STAFF NEWSLETTERJANUARY 2013

Events, 60 seconds with, How to...

NewsThe Autosport Show, our success rates, & more...

A word from the Principal

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A belated Happy New Year to all, I hope that you all had a good break over Christmas. Walking around the college and talking to everyone over the last few weeks there

has been a very different feel compared to last term. Most people I’ve seen and spoken to have seemed to be a lot more relaxed and positive and there is no doubt that the two week break has done us all a lot of good, especially after what was probably one of the most difficult terms we’ve had. Not that anyone should be surprised considering we have just gone through a major merger! That is not to say that everything has settled down fully yet but we are well on the way and we are still on track.

The planned development days for all staff are being worked on but it has been a real challenge to find a hotel that can accommodate our requirements and I do not yet have dates agreed. I hope to have

to the South & City College Birmingham Staff Newsletter

this finalised soon.We are at that time of year again when we are

on snow alert and already we have had to close the college. Unlike schools, we don’t close on weather forecasts which are very unreliable but take the decision early in the morning – I take into account the road conditions and public transport and whether or not students and staff can get in safely. Needless to say we try to keep the college open if possible in the interests of students, and unless impossible we keep a centre open if there are examinations.

Finally, the two new Assistant Principal posts have now been advertised and interviews will be taking place in February and this will help improve our management and effectiveness further.

Mike Hopkins

A word from

MikeHopkins

Welcome

FYi JANUARY 20132

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5 FE News6 60 seconds with...6 How to...7 InBusiness7 What do they do?7 Upcoming events7 Hair & beauty8 IT

8 Hello & Goodbye8 Jobs & training8 Doing our bit8 Staff member of the month9 Health & Safety9 Competitions9 Customer Relations10 Thinking Greener11 Puzzle time

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South and City College students receive top marksOur students have gained the highest success rates in 2010/11 than at any other college in Birmingham.

The National Success Rates Tables, published on 8 January 2013 show in 2010/11 86.6 per cent of students at the college at that time – which was then known as South Birmingham College – were successful, putting the college ahead of the national average of 81.4% and other FE and Sixth Form colleges in the region.

Great success rates were seen in many areas, including by adult learners on full time courses, who achieved 83.7% success, 16-18 year

olds on Level 1 courses with 85.3% and students on Level 3 courses with 83.1%.

Mike Hopkins said: “We are delighted with the results. Well done to all our staff who have helped our students achieve so much.

“We believe everyone should have the opportunity to an excellent education, whether they come to us with good grades or not. This is what makes our results so impressive – many students arrive with no qualifications and leave with some of the best in the region.”

Source: 2010/11 National Success Rates Tables by The Data Service

Learning resource centres renamed Library

The college’s learning resource centres have been renamed the Library following a student vote.

629 students participated in last term’s poll to decide a new name which would be used across all the college campuses and centres.

The top three votes were:

l In third place was “The Learning Resource Centre” with 149 votes, 23.3% of the total vote.

l In second place was “The Learning Hub” with 206 votes, 32.2% of the total vote.

l In first place was “The Library” with 284 votes, 44.4% of the total vote.

Students who gave their opinion were entered in to a prize draw to win a Kindle eBook reader. Hanna O’ Connell from Digbeth Campus was the lucky winner.

We are pleased to announce that each campus resource centre is now known as “The Library” and that library staff are now collectively known as “Library Services”.

News

College news

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NewsNews

College gets revved up at the Autosport ShowStaff and students from the Automotive and Engineering division were in action at the NEC this month. The Autosport International Show 2013 is a leading trade and consumer show that attracts over 75,000 visitors annually.

The college had a fantastic stand – big enough for our two race cars in fact – which showcased the courses and opportunities on offer to anyone who wants to study a motor vehicle or motor sport course. Students were taken along to help staff the stand but also to learn about the career options open to them and make valuable industry contacts. Staff and students even managed to negotiate with suppliers for some free equipment for the college.

The team ran a competition for one lucky visitor to win an iPad mini. A driving simulator was hooked up to one of the race cars on the stand and almost 100 people took the chance to try and win by setting the fastest lap. Also, anyone tweeting about the college using the hash tag #sccbauto could win £15 worth of iTunes vouchers!

The stand was a great success, and even attracted some celebrity visitors. Jake Humphrey, presenter of the BBCs coverage of Formula 1 popped by to say hello, as did a number of racing professionals including Matt Neal of British Touring Car Championship fame.

