Trent College - At Trent you are unique

Here is a selection of articles published recently in local newspapers: (Clicking on the title below will link you to the article)

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FRANKLIN Ellis Architects has – over a decade or more – left an award-winning series of marks on Nottingham.
Among the latest is the recently-completed River Crescent, which has just won the Daily Mail Best Architecture Award, having already won the overall best homes Evening Post award.

Other benchmarks have included the Evening Post building, the Castle Wharf development, the Paul Smith flagship store and Lace Market Square. Now the practice is up for two more titles as a nominee for the Evening Post's Nottingham Regeneration Limited-sponsored Regeneration Project Award and the Nottingham Trent University-supported Design Excellence Award. Its project for the regeneration award is the £1m plus Arrival Square in Mansfield, developed by Clegg Developments and Mansfield District Council, with the help of other partners and funders such as the European Regional Development Fund.

Thoroughly modern and deceptively simple in external design it provides 11,000 square feet of high quality office space and has superb transport links – as it neighbours the railway station and is very close to the proposed site of a new central bus station.

Franklin Ellis partner David Franklin said: "Benefits to the occupants apart, it should also help diversify the economic structure of the town, contributing to Mansfield's image and assisting in securing new investment into the area."
The design excellence award bid is based the firm's work at Trent College in Long Eaton.

That site includes two schools, currently with almost 1,500 pupils and staff between them and growing, and required a major new development to provide new dining/kitchens and assembly space plus a new teaching annexe for the upper school. The projects, total cost around £4m, had to fit sensitively in-between sports fields, existing modern buildings, and the historic main school building.

Design of the Pavilion main building provides more than 20,000 square feet of space – satisfying all original aspirations, plus providing facilities replacing those of a former sports pavilion. The teaching annex has been accommodated in a new-build 5,500 square foot extension to an existing school building. Finished in traditional brick and tile, two sides of the Pavilion are fully glazed and give superb views over the sports field and school grounds.

"We designed a relatively low visual impact solution, achieved with a split-level building making the most of the way the ground slopes away from the historic building. The result is visually striking but looks as though it belongs there."

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STUDYING at a specialist science college seems to be having an impact on students at a Derbyshire school.
Sixth formers at Heanor Gate Science College gained an average point score of 677.6 – enough to see many of them head off to universities across the country to study a variety of subjects, including science subjects.
Head teacher Rob Howard said he was delighted with the A-level results this year.

"Many of our students gained four A-levels at grades A and B and went off to study science subjects at top universities."

Among them was Stephanie Smith, who gained four A-levels at grade A and is studying psychology at Nottingham University.

Rebecca Goshawk, who achieved three As and one B, is reading law at Cambridge University.

Mr Howard said: "In the past students from this school that have won places at Oxford or Cambridge have studied science subjects, Rebecca is our first student to break with this tradition.

"Success at this school is a result of a good balance of inspirational teachers, effective pastoral system and an excellent group of students with goals and ambitions that are achieved through hard work and support."

Top of the tree for yet another year was Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, in Ashbourne, where sixth formers averaged 965.3 points, with Ockbrook School narrowly behind with pupils gaining an average of 947.3 points.

Students and staff at Trent College, in Long Eaton, also celebrated as they smashed previous A-level records.

Just over 73% of grades were either A or B , with more than a quarter of students gaining three or more A grades.

Alex McGrath, academic deputy head, said: "Our students move on to an impressive quality and range of courses at universities across the country. We were delighted with our success and it came as a result of hard work and dedication by staff and pupils alike."

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for schools, said: "The picture for both GCSE and A-levels is very positive."Our goal is to continue to provide Derbyshire pupils with the highest quality education to help them succeed and achieve their potential."

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Ilkeston Advertiser 22 January 2009

Hard-working young people have been rewarded for their dedication and personal achievements while working towards the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh awards. Eight young people from schools, colleges and the voluntary sector received their gold, silver or bronze awards at a ceremony in Matlock on Friday, January 16.

Simon Worrall, from Trent College in Long Eaton, received silver and gold awards on the night and was one of only two young people to gain their gold honours.

Duke of Edinburgh awards enable youngsters to learn from and give to others in their community, and show they can work well as a team player.

County councillor Bob Janes said: "Young people rarely get the recognition they deserve and these schemes give them the chance to prove themselves aside from the academic side of school life."

