Students at Harrow College have been visited by business volunteers and employees from a number of leading organisations in an initiative aimed at providing the young learners with an insight into working life and the actions they can take now to benefit their future careers.

The event took place over a week (20-24 Nov) with the employees visiting students during class time at both the Harrow on the Hill campus and the Harrow Weald campus. Students listened intently as the guests spoke about their journeys from education to employment.

Companies represented at Harrow College during the week included NHS, Lancome, Investec Bank, Royal Mail, Lloyds Banking Group, Yves Saint-Laurent, Royal Bank of Scotland and more. Many of the speakers gave tips on what the students could do now. Networking was a recurring topic with student being encouraged to grow their contacts and connections from all walks of life using the LinkedIn online social networking tool. Others spoke about the importance of developing skills, taking opportunities and building work experience to successfully climb the career ladder.

Michelle Carrington, a HR Professional and one of the guest speakers said; “It’s really important for young people to meet and speak to real people in work and to hear first-hand about the journey required to transition from education into employment”.

The event was delivered by Working Knowledge - a social enterprise that exists to open the eyes of business to the young talent available locally. Working Knowledge have many years’ experience of partnering with the Further and Higher Education sectors to support the education of full time learners through employer engagement.

Speaking at the end of the week which students described as being ‘inspiring’ and ‘motivating’, Lee Janaway, Head of Learner Services, Experience & Employment at Harrow College said:

“Harrow College is focused towards providing students with the skills, knowledge and experiences that will prepare them for their future employment aspirations. Therefore we are excited to work with Working Knowledge again this year to bring in Business volunteers into all curriculum areas to share their knowledge and experiences with our students. Stage 1 of this activity has seen 70 business volunteers come into the college and we hope to maintain these working relationships throughout the year and draw upon their expertise to the benefit of our student.”

Click here for more on Careers and Employability at Harrow College.

A cycling event at Harrow College (Harrow on the Hill campus) aimed at encouraging more females to get on their bikes and to cycle has been a big success.

The event titled ‘London by Cycle’ took place in late November and included:

- FREE Cycle Repairs
- FREE Cycle Advice
- FREE 121 Training
- FREE Bike Trials
- Fun Obstacle Course
- WIN A BIKE competition

The experienced team from London Cycling (London Cycling Campaign) were on hand to provide bikes whilst supporting and training anyone who needed to gain a bit more confidence. The event was open to female students and staff and were very well attended.

Further cycling events are planned for 2018 as Harrow College continue to support healthy living and environmentally friendly initiatives.

A brand new state of the art building for Health and Social Care training has been showcased as part of the Harrow College Health and Social Care Expo celebrations for 2017.

The Expo took place on 12th December 2017 and visitors got the opportunity to see the new facilities which students will now utilise to enhance their learning experience and help prepare them for a career in the industry.

Students chose to introduce their new environment in a number of ways including role-play. After being warmly welcomed into the new Care Suite by students dressed as receptionists, visitors were presented with live demonstrations which recreated a care home and nursing home environment. With full costume and make-up, students played the role of resident as well as carer, showing the skills and techniques they would use in live care environments like this. The adjacent Hospital Suite presented a similar story with students demonstrating how to deal with patients in a hospital ward environment.

The Nutrition Lab was also a hive of activity. Students put their food and dietary knowledge into practice by creating a range of tasty dishes. In doing so, they showed how ingredients including fresh produce can be used to create food items which are healthy and nourishing. Guests were invited to sample the food whilst students explained how they were created and why they are healthy. Students had also created display boards with information about healthy eating, veganism and first aid.

Calmness was restored in the adjoining Well Being room. Here students demonstrated the art of yoga and relaxation. Techniques were described and the on-looking guests were invited to take part in group yoga sessions. Other young learners were also present with display boards and materials showing how positive energy, emotions, moods and inspiration can all be drawn using different methods.

Level 3 Health & Social Care student Mia May Beale (17) was one of the participating students. She said:

“Our new building provides a lovely environment for study. There are lots of specialist facilities which allow us to showcase our practical skills as well as modern classroom to learn the theory side. This will also help students decide what they want to do in the future”.

Click here to see photos from the day on our Facebook page.

Click here for more about Health, Social Care and Childcare at Harrow College.

Staff from accounting powerhouse Deloitte spent a day with learners from Harrow College as part of a volunteering event. A group comprising of Learning Links students (from the specialist LLDD department at Harrow College for Learners with Learning Difficulty/Disabilities) and Business level 1 students from Harrow College along with tutors and support staff welcomed the team from Deloitte and together undertook two projects.

