is called LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME, GENERAL CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2011-2013 http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/adult/com558_en.pdf,
I noticed that
the emphasis on establishing partnerships is stressed again and again, and this includes working with other stakeholders and on a local as well as national and international level.
Really, it seems there is a great deal of scope.

Sarah Freeman - Tutor (SCOLA)

02 December 2010- Adverse Weather continues

An even heavier snowfall overnight meant that we had to cancel the classes at all our centres for the second day running. I was also unable to get to the Niace conference - Colleges in the community - that was to be held in central London. The aim of the conference was to report on the strategic role colleges can play and the added value they bring in leading adult learning and serving local communities at a time when colleges are taking responsibility for the shape and balance of educational offer to their locality. On this the 3rd day of a frozen transport network in the Capital it meant no trains going out of Sutton this morning. Some of us however managed to get to work. This included my puppy Lilia who refused to go back to the house after her morning walk and made her way to the College with me! Enjoying the walk in the snow we arrived looking like snowballs! Lots of staff had managed to get in to work and they gave Lilia the warmest of welcomes! Jo Fowler from the SCOLA coffee shop greeted us with her scrumptious Bacon Sarnie's courtesy of SCOLA as a thank you to those who had braved the storm - in many cases literally!
The forecast for 3rd of December seems to be less snow but very cold. We are planning to have classes running at the Sutton Centre tomorrow. Fingers crossed the weather doesn't take a turn for the worse.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

01 December 2010- Chamber of Commerce Breakfast meeting

In almost knee deep snow and icy conditions, it was ambitious to think many people would be able to make their way to the Sutton Chamber Breakfast event held at the Holiday Inn - Sutton. But there was a nice gathering of businesses ready to share their views on Cameron's initiative - the Big Society and to explore what it means for Sutton. It was disappointing that Paul Burstow MP of Sutton and Minister of State for Care Services, was not able to join us. However, we made the most of the event and SCOLA and the Chamber agreed to form a small working group between education and business to come up with a framework that will enable us to make better sense of the Government's Big Society. It became obvious as many attendees expressed they felt there wasn't enough information from the government on the initiative and lack of confidence that this would do much good. We all felt that we needed a better understanding of how this could be achieved, what it would look like and how Business could benefit from it.
There is clearly a role for Education and Training if the Big Society is to manifest itself in civic action. SCOLA have a big role to play. As Sutton's community college and a leading provider of Adult Education it is our duty to help educate the community and to take charge and make decisions. From our point of view the Big Society is to empower civic action to take place with the purpose of improving community life. There are caveats in this sentiment. We need to make sure we do not duplicate or lose the quality of the community engagement activities that already exist. For it to work, training will play a huge role, as will clear and regular communication. SCOLA look forward to hosting and leading on this venture.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

30 November 2010-Back to Brrrrrrilliant Britain!

What happend to the very pleassant 25'C experienced in Gran Canaria?!!! Landed at Gawick after a delayed flight to be faced with heavy snow and freezing temperatures! Staff and students had to be informed that because of the adverse weather conditions a decision would be made about whether or not to cancel classes - staff and students alike were kept updated via the college website. During the course of the day the snow got thicker and thicker and it seemed very unlikely that we would be able to have students safely travelling to our outreach centres. During the next few days we kept a watchful eye on the weather and updated the notice on the website. The safety of our learners comes first in everything that we do. I was pleased to see so many colleagues making the effort to get to work despite the weather - some walking over 6 miles! We also had many who could not get to work who called in to say they would work from home. Excellent to see such high spirits and dedication on the part of the staff.

I visited Caroline Salters' class which is based in a local resource centre - the course supports students with mental health difficulties working to improve their basis computer skills in a small group. On arrival at the centre, it was amazing to see that Caroline had her students waiting outside the centre ready to learn and keen to show me how they have learnt to use the computer to research their favourite topics and improving their writing and reading skills at the same time. One of the students, John, is a musician and he told me his story about playing his music in Japan and how skillfully he had learnt to play his guitar, which he can play with either his left or right hand. Margaret, another student, said she had enjoyed doing research on the Origins of Christmas online and despite a nasty fall she had endured earlier in the term, she was keen to type up her report to put in her portfolio.

That evening we decided to cancel all classes - many colleagues were stranded for hours when trying to travel home. A long day for many. Let's hope as a country we get to a point that we can be better prepared! Haven't I heard that somewhere before?

Saboohi Famili - Principal

29 November 2010- Flying to the sunshine

One of the advantages of booking things online is that you can do this anytime of the day or night. After a few hectic weeks in Oct and Nov I felt it was time to recharge my batteries. Looking for a short break at midnight resulted in bagging a very reasonable holiday to Gran Canaria. If you haven't been it is worth a visit. The most facinating aspect of the trip was meeting a gentleman in his mid 70's at the Bay of Mogan who epitomised what we are doing at SCOLA. He was on a bench by the sea listening to his music and chatting with friends online. When I curiously asked him what he was doing he said he co-ordinates various talks through Skype for those who are interested in world music. He continued to explain that he had been an IT novice a few years back and recently had learnt how to use Skype by attending a short class at his local community church. He said he cannot remember how he got in touch with his friends across the world before. He said: "I can now be anywhere in the world and still keep in touch and for free. Isn't it Marvellous!" I said, "Marvellous indeed" and walking away from him I thought how technology has changed the way generations think and interact. On the flight back I was thinking we should run and iPad club. With Christmas approaching many lucky people will receive an iPad as a gift and would need to learn how to use it. My mum is on the list waiting to see if Santa thinks she has been a good girl this year or not. I should check with Rita, her excellent Flower Arrangement tutor, who she speaks very highly of! Considering she is 79 and so very active she ought to be in Santa's good books....

Saboohi Famili - Principal

24 November 2010 - Newcastle College Group event

The Newcastle College Group’s mission is to develop people through learning and achievement for the benefit of themselves, society and the economy. Their focus is on meeting national and regional education, skills and employability needs for individuals and the skills priorities of employers in-line with Government policy. They deliver high quality education, training, employability and work-based learning solutions to thousands of organisations and learners throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

I attended a sharing good practice event held by them on Thursday 24th November. Over 60 colleges and organisations attended this briefing where Dame Jackie Fisher, the Principal and Chief Executive of NCG, alongside her executive team, shared their experience from acquiring a poor performing college to becoming one of the largest and most influential organisations in the sector over the last 10 years with an accolade of awards and kite marks to demonstrate the determination of the college to achieve outstanding provision and sustain its status for over 6 years.

