Leeds City College Sport and Gymnasium Ernestinum Celle, a school in Germany, recently embarked on an ambitious project to explore how financial and physical environments shape sports coaching. Thanks to funding from UK-German Connection, students from both institutions spent five days in each country, immersing themselves in new sports, coaching techniques, and cultural experiences. The result was a deeper understanding of adaptability in sports, along with the formation of lasting friendships.
A Cross-Cultural Learning Experience
The project aimed to understand how sports coaches adapt their sessions based on financial and physical constraints. To achieve this, students and staff from both institutions participated in the exchange programme.
In mid-February, eight students and two staff members from Gymnasium Ernestinum Celle travelled to Leeds to kick off the project. During their stay, they engaged in various activities, including running coaching sessions at Power League, attending talks from guest speakers, and taking part in practical fitness activities. These sessions provided valuable insights into the challenges of coaching within different financial and infrastructural contexts.
Tilda Maecker, a student from Gymnasium Ernestinum Celle, reflected:
“My understanding of sports in other cultures has developed so much thanks to this trip. I didn’t know a lot about sports such as boxing, but I have now gained experience and a better understanding of them. I also really liked the talks about female athletes in England, as they reflected on the hardships of being a woman in a male-dominated field and having to face prejudice.”
The collaboration continued in March, when eight Leeds students and one staff member visited Germany. Here, the students were introduced to new sporting experiences, such as handball, bouldering, and CrossFit. This exchange not only enhanced their physical skills but also deepened their understanding of sports culture in another country.
Jake Quigley from Leeds City College shared his experience:
“The experience for me overall was really enjoyable. The social aspect was very fun, and it gave me the opportunity to build relationships with people you wouldn’t have met otherwise. It has improved my knowledge of fitness in different cultures and how their systems work.”
The programme had a profound impact on participants, broadening their perspectives on sports coaching and cultural diversity.
Ben Katborg, another Leeds City College student, expressed:
“My experience of the German exchange programme was definitely positive. I’ve developed my skills in coaching, learned new cultural sports and awareness, made new friends, and explored a new country. The most important thing I will take away from this experience is the friends I made and the time we had together.”
Lasting Impact
The exchange programme provided students with a unique opportunity to develop practical coaching skills while immersing themselves in different sporting cultures. It also fostered personal growth, friendships, and a deeper appreciation of how financial and physical environments shape sports training.
Through this initiative, both Leeds City College and Gymnasium Ernestinum Celle have strengthened their international ties, paving the way for future collaborations that promote cross-cultural learning and development in sports education.
This project was made possible through funding from UK-German Connection.
Students from Leeds have crossed the Irish Sea to find out how their new college block is being built.
Eight learners from Leeds Sixth Form College and Leeds City College flew to Belfast to visit the headquarters of modular buildings specialist, McAvoy.
The group was treated to a tour of the factory which included a look at modules – building units – that are being made for a new sports and science block at their Park Lane campus.
The students, who were welcomed by McAvoy’s Preconstruction Director, Stephen Clayton, also got a chance to see and control a new £650,000 combi-lift.
For Karen Chimbumu, that was the highlight of a ‘spectacular’ trip. She said: “The most amazing part was getting a chance to operate the combi-lift, which is one of its kind, and also watching my fellow students operate the VR headsets, which allowed them to ‘walk around’ the science and sports building.
“We also got to virtually construct a mini-module which was great and made us feel as though we were taking part in the actual modular building project. Overall the total experience was just spectacular – they all showed us great hospitality and gave us a top-tier experience.”
The trip was led by Park Lane Campus Operations Manager, Andy Shaw and Deputy Head of STEM at Leeds Sixth Form College, Alexandra Wilkinson. They were both delighted to see how much everyone got out of it. Ms Wilkinson said: “The visit gave students a unique opportunity to see how design, manufacturing and transport all work together to make the building we will have on our campus in early 2025. We’re looking forward to taking students to visit the site when our modules arrive in the new year.”
Mr Shaw added: “The trip gave me a whole new appreciation for the scale and craftsmanship involved in the construction of our new C Block.