The first was a creative group task. Learning Links student worked in small groups with members of the Deloitte team to create colourful mosaics. The task involved lots of team work, planning and communication skills which brought the team members close together. The resulting mosaic designs were fantastic and will be on display inside the specialist Spring House building at the Harrow Weald campus.

The second task was specifically for the Business Level 1 students and focussed on employability. Deloitte employees offered their ideas, experiences and expertise to help teach students about employment skills including interview techniques and writing CVs. The learners received tips on how best to present themselves both face to face and on paper and had the opportunity to ask lots of questions.

Martyn Lear was one of the Deloitte staff involved. He said “We’ve been really impressed by how welcoming the students have been. This has been a great opportunity for us to be involved in something out of our comfort zones, to pass on our skills and to have fun!”

Debbie Cusack, Lecturer for supported learning, Entry and LLDD students at Harrow College, liaised with volunteering experts Volunteering Matters to organise the partnership with Deloitte. She said "Today has been a great experience for our students who have had the opportunity to meet new people from a prestigious company, learn new skills and ask lots of questions. We continuously aim to provide our students with development opportunities such as today which has been a thoroughly productive day for all involved".

Click here to view more about LLDD, Entry and Level 1 courses at Harrow College. 

The video production skills of Media students has been showcased at a dazzling Media Expo event.

Visitors to the Enterprise Centre at Harrow College were greeted with a transformed cinema style auditorium together with a big screen, theatre seating and of course snacks, to enjoy an evening of quality short video screenings - click here to watch some of the videos on our YouTube channel.

For this year’s Media EXPO (on 14 Dec 2017), Level 3 Media students were tasked with producing short 3 minute promotional videos exploring either a small business or department within an institution, a community group, an inspiring individual, a landmark or a specific venue. The video could either advertise a service, communicate a message or introduce audiences to a particular facility/cause.

Storyboards were first produced and were on display at the Expo showing how the students visually planned the sequencing of their videos. After filming their videos on location with the client, the students then came back to the media suites at Harrow College and applied their post-production editing knowledge to complete their videos. This included lighting and timing considerations, transitions and effects, music choice and careful cutting. The Expo provided students with the ideal opportunity to put their media skills, acquired during college term time, into full use and based on a real life client brief.

Many of the clients featured in the videos also attended to watch the première screening and to support the young learners. The evening ended with an awards ceremony to reward students for their efforts and achievements with the Expo project.

Speaking at the event, Vishal Raja, Digital Media lecturer at Harrow College said; “Our students have really embraced the task and shown lots of passion, creativity and forward planning to complete videos of a very high standard. Feedback from clients has been very positive and the students should be extremely proud of their achievements”.

Click here to watch some of the videos on our YouTube channel.

Click here for more about Media courses at Harrow College.

A new student incentive aimed at encouraging maximum student attendance during the college term is proving to be very popular. The ‘100 Club’ programme, launched in late October 2017, offers students the chance of winning £100 worth of rewards per month in return for 100% attendance in the prior month. Those who achieve the attendance milestone are entered into a draw to win the top prize.

This fun initiative aims to highlight the importance of high attendance at college. High college attendance is strongly associated with greater student achievement. By promoting initiatives in this way, the College aim to not only raise awareness of something very important, but also reward those who put in the extra effort to attend college every day.

433 students achieved 100% attendance in November and 598 students achieved the same in December, all of whom were entered into a draw to win the top prize. The lucky winners so far include Maimoon Chowdhury aged 18 (November 2017) - photo above, and Punam Kapoor, aged 18 - photo left (December 2017). The January 2018 winner is yet to be announced. The monthly incentive scheme will run until late June 2018 with winners being celebrated each month with a photo on the college student online portal.

Speaking about the success of the programme, Harrow College Head of Learner Services, Experience & Employment Lee Janaway said:

“Harrow College believes that high attendance is a key priority for students to succeed and achieve their very best. Students achieving 100% attendance each month are entered into the 100 club monthly draw to reward and celebrate those students who show true dedication to completing their programmes of study. All students can still achieve the monthly 100% target, even if they haven't quite made it in the previous month. This is another positive initiative we use to support the college in maintaining high student attendance”.

Looking for a new college place starting in Sept 2018? We have an open day on Wednesday 7th Feb 2018. Click here for more information and to register.