It was a truly inspiring event and clearly demonstrated how excellent leadership will lead to innovation, creativity and ultimately results of success for all!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

23 November 2010 - Winning bid!

We have just been informed that our application to LSIS – Flexiblity and Innovation Funding – has been successful! The project title of the bid is “Effective Support for the Journey from Worklessness to Sustained Employment in Sutton”. The project will start in January 2011 and continue until September 2011.
Delivery of high quality employment targeted support, embedding multiagency advice and training where participants will achieve personal goals. The Skills Profiles for workless participants will demonstrate, efficiently and effectively, to employers and training providers, the capabilities and learning needs of disadvantaged, unwaged clients using the collaborative network of the consortium.
The project has four main aims:

1. Promote effective cohesion between service providers in the consortium who are not currently formally linked, leading to a holistic, efficient service for unwaged clients ready to access work.
2. Provide the most appropriate service combination for clients with an Access to Work course including specialist advice, guidance and progression opportunities from the providers in the consortium at each stage - before, during and after the course. This would ensure each client is at the centre of a personalised learning opportunity with support from a wide range of specialist agencies working and communicating together
3. Develop a profile tool so clients will have their Functional Skills and key work skills assessed once by a provider as a start of a personal profile which all key providers in the Borough would use to avoid duplication of services and target better use of resources towards front line delivery.
4. Promote work preparation courses for disadvantaged clients seeking work opportunities based on realistic preparation including self-presentation and communication skills. The courses will contain a range of topics designed to promote long term well being and encourage clients to engage on their journey towards active citizenship

We look forward to working together with the consortium - EcoActif; Job Centre Plus; Sutton Mental Health Foundation; Sutton Citizen’s Advice Bureaux; Skills Centre Limited; Sutton & District Training and Sutton Centre for Independent Living & Learning (SCILL) - to ensure that the aims and objectives are met.

Well done!

Saboohi Famili – Principal

24 November 2010 - My visit to the prison!

On 23 November 2010 I accompanied Julie Hills – Senior Lecturer – Skills for Life, English Language – to the Highdown Prison to attend the a graduation ceremony held at the prison. The Governor of the prison, Peter Dawson, recognises what it is means for his staff to undertake a courses like this and lays on this event where the learners can be presented with their certificates and enjoy a moment of celebration.
SCOLA has been delivering a PTLLS course to prison staff for just over 2 years – a total of 5 courses with 12 students on each one. These are staff who either deliver training to their colleagues or who are actually teaching the prisoners. The course is done extensively over 7 weeks which is a challenge to the learners as they juggle full time work, family and study, especially as many have not been in a classroom for many years. To achieve this qualification is a real accolade for them. All who are involved in this journey with them are delighted and proud of their commitment and perseverance to reach the goal!
It was wonderful to hear how Julie, who teaches the PTLLS course, is so highly thought of – well done Julie!
The lunch served to us at The Clink restaurant at the prison was cooked to perfection. The waiting staff and chefs are all prisoners who are working towards their NVQ Level 3 in hospitality and catering. The meal was truly scrumptious!
It was a wonderful occasion and a good opportunity to get the name of SCOLA heard in the restaurant packed with onlookers, many of whom were just there for a quiet lunch. This was a wonderful opportunity to extend our work with Highdown. On the day I had the opportunity of meeting Julie’s son, John, who is involved in an business relating to entertainment. SCOLA likes to engage with new businesses like his in order to bring new ideas to SCOLA – so watch this space!
Saboohi Famili – Principal

16 Nov 2010- Our Principal’s recognition of achievements

At the AoC conference this year during the Network for Black Professionals Annual General Meeting , Robin Landman the Chief Executive of the Network for Black Professionals congratulated our Principal for her achievements over the past few years in the sector.“We are proud to see another member of the network reaching higher accolades. Those who know and worked with Saboohi know that this is well deserved and join me in congratulating this inspiring leader and wishing her the very best in her role as the Principal of SCOLA.”
Saboohi Famili started in her new post as Principal of SCOLA in May 2010. The first woman under the age of 40 to hold this post, she brought with her a reputation for energy, enthusiasm, entrepreneurship and a strong consultative and inclusive approach to her work. Saboohi came to England in 1999 after facing political difficulties in her country in Iran. She has worked in a variety of educational sectors and has been a member of the network of black professionals since 2005. With her engineering education, she has strong analytical skills and a good eye for detail. She has lead a variety of successful projects and teams during her career and proven an inspiration to many BMAE colleagues and students.”
Previous to her role as the Principal at SCOLA Saboohi worked at Thames Valley University where she set up and ran their FutureSkills programme, the strategic business arm of the university designed to create meaningful partnerships between Business and Education. With a budget of £8 million allocated for three years and employing a staff of 32 this new unit rapidly became known for its creative and forward thinking work. Saboohi took a high profile lead in this, meeting the Queen early in the development of the programme and, at one point, being despatched to China to take a lead role in a business conference involving government ministers and very influential business leaders.
Saboohi believes in an open door approach and will be seeking to consult staff and students in ways to expand, develop and improve the service that SCOLA offers.
Saboohi said: “Working at SCOLA has been one of the most rewarding career moves I have done to date. I am very impressed with the number of hard working dedicated tutors and support staff who deliver Education in Sutton. There is clearly a strong basis on which to develop the existing strengths whilst experimenting with new ideas.”
As funding regimes change and further and adult education struggles to finance its work, Saboohi will clearly face many challenges which she is familiar with, having previously worked at Carshalton and other FE colleges and HE institutions. She is already leading on a large consortium of colleges and businesses in South London where she pulled together to bid for government funding under the LDA-ESF Jobs Plus opportunity. If successful, this will bring in a £9.75m investment to 9 Boroughs in south London. She has a strong track record of working in partnership and an innate ability to think outside the box and implement innovative ideas.
As a resident of Sutton she is intent on ensuring that the Borough and neighboring communities have the best possible Education service that it can offer for its residents. She is keen to work in partnership with colleagues and to explore ways of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of services available. She is a keen promote of equality of opportunity and already made her mark in the borough by hosting a variety of cultural and awareness raising events at SCOLA.
Saboohi said “ I am proud to be a member of NBP and grateful for the support and encouragement I receive through the network. I have benefited from the Shadowing Scheme organised by NBP prior to my appointment as the Principal at SCOLA and rate the service provided outstanding.” She feels it’s the duty of every individual to promote equality and celebrate diversity and improve the chances of BME community to access higher level jobs. She is in the process of introducing a mentoring and coaching scheme at SCOLA to support succession planning and promotion at the College.
You can contact her on future@scola.ac.uk

