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Demelza is a charity that assists families with young members suffering from terminal and very serious illnesses.

SVP is the Society of St Vincent de Paul who help anyone experiencing poverty. They are there for individuals and families, providing resources and opportunities for mutual support.

The appeal ran throughout Lent and encompassed a variety of social action initiated by our students, including donations of chocolate Easter eggs.

Cross-Site Easter Egg Competition: Congratulations to all participants in our Cross-Site Easter Egg Competition! Together, we raised 655 eggs, with St Mary’s contributing 405, Emmanuel 80, and Aquinas 170. Well done to all involved!

Buon viaggio!

The CTK Rome trip has commenced! Look out for our Rome 2024 diaries to see what the group get up to each day!

The Level 3 students studying the UAL Applied General qualification in Art & Design course at CTK Emmanuel attended a workshop at the Autograph Gallery in East London to take part in a Workshop: Preserving the Archive.  Autograph is a place to see things differently. Since 1988, they have championed photography that explores issues of race, identity, representation, human rights and social justice, sharing how photographs reflect lived experiences and shape our understanding of ourselves and others. 

Autograph gallery is an inclusive space where the myriad stories of marginalised people are valued and cared for, presented, published, discussed, shared and spread. Through an encounter with an Autograph project students discover: 

• How photography can speak to many different experiences 
• Learn about subjects and stories left out of historical and contemporary visual records. 
• Recognise their own potential ‘agency’ in making and looking at images every day. 

Nana Reynier takes over as Chair from Dr Rupert Evenett MBE, who has been a Foundation Governor at Christ the King Catholic Sixth Form, for over 17 years. CTK is a highly successful sixth form that has three sites in South East London and Kent. CTK Aquinas is a selective A Level centre for excellence, offering a wide range of A Level courses aimed at high-achieving students. CTK Emmanuel is a professional centre for excellence, offering Technical and Professional programmes equivalent to three A Levels and highly specialised routes to university. CTK St Mary’s is a sixth form centre for excellence offering a wide curriculum of A Level and Applied Technical qualifications.

Executive Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms, Shireen Razey, says:
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Nana as Chair of Governors, following the outstanding tenure of Rupert. Nana has a wealth of experience and is dedicated to education and community wellbeing. We are thankful to Rupert for his commitment to our Christ the King Community.”

Nana brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, having been a Foundation Governor at Christ the King since 2019, she is currently Vice Chair. With a highly successful career in the Civil Service, where she held a senior position in education policy and conducted significant project reviews, Nana has demonstrated a deep understanding of the educational landscape. Nana is currently the Director of People Services and Products and was previously Director of People Experience at Citizens Advice and Head of Organisation and People Development at the University of Greenwich.
Dr Rupert Evenett MBE hands the baton to Nana at an exciting time, following the Sixth Forms 30th Anniversary celebrations and a highly successful Ofsted. The sixth form has an innovative curriculum which meets the needs of local students, including T Levels, BTEC and A Level qualifications.
Over £5 million has been invested in the property strategy over the past 3 years to ensure students have outstanding in class and social spaces. This has included university-grade science labs, state-of-the-art business conferencing rooms, industry-standard engineering facilities and equipment, along with the establishment of a hospital mock ward and child development facilities.

Nana commented:
“Supporting students to realise their ambitions and tapping into and utilising their true potential to the full is at the core of CTK. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to continue to support CTK in helping students make this a reality. I continue to be impressed by the outstanding students at CTK and the amazing staff that are working collaboratively to elevate the achievements of our students”.

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Governor at CTK and playing a key role in transforming lives for the better please contact CTK’s Clerk to Governors, governance@ctksfc.ac.uk

We are delighted to announce that we have received good by Ofsted, in the latest inspection.

You can find our full report here

Husband and wife joint gift appeal runs for the fourth year! 

Christ the King Sixth Forms and East Kent Colleges Group are set to work on another Christmas campaign, this time seeking to raise more than ever before in donations and gifts. 

Now in its fourth year, the campaign run by husband-and-wife team Shireen Razey (Executive Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms) and Graham Razey (Chief Executive at EKC Group) targets those in need, spreading festive cheer through the collaboration, with donations and gifts totalling over £20,000 so far. 