The second stage of a successful employer/student engagement programme at Harrow College has commenced with the first few sessions once again proving to be very insightful and rewarding.

Students across all subject areas at Harrow College are being visited by business volunteers and employees from a number of leading organisations. This initiative aims to bring real live industry experience and challenges into the college environment by way of assessemnts and presentations. 

This follows stage one of the programme which took place in late 2017 when employees visited students during class time to speak about their journeys from education to employment.

Companies involved in the programme so far include NHS, Lancome, Investec Bank, Royal Mail, Lloyds Banking Group, Yves Saint-Laurent, Royal Bank of Scotland and more. Many of the speakers have been providing tips on what the students can do now to benefit their future careers. Networking was a recurring topic with students being encouraged to grow their contacts and connections from all walks of life using the LinkedIn online social networking platform. Others spoke about the importance of developing skills, taking opportunities and building work experience to successfully climb the career ladder. 

Some students have had the opportunity to work to a live business brief set by the employers. Devising a marketing campsign for Pepsi, setting up a small business, designing logos, creating adverts and discussing business ethics have been just some of the topics the Harrow College students have tackled and presented in front of the industry experts. Buckingham Futures, a local recruitment company, played a key role in the latest sesssion working closely with students and helping to make the day a great success.

The programme is being delivered by Working Knowledge - a social enterprise that exists to open the eyes of business to the young talent available locally.

Speaking at the end of stage one of the programme, Lee Janaway, Head of Learner Services, Experience & Employment at Harrow College said:

“Harrow College is focused towards providing students with the skills, knowledge and experiences that will prepare them for their future employment aspirations. Stage 1 of this activity has seen 70 business volunteers come into the college and we hope to maintain these working relationships throughout the year and draw upon their expertise to the benefit of our student.”

Students at Harrow College have relaunched their own radio station, bringing it back to the airwaves following a successful run last year. The station, called HC Radio, is managed and hosted by students and broadcasts once a week.

The first pilot show was broadcast in early Feb playing in the student canteens and around campus via students and staff smart phones, lap tops and desk top computers. Listeners were treated to a full hour of music mix, college news, current affairs and general discussion. Listeners were also able to get involved with the show via an online chat meaning the show had a great interactive element.

Regular weekly shows are due to broadcast when students return from their current half term break. Shows are pre-recorded on a Thursday and then broadcast via the internet on a Friday meaning listeners can log in and listen from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Shruti Ratna, Science Lecturer at Harrow College, helped to coordinate the station launch and even took to the mic herself during the relaunch pilot broadcast. Speaking about the relaunch of HC Radio, Shruti said:

“HC Radio is a great platform for likeminded students to listen to each other and share common interests. The students have worked really hard to bring the station back and they have lots of exciting plans for the station moving forward”.

Click here to listen to past shows.

Health and Social Care students at Harrow College have been networking against the clock with a host of professionals from the Health and Social Care sector.

The event (on 6th Feb 2018) was a quirky spin on the popular speed dating concept where groups of students have 10 minutes per professional to ask questions, learn more about their profession and get as much career advice as possible.

Health and Social Care professionals from across the sector were involved including representation from Barnet Hospital, Harrow Probation Service, Harrow Youth Stop, University of West London, Bucks New University, Compass, Care Assist Ltd, The University of Hertfordshire and the London Metropolitan University.

The profession types included Drugs Counsellors, Mammogram Practitioners, Senior Probation Officer, Resilience Mentor, Health Promotion Ambassador, Operating Department Assistant
Social Worker, Medication and Rehab Assistant, Behaviour & Rehab Assistant, Care Assist Ltd, Youth Studies Ambassador, Recruitment Manager and a Psychology student.

As the 10 minute buzzer rang, the professionals rotated from group to group, taking quick fire questions from the eager students. Questions included how best to gain experience, which additional qualifications can help, what salaries can be expected as well as what the highs and lows of the job are. With students scribbling down notes and exchanging contact details, careers and curriculum staff at the college were thrilled by the passion and enthusiasm shown by the students to take full advantage of the opportunity.

Student feedback after the event was very positive. One student described the day as “inspiring” whilst another said; “I have learned about professions that I didn’t know existed. This has helped me to have more of an idea of what I would like to do in the future”.

For more on Health & Social Care at Harrow College, click here.

The Harrow College Student Council have held a meeting with college staff (on 21 Feb) to discuss key issues and explore important topics impacting the young learners.