18 November 2010 - Tom Brake MP visits SCOLA

Tom Brake, Lib Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington visited SCOLA on Thursday evening, 18th November. He had set himself the task of addressing the public on the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review. He did this very ably demonstrating a sound grasp of all the issues on which he spoke.
Topics addressed included university fees and the related question of promises made on the campaign trail and how they relate to the reality of being in a coalition government. He spoke on tax, the magnitude of the debt and the debate about how fast it should be paid off; benefits including housing benefit, the education of young people and graduates, Europe and the EU; how far the experiences of Greece and Ireland impinged on decisions made; localism and the ‘Big Society’; civil liberties, libraries and legal aid. As you can imagine, the meeting ran slightly over the 1½ hours scheduled, but not so much as to leave anyone unduly concerned.
The well publicised meeting attracted about 50 people. Saboohi put two questions on behalf of SCOLA. A good percentage of people attending the meeting spoke and there was no sense of it being dominated by one or two people with an axe to grind. It is questionable if anyone changed their minds as a result of the meeting, but we were certainly all better informed.

Thanks go to Jan Koene for chairing the meeting and ensuring the smooth running of the session. Thanks also to SCOLA caretakers for setting up the arena and guiding participants as they arrived.

SCOLA endeavours to fulfil its duty as a platform for the community to engage in local and national issues that matter to them and we will be hosting future events where politicians and councillors will be invited to respond to the concerns of the community.

Wish you had been there!

7 November 2010- Sunday @ SCOLA!

What a wonderful day it was. I registered for an Introduction to Egypcian Dance and persuaded mum to come along to an Intro to Pottery. Very enjoyable and definately worth going to. As well as learning I had muscles I never knew I had! I learnt a lot about various instruments that are used in eastern music, about the history of the dance and the various cultures in the arab world and how they manifest themselves in art forms such as dance. We all got individual attention and learnt the basic moves. It was a great success for the College and yet another example of excellent team work and effort. Well done!
I think mum might join the next pottery course! You never know!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

6 November 2010- Lilia's 1st Birthday!

I cannot believe that my little puppy is now a year old! Like a proud mum I invited her friends for a birthday bash at the Oaks Park cafe. I went through the hassel of making a doggie cake for them which disappeard in a flash!

Mad I might be! Fun it was definately. Anyone up for a dog walking club? It would be fun! Let me know if you are up for it and we can organise something. I am sure! Kasumi will be looking at putting on a summer fair - perhaps we can have a scruff show?! Views? Please let us know!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

5 November 2010- Submission of Jobs Plus Bid

Some of you may have seen white smoke issuing from Saboohi‟s office this morning at about 11.00am. It was not a precursor for bonfire night, nor the election of a new pope. It was the completion of the drafting of a bid for an LDA ESF co-financed Jobs Plus programme that would bring an award £9.75M for delivery. SCOLA has been the lead body on the bid in the process securing and co-ordinating the input of partner organisations. To get to this level in the process SCOLA had to pass two initial exploratory stages. These narrowed the field to twenty. If SCOLA is successful at this level we will progress to the final 3. The final outcome will then be determined at interview.
To complete the bid involved responding to 40 questions. This produced some 65 pages of material that had been devised, revised and refined. The final bid document with attachments amounted to 2767k bytes when sent. Writing it involved long hours of intense concentration, imagination and creativity. We were not experts when we started but have learnt a great deal on the way. Any of you who have tackled bids will be able to understand what a gargantuan task this has been. Saboohi‟s fizz combined with Jan‟s calm and Barbara‟s ability to juggle with 20 things simultaneously keeping track of them all and still answering the phone with aplomb. Jenny Sims provided tremendous support as ever together with a judicious pinch of insanity when required. There were no raised voices, little panic, some discreet tearing of hair and a lot of mental forced marches. We were also very well supported by colleagues (former SCOLA employees) at Eco Actif and RACC. What has been significant is the total lack of ego. The focus has been on securing the bid and on how to support the unemployed through its outworking.
The programme would operate what we have styled a Regional Employment Consortium across 9 London boroughs: Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Kingston, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth. The objective is to steer 9000 people into the project with an expected outcome that 2000 will be in sustained employment for 6 months, and 1,650 of these for a total of at least 12 months. 550 will be expected to enjoy career progression to a higher status and/or better paid post. The target group is people who have been unemployed (not necessarily on benefits) for 12 months or longer. This includes lone parents, people on incapacity benefit, people who have been in reha-bilitation programmes or perhaps in prison for a while.
Whether we secure the bid or not has been the key focus. However, in the process SCOLA‟s profile has been raised immensely across the 9 boroughs. We have encountered some very interesting organisations which are doing very interesting work that could lead to future collaborative projects.
Statistics show that there are a large number of people who need help to return to employment or to find work for the first time. Even if we do not secure the bid, SCOLA has a role to play in their lives. We do not have to have been unemployed ourselves to understand their position, but we do need to do some real work in clarifying their needs and developing creative solutions. We need to develop our work with others in doing this. And we need to know that there are hard times ahead.

We will know by the end of the month if we have been shortlisted for interview...so watch this space.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

28th October 2010 - Steve Biko Memorial Lecture

"Material want alone is bad enough but coupled with spiritual poverty it kills" - Steve Biko

This evening I attended the first Steve Biko Memorial Lecture that has been held in Europe. The Network for Black Professionals and the University of Greenwich hosted this unique event that was delivered at the university by Nkosinathi Biko, founder and CEO of the Steve Biko Foundation, whose theme was 'Challenges for Black Leadership: Time for New Leadership Models for the 21st Century'.
He reflected on the life and legacy of his late father, Steve Biko, the anti-apartheid activist who died in police custody 33 years ago. The leading proponent of Black Consciousness, Biko founded the South Africa Students’ Organisation (SASO) and the Black People's Convention (BPC) along with a number of community and educational organisations. After his death, the story of Steve Biko’s life and work reached a wider audience through Richard Attenborough’s 1987 feature film 'Cry Freedom' starring Denzel Washington.
The Steve Biko Memorial Lecture series has attracted a roll call of distinguished scholars, humanitarians and religious and political leaders since its establishment in 2000. Past speakers include two former South African Presidents, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki and, most recently, the Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Alice Walker, author of 'The Color Purple'.
This was a facinating session with excellent networking opportunities and a very lively question and answer session afterwards. I was fortunate enought to talk to
Nkosinathi and discuss various topics around equality and diversity and the role that education can play in raising awareness. An excellent event which I will cherish and remember for a long while.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