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Derby Evening Telegraph Thursday, February 05, 2009

A LONG Eaton teenager has been awarded silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh awards at the same time.
Trent College student Simon Worrall, 18, received his awards in a ceremony at Derbyshire County Council's offices in Matlock.

Lucy Mitchell, 18, of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, in Ashbourne, was also given a gold award.
A total of 80 young people from schools, colleges and the voluntary sector received either their gold, silver or bronze awards.

Young people can take part in the awards through youth clubs, schools, universities, voluntary organisations or the workplace.

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PUPILS at Trent College in Long Eaton staged a production as a tribute to playwright Harold Pinter, who died on Christmas Eve.

The school's sixth form production company staged Pinter's The Birthday Party, which is set in a 1950s bed and breakfast, on Thursday and Friday last week

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Nottingham Evening post: Friday, February 27 2009

THE niece of Russian prince and England rugby star Alexander Obolensky is due to visit a school in Long Eaton this evening.

Princess Alexandra Obolensky will return to her uncle's former school, Trent College, to open a building dedicated to his memory.

Prince Alexander Obolensky fled to the UK from Russia in 1917 and joined Trent College in 1929 as a 13-year-old schoolboy.

He went on to star in school's rugby team and later became the only Russian ever to play for England. He died in 1940, at the age of 24, when he overshot a runway during an RAF training flight.

The College's new building has dining rooms, a conference room, sports changing rooms and viewing terraces.

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RUSSIAN PRINCE AND ENGLAND RUGBY STAR TO BE HONOURED BY HIS FORMER DERBYSHIRE SCHOOL

A RUSSIAN prince and former England rugby hero is being immortalised by the Derbyshire school where he learned to play his sport. The niece of Prince Alexander Obolensky will visit Trent College to open a £4m dining hall dedicated to his memory later today.

Princess Alexandra will open the building, which overlooks the rugby pitch where Prince Obolensky learned the sport that helped make him a pre-war household name. Although she retains her princess title, she is more commonly known as Alexandra Hulse and lives in Hampshire. Her father, Michael, was the Prince's brother. A portrait of her uncle, whose family fled to England after the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917, will be unveiled in the dining hall.

He joined the Long Eaton school in 1929, aged 13, and went on to star in Trent firsts' unbeaten XV rugby team. He was the only Russian to play for England, where his honours included scoring two tries against the All Blacks in 1936, one of which was considered one of the finest ever scored. The Prince is one of the 100 players featured on the Walk of Legends at Twickenham and a plush restaurant at the stadium is named Obolensky's. Prince Obolensky was the first international rugby player killed in the Second World War. In March 1940, aged 24, he overshot the runway while on an RAF training flight in his Hawker Hurricane plane at Martlesham Heath, just outside Ipswich.

Trent College head teacher Gill Dixon said: "We have always been proud of our association with Prince Obolensky. "Every year we present an award to an outstanding member of Wright House, of which he was a member."

The new dining room at the Derby Road college doubles as space for meetings, assemblies and performances. It will also allow the conversion of the former dining room into a library and learning centre. Energy-saving features include maximising daylight through south facing windows, which are also solar shaded to avoid the need for air conditioning, and sensor-controlled lighting.

Mrs Dixon said: "It is fitting to dedicate the new hall, with wonderful panoramic views over the playing fields, in Prince Obolensky's memory." Earlier this month, a statue of Prince Obolensky was unveiled in Ipswich

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Derby Evening Telegraph, 31st October 2008

On Friday 31st October, Cabinet Minister & Government Chief Whip, The Rt Honourable Geoff Hoon addressed Trent College’s Sixth Formers, and Politics students as part of the Whole School Programme.

Geoff Hoon has been the Member of Parliament for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire since 1992. He was appointed as Chief Whip in June 2007. Geoff was born in Derby was educated in Nottingham and continued his education at Jesus College, Cambridge. Gray’s Inn called him to the Bar in 1978. Geoff lectured in law at Leeds University and was a Visiting professor of law at the University of Louisville, USA, from 1981 to 1982, before returning to Nottingham to practise as a barrister. In 1984 Mr Hoon was elected to represent Derbyshire and Ashfield in the European Parliament. In 1992 he became Member of Parliament for Ashfield. When the Labour Party came to power in 1997 Mr Hoon was promoted to Minister of State in July 1998. He then joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in May 1999 as Minister of State with responsibility for Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa; he was then made Minister for Europe. Later in 1999 Geoff was appointed as Secretary of State for Defence, a post which he occupied until the 2005 general election. After the 2005 general election he became Leader of the House of Commons. He was Minister for Europe during 2006 and in 2007 he was appointed as Chief Whip.