“It was amazing to share this experience with the students and watch their excitement as they learned about the modular construction process and how innovative ideas can turn into reality.
“The McAvoy team was welcoming, passionate and professional, and the whole trip left us all feeling inspired. It was a privilege to witness such a forward-thinking approach to construction, and I’m excited to see this building in action.”
Modular construction involves making parts of a building at a different location and then putting them together on the development site. The approach can result in substantial cost and time savings, because construction of the units takes place in a remote factory while the on-site ground and foundation work gets underway.
Work on the new three storey block at Park Lane campus, which will create facilities for 250 more students in the Science and Sport departments at Leeds City College and Leeds Sixth Form College, began in September.
We were thrilled to launch National Apprenticeship Week with an inspiring event at our Printworks Campus, bringing together industry leaders and apprentices to explore the critical role of apprenticeships in AI adoption and the future of skills development.
We were honoured to welcome the Chancellor, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, and Microsoft UK CEO, Darren Hardman, alongside three outstanding apprentices – Hannah, Ria, and Oliver – who shared their insights on how apprenticeships are opening pathways into AI-driven careers.
The event sparked engaging discussions on how apprenticeships are not only building a strong talent pipeline but also accelerating AI adoption across industries.
AI is often recognised for enhancing efficiency, creativity, and value—key drivers of economic growth. However, without skilled individuals equipped with the right expertise, these opportunities remain untapped.
The panel discussion underscored the transformative impact of apprenticeships in closing the skills gap. Hannah, an Apprentice Data Scientist at Arup, noted, “Data and AI are transforming every sector. Apprenticeships allow you to move beyond the classroom and apply knowledge directly in the workplace.”
Similarly, Ria, a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft UK, emphasised that “an apprenticeship equips you with the skills to understand and apply AI in ways that create real opportunities for businesses.”
Oliver, a Data Analyst Apprentice at United Utilities, added, “AI holds incredible possibilities, and we’re only beginning to explore them – it’s an exciting time to be involved.”
The event continued with a thought-provoking panel discussion led by Darren Hardman, examining the intersection of business, skills, and regional growth in an AI-driven world.
Joining the conversation were Andrew Byrom, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Leeds City Council; Adrian Berry, Chief Technology Officer at ASDA; and Natalie Wilson, Vice Principal of Skills at Luminate Education Group.
Beyond the panel, the event featured workshops led by careers advisers and AI for Regional Growth roundtables, fostering valuable discussions on the future of work, the evolving skills landscape, and the role of businesses in supporting apprenticeships.
This event was not only a celebration of apprenticeships but also a call to action for businesses and policymakers to invest in workforce development. By embracing these skills, we can drive AI opportunities forward, benefiting both regional and national economies.
The Importance of National Apprenticeship Week
National Apprenticeship Week highlights the vast opportunities apprenticeships provide, ensuring future generations can access career-shaping experiences like those shared by our panellists. As we continue to celebrate throughout the week, we look forward to further discussions on how skills development fuels innovation and economic growth.
A huge thank you to Microsoft, the Chancellor, HM Treasury, and the Leeds City College team for making this event a resounding success!
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When it came to deciding on his next educational step, for Pancham Mutneja the answer was clear – T Levels offered the ‘best of both worlds’.
His Digital Support Services course, like all T Levels, has provided a mixture of quality work experience, through an industry placement, and classroom learning.
And for Pancham, who is relishing his time with cyber security specialists Sep2 in Leeds, things are working out just as he’d hoped they would.
He said: “My T Level has helped me develop both my hard and soft skills. I’ve learned how to configure routers and firewalls, create a network, carry out risk assessments and produce a disaster recovery plan.
“The course has also helped me go out and explore more of the industry to see how it actually functions and how people interact with each other, which has helped me develop my communication skills and become more outgoing.
“It has opened up opportunities outside the classroom too; in summertime there were lots of events going on which we had the opportunity to go to and talk to people, to see if we might get a placement.
“Which is what I did, and landed myself a placement with Sep2 which I’m really proud of.”
Pancham is excited about the range of technology he will be sampling during his time with Sep2. His tasks will include spending some time in the business’s Security Operations Centre (SOC) lab – a simulated environment for cybersecurity training.