27 October 2010- Opening of the Sutton Life Centre

Bright and early I headed off to the Sutton Life Centre. The aim of the centre is to provide young people in Sutton with an unprecedented opportunity to learn a range of skills - such as safety scenarios and stree-awareness - in an interactive environment. The centre is designed to embrace all sectors of the community. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, officially opened the centre, which was heaving with VIP guests as well as many members of the community who had helped one way or another with the set up. Jo Fowler, from SCOLA's coffee shop, has set out a splendid spread for breakfast and this gave a great opportunity for networking and an informal chat before the official opening.
It was great to hear the work of Sutton Council being acknowledge by the Deputy Prime Minister and listen to the Leader of the Council - Cllr. Sean Brennan-outlining the plans for the future of the Life Centre. Students and voluntary workers also spoke and shared how they envisaged the centre would add value to the community.
SCOLA is working closely with the Library and Heritage services in order to put a variety of programmes together that can be delivered from libraries across the borough. Watch this space for the exciting programmes we have planned for the Life Centre.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

Sunday at SCOLA!

There are still some spaces left on the exciting taster courses this Sunday at SCOLA. The day runs from 10am-3pm and you can try things like composing music, drawing, creative Christmas cards, first aid and many more. Please see www.scola.ac.uk/courses/sundays for full details of these exciting opportunities!!

27 October 2010 - Horace : "The meaning of life"

Horace found himself sitting in a chair trying to see over the edge of the desk. He had heard the voice say, "Can I help you?"
"Er...yes please," he had replied.
"Come in."
He had gone into the IAG office.
"Take a seat please. Tell me what you are looking for and we'll see how we can help you." He knew that this was what he was looking for. Not even 'if' we can help, but 'how' we can help. Excellent! It was not a Road to Damascus moment. There was no conversion, and he did not know where Damascus was. But he knew with a blinding certainty that this was where he needed to be. Here. On this day. At this time. At this precious moment in his life where all the cards and all the dice and all the shooting stars bursting above the firmament he'd wished on has shaped his fortunes to this chair in this office.
For one heart stopping moment he felt that the woman who had asked the question looked a bit intimidating. But he was only two and this was all new to him. So he screwed his courage to the sticking place, as we all sometimes do, and said boldly, "I'd like to know what to study."
"That," she replied, "depends upon what you want to learn."
He knew immediately that his instincts had been right and that he was where he needed to be. He had rehearsed the answer to this.
"Well," he said, "I'd like to know the meaning of life."
"Ah, the meaning of..."
She paused and leant forward. She sat for a while with such a faraway look that Horace felt as if he was before the oracle. In fact, she was reflecting on how to tactfully answer a two year old hedgehog who wants to know the meaning of life.
"Have you looked at our prospectus? What courses were you thinking of studying?"
"Well," he ventured, "I was thinking about clock repair and Pilates."
"Pilates will help you to get a balanced view of things," she said, "And clocks may help you to get to grips with time. Time is very interesting. We can't control it despite things like Carpe Diem - seize the time!" she added helpfully.
Horace had heard of this in his classical reading in the hedgerow school.
"But we can use it well or badly," she said.
He looked at her quizzically.
"Time. People speak of spending time and you might think that to spend it, you have to own it. But it is only borrowed. It may be the only loan we take that we never have to pay back."
Horace began to get excited. This was why he had come to a college of adult education, to have conversations like this! So different from talking about nests, and food and the mundane things whispered along the lawn.
"I had heard," he ventured, "that time is like a stream. Herodotus said that you can't put your foot in the same stream twice because every time that you put your foot in the stream it has changaed and so is a different stream. But then Lenin said that you can't put your foot in the same stream once because at the very moment you are putting your foot in it it is already changing and different. It's fascinating isn't it? You have to think dialectically don't you?"
The lady behind the desk was losing track of this conversation. This was no ordinary two year old. She had been going to ask if he needed a diagnostic assessment but now decided that she might leave that for another day. She'd let one of the tutors sort that out. But she put in a last valiant effort:
"But you can measure time. So clocks might be a good place to start." she offered.
"Yes, indeed." Horace said, and sighed gently. A subtle sigh of satisfaction. He'd come to the right place. Pilates and clock repair! A whole new way of life.

Jan Koene

Sundays are back!

Sundays@SCOLA are back! These one day courses are a chance have a taste of subjects like pottery, flower arranging, learn about the Maya of Mexico, Dreamweaver or photography. First Sunday is 7th November from 10am - 3pm with an hour for lunch and they cost just £30 for the day!! For full details, see www.scola.ac.uk/courses/sundays - we hope to see you there!

20 October 2010 - Spending Review Key Announcements

The Spending Review key announcements include the following:

Learning and Skills Sector/ BIS

Over the course of the Spending Review period, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will reduce its resource budget by 25 per cent. Taking into account anticipated receipts, the cut to capital spending by 2014-15 will be 44 per cent. The Department’s Administration budget will be reduced by 40 per cent, including savings from abolition of the RDAs. The average annual savings will equal 7.1%, however, the decline in funding becomes steeper over the spending review period.

· The Further Education resource budget will be reduced by 25%, or £1.1billion, from £4.3 billion to £3.2 billion by 2014-15.
· BIS will increase adult apprenticeship funding by £250 million a year by 2014-15 creating 75,000 additional places.
· Raise the participation age to 18 by 2015.
· Provide additional places for participation in 16 to 19 learning.
· BIS will abolish Train to Gain and replace it with an SME focused training programme, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) funding for people not in settled communities will be abolished in 2012.
· Replace education maintenance allowances with ‘more targeted support’.
· Remove the entitlement to free training for a first full level 2 qualification for those over 25. Further education students aged 24 and over studying for a level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) will be asked to pay fees. These students will be supported by the offer of a government-backed loan where repayments will be dependent on the learner’s income.
· Expect adult learners and employers to contribute more to the cost of further education.
· BIS will continue to support basic skills provision in basic numeracy and literacy skills; Adult and Community Learning and will ‘reduce the complexity and bureaucracy that hampers providers from responding to community needs’.
· BIS will manage the reductions in resource spending by reforming Higher and Further Education funding which will deliver broadly 65 per cent of BIS resource savings; driving efficiencies will deliver around a further 25 per cent and the remainder of resource savings, around 10 per cent, are from cancelling lower priority activities.
· BIS will reduce spending on administration by £400 million a year by 2014-15. The number of Arms Length Bodies will be reduced from 57 to 33, with 9 still under consideration.