The session, packed with over 50 students, started with an introduction from Student Union President Bella Odattil, 17, who set the agenda whilst welcoming the audience comprising of fellow students, tutors, support staff and members of the senior management team. This was followed by a welcome from Pat Carvalho, Principal and Chief Executive of Harrow College.

The students then split into groups with an ice breaker task titled ‘Harrow College represents…? In this activity, students got creative and used various stationary items to create pictures and symbols to represent what Harrow College means to them. Each group then presented their creations to the room with the all-staff judging panel deciding on their winner.

Next, it was the turn of the staff to update the Council in a segment called ‘You said, we did’. Here, key issues from the previous meeting were addressed and staff had the opportunity to discuss what progress had been made on key issues.

The groups next took part in a speed networking activity titled ‘Speak up! Meet the managers’ where each group had 5 minutes to quiz different managers from the college about issues which are important to them. Managers from many different areas including Learners Support, Quality, IT and more were represented, rotating from one table to the next every 5 minutes.

The session ended with an open forum which included the student council updating everybody on various issues with a key focus on attendance and discussing if the college can do anything to help further motivate students to learn.

Speaking after today’s meeting, Sandie Petrie, Student Enrichment Coordinator at Harrow College said “Our Student Union and Student Council is run for students, by students. Today’s meeting was a great opportunity for some important issues to be discussed by our student representatives in the presence of college staff. Discussions can now be moved forward in partnership with Student Union officers and college managers”.

Click here for more on Student Enrichment at Harrow College.

Vibe 107.6 FM is a community radio station run by volunteers who broadcast in Watford and the surrounding area including Harrow.

The student team from Harrow College Radio (HC Radio) were lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes look at the station and meet the producers and presenters. As well as learning about the technical aspects of running a radio station, the students got a live demonstration on how to produce a show.

They were challenged to create their own links (sound bites that link music together) which they presented live on the 5pm drivetime show. Harrow College students Gideon Anane (DJ Gids from HC Radio) presented a link about Cheryl Cole's alleged spilt from Liam Payne. Chloe Heffernan talked about her passion for Harry Potter and Queanna Gordon talked about the Beast from the East, the snow storm which recently hit the U.K.

Vibe 107.6 FM were fantastic hosts and keen to share their expertise, knowledge and tips and the team from HC Radio are looking forward to putting their newly acquired skills into practice across the Harrow College airwaves.

Click here to listen to past HC Radio shows

Students from Harrow College have attended a motivational talk given by renowned public speaker Jackson Ogunyemi, better known as Action Jackson.

Jackson held talks at the college’s Harrow on the Hill campus on Monday 12 March 2018. In front of packed audiences, Jackson spoke about the importance of dreaming big, acting now and never giving up. He encouraged students to work hard, form good habits and to limit activities which could be holding you back.

Clearly separating social time from class time, reducing the use of social media on smart phones for entertainment purposes and learning from past experiences were some of the key messages. Jackson spoke about his own experiences and engaged with the students a number of times in group activities to demonstrate the power of the mind in completing tasks which initially seemed un-achievable. One example included the students recalling 30 random items in order after many initially claimed to only be able to recall no more half that total.

Action Jackson founded Fix Up Seminars in 2001, which delivers workshops focused on motivating students, teachers and parents. When asked about a key message that students should take away from the day, Jackson said:

“Don’t be afraid to fail because failure is part of success. And if you do fail, learn from the experience and try again”.

Interested in joining Harrow College? View our courses and apply now – click here

Computing students at Harrow College were interviewed by leading representatives from the world of IT this week (13 March 2018) as part of a special mock interview careers event.

Employers from over twenty organisations including BT, Sky, TSB, Capgemini and more conducted fictional employment interviews, just as they would in a real life situation to help students receive a better understanding of a formal work related interview process. Many of the students will face interviews from IT employers in the future and career preparation like this is designed to give the young learners a head start on their career journeys.

The students faced a number of questions during their 30 minute interview including:

• What are some of the skills you have developed recently that would be useful for employment?
• What motivates you?
• Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

Students were assessed on their responses as well as other important competencies including their dress code, time keeping and body language. The employers were constructive with their feedback to ensure students took away key learning experiences including what they could improve for future interviews and how their overall CV’s could be developed.