He said: “I’ll have the opportunity to gain experience with a lot of different software that they use, including the one used by Check Point, the company that provides secure firewalls.
“I’ll have the opportunity to configure and learn how to manage those firewalls and manage the infrastructure as a whole.
“They’re also giving me a chance to learn cybersecurity skills in their SOC lab, which is quite great as I’m really interested in this field.”
When it comes to recommending the T Level route to others, Pancham has no doubts about doing so.
He said: “I think it’s better than doing A levels because a T Level qualification provides you with the equivalent of three A levels anyway, so you still have the opportunity to go on to university if you want to. But it also provides you with a work placement in the industry you want to go into, which is so useful.
“A placement gives you hands-on experience so you get to learn how they actually work within the industry, rather than just having theory-based knowledge.
“And through the placement you may also have an option to get an apprenticeship with the company, or they might just straight-up hire you.”
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Meet Saffron (Saffy) Blellock, one of our Cybersecurity & Networking students who is dedicated to spreading awareness about the benefits of T Levels.
She shares how being a T Level ambassador has enabled her to develop practical workplace skills while making an impact on others.
I first discovered the opportunity to become a T Level ambassador through one of my tutors. After learning more about what the role involved, I decided to join the wider T Level community and help raise awareness of T Levels as a post-16 qualification.
My role mainly involves spreading awareness in various ways, such as engaging with the public or sharing my positive experiences on social media. All ambassadors use an app to log activities we take part in – it’s great to see how everyone in the community is giving back.
I enjoy every aspect of being an ambassador, but particularly value the chance to educate people about the opportunities T Levels provide after secondary school. It’s an incredible privilege to make a difference and support someone as they decide how to pursue their career goals.
As an ambassador, I participated in *Luminate Education Group’s Next Gen: Choices Fair and Leeds Digital Careers Fair. I hosted ‘inspire pods’ to help visitors learn what cybersecurity and networking looks like in action. I also showcased the advanced technology we use on the course and shared insights about work experience and extracurricular activities, such as industry placements, hackathons and networking with industry professionals.
Serving as an ambassador has improved my presentation, public speaking and communication skills, and boosted my confidence. I also like having the opportunity to develop transferable skills while making an impact on others.
I sometimes find the lack of public knowledge about T Levels challenging and have spoken to people who’ve never heard of them. I try to rectify this by explaining what the qualification involves and what students can expect from the [Cybersecurity & Networking] course. Answering people’s questions and helping them understand how they could benefit from T Levels is an important and rewarding part of my role.
I am currently one of five T Level ambassadors at Leeds City College and I’d highly encourage others to consider joining us. All it takes is a good understanding of what T Levels entail and a genuine passion for your subject area.
It’s not only ambassadors – any T Level student can share their experiences. I believe it helps more people consider T Levels, as they can connect with others who have taken the course.
It’s fantastic that more people are becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities available after leaving secondary school. I’m now training as a STEM ambassador and look forward to raising even more awareness.
*Leeds City College is a member of Luminate Education Group.
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Providing a rich experience for students is a priority at Leeds City College and sport plays a key role in achieving this.
The Student Life Enrichment team at Leeds City College works with Leeds United Foundation to deliver high quality football enrichment programmes and additional opportunities to enhance the student experience.
The Student Life Enrichment team delivers open and curriculum enrichment opportunities that develop students employability skills, including but not limited to communication, collaboration and problem solving.
Here we explore this successful partnership and the positive impacts it has delivered.
Leeds United Foundation’s mission is to use the power of football to enhance the lives of people through opportunities in sport, education and healthier lifestyles. The Foundation is the charity arm of Leeds United Football Club.
It uses the power of Leeds United to support and inspire people through a range of activities, including health and social education in primary and secondary schools, community volunteering, and sports participation for everyone.
This enables young people to make positive choices about their lives and futures. The foundation also helps to tackle loneliness amongst people of all ages.
Leeds City College’s Student Life Enrichment team has worked with Leeds United Foundation staff to offer football opportunities to people over 16 years of age as part of the Active Through Football Project.