Schools/ DfE
· Schools budget to rise from £35bn to £39bn.
· Overall resource savings in DfE’s non-schools budget of 12 per cent in real terms by 2014-15, contributing to overall DfE savings of 3 per cent in real terms.
· An extension from 2012-13 to 15 hours per week of free early education and care to all disadvantaged two year old children.
· A £2.5 billion pupil premium targeted on the educational development of disadvantaged pupils.
· 5 to 16 schools budget rising by 0.1 per cent in real terms each year.
· Capital funding for new schools.
· £15.8bn to rebuild or refurbish over 600 schools over the spending review period
· Real terms increases of 0.1 per cent in each year of the Spending Review for the 5 to 16s.
· Sure Start services will be maintained in cash terms, including new investment in Sure Start health visitors.
· Sure Start will be refocused on its original purpose of improving the life chances of disadvantaged children.


Higher Education
· Overall resource budget for Higher Education, excluding research funding, will reduce from £7.1 billion to £4.2 billion, a 40%, or £2.9 billion, reduction by 2014-15. The Department will continue to fund teaching for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
· A National Scholarship fund of £150 million a year by 2014‑15 for students on the lowest incomes.
· Reform of the higher education sector to shift a greater proportion of funding from the taxpayer to the individuals who benefit.

Local Government
· Overall savings in funding to councils of 7.1% a year for four years – except simplified school grants, and a public health grant.
· Ring-fencing of all local government revenue grants will end from April 2010.


Families
· Pension age to increase to 66 by 2020.
· Withdraw child benefit for families with a higher rate tax payer.
· Replace all working age benefits and tax credits with a single Universal Credit.
· Expand use of personal budgets for special education needs, children with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

Voluntary Sector
· Pay private and voluntary sector providers by results for delivering reductions in reoffending.
· £100 million transition found for the voluntary and community sector facing hardship.

Other
· Reduction in total public sector headcount of 490,000 over the Spending Review period – anticipated from natural turnover of approx. 8% and leaving posts unfilled as they become vacant and some inevitable redundancies.
· Green investment bank funding of £1bn, with an additional £0.5bn in the third year.
· Additional allocations to support Big Society, establish community organisers and launch the pilots for the National Citizen Service.
· DCLG overall resource budget to be reduced to £1.1bn.
Next steps:
· Each government department is to publish :
o vision and priorities to 2014-15;
o a structural reform plan, including actions and deadlines for implementing reforms over the next two years; and
o the key indicators against which it will publish data to show the cost and impact of public services and departmental activities. This section will be published for consultation to ensure that the Government agrees the most relevant and robust indicators in time for the beginning of the Spending Review period in April 2011.
· Government to publish a reform White Paper early in the New Year.

14 October 2010 - Adult Education discussed in Parliament

It is almost the eve of the comprehensive spending review and it is encouraging to hear that Adult Education is being taken seriously in Parliament. The following is the exchange that took place in Parliament on 14th October 2010.

Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster and Fleetwood)(Con) asked what plans there were for the future of adult and community learning; and asked if Mr John Hayes would make a statement.

The Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (Mr John Hayes): "Adult and community learning make a vital contribution to building a big society founded on social mobility, social justice and social cohesion. We will strive to reinvigorate adult and community learning to make it part of the wider learning continuum and and to enable providers to respond to the learning needs of their communities."

Eric Ollerenshaw: "I thank my hon. friend for that answer. Has he managed to see research from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education that demonstrates that 28% of adult learners show an increased involvement in social, community and volunteering activity as a direct result of their learning? Does he agree that that demonstrates the vital role that adult education will have to play in contributing to the big society?"

Mr Hayes: "Yes, indeed. As it happens, I have with me the response to the study that he describes. The transformative power of adult learning is well understood by this Government. We know that adult learning changes lives by changing life chances. It gives some of the most disadvantaged people in our community their chance to gain learning. It is frequently progressive to further learning and takes them to the world of work. This Government unequivocally back adult learning."

Saboohi Famili - Principal

17 October 2010 - Family Fun Day at Hill House

On the way to the coast on a sunny and glorious Sunday this week I paid a visit to SCOLA's family fun day. Sunday's event was jointly organised between SCOLA and Merton Adult Education as has happened for the past few years when the two boroughs work together to host a range of activities encouraging families to learn together. They are always very popular and it was great to see staff preparing for the day and to watch families come along for the variety of activities that were available.

Next week, during half term, there is an exciting range of activities for families, including mask making, pottery, glass painting and zumba dance. We are looking forward to hosting the events as part of our Free Family Fun week. There will also be a fun Fencing (as in sport!) class. The week culminates on Saturday 30th October with an open day event at SCOLA's North Cheam Centre, where a range of activities is on offer for families, including face painting, first aid, mask making, Splash and Grab computer art, playing with pottery, gardening and cookery/cake decorating.

Do come and join in the fun!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

08 October 2010 SCOLA fears that cuts will sink its adult education courses

Some of our vulnerable students could have their courses cancelled if the government's expected cuts for the sector proves to be a reality after the spending review is announced later this month.
SCOLA provides a lifeline for single mothers, pensioners, people with mental health issues and those with learning difficulties - a chance to get qualifications they missed out on at school, while many of those at work access training and devleopment opportunities in the evening.
If these cuts go ahead there will be irretrievable damage to the colleges and forcing us to double fees and cancel cources that don't make money. Although we are prepared and understand the reasons for the cuts I fear that instead of weathering the storm, we are facing being sunk. Adult education is facing a 40% reduction in funding and if this happens it will be difficult to protect anything - the College will have no choice but to increase fees or close programmes to those who most need it. Please support us to save SCOLA and Adult Education. Please sign this online Petition and write to your MP. Tell them how SCOLA made a difference to you and your life. http://www.petitiononline.com/adulted/petition.html

Saboohi Famili - Principal

8 October 2010 - Principal out and about

This week I have had the opportunity of visiting Gill Heath's Literacy with Computers class and thoroughly enjoyed observing part of the lesson and meeting the students. I also had the priviledge of presenting certificates to some of the students and I wish to congratulate them on their achievement. It is wonderful to see a class in action and I wish the students well in their studies.

This morning I had the privilege of going with Chris Jackson, Programme Manager - Skills for Life, English & Maths - to the Mental Health Foundation drop-in centre in Belmont. As it is World Mental Health Day on Sunday, the centre had an open day and I presented certificates to SCOLA students who completed their course in 09/10. These were Open College certificates for a variety of levels and units that the students had completed. SCOLA is pleased to be in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation. Congratulations to the students who received their certificates today!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

29 September 2010 - SCOLA praised!

How wonderful it was to receive a letter from a student thanking the Head of ICT, John Faulkner, for his suggestions on how SCOLA may be able to help her continue with her IT studies - ".....just the thought that something might be possible has perked me up no end".