Toby Leadbetter, Head of Politics and Director of the Whole School Programme, said: “It has been an honour to host Mr Hoon here at Trent. All our speakers are highly successful, some famous, some distinguished and at the top of their professions and others will show how they have taken important decisions to get them to where they are. Tutors discuss the programme with their students to help them make an informed decision in signing up to the lectures and events on offer.

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Derby Evening Telegraph Tuesday November 11 2008 & Nottingham Evening Post, Friday November 21st 2008

STUDENTS at Trent College have gained an insight into the world of politics and international conflict from former BBC war correspondent and MP Martin Bell.

He told students at the Long Eaton college about his life as a journalist reporting from 90 countries and 11 wars, before becoming the first elected independent MP for more than 40 years in 1997.

Mr Bell has since worked as a Unicef ambassador for humanitarian emergencies and written three books.
Teacher Toby Leadbetter said: "Martin Bell's lecture certainly opened up the students' eyes to the damaging consequences of conflict."

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Derby Evening Telegraph Friday, November 07, 2008

SIXTH-FORM students at Trent College will be taking the law into their own hands today for a mock trial with a leading international judge.

The pupils will don wigs and gowns before Judge Ian Meakin – an international arbitration judge based in Geneva.
They will act out the case of an anti-road protester who denies a breach of the peace. The Long Eaton college's students will also play the accused and witnesses.

Judge Meakin said: "To be in a court of law is a lot more difficult than it appears."

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Nottingham Evening Post Friday, November 07, 2008

Tuesday marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War and in Nottingham a special ceremony will honour the fallen. Andy Smart reports On a spring day in 1922, thousands of onlookers gathered around St Mary's Church in High Pavement to see a memorial honouring all those from the city and county killed in the First World War. Amid great pomp and circumstance, Lord Galway, chairman of the county council, led the ceremony to unveil the stone tablets which recorded the number of fallen from every parish in the county, and the names of all those lost to the parish of St Mary's. It was meant to ensure that the dead would not be forgotten, but as time passed, the memorial was indeed forgotten. It fell victim to nature, many of the names wiped clean by wind and rain.
Those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen deserved better
And on Tuesday, the record will at last be put straight when the restored memorial will be rededicated in a suitably elaborate ceremony, again supported by the county's great and good, including the Lord Lieutenant Sir Andrew Buchanan and many civic dignitaries.

The event has been planned, with appropriate military precision. At 2.20pm, as music played by organist John Keys and a brass ensemble fills St Mary's Church, the official parade will march behind piper Jim Cooke and at least 17 standards. At exactly 2.27pm, Piper Cooke will lead the parade in a slow march into St Mary's for a service led by the Rev Stephen Morris. The civic party will then file outside for the re-dedication which will take place at 3.10pm.
A guard of honour will be formed by four cadets from Trent College dressed in the First World War uniforms of the county's four regiments: Sherwood Foresters, Robin Hood Rifles, South Notts Hussars and Sherwood Rangers.
Businessman John Brydon, who has led the £25,000 restoration campaign, said: "Although we have guests by invitation, this event is open to all.

"We want as many Nottingham and Notts people as possible to attend. It would be great to see the streets around St Mary's packed."
It has taken more than a year to achieve the restoration and organise its rededication. Mr Brydon said: "I am quite emotional about it really... just talking about the numbers who lost their lives makes me emotional.
"I will not be making any speeches, I would just crack up."
He said it would not have been possible without the help of many people, including campaigner Ray Gale who had been fighting for restoration since the early 1990s; architects CPMG who handled all the planning issues; stonemason Mark Stafford; and researcher Ann Swabey.
"I have also been staggered by the generosity of so many people, from a very old lady who sent £5 to another who sent £50. She had to get her neighbour to write a cheque because she did not have a bank account of her own."
The successful campaign to restore the memorial has been greeted with delight in many quarters, not least by Sneinton pensioner Margaret Sonday.
As a child, she can remember being shown the name of her grandfather William Munday who was killed in the fighting at Ypres in 1915.
"His name used to be on the left-hand side but a few years ago I looked at it and it had all but worn away," said Mrs Sonday, who also lost her father in the Second World War. She will be among the special guests on Tuesday.
Mr Brydon said: "Back in 1922, the words were 'We shall remember them'.
"Now, after so many years of neglect, at last we have remembered them."