The Christmas Gift Appeal and charity art auction, organised by Christ the King Sixth Forms (CTK) and East Kent Colleges Group (EKC), aspire to continue this tradition. The gifts, donations and funds raised will go towards child hospice charity Demelza, Refuge, Lewisham Foodbank, homelessness charity The Manna Society and the St Vincent De Paul Society, which tackles poverty and disadvantage. 

Shireen Razey, Executive Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms said:  

“We are delighted to be organising our annual Christmas Gift Appeal again this year. We know what a difference it makes to the local charities we support. Many families continue to face real hardship, and we hope our appeal makes a difference to those at Christmas time. CTK staff and students contribute hugely to social action work within the local community throughout the year, and we are always touched by your kind donations to our Christmas Appeal.” 

The art auction involves students and staff from both College groups donating artworks to be sold in support of charity. We are grateful to those who bid on the students’ artwork, helping us raise nearly £700.

Thank you to those who contributed towards the campaign via the colleges ‘GoFundMe’ link. An incredible sum was raised for the five charities we supported this year.

The charities we supported are:

St Vincent de Paul Society

Demelza Hospice Care for Children

The Manna Society

Lewisham Foodbank

Refuge

For further information please contact:

Christ the King Sixth Forms: Robyn Brown r.brown@ctksfc.ac.uk 

Christ the King Sixth Forms: Rhiana Octave r.octave@ctksfc.ac.uk

Click on the image below to find out more.

The third and final of the CTK Open Days ended with CTK Emmanuel. The event went ahead on Saturday 14th October, where we were joined by nearly 170 prospective students. 

The student ambassadors worked tirelessly and professionally to chauffeur individual groups of prospective students and their parents/carers around the building as they answered questions and showed our guests to the relevant subject areas. 

Staff also played a key role on the day, interacting with interested students and taking them through the subject course. Some subject ambassadors remained in their classrooms to support their teachers and give the prospective students a real feel of what it would be like to study a T Level, BTEC or A Level Professional Pathway at CTK Emmanuel by giving them an introduction to the classroom facilities as well as showcasing their fantastic work. 

Principal talks were conducted by site principal Mr. Simon Spearman and Executive Principal Shireen Razey. These sessions offered a comprehensive overview of the diverse subjects and opportunities available at CTK Emmanuel. The feedback from our visitors was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting their satisfaction with the event.

We extend our gratitude to the students and staff whose efforts contributed to the event’s success. A heartfelt thank you to the prospective students and parents/carers for their delightful presence and participation.

Almost 1000 students at Christ the King Sixth Forms (CTK) are celebrating excellent A Level and BTEC results.  Students have shown resilience and determination to land top grades which is a testimony to their hard work. Christ the King Sixth Form has three sites across Southeast London and Kent and yet again CTK students were able to achieve outstanding A Level and BTEC success and secure places at their chosen university destinations. 

Students at CTK Aquinas have achieved outstanding results, with a 98% A Level pass rate and 21 A Level subjects achieving a 100% pass rate. This is especially impressive being above the national UK pass rate of 97.3%.

Over 500 students at CTK studied BTEC extended qualifications (3 A Level equivalent) with a pass rate of 99, and 70% of those received Distinction or above gaining places at highly competitive universities.

It is remarkable that this is a group of young adults, who sat their first ever external examinations this year, having spent most of their Year 10 and 11 at secondary school being taught from home due to the pandemic and being unable to sit GCSE examinations in summer 2021.  This year group are also the first cohort since 2019 to have their grades adjusted in line with ‘pre-COVID’ grade profiles. These results demonstrate what resilience and determination this cohort of students have repeatedly shown. 

CTK Executive Principal, Shireen Razey said “I am immensely proud of what our students have achieved this year. Students at each of our specialist Sixth Forms have shown real resilience and determination to succeed in their studies, and I am delighted to be able to celebrate their outstanding results today. A big thank you to our students’ parents/carers for their invaluable support. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the committed staff at CTK whose dedication and care have played a key role in our students’ success. I wish each of our students every future success in their university, apprenticeship and employment destinations and look forward to hearing of their great achievements as CTK Alumni.”  