Hopefully we will soon have a programme in place for this student and she will be able to continue with her IT studies!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

28 September 2010 - 'Personal Best' at SCOLA

The Principal of SCOLA recently visited a group of students finishing a 10-week 'Personal Best' course for adults looking to return to work through volunteering. As part of the course, the students completed units covering Public Safety Awareness, Customer Relations, Equality & Diversity, Conflict resolution in a Public Environment, developing Team & Interpersonal Skills, Undertaking and Reflecting on skills developed in Voluntary Placements.

In addition, the students also completed the Red Cross 'Basic First Aid' qualification and the Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering awarded by the Royal Society for Public Health.

Kevan Samwells - Programme Manager
Performance, Health, Fitness & Hospitality

24 September 2010- Help save our funding.

You will all be aware of the Government’s decision to reduce the budget deficit. Many people agree that cuts are needed. However, the Treasury are not as convinced about the value of adult education as we are. There is a very real risk that colleges such as SCOLA will face a massive and disproportionate reduction in Government funding. The net effect could result in very large fee increases. A major cut would potentially jeopardise the future of SCOLA itself.
It is difficult to argue for no cuts at all, but we must do everything possible to present the strongest case for fair treatment so that we can continue to provide a wide range of affordable courses for our community. We believe that in these difficult times, adult education courses are more important than ever, both in terms of giving people new skills and in providing some respite from the hardships we may face.

We urgently need our learners’ voice and support as we try our hardest to persuade the Government of the importance of maintaining funding for adult education.

How can you help?

Your voice is vital, so is the voice of our learners. Please help us by writing to your local MP and encouraging your learners to do the same. The more correspondence they get the stronger our case will be.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

24 September 2010- New Town Centre

Art of Suburbia launches the new high street in Sutton with the very best British and International street arts. A unique carnival atmosphere comes to Sutton High Street to celebrate the launch of our new look town centre on 24 & 25 September 2010. I am looking forward to the events and hope to see many of you there!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

22 September 2010- SFTRA Annual General Meeting

This evening I attended the Annual General Meeting of the Sutton Federation of Tenant & Resident Associations. The Chair, Jean Corsby, was retiring and I felt it appropriate to be present to wish her farewell and good luck for a very long and happy retirement. A very emotional farewell from Jean was followed by many tributes from the members.

The AGM was well attended. Around 100 residents were present and a few were keen to talk to me about their experience of studying at SCOLA and how they valued what we offer. Rosemary Langley, an 80 year old lady, came to me after the event with and complimented me on one of our IT tutors, Derek Marshall, who had taught her IT from scratch. She is keen to come back to the college despite having had some health issues last year and was impressed to hear that we have now developed a much more improved TryIT centre. Yet another example of what SCOLA is all about.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

23 Sep 2010- Meeting and Greeting new Students

This week I had the pleasure of meeting learners in some of our outreach centres. One in particular stands out - this was at Carshalton Boys School . Arriving just after 6.30pm I found the centre staff, Angela Basusi and Debbie Roberts, setting up and getting organised. Greeting students, guiding them to their classes, organising tutors and giving them the necessary paperwork and register all worked very smoothly. I specifically enjoyed the ritual "crossing the fingers" when Angela plugged in the laptop and all in attendance clinched their fingers in a prayer that all would be well! A sigh of relief was heard when everything worked and then it was time for me to say goodbye and leave them to prepare the tea for the upcoming break. Walking away to the car smiling to myself, I knew that SCOLA should be proud to have such good humoured and dedicated staff at the front line and that their main concern is to provide good customer service to our clients. I have been very impressed by what I have seen at our many centres from the begining of the term and immensely priviledged to lead our college. Well done to all!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

Exciting New Seminars!

As part of the Lecture Series@SCOLA, we will be holding 2 exciting seminars in October at our North Cheam centre.


Effective Parenting: Dealing with Challenging Behaviour.

Monday 11th October, 7pm-9pm at SCOLA North Cheam, £10 per place

A talk by Clinical Psychologist Dr Angel Adams.

The workshop will offer strategies for:

• Dealing with challenging behaviours
• Promoting positive
• Enhancing your child’s self-esteem
• 5 top parenting tips to help children handle anger and anxiety

Genealogy: Who Do You Think They Are?

Thursday 14th October, 7pm-9pm at SCOLA North Cheam, £10 per place.

Learn how to catch up with your past and trace your ancestors.

To enrol, see www.scola.ac.uk or contact the enrolment centre on 0208 770 5566.

17 September 2010 - Horace (2) - Finding SCOLA

Horace sat under the garden shed looking at the rain. He was undeterred. The rain was not heavy. It was actually quite musical bouncing off the garden sieve left hanging on the nail and the odd tin can. He thought about composing a tune to its accompaniment but then decided, "No! That would be a displacement activity." He'd read about them in the magazine someone had wrapped the tulip bulbs in. They were the things that you did when you wanted to do something else but didn't really want to do it and so you found lots of other things to do instead until you really had to get on with it, or you found something else to do, or you went off and made a cup of tea and forgot what it was you were doing in the first place! But of course, that never happens to you does it?

Today Horace was going to the SCOLA Information, Advice & Guidance Centre to see what course they thought he should study. "There must be really clever people there if they can give information and guidance," he thought. "All those different people coming in with their questions, and they know all the answers! Fantastic! That sounds like a really useful job." Horace had sometimes dreamed of being really useful. Most of the time he was content to be a two year old hedgehog finding his way in the world. But sometimes, the thought of people looking to him for advice; waiting with bated breath to see what he had to say....why, he might even decide to be a teacher one day. But not just yet.

The rain eased a little. It was what they called in Ireland a "Soft day." That meant you could just about see the wall at the end of the garden and would be soaked in ten minutes but that it wasn't really very cold with it. Just wet! He hunched his shoulders and set out.

He carefully avoided all the passing cars on his way. He'd heard about the dangers from them although he hadn't conducted a full risk assessment for his journey. When he reached the bottom of Sutton High Street he felt a little uncomfortable. It seemed a bit rough, especially near MacDonald's. But then the rich smells from the French Farmer's Market drew him on. The cheeses and the cakes and the biscuits were temptation incarnate. But he was a hedgehog with a purpose. He was not to be diverted.