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Trent College is immensely proud of this year’s A-level students, who have smashed all records to produce the school’s best ever set of results. 73.3% of all grades were awarded at either A or B, with more than a quarter of our students achieving three A grades or more. The top 50 students achieved an AB pass rate of over 95%. The overall pass rate of 99.3% is testament to the quality of our students and teaching staff.

What we do so well at Trent is provide a broad-based education, which celebrates everything: the academic, the creative, the physical, the emotional and the spiritual. We expect each individual here to discover each of their strengths and make the most of each one of their talents. A school, unlike many other schools, where being an accomplished artist or athlete or musician is considered integral and not separate from education and learning of the highest order.

Our congratulations and best wishes go with our leavers of 2008 as they move on to an impressive quality and range of courses at university. We know that they have now acquired the knowledge they need to build their own futures; that they have learned arts and habits that will stay with them throughout their lives and that they have a better and deeper understanding of their own selves and an awareness of the complex responsibilities that their world demands.

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(Derby Evening Telegraph Tuesday, November 11 & Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday November 20)

A Sixth form student at a Derbyshire school has been awarded a flying scholarship with the RAF. James Pritchard, 17, of Trent College, in Long Eaton, has been flying glider aircraft at RAF Syerston, near Newark, for the past two years. His instructors were impressed by his skills and James was invited to apply for one of 100 RAF Flying Scholarship places in the UK. The scholarship has enabled James to gain 12 hours' top-level training for flying light aircraft and, ultimately, to be able to fly solo.

James said: "Being in the Combined Cadet Force at Trent College has opened my eyes to the opportunities to follow a career in the RAF.

"I plan to go to a university where I can continue flying and eventually would like to join the RAF. I have my sights set now on flying fast jets.

"I am delighted to have this opportunity to graduate on to flying light aircraft and thoroughly enjoyed my first solo flight. It was fantastic."

Trent College head Gill Dixon said: "James is a credit to the school and we are all delighted that his dedication has been recognised.

"He is a perfect example of how young people who set their sights high can achieve great things in life through application and determination."

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(Derby Evening Telegraph, Thursday December 11th 2008)

International rugby stars Lewis Moody and Geordan Murphy will lead a special training session for future sporting stars at Trent College in Long Eaton on Thursday.

Flanker Lewis Moody, who has 53 England caps and three British and Irish Lions caps and full back and winger Geordan Murphy who has 59 Irish caps and two British and Irish Lions caps, both play for Leicester Tigers and will train Trent’s U15 A team who recently reached the fourth round in the National Daily Mail schools’ rugby competition.

The squad includes Josh Gundry (15)? from ... and Tennessee Hickling (15?) from... who are currently members of the RFU Elite Player Development Group based at Tigers.

Trent’s Head of Rugby Guy Hope said: “The team are greatly looking forward to learning some tips of the professional game and hopefully showing off their own skills to these two great international players.

“Lewis is no stranger to Trent having played against us some years ago as a schoolboy and has since played a huge role in Tigers winning the League Championship five times, playing in all seven games of England’s games in the World Cup victory of 2003.

“And Geordan is among Tigers’ senior professionals having made his debut for the club in 1997 and has had an illustrious international career with Ireland.

“They have planned an exciting and no doubt exhausting training session which will be a fantastic experience for all our budding rugby stars in the U15 team.”

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Years seven, eight and nine students from Trent College will attend his Whacky Science Workshops, featuring a range of weird and wonderful experiments.

The director of the college's Whole School Programme, Toby Leadbetter, said: "Although science is flourishing at Trent, there is a national decline in the number of young people taking these subjects at a higher level.
"I am sure that Mr Ball's passion for science and his unique style in bringing subjects alive will prove an inspiration to our younger students."

POPULAR television presenter Johnny Ball will be at a Derbyshire school later today to hold workshops in science.
Pupils from years seven, eight and nine will attend the Whacky Science events at Trent College, in Long Eaton.
Mr Ball will demonstrate different scientific theories through a series of unusual experiments.

Teacher Toby Leadbetter said: "This is the first time that Johnny Ball has visited the school and we were keen to include him in supporting the work of the school's specialist science departments.

"I am sure that Mr Ball's passion for science and his unique style in bringing subjects alive will be an inspiration to our younger students."

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Youngsters from Trent College trekked off to the Peak District National Park at the weekend (Sept 16/17) as part of an introduction to life at their new school.