Some student thoughts about their experience of studying at CTK:

Daniel Dimitrovski

A Level Maths (A*), Further Maths (A*), Physics (A), Computer Science (A) and EPQ (A*)

University of Oxford

“I have always been greatly supported by everyone at CTK. One of the things I have enjoyed the most, is the engaging lectures from professional and outstanding teachers. My greatest achievements have been gaining a distinction in the Maths Olympiad and now getting into Oxford University to study Maths and Computer Science. My teachers really helped me prepare for my university interview and I am very grateful to everyone at CTK for the opportunities I have been given. I leave CTK with enhanced motivation to excel in my further studies and to build a strong career in Maths and Computer Science with a focus on Cryptography.”

Dami Adedoyin-Adeniyi

A Level History (A), Religious Studies (A), Sociology (A) and EPQ (A*)

University of Oxford

“CTK has been a very positive experience, mostly because the staff have offered such great support. The teachers are all very helpful and are specialists in their chosen subjects. I have been given extensive opportunities to enhance my progression prospects and the careers team were extremely knowledgeable.  When I opened my results envelope, I was overjoyed to see my hard work had paid off and I had achieved grades AAA and an A* in Extended Project Qualification. I had always felt very supported by my teachers from the beginning, and they were there with me when I received my results, everyone was so happy for me. I am now very excited to be going to Mansfield College, Oxford to read History. I want to say that I couldn’t have done it without the help of my teachers and everyone at Christ the King who supported me.”

Lani Iriajen

A Level Maths (A), Biology (A), Chemistry (A) and EPQ (A*)

Imperial University College London

“My first impression of CTK was that everyone in the community was friendly and approachable. This impression has remained, and I have made some good friends. I am grateful for all the support I have received from my teachers. The teachers are always willing to help and go that extra mile for you and are specialists in their subjects. I am looking forward to going to study Biochemistry at Imperial University College London and start my higher education journey.”

Kayla Worrell-Morrison

A Level Criminology (A), Psychology (A), Media (A) and EPQ (B)

University of Cardiff

“I chose CTK as it offers an excellent range of A Levels, with well-planned and resourced teaching and learning. At CTK I was supported every step of the way on my journey. From the very beginning to the very end, each member of staff was there for me; academically and as a whole person, they encouraged me to always strive to be the best I can be. I worked hard and with the support of the Christ the King community, I am happy to say I have achieved AAA and have a place to study Media and Communications at the University of Cardiff.”

Tia Richards

A Level Politics (A*), Geography (A*), Fine Art (B), EPQ (A)

University College London

“I have really enjoyed my time at Christ the King. It is a very community spirited sixth form where everyone has been so supportive and helpful. I have felt very cared for and nurtured throughout my time at CTK. In preparation for university, the Careers Team helped to guide me and provide advice on which pathway to choose. There were many opportunities available, including the Open City Accelerate Programme at University College London, which helped me understand the requirements of my chosen course. I am over the moon with my results of A*A*AB and am happy to be studying at University College London.’’

Nathaniel Gana

BTEC Media – D*D*D

University of Reading

“I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the support that CTK sixth form has provided me with during my time here. With dedication to academic excellence and inclusivity, I gained D*D*D in BTEC Media and have been able to achieve my dreams of attending the University of Reading to study Architecture. The personalised attention and encouragement from the teachers has, without doubt, contributed to my academic success. The various resources offered by the sixth form, such as the well-stocked library, extracurricular activities, and online tools have been outstanding.  I would highly recommend CTK, to anyone looking for a wonderful educational experience that goes beyond academic excellence.”

Christabel Efe

BTEC Applied Science – D*D*D*

University of Warwick

“I am thrilled to have achieved D*D*D* in BTEC Applied Science at Christ the King. I am going to study Neuroscience at University of Warwick, in the pursuit of becoming a Neurosurgeon. During my time at CTK, I enjoyed meeting new people, engaging in classroom work and coursework. Furthermore, my teachers have given me thorough support in my studies and have motivated me to work harder. The support systems put in place at CTK are very good and the Sixth Form always has the student’s best interest at heart.”