When he asked people for directions they all seemed to have heard of SCOLA, but when he got as far as Waterstones on the corner he couldn't see any signs. "Hmm!" he thought, "I'll have to have a word about this. How is a poor hedgehog who is only two supposed to find Advice and Guidance if he doesn't know where to look?" That seemed almost a circular question but before he got stuck in trying to solve it a kindly old lady saw him revolving in confusion and pointed the way.

He set off, past the men with their mechanical diggers, past the pubs and the men standing in the doorways waiting for the rain to stop so that they could go and smoke their cigarettes. And there it was! In the distance! He saw the banner - 'Do something brilliant this year' 'Enrol at SCOLA.' The words, 'SCOLA', 'brilliant' and 'Enrol' shone out at him. He saw the blue sky and the signposts, and the birds circling! He had arrived! He was going to do something billiant!

Jan Koene - Author

Wallington Open Day - Sat 11th September 2010

The Open Day at Wallington centre on Saturday was a huge success!

Leaflet drops, marketing in Wallington and visitors to the Farmers market all contributed to a busy morning, with prospectuses flying out the doors and happy students leaving after free ITEC treatments. The treatments on offer included manicures, reflexology and indian head massages.

Curriculum manager Kevan Samwells multi-tasked, giving free on-site massages as well as tutoring the free pilates taster courses we had on offer!

There were art and floristry demonstrations and wonderful displays of photography, pottery, stained glass and an array of beautiful quilts. Curriculum managers Caroline O'Reilly and Angela Williams were on hand to discuss languages and art, and the Drop in IT, advice and SFL support proved to be very popular too.

Many people did not know that we had our centre in Wallington and so the Open Day provided an opportunity for them to look around, ask questions and enrol!. Numerous enrolments were taken and a huge amount of queries were dealt with.

The Open Day was a success due to the hard work of Laurie Nicholls, her team and caretakers and also huge thanks go to Kevan Samwells, Jacqui McElwee, Angela Williams, Amanda Paul, Caroline O'Reilly, Frances Steinke, Jo Richardson, Kelly Cotton, Derek Marshall, David Talbot, the ITEC students and Debbie Sykes for their continued support and help that day.

Also thanks to Rob Springgay and Jan Koene who created all the promotional material, working to tight deadlines as ever!

There will be another Open Day in North Cheam on Saturday 30th October so watch the web for details!!

Kasumi Witty

Learner & Client Services Manager

14 September 2010 - SCOLA praised!

How wonderful it was to receive a letter from a student thanking Jenny Sims - Strategic Director, Employment, Vocational & Work Skills; Fi Harvie - Tutor, NVQ3 Teaching Assistants and SCOLA in general for giving her the opportunity to attend the NVQ3 Teaching Assistants course which has enabled her to continue within the teaching assistant role that she performs and loves.

She has praised Fi's help, support and guidance which she says has been 'second to none'!

Thank you for your kind words, Jane - we wish you all the best for the future.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

13 September 2010 - Back to school!

Last week saw many of our colleagues returning to college after a well deserved summer break. Some with suntans to the envy of others, some with great stories to tell of their adventures over the holiday period.

I was pleased to meet with many colleagues during the briefing sessions held this week for all staff. I welcomed the positive feedback from them which has encouraged me to continue with various plans knowing that I will have the support and unity we need to weather the storm we are to face. This academic year will be trying, but we are ready. Upwards and onwards!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

6 September 2010 - Stanley Park School

I had the pleasure of meeting with Alex Thomson, Deputy Headteacher, from Stanley Park School today. The school has been one of the pathfinder schools for the School of the Future Programme and has received support and funding to transform itself into one of the best schools in Sutton. Alex passionately shared with me their vision and plans for the future and explained how they have used the design and planning of the building to ensure it will have a direct impact on the way that the school is run. Innovative thinking, from designing of the space to state of the art technology that they have purchased, as well as staff development programmes that have been put together, all aid the school in reaching its ambition to be a community school of choice that provides a high quality learning experience that results in great success rates. It was encouraging meeting with an inspiring colleague. I wish the school, staff and students the very best of luck!

Saboohi Famili - Principal

7 September 2010 - The tales of Horace 1.

Horace the Hedgehog woke suddenly. The sun was streaming through his leafy shelter. Motes of dust and strands of cobweb could be seen drifting by, dancing in the morning breeze. But it wasn't the sun that had woken him. No, he definitely had something on his mind. You know how it is. If you go to sleep promising yourself to remember something in the morning you will probably wake up several times in the night thinking it is morning already and that you must get on with whatever it was. Then, the chances are that you will oversleep because you were awake so much in the night.

He stretched, easing his prickels and spine. "So," Horace muttered, "morning at last. What do I have to do today?" When the answer did not immediately suggest itself he decided to have a quick snack as a way of focussing. For a morning treat he had bought himself some waffles at the woodland supermarket, Alfrescos.

It was in the middle of buttering his waffles that it came to him. "Ah yes," he muttered. "SCOLA." To the uninitiated the word might have seemed a Buddhist mantra muttered often with the morning exercises to give focus to an otherwise empty day. But no, this was so much bigger. So all encompassing! It promised to transform his life. He was going to enrol on a course. But the troubling question was, "What course?" Last night he had had a flash of genius. He had studied the prospectus - so much to choose from - and then written each course that he wanted to study on a post-it note. These he had filed on his spines - the logical place. At least, it had seemed logical last night.

Imagine the scene if you will: a small hedgehog (he was only 2) gently rotating on a bed of leaves, his spines covered with yellow post-it notes, his teeth and paws struggling to remove them and place them in a logical order on the ground in front of him only to have to have the breeze periodically re-shuffle them or even remove them entirely.

He considered Shiatsu, but realised that realistically it would be difficult for someone to massage his spine to any good effect. He thought about Indian head massage, but then decided that he did not know any Indians to practice on.

By a process of hedgehog logic and elimination - that is, selecting the post-its that had not blown away, he decided to try clock repair and Pilates. These were two separate courses of course, but he had decided to treat himself.

He finished his waffles feeling quite pleased with himself. This year he was going to do something brilliant. He was going to change his life. He would enrol on a course of study. Being a canny hedgehog, he would use these two as a taster so that he could work out what he really wanted to do. Who knows, at a certain point he might even feel brave enough to undertake something more academic. He could learn a foreign language or improve his maths or English. A world of opportunity lay before him.

The tales of Horace will continue in a fortnight...

Jan Koene

4 September 2010 - SCOLA hits the High Street!

The opportunity to try out some circus skills drew in the crowds on Saturday, with children and adults alike trying their hand at diablos, Chinese ribbons, Poi and plate spinning.