South and City College shortlisted for prestigious marketing awards

The marketing team at the college has been shortlisted for two prestigious marketing awards.

The team is in with a chance of winning awards in two categories in the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Marketing Excellence Awards.

Their work for their summer campaign ‘The Only Way is Birmingham/South and City College Birmingham’ caught the judges attention in the Not for Profit category; and their hard work, team effort and resilience for their work during the college merge earlier this year earned them a

place in the Marketing Team of the Year category.The awards are the ‘Oscars’ of the marketing world,

and celebrate achievement across a variety of sectors. The college is up against the likes of the NHS Blood and Transplant in partnership with Red Consultancy, the British Red Cross in partnership with Force-7 and ChannelFlip in the Not for Profit category and M&C Saatchi on behalf of the Olympic Delivery Authority/TfL and The Met Office for Team of the Year. The awards are held at the beginning of March.

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NewsNews

FE news

Careers guidance offered by schools is not good enough, review says

FE sector goes East

The Association of Colleges (AoC) has established a dedicated team in Delhi to help deliver the UK’s world-class vocational training alongside further education training providers in India in an effort to meet the country’s growing demand for skills.

The initiative is a partnership of 30 UK colleges and the AoC and is based at Sannam S4 Consulting Pvt Ltd. It will act as a hub for sharing best practice and forging strong ties between UK and Indian training providers and employers.

It is hoped that it will help both UK educational establishments and businesses explore opportunities, set up and expand their operations in India.

Minister for Skills, Matthew Hancock MP, officially launched the project on 22 January at the British High Commissioner’s Residence in front of a delegation of Indian and UK skills providers, industrial partners, government ministers and civil servants.

In addition, it has been announced that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Trade & Investment – the government-run agency that aims to help British interests abroad – will create Education UK, a new government unit to “capatalise on the growth of demand for UK education from abroad”. According to BIS, education exports are currently worth £14 billion to the UK, but this could rise to £21.5 billion by 2020.

An Education Select Committee review has found that the quality and quantity of young people’s career advice is not good enough and is getting worse.

The review which was published on the 23 January raised concerns about the consistency, quality, independence and impartiality of careers guidance now being offered to young people.

In particular it raises concerns about schools being biased and more concerned with filling their own sixth forms, than providing impartial advice to their pupils about opportunities available to them outside if the school.

Careers guidance was moved away from the local authorities and it’s Connexions service, and became the responsibility of schools in September 2012.

The Chair of the committee, Graham Stuart MP, said, “[Schools] put their own interests ahead of that of their pupils, restrict access to other education providers and make the filling of their sixth form places more of a priority than their statutory duty to provide independent and impartial advice and guidance for pupils.”

The review, announced in June, looked at how careers guidance was affected by the Education Act 2011. MP Stuart has called for the National Careers Service (NCS) to be extended to support schools.

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60 seconds with...

How to...

Fusion Centre – Performing Arts Room (G07)1. In the first instance, please contact the Events Team, who

will check the space is free.2. If the room is available on the date you have selected,

an email will be sent to Creative and the Music Technical teams to check that they do not plan to set up for any future events on the day you are interested in.

3. When the Music Technical Team and Creative have both confirmed that the room is free, the space will then be provisionally held and an email will be sent to you to arrange an initial planning meeting with the Events Team.

4. As staff are limited at the Fusion Centre, the Events Team will need to discuss your plans with you and confirm the associated costs.

Digbeth – Auditorium1. In the first instance, contact the Events Team. We have

access to the main diary for the auditorium and are aware of all curriculum activity in this room. Please note that in the week, Mondays and Fridays are the only available days (subject to availability).

2. If the room appears to be available on the date you have selected, an email will then be sent to the Music Technical team to check that they do not plan to set up for any future events on the day you are interested in and that they have the capacity to assist if you require use of the PA system.

3. When the Music Technical Team has confirmed that the room is free and that they are able to assist, the space will then be booked through the Events Team and an email will be sent to you to confirm.

Hall Green – HallContact the Reception Team who maintain the booking system. This is a centralised function and can be booked at any campus reception.

All Centres – BoardroomContact the Reception Team who maintain the booking system. This is a centralised function and can be booked at any campus reception.

All centres – ClassroomsThis can be done through your divisional secretary.

For any external event or occasion, regardless of room...These need to come through the Events Team so that they can be logged and associated financial paperwork completed.