Angele Ijeh

BTEC Media – D*D*D*

Brunel University of London

“I am delighted with my results. Whilst at CTK, I enjoyed many of the modules that I studied as they were truly inspiring. We had to complete a media campaign for a music artist which I really enjoyed as this gave me an insight into how media integrates into the music industry. I am now going to study Music Production at Brunel University and am thankful to CTK and the support my teachers provided me.  I have truly enjoyed my time at CTK, and it has helped towards my aspiration of owning my own record label.”

Chisom Eduzor

BTEC Applied Science – D*D*D

Kingston University

“With the help of CTK I have been able to achieve D*D*D in BTEC Applied Science and now I am going to study Biomedical Science at Kingston University. Christ the King has a wide range of exceptional courses and the course I studied was just the right one for me. The teachers helped me to support and push me to achieve my final grade. The Careers team provide great advice for the future, and they helped me choose which path I wanted to go down.”

Klaudija Kazlauskaite 

BTEC Health and Social Care – D*DD

University of Greenwich

“I chose CTK because of its values and the support that is available to students. My experience has been great at CTK. Teachers here are very talented, and they helped me to achieve my best. Staff are always there to support you as a young individual in all possible areas. I recommend this sixth form because students always receive the support they need. There are many different activities and opportunities that students can get involved in and improve on a variety of skills. I am so happy with my results and that I have received my offer to study at University of Greenwich.”

We were delighted to hold our Evening of Celebration on 20 June 2023 providing the opportunity to recognise and celebrate our wonderful students’ achievements this year. 

It was a fantastic evening with a welcome and introduction from Mr Spearman, CTK Emmanuel Principal, followed by a talk from one of our alumni, Maria Tulea,  who is now a junior digital designer at the Financial Times, and who spoke about how her time at CTK helped he achieve her current role. 

The Guest speaker was Duro Oye the founder and CEO of 2020 Change, a youth empowerment organisation renowned for helping young people realise their true potential and cultivate the right mindset to engage with today’s challenging society.  Duro talked about his experience of setting up the charity and its current work, after which he was kind enough to present the awards. 

As guests arrived they were welcomed by one of our talented students playing the piano which was a beautiful way to commence the celebrations.

After the awards had been presented and to close the formal proceedings guests were served refreshments and had the chance to meet speakers, staff and students.

It was a fantastic evening providing the opportunity to celebrate our wonderful students and their achievements.

Christ The King Sixth Forms Foundation Governor Trevor Gomes awarded BEM in Kings Birthday Honours List 

Christ the King Sixth Forms’ Foundation Governor Trevor Gomes was awarded a prestigious Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to education and the community. Trevor, who is a previous student of Christ the King Sixth Forms, was recommended for the honour by the Prime Minister for his work establishing a youth mentoring programme which equips young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the skills needed for the world of work and higher education. 

Trevor is the founder and director of youth mentoring programme ‘ELEVATE’, originally launched in 2019 to support 15 students at Christ the King Sixth Form College. Trevor rapidly expanded the programme during lockdown, which is now reaching over 10,000 students. The programme runs a series of different schemes, combining workshops with 1:1 mentoring, and a breakfast club offering weekly group mentoring, and covers a range of topics helping young people improve skills for presentations, interviews and networking, as well as providing guidance on careers and CVs, building an online presence and personal branding, and boosting wellbeing and resilience. 

Acts of Charity Day takes place annually. Our Act of Charity Day helps our students to establish and emphasise the values that are important to us at Christ the King Sixth Forms. Our students spend the day contributing in a positive way in their local communities.  The day provides the opportunity for students to take part in a group social action activity with their 10:10 tutor group. In previous years this has included as varied activities as litter picking to helping in local Churches, foodbanks and Primary schools. 

If you know of a local organisation or business who would like our students’ involvement with a charitable activity to support the local community then please contact enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk

Below are photos of students from this years Acts of Charity Day 2023.