The Foundation has provided staff support for enrichment sessions as well as providing opportunities for students to attend Leeds United matches and take part in tours of Elland Road stadium.
Since its establishment more than three years ago the partnership has evolved to ensure that students get the best possible experience.
Thanks to support from Leeds United Foundation staff, we have been able to engage with more of our students. For example, over the 2023-2024 academic year more than 230 students participated in football activities with 1,500 engagements across the year.
Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with many saying they had access to opportunities that would not be possible without this partnership. Over the past three seasons more than 30 students have attended Leeds Utd matches with over 300 attending stadium tours.
Additionally, the partnership has allowed Leeds City College to access opportunities across other areas of the Foundation’s work, including working with their National Citizen Service (NCS) team to introduce these opportunities to students who are learning English as a new resident in this country.
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In a world where safety is a growing concern, especially for women and girls in public spaces, initiatives like Ask for Angela (AFA) play a crucial role in providing discreet support when it’s needed most.
Developed by Leeds City Council and Women Friendly Leeds, Ask for Angela is a scheme used in the hospitality industry where you can ask for ‘Angela’ to discreetly signal to staff that you feel unsafe or threatened and would like assistance.
As part of this fantastic initiative, Leeds City College’s Creative Arts students along with a student from Leeds Conservatoire, collaborated with Women’s Lives Leeds to produce a training video promoting women’s safety to staff across 600 venues throughout the region.
Through their excellent teamwork, filming and acting skills, the students have not only produced an informative video but hopefully have empowered others to be able to act if someone needs support.
We sat down with two of the students who worked on the video to hear about their experience.
Student, Lucas Nettleton, enjoyed the opportunity to work as part of a team. Lucas said, “I got to work with different people and make something I was really passionate about. My highlight would probably be everyone working together to make sure that everything ran smoothly.”
The project allowed Lucas to expand their skillset – not just in video editing, but also through their organisational skills. “One of the biggest skills I learned during the project was accountability. I was the person who was editing the video as well as assisting with the production and filming, so I had quite a few deadlines to meet to keep the project rolling.”
The experience was eye-opening for the students, pushing them to balance creativity with practicality. Kaitlyn Pang, a student working on the project, said: “We all had different ideas and ambitions during the project, it was difficult to really solidify a final idea.
“I often drifted into the artistic direction during pre-production rather than staying focused on the subject. It was a project where we had less creative input and more crucial matters to focus on.”
Not everything went as planned, with technical issues causing delays to the project timeline. However, overcoming the challenges causing these delays provided the students valuable experience working alongside a crew in a real-life filming environment.
Kaitlyn said, “We had to re-record half of the scenes as our microphone stopped working halfway through the day. In the future, we will definitely be checking the equipment often to avoid this problem again. It meant we spent more time recording and had to call back our volunteer actress instead of moving on to editing.”
“It was a great project and taught me a lot about working on a real set with our own crew members! I’m glad to have hopefully helped the community around us.”
Ultimately, the AFA project was more than just a creative challenge – it was an opportunity to make a tangible difference to women’s safety.
Lucas said, “It’s great knowing our work could help protect someone or guide a staff member in a tough situation. That’s a rewarding feeling.”
“This project wasn’t just about creating something artistic—it was about focusing on a real issue and contributing to a safer community. We’re proud to have been part of it.”
The project was led by Social Action Coordinator, Florence Smith-Drayson, who said. “This was such a fantastic project to get involved in and I am so pleased we had the opportunity.
“We, at Leeds City College, have developed a great relationship with Women Friendly Leeds and have been working with them for a few years now and they have always been keen to stay connected with the students.
“I was approached by Sara, the Ask for Angela Project worker, who asked me to get involved in the project – I had no idea what the outcome was going to look like.
“We recruited the students and they were eager to be involved, take on leadership skills and put to use the knowledge they had learned in their course. The outcome was fantastic and has resulted in an excellent awareness resource for Women Friendly Leeds and Leeds City Council.
“The work I do looks at the impact on the community and it has been fantastic that we have been able to impact so many visitors to the 600 venues in Leeds that are signed up to Ask for Angela.”