Book rooms for internal events and occasionsPeter Watk

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Job title: MIS ManagerCampus: FordroughWhat are some key responsibilities of your role?I am responsible for returning information to the Data Service each month to secure the colleges funding (£60 million in 2012/13). I also act as a first point of contact for colleagues with technical MIS questions. I manage the team of Curriculum Support Officers, who’s job it is to work with each division on their timetabling, CMF and registers. I am responsible for the SAR reports on portal and produce a number of other reports to help colleagues monitor their key performance indicators. How long have you been working in the college? I have been at the college for five years, I have been in my current role for three months. Why do you think you have been so successful in serving the college and students? My job demands a keen eye for detail (some might say bordering on O.C.D.) which seems to fit my personality fantastically! I have to make sure that I keep a clear eye on important upcoming dates and keep a positive working relationship with my curriculum colleagues. What do you believe is your greatest accomplishment at the college? I think that making sure that the returns are sent each month (so that we all get paid) is pretty important! If my work each day allows teachers more time to focus on teaching then I feel that I have done a good day’s work. What has been your greatest challenge? My managers would definitely say that it is producing the SMT report on time each week. Tell us something interesting about you?My favourite hobby is to bake cakes – I often bring them into the office to share, and my manager will tell me off if he thinks that he has been too long without one. If your life turned into a movie what actor would you be?I think that the movie would have to be Clockwise and I would definitely be John Cleese.

Regulars

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InBusiness

South and City College’s InBusiness Network was launched last year and now has over 150 businesses onboard, with the foundations laid to build many more corporate relationships during 2013 and beyond.

Sir Doug Ellis OBE is the InBusiness’ Honorary President, which has opened many new doors of opportunity. Sir Doug’s reputation in business is first class and with his experience in the corporate world, our business network is growing at speed.

Of course our InBusiness network generates many different types of opportunities, but all our efforts in the business community will lead to realising our objective of helping our students develop a worthwhile career.

Late last year we teamed up with Michelin starred chef, Glynn Purnell, to create an apprenticeship programme leading to apprentice positions in his city centre restaurant and that ‘model’ of recruitment will be replicated across other sectors in the future.

Steve Dourass, and the InBusiness

Upcoming events

February

Chinese New Year10 February

Shrove Tuesday12 February

Valentine’s Day14 February

College Training Day15 February

Hair & beautyTreat yourself to some hair and beauty pampering at the college’s Salons. Salons are open Monday to Saturday at various times during the day and evening.

Thursday 14 January – 7 February at 9.15amEarly booking is advised!Pop into the Hair and Beauty reception or call us 0121 694 5093 to make an appointment.

*Skin test must be taken 24 to 48 hours before any treatment can take place.

What do they do?The Graphic Design TeamWHO ARE WE: We are James, Tahir and Kevan (apprentice) – the college’s graphic designers. We are based at Digbeth and work in the Marketing Department.

WHAT WE DO: We work closely with the marketing account managers and Reprographics team. Our role is to design all artwork for the college including posters, banners, billboard and website graphics, we also produce artwork for newspapers and magazine adverts.

HOW TO GET SOME DESIGN DONE: If you would like something designing, you need to go through one of the marketing account managers who will work with us to get the job done.

FYI: We do 40 design jobs on average each month!

team are looking to work closely with the college business services team and curriculum heads to create many other campaigns to replicate our successes so far – please contact our InBusiness team on 0121 694 5058 or email inbusiness@sccb.ac.uk – to find out how you can support our corporate strategies, to help make a difference.

Exciting programme ahead

HALF PRICEon Cut & Colour

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Jobs & trainingInternal and external vacancies

Sales Consultant – Business x2Fixed term – 12 months £22,904 – £37,116 pa

Main Grade Lecturer – Skills for Life English x2Fixed Term – 31/07/2013£22,904 – £37,116 pa (Maximum starting point – Point 4, £28,353)

Assistant Principal – InnovationPermanent – £63,000 – £69,379

Assistant Principal – Quality StandardsPermanent – £63,000 – £69,379

Cook / SupervisorPermanent – £15,704 – £16,421 Fte pa (August 2012 pay scales) Actual Salary £13,135 – £13,735 pa

Catering Assistant x2Permanent, £14,517 – £15,703 pa

Please see Elvis for more information and how to apply.