Mental Health Awareness Week

This week students and staff have getting involved in a range of activities and information sessions with the aim of raising awareness and getting students talking about mental health. Every day the Wellbeing Team sent out information and strategies to promote good mental health including a leaflet on how to cope with Exam Stress and one on how to cope with Loneliness. During the week there were several activities and information session taking place on all our sites.   

Just some examples are:

At St Mary’s in the LRC there was a large display focussing on anxiety with tips and approaches on how to manage its effect and suggestions of actions that can be tried both personally and with friends and colleagues. The display also includes a library of self-help books and details of professional services that can be contacted. 

At Aquinas one of the activities for the week was getting out for a walk at lunchtime with students and staff getting out to take some time to enjoy the fresh air. 

At Emmanuel students and staff created a thought board on how to manage stress and anxiety.  The board was positioned in the reception area and students and staff were encouraged to  come along and post their ideas on the post-it notes available; every thought or idea was exchanged for a sweet. This will provide a great source of tips and hints on how to manage anxiety for students and staff.

The Virtual Careers Conference at Christ the King Sixth Form has gone from strength to strength over recent years. Having started through necessity with the Covid19 pandemic it now gives students a chance not only to support their progression but to upskill themselves with remote learning.

The cross-site event comprises a variety of university and career-based talks that students join online via Microsoft Teams. The day provides a fantastic opportunity for our Level 3 students to start thinking about their future and to explore their progression options. As in previous years, a Level 1 & 2 Careers Conference was held which offered specific support to students studying a BTEC Level 1 or 2 course with their own progression.

Over 50 external organisations supported the Conference by providing speakers for the talks.  Many of the participants were returning, having attended the event in previous years.  The programme of talks included sessions on a wide range of careers from Medicine and the NHS to entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, banking and many more.

Later in the academic year, on Friday 16th June 2023, we will also be holding an in-person Careers Fair/Exhibition. At this event students will be able to meet a range of universities, apprenticeship providers, employers, and other support organisations, face to face to support their progression. 

On Saturday 18th March CTK Sixth Forms were invited, along with other charities and social action groups within the archdiocese,  to exhibit the charitable and social action work they are involved in.  The exhibition took place in the Amigo Hall after Mass in St Georges Cathedral Southwark.  This initiative was supported by the Archbishop who has a specific interest in schools showcasing their philanthropic activities.

Staff and students from CTK set up a stall in the hall, showcasing their work through banners, posters, and leaflets. This was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the many social action projects, charity events and community action events that CTK Sixth Forms support, and the positive impact that schools are having in their communities, and to encourage others to get involved in charitable work.

New facilities including a mock Hospital Ward to benefit T Level Nursing students was opened and blessed by The Archbishop.

His Excellency, The Most Revered Archbishop for Southwark and Metropolitan, John Wilson, and other VIP guests attended the opening of the new T Level hospital ward at CTK Emmanuel today.

CTK Emmanuel were delighted to secure the funding from the Department of Education, to open this fantastic, state-of-the art vocational facility, which is used to train and support Health T Level students who are studying to become Adult Health Nurses.  

The ward is named St Theresa’s in homage to the secondary school, which was originally at the CTK site, before it became a Sixth Form in 1993.

These outstanding new facilities have been designed by employers to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the needs of employers to train up future nurses and medical professionals.  The ward features a range of equipment, such as, specialised prosthetic patients, across a range of ages and with a variety of illnesses, hospital beds and an observation room.  Students will be able to learn tasks such as taking swabs, blood pressure readings, vital statistics and temperatures, and to gain experience in treating patients and diagnosing symptoms across a range of illnesses from child to adult.

St Theresa’s Ward is the third project to be completed for students studying at CTK Emmanuel, with earlier projects creating a contemporary business space and revolutionising the engineering space into modern technology labs.

As a specialist vocational Catholic Sixth Form, CTK Emmanuel places great importance on employment links.  Students attend weekly work placements and the Sixth Form has forged relationships with local hospital trusts. Staff from Queen Elizabeth’s hospital in Woolwich were delighted to attend the grand opening and see for themselves the outstanding facilities on offer.

CTK Emmanuel, located on Belmont Hill, close to Lewisham and Blackheath, is a successful Sixth Form serving 16-19 learners from in and around Southeast London.   The Sixth Form offers the widest range of vocational courses locally in a Catholic Sixth Form environment and has recently added T Levels to the curriculum offering.

