In January, CFBS began an exciting new programme, ‘The Key Project’. This initiative was designed to ensure that Central Foundation students fulfil their full potential. The project is a collaboration between the school, the leading city law firm, Slaughter & May and the Charity, Access.

It is vital that as many of Central Foundation students go to the country’s top universities as possible. However, it seems that some of our Key Project Students have aspirations that extend overseas.

Tahmid Chowdhury, 17 has recently learned that he has been accepted on the Sutton Trust Summer School Programme at Yale. The Yale Summer Sessions offer courses for students about to enter their final year of school. Tahmid will spend one week in the UK, preparing for the programme, one week studying European Languages and Literature in the USA and a third week at UCL (University College London).

Getting onto the course was no easy feat, with only 80 people per course and over 800 applications Tahmid has done exceptionally well. Although, with 15 GCSEs (8 A*s and 7 As) and a broad range of extra-curricular activities under his belt. It’s not surprising his application was taken seriously. Alongside an exemplar CV, applicants needed to write three essays which Tahmid explains were challenging but interesting.  

Tahmid is looking forward to meeting all of his contemporaries on the course and learning with likeminded individuals. Despite the potential jetlag he is keen to get the most out of the course, making valuable contacts along the way and decide whether studying in the US is an option he wants to explore.

If Tahmid chooses to study in the UK, his first choice will be the University of Oxford where he hopes to read English Literature and History. After university Tahmid would like to go into politics or teaching, careers where he can influence, shape and help others to reach their full potential. “I see how my teachers have had a positive impact on me and would like to help others in the same way.”

Four months of hard work by the CFBS AS Fine Art Group was celebrated on Friday 4 May at the Private View of The Object- Forum, an artwork display celebrating collections and collaboration at Wellcome Collection. The five students made sculptures of charms inspired by an exhibition at Wellcome Collection Miracles and Charms. These were displayed alongside art work by second year art students from Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design.

The event was well attended by family and friends of the young artists; Mohammed Chowdhury, Solman Khan, Kamil Sekerali, Tony Lu, Tamara Beharry-Bisnauth and by CFBS staff, Chair of Governors Mr Gurney and Governors Lord Griffiths and Mrs Becker.

The Object-Forum was a partnership project involving artist Verity Keefe, Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, Central Foundation Boys’ School, and Wellcome Collection. The project gave the students an opportunity to visit a major London gallery and art college and participate in four workshops led by the artist in school. The second year CSM students also acted as mentors to the Year 12 students so they could exchange ideas and find out what art college was like.

The talented young artist George Riley (yr9) has created a specially comissioned painting for the maths department. He was assisted by a team of KS3 Art Club students; Kai Malloy, Andrew Lee and Anthony Lim. The idea was to design an image which would brighten up a window which looks out on to a brick wall and he has certainly succeeded!

On Tuesday 8^th May Central Foundation Boys’ Year 8s played against St. Aloysius. The match took place on the impressive Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal. After a night of rain, the pitch was slick and the team knew that playing their planned strategic attack and maintaining precise ball control would be challenging.

In the first half we saw a standout defensive performance from Billy Brown at centre back coupled with superb goalkeeping displays from Edgar Paxicato to keep us in the game. The best football was played on the counterattack, providing numerous chances for Central Foundation against a very well organised St. Aloysius formation.

After a score of 0-0 after half time, St. Aloysius were one goal up after just five minutes. Strong midfield presence from Zakariya Basekonda and Mustapha Lasri and good wing play from Benjamin Barbour-Ricketts and Charly Bailey created numerous chances to take the lead. Central fought back well with an equalising goal by Josh Garrett after a through ball from Romeo Akinola. St. Aloysius remained strong taking the team two up with only four minutes to play.

A wonderful solo effort by Darnell Goather-Braithwaite levelled the match to 2-2. With no additional goals in added time the victory was shared, displaying fantastic sportsmanship from both teams.

“I’m really proud of how far the boys have come since year 7. Last year Central lost out to St. Aloysius and the team’s development through league games (winning all but one game) this year is a real credit to the boys.”

Daniel Wood – Year 8 Team Manager

Highlights:

• Iain Duncan Smith Visits the School
• French Food Tasting
• Term Dates for 2012-2013 Released

Read previous Newsletters here:

• Newsletter Issue 2
• Newsletter Issue 1

Yesterday, the school held its annual Friendship Day, a day devised to welcome our future Year 7 students and their parents to the school.

After welcome speeches from Headteacher, Mr Brownhill, and Head of Year 7, Ms Gladstone, the Year 6 students were taken to classrooms to experience various subjects being taught at Central Foundation.

Each future student was ‘buddied’ up with a current Central Foundation Year 7 pupil to help establish friendships, which will improve the quality of their time at the school. Together the students experimented with liquids in science, baked scones in food technology, learnt about the importance of branding in business, created screen prints in art and played team games in drama.

The informative and inspirational day ended with an absorbing performance by the school’s choir and a thank-you from the Headteacher.

Thank you to all the families who attended the event, we look forward to welcoming you again in the new academic year.

Photographs:

View More in the Gallery

Our Year 11 boys, who currently studying GCSE Drama, recently completed their practical examination in which they performed the stage adaptation of William Golding’s best-selling novel Lord of the Flies. The students performed exceptionally well for their exam and should be very proud of themselves.

Thank you to Ms Tully and Ms Southerden for directing the productions and motivating the students.

Photographs taken from the group’s rehearsal can be viewed below:

View More in the Gallery

A group of Year 8 students experienced some typical French cuisine this month. The class were dished up a selection of fine cheeses, snails and even frogs legs! The students should be praised for their willingness to try something different. Everything was happily eaten up, with empty plates all round. Bon appetite!

Photographs:

View More in the Gallery

Today Secretary for State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, visited the school. The purpose of his visit was to look at the work of Ms Begum, Progression  Manager/Coach, and the programme ThinkForward. The programme focuses on identifying and supporting at risk young people and provide them with targeted support to ensure that they transition successfully into work, education or training. It is underpinned by three key principles:

• Early and long-term intervention – work with young people for over 3 years of sustained support through key transitional phases
• 1:1 relationship with an experienced, trusted coach – highly qualified and skilled coaches, personal to schools
• Connective but not duplicative – complimenting current provisions rather than creating new initiatives

Ms Begum and her programme are funded by the charity, Tomorrow’s People, who in turn receive funding from the Private Equity Foundation. Ms Begum is our personal coach.

Iain Duncan Smith is interested in the programme from the extent that it reduces the possibilities of students becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) upon leaving school.  The Secretary spent the morning over-seeing a Year 9 group tutorial session on interview skills and interacting with the young people to find out their views on education and their future goals. In addition, he had a tour of the Sixth Form Business BTEC class.

The Secretary was accompanied by an ITN news film crew and team of journalists from the Guardian and the Telegraph. Baroness Deborah  Stedman-Scott, the CEO of Tomorrow’s People, also attended.

Shaks Ghosh, Chief Executive of the Private Equity Foundation says: “Once a young person walks out of the school gate for the last time they become much harder to help. Our latest initiative ThinkForward, is about identifying the most vulnerable early and giving them someone whose sole focus is to provide them with the continuity of support which takes them all the way to their first job and beyond.”

For more information visit the Tomorrow’s People website: www.tomorrows-people.org.uk

Photographs:

View More in the Gallery