Hello & Goodbye

New staff

Jennifer Addo MGL Health and Social Care

Adam Comrey MGL Security/Public Services

Hussein Sheikh MGL Physics

Joanne Ellis HR and Legal Service Administator

Aimee Clark Student Services

Michael Harris Creative Technician

Lorraine Hester Student Services

Simon Jones Student Services

Asif Patel Student Services

Khaliq Masarat Canteen Services

Shane McFrancis Canteen Services

Azeem Khan HR and Legal Service Administator

David Mullard Assesor/Trainer

Linda Waldron Placement Officer

Ashnu Williams Placement Officer

Jim Bryant MGL GCSE & A2 Level

Natasha Crust MGL Health & Care

Brilliant Pongo Supported Learning

Leavers

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Della Freestainton

Senior Admin Co-ordinator,

MIS

BTEC Health & Social Care team have raised a fantastic £1028.71 for Children in Need.

Students working towards their OCR Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma in Business Skills held a charity event in support of Cancer Research UK. The students were responsible for planning, organising and participating in the event. A variety of homemade foods were available, including pretty cupcakes and tasty samosas. There was also a raffle with some great prizes including £40 towards a cut and colour at a hair salon in Shirley and a meal for 2 at the Ponte di Legno restaurant in Moseley. The group raised £195.56.

Doing our bit

If you have any issues with your computer, you can call the I.T Helpdesk on ext 6309 or #7 6309 if your calling from a former City campus.

The line is open Monday – Thursday, 8am - 7pm Fridays – 8am - 4pm

We will shortly be introducing a single college wide helpdesk system to be used by the support divisions. We will provide further information when this system is up and running.

In each issue of FYI we will be answering frequently asked questions and offering advice on reoccurring faults with PC’s and possible solutions.

This month’s I.T. Q&A Technology Tip:Q: What is a computer virus?A: A virus is a type of malicious software that installs itself onto your computer without your consent or knowledge. Viruses are often spread by e-mail attachments or instant messenger links, and can also be disguised in the code of a seemingly normal website. Once installed, a virus can interfere with the operation of your computer causing it to run slowly, reboot periodically and disable applications, among other effects. Some viruses can also steal personal information that you have stored on the computer and transmit it back to the source. It’s a good idea to check for viruses periodically, even if you haven’t noticed any unusual “symptoms” on your computer.

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CompetitionsThe following staff have been nominated by their respective curriculum divisions to act as Competition Champions.

They will be organising a series of internal college competitions for their students. The internal competitions will help to identify students who will go on to represent the college in the regional and hopefully national World Skills programme. Competition Champions will provide specialist training, mentoring and support to prepare students for the Worldskills competitions.

If a student is successful in progressing to the international competition, the college will be sending the relevant Competition Champion to support our student! The international competition is being hosted by Germany this year and Brazil in 2015!

Construction CraftAlan Mason Carl GourdonMark PaintainPascal QuinnAndy WalkerTrevor Huggins

Construction TechPaul FletherRobin FrancisAndy NolanDanny Nelson

ICTPaul StewartSkills for LifePhilipa GrimesKatie BlakemanCreative StudiesRichard Hamilton

Access to FESteve McGeever Retail & CommercialKeith DaviesLindsay TidmarshMark Williams

Automotive & EngineeringJohn CollinsJohn BootAndy WickettSteve Tulk

Customer Relations

Health & Safety

Annual Corporation Dinner 2012Each year our college governors host a formal dinner for all external parties that have supported us through the year, we used this dinner as a thank you and our showcase our achievements.

The food and service was provided by our Hospitality and Catering students, entertainment by our HND Music students and each curriculum division provided students work and success stories to display.

The evening was a great success and a reminder of how proud we should be to be part of SCCB and all that we’ve achieved so far.

Christmas Party 2012This year’s Christmas party was ‘Ice and Snow’ themed. Guests enjoyed a champagne reception and a cocktail bar. There was a live band playing some of your favourite songs on the refectory stage, and a DJ and starlight dance floor in the auditorium.

For those of you who had pictures taken on the ice thrones, the polar bear said he will not be coming back next year due to harassment claims currently going through the courts. To find out if you are one of the suspects, please follow the link below:

http://bwilkins.co.uk/wp/client/SCCB/Christmas_Party/SCCB_Christmas_Party_2012/Photos.html#grid

With the recent weather, it’s a good idea to have your vehicle fully serviced before we have any bad weather and have the anti-freeze tested. If you can’t have it serviced, then do your own checks to prevent a breakdown. In particular, check: l Lights are clean and working l Brakes are working well l Tyre condition, tread depth

and pressure (of all the tyres, including the spare)

l Windscreen, wiper blades and other windows are clean and the washer bottle filled with screen wash

l Battery is fully chargedl Fluids are kept topped up,

especially windscreen wash (to the correct concentration to prevent it freezing), anti-freeze and oil

l It’s also a good idea to stock up on de-icer, windscreen wash, oil and anti-freeze at the start of Winter.