The pupils, all aged between 11 and 12, spent a night under canvas at a campsite near Buxton and enjoyed a variety of activities - including rock climbing and abseiling, bug hunting and a barbeque.

The weekend was organised to help all 115 Year 7 pupils settle into life at Trent and build new friendships. It also aimed to improve team-building and develop leadership and initiative skills.

Liam Webster, Head of Lower School at Trent, said: “These weekends are invaluable for the pupils in terms of developing life skills and encouraging them to try alternative sporting activities.

“They are also a good preparation for more adventurous expeditions available to our pupils as they get older.

“They all did really well as, for many, it was their first time away from home on their own.

“They did all their own cooking and I’m pleased to say that nobody starved - although I do think that a few of them will be bringing thicker pillows next time.”

Older pupils at Trent College, located in Derby Road, Long Eaton, can also take part in an annual four-week expedition during the summer holidays.

Recent expeditions have been to Northern India, Morocco, Bolivia and Peru, Alaska and Greenland.

Pupils at the school have also had the opportunity to go scuba diving in the Red Sea, skiing in France and horse riding in England.

Click here to open photographs taken during the weekend in September 2008

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SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS at Trent College received a real treat last week when they were paid a visit by Nottingham Forest Manager Colin Calderwood.

The Reds Boss visited the school, located in Derby Road, Long Eaton, to speak to pupils about his sporting career.

The former Northampton Town manager, who replaced Gary Megson at Forest in May 2006, was invited to Trent as part of their Whole School Programme.

The initiative allows students to meet people who have succeeded in all walks of life, and has recently seen Polar Explorer Tom Avery, General Lord Guthrie, novelist Lesley Glaister, and physicist Dr Brian Cox visit the school.

Toby Leadbetter, Director of the School Programme at Trent, said: “Colin Calderwood is a very important figure in the local sporting landscape and it’s a real honour to be inviting him to Trent.

“Mr Calderwood was able to shed some light on what life is like for a professional football manager and offered an insight into the pressures that comes with running a football club.

“He shared with us some reflections on his own professional playing career and offered inspiration to many of our students who have sporting ambitions - whether in football, or any other areas of sport.”

Born in Stranraer, Scotland, Mr Calderwood played for Mansfield Town and Swindon Town, following a brief stint at West Ham at the start of his playing career.

He moved on to Tottenham Hotspur during the summer of 1993 where he had five successful years and played with a succession of defenders including Gary Mabbutt and Ramon Vega.

Whilst at Spurs he gained many of his Scotland caps, and he represented his country at Euro ‘96 and the 1998 World Cup 1998.

Mr Calderwood moved on briefly to Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and later Notts County before retiring.

He then became reserve team manager at Tottenham before becoming joining Northampton Town, who he led to promotion in 1996, finishing second in League Division Two.

Other leading figures who have come to speak to Trent students recently include TV presenter Chris Packham, IVF pioneer Dr Simon Fishel, news boss David Mannion and retired Labour MP Tony Benn.

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On Wednesday 23rd January a leading Conservative MP met with Sixth Form students to talk about his time in the corridors of power, as part of their Extension Programme.

Andrew Lansley MP has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Health since 2003, and was elected to Parliament 11 years ago.

Toby Leadbetter, politics teacher and Head of Programme, said: “It is a priority of the Sixth Form Extension Programme that our students are exposed to political thinkers from both sides of the political spectrum.

“Our students asked questions regarding Mr Lansley’s own political career to date, his experience working as a member of the Shadow Cabinet under William Haigh, Ian Duncan Smith and Michael Howard. However most of the questions focused on his new boss, David Cameron, and what the mood was like in Westminster with the Conservatives currently ahead in the polls.

“We have had many accomplished politicians come to visit us at Trent, and Mr Lansley’s visit complements recent lectures to students from Tony Benn, Kenneth Clarke, Geoff Hoon, and Neil Hamilton.

The Sixth Form Extension Programme was introduced at Trent College in 2001 and aims to allow students access to field leaders in all areas of human endeavour - from politics and law, to literature and the arts.

Other leading figures who have come to speak to Trent students recently include General Lord Guthrie, TV presenter Chris Packham, IVF pioneer Dr Simon Fishel and news boss David Mannion. BBC Political Broadcaster & Correspondent, Michael Cockerell addresses our Sixth Form on Wednesday 30th January at 4:40pm in the Thai Lecture Theatre.

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