Speaking after the event, Lauren Owen from TSB said:

“Students showed a lot of interest and should shout more about their achievements. It’s clear that the students already have some great experiences which they do not highlight enough – we were able to feed back about this. The students today were very confident and were able to articulate themselves very well – a credit to the college”

Josh Berle from Government Sales added “This morning has been very inspiring. I have met some very dedicated and focussed young people who are about to embark on their life journeys. By taking part today, they are showing the right attitude to want to succeed in life – I leave today feeling very optimisitc”.

If you are interested in IT and computing courses at Harrow College, click here.

When the Starbucks coffee shop in Watford placed an advert on Facebook calling for a local artist to help them out, local Harrow College student Bartosz Cichowski was quick to accept the challenge and offer his creative skills.

The advert headline read ‘Looking for Local Artist to Design a Space in Starbucks’. Bartosz, a Deaf student on Year 1 of a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Architecture, Interior and Product Design course, made contact and arranged an interview. Accompanied by the Harrow College CSU (Communication Support Unit), Bartosz met Shop Manager Luke Stoffberg who was very impressed by what he saw. Bartosz was commissioned for the job which was to design a chalk-paint image on a notice board within the popular coffee shop.

Days later, Bartosz visited Starbucks along with Communicator Debbie Jerrom. With his sketches to hand and a design plan in mind, Bartosz spent the day creating his piece of art using chalk-paint (which he had never used before). The completed design (see image) was revealed to the Starbucks staff team were delighted with the results. Manager Luke Stoffberg commented:

“It rivals the professional artworks that I have seen in the American Starbucks shops. I wish it could be laminated so it lasts forever”.

Speaking earlier at Harrow College today, Bartosz said:

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to do this work for Starbucks as many people will see my name on it. Art is my main talent and am working with staff at the college to decide which creative industry I can aim for.”

Starbucks Watford proudly shared photos of the finished image (see photo above) across social media.

For more about Art & Design courses at Harrow College, click here

For more about the CSU at Harrow College, click here

A group of career driven students from Harrow College have continued on their journey of discovery with the Raw Talent Employability Academy. As part of their programme of activities spread across the academic year, the group visited the offices of Capita to gain a unique first-hand insight into the word of work. Capita are a UK leader in delivering technology enabled business process management and outsourcing solutions.

For many, this was their first visit to a major corporate organisation. Dressed in their smart suits and with notebooks in hand, the student met various people from within different areas of the Workforce Technology Division. These included a welcome from the CEO and managers responsible for Talent Identification, Sales, Finance, Post Sales, Commercial and Compliance.

Each manager also gave detail on their own development and highlighted the core attributes that Capita look for when employing staff. Following the talks, students were invited to ask a range of questions and given a tour of the offices.

Raw Talent Employability Academy is the brainchild of BBC Apprentice Winner, Lee McQueen. The Academy aims to give students an understanding of business through a hands-on programme, extracurricular to the student’s college studies. Activities include giving the selected learners the opportunity to visit a large corporation, visit the different areas of a live business environment and receive coaching from business experts on specific employability skills.

Lee Janaway Head of Learner Services, Experience and Employability at Harrow College said:

“Students were able to gain a vast understanding of the many roles within this part of Capita and the skills and attributes required by employers. I am sure that many of the students will go away and think about new future possibilities”.

For more about student life at Harrow College, click here

Over 50 Plumbing and Electrical students from Harrow College have enjoyed a career-focussed day in the company of tutors and an inspirational local plumber. The insightful and interactive day was coordinated by Working Knowledge - a social enterprise that exists to open the eyes of business to the young talent available locally.

The purpose of the day was about taking opportunities. Firstly the learners brainstormed ideas about the skills that they thought employers would be looking for when recruiting new employees. Business Volunteer and local Plumber Mark Fraser spoke about his remarkable story of a difficult childhood and associated troubles. He explained how he manged to switch his attention to learning a trade which provided him with a way out and led to a wonderful careers path. He highlighted communication and attitude as being key skills and attributes which benefited him in achieving a successful career.

The learners were then tasked with creating a team presentation which focused on business ideas. Each team showed great energy and enthusiasm when pitching their ideas. The session ended with Mark awarding a prize for the most outstanding individual of the day. The winner was student Michael McDonagh who had really embraced the day from the start, asking lots of good questions, communicating clearly and showing a positive attitude at all times. He was very deserving of his cash prize!

Lee Janaway Head of Learner Services, Experience and Employability at Harrow College said:

"It was great for our construction students to hear about the key attributes needed to be successful from someone who has undertaken a similar journey to them and overcome hurdles to become a skilled tradesman".