Providing adults with volunteering opportunities that teach valuable employability skills is one of the ways we’re readying people for the workplace.
Since January 2023, a group of our Adult & Community learners have been volunteering at Oxfam’s national sorting centre on a monthly basis, where items are sorted for resale and recycling.
The Northern Logistics Centre, which is situated in Batley and home to both the charity’s Festival Shop and Online Shop teams, handles 12,000 tonnes of textiles every year from donations to Oxfam, making it a truly hands-on operation.
Capitalising on the charity’s need for adults who can generously donate their time during the day, each month between eight and 12 of our adult learners volunteer at Oxfam to sort through, process and price donated stock, receiving a free lunch and reimbursed travel costs in return.
Supported by Oxfam members of staff, the placements allow the students to connect with like-minded people and gain valuable employability skills, such as teamwork, communication, organisation and flexibility. Those who have helped with listing items online have also improved their digital skills.
These experiences have benefited a range of learners, including those with varied levels of English language skills and those with no previous work experience.
Our partnership with Oxfam has proven particularly helpful for adult learners who are new to the country or haven’t worked in the UK before, providing them with opportunities to learn transferable skills in a busy retail environment.
The hands-on nature of the Oxfam volunteering placement has made it a popular hit over the last 18 months, with many students choosing to re-volunteer.
Although each placement typically lasts half a day, students are provided with a varied experience, touring the warehouse whilst learning about the wider business operation, which includes Oxfam’s upcycling, sustainability and ecommerce teams.
Tasks range from deciding where clothes should go next to labelling items for one of Oxfam’s 500 shops, with these being just some of the ways students have helped.
Speaking about the scheme, one student said: “It was a wonderful day and a good volunteering experience. I am grateful to Leeds City College and all the Oxfam warehouse staff for this wonderful opportunity. I am glad to get to know you better and the whole wonderful friendly team.”
Creating a culture of wellbeing and working towards removing the stigma associated with mental health is vital for providing students with the confidence to ask for help.
For more than five years, we have has been jointly working with the MindMate Support Team (MMST), an early intervention emotional wellbeing service for children and young people up to the age of 19.
Part of the national Mental Health Support Team Trailblazer Pilot, MMST’s services are provided by Leeds Community Healthcare (LCH) and are delivered in partnership with educational settings such as ours.
The partnership sees MMST working alongside our in-house wellbeing team to help staff provide direct interventions across our campus including coping with anxiety, understanding low mood and guided self-help for eating difficulties.
It has played a key role in enabling a college wide approach to be embedded into our operations, providing training in areas including mental health awareness, managing stress, and staff wellbeing, alongside many other workshops ranging from mindfulness techniques to promoting healthy sleep. We are also able to make use of MMST workbooks and other resources.
Through this approach we ensure that students are supported effectively from the first contact we have with them. With a focus on early intervention and wellbeing support, we respond to student referrals in a timely manner, provide information, and signpost and facilitate external referrals to relevant services, to ensure students receive specialist support where required.
Our partnership has been transformational in how we provide mental health and wellbeing services to our students and has made a really positive impact across our teams.
MMST’s specialist expertise and knowledge has been used to train and upskill staff and has helped to build capacity within the Leeds City College wellbeing team by providing direct one to one and group support on topics such as anxiety, low mood, exam stress and worry management.
CPD opportunities have been provided and staff have been upskilled on emotional and mental health topics alongside providing resources and information that can be used for PSHE sessions.
Workbooks have been used by the college’s counselling and mental health officers in their sessions and are available to all college staff to use.
The teams work collaboratively to ensure that individual students are provided with the best support for their needs. This might be one of our in-house counsellors or a dedicated MMST practitioner.
Thanks to our positive and long-standing partnership we have jointly developed a triage process, completed departmental and college-wide mental health and wellbeing audits, shared resources with pastoral staff and delivered training and workshops to staff and students.
Through working with MMST over a long period we have been able to reach more students and provide a wider option of mental health support.
For example, between August and November 2023, our wellbeing team saw the number of self-referrals almost double to more than 100 compared to the previous three months. The number of referrals made by a professional jumped by more than 50 to 178.