His Excellency, The Most Revered Archbishop for Southwark and Metropolitan, John Wilson, said;

“I was delighted and honoured by the invitation to visit CTK Emmanuel Sixth Form, and to open and bless the new T-Level Health and Science teaching and learning facilities, which included the aptly named, St Theresa’s Ward.  It was a joy to witness the tremendous work and dedication of the teachers, along with the remarkable enthusiasm of the students towards their studies.  The Lord Jesus teaches us to bring the Gospel message of His love into our daily lives, and into our world. It is my continued prayer that the CTK community will continue to flourish in this mission; and thus, I give thanks for their exceptional contribution to the Catholic Education of our young people in the Archdiocese of Southwark, and invoke God’s blessing upon all the staff, students”.

Christ the King Sixth Forms Executive Principal Shireen Razey said;

“We were delighted to receive this funding from the Department of Education to develop these outstanding facilities.  These new state-of-the-art facilities will benefit our leaners for many years to come and the T Level in Health will ensure we are meeting local employers and skills needs and training the next generation of medical professionals. We were honoured that The Archbishop could officially open and bless the new area for us.  The addition of this hospital ward to our other new facilities at CTK Emmanuel means we are able to offer learners the widest range of vocational courses in a Catholic Sixth Form environment”.

CTK Emmanuel Student Governor Portia gave a heart-warming speech. She thanked everyone for coming and talked about how impressive it is that students will be able to operate such great facilities with real-life scenarios.

In keeping with the Sixth Form’s Catholic mission, Archbishop John Wilson, blessed the opening of the new centre and the CTK Emmanuel gospel choir sang a beautiful rendition of ‘Let your presence fall’, ‘The goodness of God’ and ‘Hallelujah’ to the VIP guests and students. Staff, students and Christ the King Sixth Form Governors, were delighted to be able to celebrate together at this momentous occasion for the Sixth Form.

You can read more in the press here:

Archbishop Wilson opens new T-Level Hospital Ward at CTK Emmuanuel: Archdiocese of Southwark (rcaos.org.uk)

https://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/news-events/news/archbishop-wilson-opens-new-t-level-hospital-ward-at-ctk-emmuanuel/

Archbishop Wilson of Southwark opens new T-Level Hospital Ward at south London sixth form college – The Catholic Network

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Students visit the Vertical Future Farm
The students went on a trip to Deptford’s new Virtual Future Hydroponics Vertical Farm, they had a really good day and were able to observe how technology can be used to grow herb crops and other edible plants simply using different wavelengths of light and nutrient based water to spray the aerated exposed roots of the plants therefore no soil is used.

 The students were able to use the visit as an information gathering opportunity  as well as take pictures to complete an assignment  that was based on designing a greenhouse to grow a genetically modified crop.

The visit included interactive lectures of 2 different topics i.e photosynthesis and Genetic engineering as well as a demo of how  ICT systems. are used to  control the Green house environment for maximal growth yields. It was an excellent visit overall and highly  beneficial for the students to see the application of science in a vocational setting.

Christ the King Emmanuel one of only four winners nationally.

On Tuesday 1 November 2022 Christ the King, Emmanuel officially opened its new IKEA Eco Hub which was developed as a result of being one of only 4 winners in the IKEA Let’s Go Zero competition this Summer. Students and teachers submitted their creative ideas to help make their college more sustainable and tackle climate change and as a winner we received IKEA products, solutions and funds to help bring our project vision to life.     

IKEA has helped to transform one of the Sixth Form’s small buildings into a dedicated space for eco work, from hands-on learning and study to planning community activities. The unique space has been equipped with movable furniture that enables learning to take place both indoors and outdoors as needed.    

A big part of the Christ the King Emmanuel vision is involving the wider community in their environmental work including setting up a community garden to running an environmental community day. Their new IKEA eco-hub means they’ll not only be able to take the teaching of sustainability even further, but they can also create a wonderful working and engagement space for their local community and local schools.

Let’s Go Zero: helping schools tackle climate change – IKEA