For more about Plumbing, Electrical and Construction courses at Harrow College, click here.

When the Football Association (the FA) named Harrow College as a host venue for the FA People’s Cup - a Futsal tournament which runs alongside the actual professional FA Cup, there was understandable excitement among the local community. The FA People’s Cup 2018 is the largest free 5-a-side football competition in the country, supported by the BBC’s Get Inspired campaign.

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced small sided football game that is widely played across the world and is officially recognised by both UEFA and FIFA. Many of the world’s top class footballers played Futsal in their youth including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas, amongst many others!

The tournament kicked off in late February 2018 with Harrow College hosting matches at Vale Farm in Wembley. The day was action packed with teams giving it their all, hoping to progress to the semi-final. The winning team from round 1, competing in the college male & female category, was a team from Harrow College – a fantastic achievement!

Brunel University played host to the semi-finals (on 21 March 2018), and not only did team Harrow College compete, they also comprehensively won the game 5-0, defeating Whiltshire - another London college team. The Harrow College team, thrilled with their tournament performance, will now progress to the finals which will take place at St George’s Park – the £105m facility which is the training home for all England national football teams. Winners will be crowned during the grand final in late April, with a chance to be at Wembley Stadium for the Emirates FA Cup Final in May 2018.

Harrow College student Lestor Pereira said: “It’s a great achievement for the team and the college to qualify for the finals. It was a brilliant game and Wiltshire were tough opponents. I’m really happy to go through and I’m looking forward to playing at St George’s Park. It’s brilliant to be top goal scorer for my team too.”

Futsal is a five-a-side game, normally played on a flat indoor pitch with hockey sized goals and a size four ball with a reduced bounce. It is played to touchlines and all players are free to enter the penalty area and play the ball over head-height. Games are 20 minutes per half, played to a stop clock (similar to basketball) with time-outs permitted. The surface, ball and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.

A delighted Katie Tarrant – Sports Lecturer and Futsal coordinator at Harrow College said:

“The whole Sports Department are extremely proud of how far this team has come in such a short space of time. Futsal was only introduced into the college in October so the boys have done fantastically well. We cannot wait to cheer them on at St George’s Park”.

For more on Sports courses at Harrow College, click here.

We have a fantastic team of teachers here at Harrow College and we’d like you to meet them. So, we asked a few teachers the following 5 questions:

• What is your role at Harrow College?
• What teaching experience do you have?
• What do you love most about teaching at Harrow College?
• Why do students enjoy your course?
• Tell us about your most successful students?

Here is what they said:

Panos Nicolaides - Business Studies

I teach Business Studies (BTEC and HNC), Economics and AAT. I try to bring into the classroom my experience in industry and the real world, as best I can. Of course the real world has a habit of spoiling our wonderful theories.

I started in teaching quite late in life and now have 10 years’ experience. Apart from the first two years the rest have been at Harrow College.

Believe it or not what I love about teaching is the students. Watching them grow and acquire knowledge is a real privilege. They never cease to surprise you, sometimes in daft ways but often in really wonderful ways.

Hopefully it is because I endeavour to make it real and show them how it applies to the real world. I have a real passion for my subject and hope that this shines through.

Shruti Ratna - Science

I am the Science Co-ordinator as well as being a LIC (which stands for Learning Innovation Coach (I basically facilitate teacher training through workshops and coaching). I also teach Biology.

I have about 13 years teaching experience, mainly teaching Biology across a range of programmes (GCSE, A-Level and Applied Science). I have also worked internationally teaching Science and Biology.

I love the warm and friendly atmosphere at Harrow College. Teachers have a good relationship with their students and I feel this motivates students to try their best.

The new Science laboratories have been designed to a high spec with excellent resources to enhance the student experience. The Science teaching staff are very experienced and we run a variety of courses from level 1 to level 3. Our learners progress well onto a range of Science disciplines such as Biomedical Science, Engineering, Pharmacy and Medicine.

Last year a high percentage of my A-level Biology learners achieved a high grade, including one who did exceptionally well and secured a place at Maastricht University in Amsterdam to study Science.

Parvaneh Alinaghian - Maths

I am Curriculum Manager for Mathematics.

I have been teaching Maths for more than 20 years at all levels.

What I love most is when I see students work hard and succeed in their course and then progress to the next phase of their life.