In the same period referrals by 14 to 16 year olds increased by 40% while those from 17 to 18 year olds jumped by more than 50%. We also saw referrals by minority ethnic groups positively increase.
Feedback from students we have supported has been positive, with individual members of the team being described as “amazing” and others being thanked and appreciated for their help.
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Understanding what a career in digital looks like is one thing, but experiencing it is another.
Sometimes, you need to be connected to the people who can share their journeys, answer your questions and advise you on the steps to take.
This was the case for 11 T Level students at Leeds City College who attended a three-day careers masterclass hosted by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Digital earlier this year.
Aimed at introducing the learners to real-world work environments, the trip offered a rare opportunity to explore jobs at DWP, develop industry-specific skills and network with professionals.
Now, as five students begin work placements at DWP Digital, we take a look back to what they got up to.
The masterclass kicked off with a deep dive into the wide range of digital career roles, providing invaluable insights into different available pathways.
Our students, who study various T Levels in Digital & IT, were introduced to a range of professions, including content design, development operations and digital marketing, and were able to explore what makes each specialism so unique.
Afterwards, industry professionals shared their own career journeys, discussing their roles and how they got to where they are today.
These discussions provided our students with a first-hand look at careers in digital infrastructure and digital communication, helping them to identify and narrow down any careers they would potentially like to pursue.
To broaden their understanding of different specialisms whilst providing a taste of life at DWP, our students were allocated a job specialism and a brief from a client – then tasked with fulfilling it.
The activity required them to work collaboratively, applying design-thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills to come up with an innovative solution.
By presenting their solutions back to a panel, our students not only experienced a glimpse of the ideation aspect of project planning, but gained an example of good client management to draw from in future employment.
The final day focused on preparing students for the next steps in their careers. All 11 students participated in mock interviews tailored to the roles they aim to pursue in the future.
This provided them with crucial feedback and an opportunity to practise presenting themselves confidently in professional settings, helping to refine their communication skills.
The event concluded with the exciting news that five of the participating students will be starting separate data analytics and digital engagement work placements at DWP Digital in October, allowing them to further hone their skills, gain hands-on experience and build professional connections within the industry.
Events like these play a crucial role in equipping students with practical experience, whilst helping them transition smoothly from education to the workforce.
We’re incredibly proud of our students and excited to see what the future holds for them as they continue their journey in the digital industry.
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We have joined up with organisations across the city, led by Leeds Health and Care Academy, to launch an online platform to inspire people about the wealth of roles the healthcare sector offers.
Career Compass Leeds went live on 25 September 2024, with a launch event hosted by our Quarry Hill campus, and is now available for use.
The development of Career Compass Leeds is the first of its kind for the sector in West Yorkshire. An innovative web-based platform, it has been designed to help people navigate through the wide range of health and care positions that are available in the region.
Career Compass Leeds contains information on more than 100 different roles in the industry – including less obvious ones like pathologist, lawyer, chef, debt advisor and volunteer coordinator.
The user completes a quiz of 30 questions, designed by an occupational psychologist, to identify their preferences and interests. The answers are used to suggest a list of positions that they are well matched to. The individual is then invited to find out more about what the role entails, the available routes into it and any required qualifications.
Input from our students helped to keep the focus person centred, user friendly and tailored to the individual user.
Co-chair of the steering group, Kate O’Connell (Director of Leeds Health and Care Academy and Leeds Strategic Workforce) said:
“Working closely with employers, education providers and members of the public across the city has been the key to co-designing and developing Career Compass Leeds, the first of its kind in the region.
“We are proud to launch a platform that will inspire and connect people with real opportunities in the Leeds health and care sector, both now and for the future.”
The platform has been developed through a city-wide collaboration of health and care partners including Leeds City College and: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds City Council, Thrive by Design, Leeds Trinity University, Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and Forum Central.
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Art students from Leeds City College have created a stunning new mural for The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
The NSPCC invited Level 3 Art & Design students Bear Foley Mitchell (Age 18) and Lauren Atkinson (Age 19) along with teacher and artist Clare Booker to create a mural for their Leeds hub office space.