James Waters, from PressPlay Productions, is most well-known for the SCOLA family days, but on Saturday he impressed passers by and made many stop, watch and join in too!

The day was a success with many people asking for information on courses and boxes of prespectuses had been given out by the end of the day.

Thanks go to Barbara, Jenny, Jan and Saboohi for their help - it was a great day, enjoyed by all.

Kasumi Witty - Learner & Client Services Manager

1 September 2010- A Century of Olympic Posters Exhibition

A heaving Europa Gallery hosted the launch of "A Century of Olympic Posters" - an excellent platform for the exhibition and the programme of events that accompanied it. The exhibition is on from 1 September to 31 October 2010.

This touring exhibition enables new audiences to see the Victoria & Albert Museum's collection in a new context. An official from the V & A said: "A Century of Olympic Posters" first opened in Beijing in January 2008 in the run up to the Beijing Olympic Games. Since then it has been travelling in China and Britain and it will be going on to Mumbai and Melbourne among other destinations. Lord Tope CBE said that they were delighted that more people will have the opportunity to see the exhibition in Sutton and it is great to have the exhibition on display in London- the 2012 olympic city.

The exhibition was opened by David Weir MBE, Paralympic Gold Medallist and Freeman of the London Borough of Sutton and includes a special exhibition from Lloyds TSB of works of art in tribute to him.

After the opening ceremony I enjoyed walking around the inspiring posters. They provided windows into the cultural concerns and international politics of their time- some of them gave a shiver of history as you walked past. What I enjoyed about the exhibition was the number of different stories it told. In one respect it was the story of the Games themselves. Tracing the development of Olympic posters is also a chance to take a look at one hundred years of poster design - revealing the evolution of graphic styles, approaches and printing technologies.

A facinating exhibition that is well worth a visit. Hope you can make the time to see it.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

27 August 2010 - Praise for SCOLA's TryIT Centre

How wonderful it was to receive an email from Scott Sheriff who is a voluntary teacher at the Sutton Refugee and Migrant Network and a student on the TESOL course who had this to say about SCOLA's TryIT Centre as the centre has been something of a second home to him over the past year.

"When using the centre, any technical queries or difficulties that I had were dealt with courteously, comprehensively, patiently and professionally. This was hugely beneficially to both my teaching at the RMNS and in my TESOL studies. I'm extremely grateful to Amber, Anne, Derek, Isabel, Jane, John, Marina and Sue for the way in which their expertise repeatedly facilitated the progress of my endeavours and made the centre such a conducive environment in which to work."

Saboohi Famili - Principal

23 August 2010 - Tim Vine's winning joke

Comedian, Tim Vine, our host at Adult Learner's Week in May this year, has won a prize for the funniest joke of the year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The winning joke was 'I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I'll tell you what, never again!'

After a panel of critics short listed 24 jokes, the public picked Tim's one-liner as the funniest. Tim made our Adult Learner's Week presentation ceremony an evening to remember and we congratulate him on his success!

Kasumi Witty - Learner & Client Services Manager

18 August 2010- Meeting with LBS Libraries & Heritage Services

Today the college's Strategic Management team met with colleagues from the London Borough of Sutton's Libraries and Heritage Services. Cathy McDonough (Head of Library & Heritage Services); Martin King (Life Centre Manager); Sarah Groom (Head of Leisure & Arts) and Jon Ward (Facilities Manager - Libraries & Heritage) all gave a brief overview of their area of responsibility and discussions took place around how we can work together in the future.

A very positive meeting that hopefully will lead us to work much more collaboratively, offering an enriched provision for our client groups. SCOLA is already commited to supporting the residents of Sutton with their educational needs now works much more closely with the Council and specifically seek to take the support to various libraries and sites that enables residents to access various learning opprotunities in a better way.

The meeting provided us with a great opportunity to share and explore ideas on how we can extend and enrich our offers and I look forward to working with colleagues more collaboratively in the near future.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

11-14 August 2010 In search of the sun in Cumbria!

We headed north to the beautiful Lake District for a few days. Interestingly enough we did find the sunshine and our days were spent walking and enjoying the beautiful scenery. One of the places we visited was the former home of John Ruskin. Brantwood, in my view, is one of the most beautifully situated houses in the Lake District. The house was both a treasure of historical importance and a lively centre of contemporary arts and the environment. There were many displays and activities in the house, gardens and estate which reflect the wealth of cultural heritage associated with Ruskin’s legacy – from the Pre Raphaelites and Arts and Crafts Movement to the founding of the National Trust and the Welfare State. A breathtaking view from every room overlooking the water added to the beautifully preserved house with its original features. The House was filled with Ruskin's treasures: paintings, furniture, objects d'art and his personal memorabilia.On the walls in various rooms you could read inspiring quotations from him. This one took my interest : "Education is the leading of human souls to what is best, and making what is best out of them." Driving back to London I felt proud to be leading a college that does just that! Leading human souls to what is best - we have seen such good examples of that throughout the year. Looking forward to the A Level results next week. One of many ways SCOLA helps the community in Sutton and beyond.

Saboohi Famili - Principal

14 August 2010 - SCOLA hits the High Street!

Saturday saw SCOLA having prime position in the high street. We set up opposite Boots and managed to dodge the rain all day! Rita Giffen gave a floristry demonstration in the morning, attracting many onlookers who asked questions and wanted more information. Polly Tyrer's cooking demonstration had the public wanting more as they tried her delicious guacamole, pate and houmous, which was made right in front of their eyes! People were amazed at how both Rita and Polly could come up with such wonderful creations - on the high street! All in all, it was a very successful day and a chance to show everyone a glimpse of what the College has to offer. Huge thanks go to Lisa and Rob for helping all day, as well as to Rita and Polly!

Kasumi Witty - SCOLA Learner & Client Services Manager

11 August 2010 - Promoting SCOLA in Times Squares

Armed with our exciting new promotional stand and prospectuses galore, the SCOLA marketing team positioned themselves, ready for action, in Times Square shopping centre. Lots of people instantly saw where we were from and approached us with questions or for a copy of the latest prospectus. Others, admiring our new promotional board, came to see what we offer and were pleasantly surprised. Although a few Sutton shoppers, perhaps fed up with being approached by the various organisations around the High Street, kept their heads down, most were happy to see us and grateful to be reminded to enrol for September! Thanks to Kerry, Maria, Pam and Frances for helping to man the fort and to Rob for helping to construct the stand!

We will be in the High Street on Saturday with cookery and floristry demonstrations so come and see us if you can!!

Kasumi Witty - SCOLA Learner & Client Services Manager