Student enjoy maths at Harrow College for a number of reasons. When we recentlyasked them they said:

• "I now feel I can face any problem even in daily life"
• "The maths teachers at Harrow College are very supportive and i can always go to their office for help"
• "The teaching mthods are excellent"
• "Maths at Harrow College has ;et me become a rational and organised person"

While studying Maths, Students grasp that Maths is a profound language and although it is a reasonably neutral subject it is easily combined with other courses, especially Science and this is one reason they enjoy Maths. As a Maths teacher and someone who loves Maths, I share my passion with my learners and this encourages them to study maths. Students are also very well supported.

Student success! Rui Tao is one of my A-level students who participated in the UK senior Maths Challenge and also Senior Kangaroo completions in both 2016 and 2017. In 2016 she was awarded a Certificate of Merit in the Kangaroo Challenge and a gold certificate for the UK Senior Maths Challenge. Rui’s predicted grade is A* and she has achieved an offer from Imperial College to study Chemistry.

Celia Reece - Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD)

I am a lecturer on the Learning Links course at Harrow College.

I have taught at Harrow College for over 25 years.

I work with a fantastic team of people where no two days are the same. I love watching the students' confidence grow by involving them in every aspect of their learning journey at college.

The Learning Links students are on a life skills course with literacy, ICT and numeracy incorporated into everything they do. They run a shop at college and design and make things for the shop. They do horticulture and learn how to grow and care for plants and run a mini enterprise plant sale. Students have cooking classes and bake for charity events and open days. They take part in art events and join in enrichment activities; at the moment they can choose from swimming or cricket.

One of our staff taught a student to swim as the result of weekly swimming sessions at the local pool. When we took her group to the seaside, she swam in the sea for the first time in her life. The staff will never forget the delight she took in the experience.

Kathy Fry - Maths

I teach Maths AS and A level.

As my current age is both a perfect square and a perfect cube, you will be able to deduce that I have many years of teaching experience.

Teaching at Harrow College is hard work, but never boring. And Maths is Fun!

Students will enjoy the satisfaction of solving challenging problems.

Maths A level is difficult work but lessons are interactive with lots of class discussion and banter. Classrooms decorated with attractive, relevant posters and student work. There are opportunities to enter competitions. For those who need some extra support, a “buddy scheme” is available.

A recent student who was successful academically achieved A* in both Maths and Further Maths A levels. She is now studying Physics at Oxford University.

Eduard Niga - ESOL

I teach within the ESOL department as an ESOL English/Maths/IT Lecturer.

I have been teaching since 2008.

The team I work with and the rapport with the students is what I love about teaching at Harrow College.

I think the reason why students enjoy my lessons is because I don't take myself too seriously (I do of course take the job very seriously though!) and like to have fun during my lessons.

Student success! Hama (his nickname) wasn't one of the strongest students in class, however he kept working hard during his GCSE classes 4 years ago and now, he is at University studying for a Sports degree. He came to see me at the beginning of this academic year and I was really pleased to see how focused and professional he has become.

Helen Sabonjian - ICT

I’m a lecturer in the ICT department. I started at Harrow College on a part-time basis in 1995, teaching basic computing to ESOL students, and now work full-time teaching BTEC Level 3. 

What I love most about my job is that it’s different every year because of the students. Teaching is a busy and stressful profession but it’s one I enjoy and there’s nothing better than reaching the end of the academic year and seeing how much they’ve grown in confidence and abilities.

I like to keep in touch with students who have left, finding out about their studies at university and their jobs. Many go on to lead very successful careers. One of my ex-tutees achieved top grades here at Harrow, then went on to achieve a First at university and is now in his 2nd year of a Graduate Training Scheme at IBM. I feel very proud of not just that student, but all of them.

Wayne Anthony Wright - Electrical / Construction

I am a Skills Centre lecturer in Electrical engineering.

I have been teaching for the past 10 years.

I have always enjoyed the moment when students first understand how a lighting circuit functions and quite literally have that 'Light bulb moment'!

Student success! Jack O'Connor is a former student who successfully completed Level 1 Electrical at the Harrow College Skills Centre and progressed to level 2 and 3 at Whitefriars. After successfully completing his Level 3, he has been working as a self-employed electrician in the local area.

Vishal Raja - Media

I am a Digital Media Lecturer and Media Course Leader with over 10 years’ experience delivering on many creative subjects including Media, Graphics, Art & Design and Photography.

Harrow as a borough and as a college is one of the most diverse places on Earth and I feel privileged to have taught many students from around the world. It is amazing to see so many different cultures within one room learning together as well as being friendly, respectful and building relations with each other.