When extreme weather is possible, keep an emergency kit in your car. Consider carrying the following: l Tow ropel Shovell Wellington bootsl Hi-vis vest and/or jacketl Hazard warning trianglel De-icing equipmentl First aid kit (in good order)l Torchl Blanketl Emergency Rations (inc. hot

drink in a flask – non-alcoholic, of course)

l Warm clothesl Mobile phone (fully charged)

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SCCB Cycle to Work SchemeThrough Cycle2Work, the college can provide you with a new bicycle and the appropriate cycling safety equipment and, providing the main use of the bike is for commuting to work, you will incur no tax or

Thinking Greener is our sustainability awareness campaign to help us achieve our carbon reduction goals and we need everyone to get involved. You will see and hear more about Thinking Greener in the coming months.

Did you knowAs part of the ongoing Handsworth

Campus refurbishment and in line with our Carbon Management Plan, we are installing high efficiency T5 fluorescent

and LED light fittings into the classrooms, offices, shared areas and gym facilities.

These light fittings offer substantial reductions in energy use – hence

reducing costs and carbon emissions.

National Insurance on the benefit. This means you will save more money compared to purchasing a bike outright yourself from the high street. Plus, by paying for this monthly from your salary, you will hardly notice the cost and there are no credit checks to satisfy. If you are interested in taking part in the scheme, please contact Anthony Higgins in HR on 0121 204 0133 (x5133) to discuss the costs involved.

Benefits to employeesl Savings of up to 42% on a new bike

and accessoriesl Regular exercise to keep fit and

healthyl Reduces commuting costsl Helps beat congestionl Helps minimise carbon footprint

The Sustainability ExchangeAt your finger tips you now have free access to the combined knowledge, guidance and support of all Tertiary Education. Comprising best practice guides, tool-kits, events, news, reports, research, webinars, videos, podcasts, communities and forums – all around the powerful and challenging topic of sustainability. Never before have all these resources and online forums been brought together to be accessed through a common gateway – and it’s all free!

Through a unique partnership of organisations, the Sustainability

We are currently looking for Green Champions – staff and students who would be interested in contributing and communicating real green initiatives that have a real impact on the carbon footprint and sustainability of our organisation. If you are interested in being a Green Champion, please email paul.clark@sccb.ac.uk

Get involved, be a Green Champion

Exchange reaches across all departments, functions, levels and themes, bringing together and supporting colleagues through an ever widening range of sustainability challenges. Please take and look and explore this resource at:www.sustainabilityexchange.co.uk

Please contact Paul Clark for an EAUC log in.

Are you Thinking Greener?Do you have a suggestion for reducing carbon at SCCB? Can you share with

colleagues examples of great sustainability practice? Can you tell us about how staff and students are taking part or driving sustainable

practices or initiatives across SCCB?Then please let us know! We can share your experiences and suggestions on this page

each month.

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Puzzle time

Wordsearch

Words to find:Baha Bhuddhism Catholic Christianity

Confucianism Dinillahi Hinduism Islam

Jainism Jewish Judaism Muslim

Shinto Sikhism Taoism Vodun

Wicca

c d m o v m c s u b f r b j m

z h i u u k o p i j a h j e a

y l r s p p n x b k u h m w l

x l l i e a f b y d h e a i s

w i x j s h u r d j n i l s i

m q s d u t c h g c i i s h o

c i h a l l i n i d j f m m x

j i x c m s a a m b u c s j t

e t l g m s n s n o t n i h s

u d w o n i i v v i q l u j s

u c j u h n s o b z t u d q k

s s d y i t m o a e s y n a k

r o m a a o a a d t c p i l s

v j j g j w i c c a f y h d z

j u d a i s m z n l l t t a x

T: 0800 111 6311 | E: hello@southandcity.com | www.southandcity.com

Although we will try our best, we can’t promise that everything will go in.

Your feedback and comments on FYI are welcome. Email newsletter@sccb.ac.uk

Send your stuff to newsletter@sccb.ac.uk

To save resources and paper, this newsletter will be sent electronically to every member of staff and will be available on Elvis. A small number of hard copies will be printed and sent to each division. If you are happy to just receive your electronic copy or would like to reduce or increase the number of hard copies you receive, please contact us on newsletter@sccb.ac.uk to let us know. Thanks.

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