Bear, Lauren and Clare were part of the larger team who created a mural for the NSPCC Leeds hub in June of 2023, transforming two walls of a plain, white corridor into a colourful, abstract of nature featuring leaves, rainbow and flowers. The positive response from NSPCC staff and service users prompted an invitation back to create a new mural this year.
The new mural leads to therapy rooms where NSPCC practitioners work with children and young people on services including Letting the Future In, which supports those who have experienced sexual abuse, and Domestic Abuse Recovering Together, which helps children and mothers rebuild relationships after experiencing domestic abuse.
Local artist and teacher of art and design Clare Booker commented:
“Last year the NSPCC in Leeds approached the college, asking whether our art students would be interested in painting a mural for their office spaces. They wanted to create a calm, relaxed environment for those who use the space.
“The charity loved what the students produced and discussed more future projects. They got in touch again earlier this year, with a different room in mind. Again the brief was to create a relaxing and calm environment and to provide a space in which young children and teenagers would feel at ease.
“Two students from L3 Art & Design and myself worked on some designs, focusing on the theme of landscape. We considered which colours would work together and how we could incorporate different elements our designs into one bigger landscape.
“The final design was then scaled this up for the wall mural. The painting took 3 days to complete, using household emulsion paint.
“This was a great experience for the students, who arrived early each day, keen to get started. It was rewarding for myself, as a teacher, to see the students enjoying the process and taking responsibility, making important creative decisions independently.
“We worked really well as a team, dividing the areas of the painting so we could all work on it together. Hopefully more projects to come soon!”
Pictured: Bear Foley Mitchell and Lauren Atkinson
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Pathways into nursing, teaching, music and more have opened up for students celebrating their GCSE – plus Level 1 and 2 vocational – results.
Among those looking forward to taking their next steps after opening their result papers on Thursday 22 August was 38 year old Kenny Knott.
Kennny already had A levels, a 2:1 history degree and a 15 year career in the army (plus seven in the reserves) under his belt.
But to pursue his dream of becoming a history teacher, he had to go back to education to get the ‘missing piece’ in his qualifications, GCSE maths.
Kenny, who is married with an eight year old daughter, had to juggle family life and work with his studies but it has all paid off – as he discovered when he opened his results on-air during a live radio interview.
He said: “I’m over the moon! To get the grade five I was after is so emotional, it overcame me a little bit. Maths is hard, and it doesn’t get easier – algebra hasn’t changed since my school days.
“I just want to say thank you to Laurence Lennon and the team at Leeds City College, they’ve been amazing.
“I joined the army at a young age, was with the Yorkshire Regiment 15 years, then did my A levels in a year and my history degree. But I want to teach history and I still needed my GCSE maths before I could do my training, so I came here.
“The staff, and especially Laurence, have been absolutely fantastic and were always at hand to help with anything I needed,.”
Currently working as an Army Reserve recruiter, Kenny is now looking forward to starting his teacher training, in Leeds, this September.
Another parent-student, 38 year old Vitor Bonanca, was delighted to achieve a grade 9 in his maths GCSE.
He said: “I have two babies at home and the youngest, who is just four months, was born in the middle of my course so I couldn’t really study there much!
“But my wife supported me a lot with that and I come from a science background, so going to the maths class was kind of a pleasure to me.
“I’m really pleased with my grade – I was expecting a good one, but not necessarily a 9!”
Vitor now plans to do a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
At the other end of the age scale, 14+ Academies students Lara Sweeney and Billy Wilkinson were both celebrating passing all of their GCSEs.
Sixteen year old Billy, who now has his sights on further college studies and then university, said: “I’m really glad I came here; I wouldn’t be who I am today without this college.
“I’ve made a lot of friends and the teachers treat you like an adult and show you respect.”
Lara, also 16, took study leave earlier this year to focus on her revision. She said: “It was the best feeling ever to see that I’d done well; I was up really late the night before stressing, and thought it would be a miracle to pass.
“I’m off to CAPA College in Wakefield now, to focus on my singing, drama and all my music.”
GCSE results day is always a big moment for Leeds Sixth Form College’s Step-Up Pathway students, too. For Constance Mitchell, for example, her grades mean she can now take a step closer to her goal of becoming a nurse by enrolling for a T Level here at Leeds City College.