Students can look forward using professional hardware & software, live client assignment briefs, developing communication, confidence & presentation skills as well as developing practical/technical/media specialist skills.

We have had numerous students progress onto various areas of the TV, Film, Visual/Special Effects, Music, Journalism, Marketing industries around the world. Some of our ex-students have or are currently working locally at the BBC and Sky Studios; others are working internationally in different film industries like Nollywood (Nigerian), Bollywood (Indian), Tamil (Sri Lankan) & Cinema of Canada. Two of our most decorated learners recently are Rashid Kasirye & Pratik Unia.

Rashid is the co-owner of Link Up TV, a rap promotional channel and website based in London, United Kingdom. Pratik is the founder of Unia Productions, a professional wedding photography and video production team based in London, specialising in Asian weddings.

Easwari Chandramohan - Busines

I am a Business and Law Lecturer.

I have been a lecturer in Harrow College for 11 years. I started out teaching A-Level Law. I am currently teaching Business Studies at various levels including Btec Level 3, Access to Higher Education and Higher National Certificate. A few of the areas that I teach in the course include Business Communications, Marketing and Law.

Harrow College promotes a positive learning environment and its philosophy on student centred values makes the college a comfortable teaching as well as learning environment. Students are set with high expectations and most of them meet or exceed their expectation and are highly motivated in the academic area as well as their personal development which helps them in their progression into higher education and employment.

The course offers an interactive learning environment. As part of the course, students will have the opportunity take part in employer engagement events to nurture their employability skills. Further to this, we have trips, guest speakers, and Expo and Enterprise projects where students are provided with opportunities to use their creativity and innovative skills.

One of our students progressed well in the Business course and is currently studying BSc Economics in the London School of Economics. The student was reserved when he started the course but with the teaching support he received in Harrow College, he became more confident with giving presentations, interview skills and he developed his written formal English – it is these skills that played a big part in him getting a place in the course

Want to meet for staff in person? Come to our next open day! For open day details, click here

Former Harrow College student Brendan Simba has raised £500 pounds for the school in his home country of Zimbabwe which supported his early years as a student with cerebral palsy.

As a student at Harrow College, Brendan, now aged 24, studied media studies and also did a supported internship at the college. Prior to migrating to England aged 4, Brendan attended a special educational need school in Zimbabwe called King George VI. This school supported Brendan before his parents brought him to England. Brendan has the neurological disability cerebral palsy.

Brendan said:

“It has always been on my mind to give something back to the school that gave me a head-start as a disabled person. When we were recently told in class to come up with a project idea, I asked my colleagues if we could hold a fundraising activity to raise some money to support my former school. They all said it was a good idea and we came up with a plan to hold a sports day. The turn-out was excellent, with special need students participating in various sporting activities”.

The event raised £500 and with the help of Brendan’s teacher they successfully donated the money to King George VI School. Brendan received a thank you email from the school in Zimbabwe.

Brendan added:

“I also want to say a big thank you to my classmates, support staff, my teachers especially Ade Bright and all those that made the fund raising event a success. A special thank you to the health and social care students that came to support us during the event. I hope and plan to make it an annual project. Once again thank you to everyone; both participants and donors”.

Click here for more about Additional Learning Suppot at Harrow College.

You're invited! If you're looking for a new college place starting in Sept 2018, our next Harrow College open day is a great opportunity to meet staff, discuss courses & careers and take a tour of the campus.

New students can look forward to...

• Studying at the highest overall achieving college in north-west London 
• Excellent transport links - both bus and train
• Career focussed courses with regular employer engagement
• Experienced teaching staff with a record of successful results
• Excellent facilities and social activities
• A very friendly, welcoming and diverse student community! 

Open Day location: Harrow on the Hill campus, Lowlands Road, Harrow, HA1 3AQ 

Date & Time: Wednesday, 25th April 2018, 4pm - 7pm

The open day is free to attend and free limited parking is available on the day. Students, parents, family, friends...you're all welcome!

Want to visit our other campuses? No problem! Let us know during this open day and we'll be happy to arrange a date with you to visit either our Harrow Weald, Whitefriars or Skills Centre campuses.

Harrow College offers a range of courses. These include A-levels (Science & Maths), BTEC, Apprenticeships, GCSE, Entry and Foundation courses as well as Access to Higher Education courses, HNC courses and Counselling and Teacher Training courses for adults.

We look forward to meeting you at our open event in April 2018.

 Add this event to my Calendar