The 17 year old said: “I’d convinced myself I was going to fail but I did really well and got the grades I needed, so I’m looking forward to doing my T Level at Quarry Hill.”
She also has no hesitation in recommending the Step-Up access programme to anyone: “It’s been really great, I’ve made friends for life here and not just the students, the staff as well. It’s been a really good experience.
“Step-Up is like a second chance and a reminder that your first GCSE results aren’t the be-all and end-all, there are options – like this – to fall back on.”
ESOL student Yulia Sakhno meanwhile, who moved to Leeds after fleeing the war in Ukraine, had mixed fortunes, passing her maths while failing her English.
But she was still grateful for her college experience, and full of gratitude for her teachers. She said: “Starting life in a new country was challenging, but I knew that improving my English and gaining recognized qualifications were key to finding work.
“That’s why I joined the Maths GCSE course here. Although I already have a strong background in maths from my education in Ukraine, the course was still very useful. It helped me understand the differences in approaches between the UK and Ukrainian systems, while also improving my English, especially in mathematical terminology.
“Having this GCSE certification is an important step toward building a better future here.”
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Our Level 3 students have been sharing their dreams for the future after celebrating their final results.
T Level and BTEC students, along with A levels students at Leeds Sixth Form College (LSFC), received their final grades on Thursday 15 August.
For many, the day marked a chance to relax and reflect after years of hard work, and – at Park Lane campus – to talk about their next steps with TV, radio and newspaper teams.
Digital and IT T Level student Loukas Arthington was one of a number who will be carrying on their training through a degree apprenticeship.
Loukas said he was ‘really happy’ to have gained a distinction in his T Level. Looking forward to taking up his apprenticeship with Leeds Beckett University, he explained the appeal: “I’ll be getting paid while doing it so not having to get in debt, while also being paid, is going to be good!”
Our new Students Union President, Shaik Mohammed Qasim, meanwhile was pleased to receive a merit in his Level 3 BTEC in Aviation.
Shaik is still considering a future that sees him land his dream job, as a pilot. For the next few years, though, he is going to focus on working and developing his SU role and interest in politics.
He said: “I’m extremely happy with my result, I’ve really been putting the work in so I got the reward.
“Now I’m working as the SU President here and that’s what I intend to do next year, run for a second year in the elections and hopefully win.”
Health, plus Education and Early Years T Level students, meanwhile, came into Quarry Hill campus to celebrate their results.
Leah Griffiths’ distinction in her Health T Level – which includes a placement in a hospital or healthcare setting – means she has secured a place at the University of Leeds, where she will study adult nursing.
Reflecting on her course and time with Leeds City College, she said: “It’s been absolutely amazing, it’s such a good opportunity to learn what you actually want to do.”
That was a view echoed by Patryk Aniolkowski, who achieved a distinction in his T Level Education and Childcare course. Patryk said: “I most enjoyed going to Spain for a two week placement where we had the opportunity to teach in a Spanish school.”
A level students at LSFC also had a great day, with Toby Oughton claiming ‘bragging rights for life’ after becoming one of our very first students to secure a place at Oxford University.
The 18 year old celebrated his achievement – secured with As in Philosophy and Psychology and a B in Fine Art – with a shout of joy and a lap of the Park Lane campus.
He said: “I’m so unbelievably happy, I’ve been so stressed for the last few months.
“It’s not been easy and there’s been a lot of work, but it paid off. I‘m going to Oxford and I’m one of the first from here to do so – so I get bragging rights for life!
“I will be getting some friends together and having a drink to celebrate.”
He is now looking forward to starting at Oxford, where he will study philosophy and theology, this autumn.
Others celebrating included Dawud Fiaz, whose results – two As and an A* – mean he will be heading to Kings College London later this year to study social sciences.
Fellow A level student Jason Cheung, meanwhile, achieved As in History, Geography and Maths and will now study geology at the University of Leeds. He said: “It has been a great two years and I’ve met some inspiring teachers, especially my geography teacher who inspired me to go down this career path.
“Great people, great place!”
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