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SafeHaven launched in partnership with Cadbury Sixth Form College
We are pleased to announce the launch of SafeHaven, a new initiative created in partnership with Cadbury Sixth Form College, which will empower local youth through creative arts, sports, and community-building activities.
SafeHaven will provide a safe and inspiring environment for young people at Cadbury Sixth Form College with free entry for ages 9-17. The programme aims to foster self-expression, resilience, and teamwork among young people through a wide range of activities, from music production to sports and visual arts.
The initiative will run twice a week, offering tailored sessions to engage both primary and secondary school students. Mondays (4PM – 6PM) will feature activities for primary students ages 9-13, while Wednesdays (4PM – 6PM) will be focused on secondary students ages 13-17.
Each session provides participants with exciting opportunities to explore new skills and hobbies, including multi-sports, arts and crafts, music production, drama, console gaming, and Warhammer. Workshops will also feature hip-hop, graffiti, and drawing sessions led by Creative Birmingham Arts Therapy UK, encouraging creativity and cultural expression.
West Midlands Police played a pivotal role in securing funding from Clarion Housing, which was used for resources such as uniforms and gaming equipment, which will enhance the programme’s accessibility and engagement.
PC Constable Matt Shakespeare, West Midlands Police, said: “SafeHaven is a wonderful initiative that will provide young people with positive outlets for self-expression and growth. Our collaboration with Cadbury Sixth Form College on this project reinforces our commitment to supporting Birmingham’s youth and fostering a safer, more connected community.”
Lydia Maher, Principal at Cadbury Sixth Form College comments: “We are delighted to launch SafeHaven as a space where young people can feel empowered, safe, and inspired. This project aligns with our mission to not only educate but to actively engage with the community and help build brighter futures for the young people in our local area.”
This initiative will be a significant addition to Cadbury Sixth Form College’s community offerings. To book your space, please click here.
Asa Gordon Joins Sandwell Family of Colleges as Deputy Principal, Curriculum and Skills
This week, Asa Gordon joins the Sandwell Family of Colleges – of which Cadbury Sixth Form College forms part – as Deputy Principal for Curriculum and Skills, stepping into this role as David Holden retires after a successful decade at the College.
Asa comes to Sandwell from his previous position as Vice Principal at Bradford College, where he had a remit from the Governors to deliver a curriculum that meets the needs of students, employers and the community. His achievements there included introducing a skills-focused programme for young people, a responsive adult offering aligned to meet the skills gap identified through the Local Skills Improvement Plan, and the launch of Higher Technical Qualifications and Higher-Level Apprenticeships.
With extensive experience in leading apprenticeships, Asa previously led apprentices at Bradford to success before becoming Assistant Principal for Study Programmes and Adult Provision. He is committed to the transformative role of Further Education, having served the sector for over 20 years and participated on several strategic boards. Additionally, he is an experienced school governor.
Asa’s appointment will be followed in January by the new Senior Vice Principal for Quality and Student Success. Asa joins Lisa Capper MBE, the new CEO and Principal, who also took up her post this week.
Lisa Capper MBE commented: “I am delighted that Asa is joining the Sandwell Family of Colleges for his next challenge. Developing the skills pipeline for young people, adults, and apprentices is crucial for the areas surrounding our colleges and the West Midlands region. Asa brings invaluable experience in curriculum development across key sectors, and we look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead.”
Asa shared: “I can’t wait to get started meeting colleagues and learners and supporting our plans for continued success. It’s an exciting time to be joining and contributing to the local area and the wider City region.”
Alan Taylor, Chair of Governors, added: “Asa is a great addition to our team as we move forward with our exciting developments and our relentless focus on learner success.”
Festival of Learning at Cadbury College
This week has been an incredibly exciting one for the Sandwell Family of Colleges as we celebrated our first Festival of Learning! The festival took place from Monday 21st October, to Thursday 24th October.
The Festival of Learning celebrates and showcases all aspects of college life across the three colleges, with this year’s theme being Lifelong Learning. The week has demonstrated how the colleges value personal and professional development for students, staff and our partners.
We have been delighted to have been joined by some incredible employers and alumni who have shared incredible insights to our students and staff. Just some of the inspiring events that have taken place this week include:
- University of Aston for an insightful Law Talk to our Law students
- Khaled Daley (Alumni) who performed Hamilton at the West End (plus many other performances), led a dance workshop to various groups
- Birmingham Black Lawyers did a Tech & IP Law Workshop for our Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth Law students
- Working for British Airways: Careers in Cabin Crew for our Business and Travel & Tourism groups
Khalid Daley (Alumni 2012-2013) who studied Drama & Theatre studies, English Language & Literature and Business said “I loved my time at Cadbury College, it was amazing to be amongst diverse and multicultural people and setting. Being with the students this week has been amazing. It’s so inspiring, I find young people so incredible, they have their own individuality and is what makes them special. So many of them really brought it out and haven’t even reached their full potential yet.”
This festival is the first of its kind at the college and we can’t wait to watch it grow even further year on year. To see some of the events and talks in action from this week, please follow our Instagram page here.
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The Sandwell Family of Colleges – of which Cadbury forms part – has been recognised for its commitment to Health and Wellbeing support at the annual Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) awards.
The Health and Wellbeing category specifically acknowledges initiatives and programmes that prioritise the mental and physical wellbeing of the college community, including students and staff. We are extremely proud to announce that we have been awarded recognition for our dedication to Mental Health & Wellness.
Principal and Chief Executive Officer Graham Pennington said: “We’re delighted to be recognised for our mental health and wellness initiatives. I’m incredibly proud of the extensive and tailored support we have in place across The Sandwell Family of Colleges to support our learners, staff and the wider community with issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing. The impact is enormous and real, and it’s all made possible by the passion and commitment of individual staff members who work so hard to remove barriers and realise potential. It’s a real privilege to lead a College with mental health support truly at the heart of its culture and it’s encouraging to see the positive impact we are making year on year. This achievement is down to the tireless efforts of so many of our staff whose commitment and dedication is unwavering.”
Every year, the SFCA provide this sector-wide opportunity and select a small number of providers nationally, who shine within eight areas of work. This is an invaluable way to share the successes of the sector and celebrate the achievements and impact of individual Colleges.
Wednesday 26th June marked a significant milestone at Sandwell family of colleges as we hosted our first-ever student conference, bringing together students from across all three campuses (Sandwell College, Cadbury Sixth Form College and Central Saint Michael’s Sixth Form). The event aimed to amplify our students’ voices, providing them with a platform to share their perspectives and contribute to shaping our colleges communities.
Graham Pennington, CEO and Principal of Sandwell family of colleges attended and expressed his excitement about the conference. “It was inspiring to witness our first ever conference and hear from the students themselves. Their enthusiasm and insights are invaluable as we aim to create an inclusive and responsive educational environment”.
Raza Hussain Spoken word Artist and former Cadbury Student joined us as our guest speaker who spoke about his journey and his home City Birmingham. Additionally, Tarenpreet student president of Central Saint Michael’s Sixth Form and Central Campus and Bilal, student president of Cadbury Sixth Form College shared their personal thoughts and journey at the college.
A key highlight for all attendees was the breakout sessions where students had the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions which had a particular focus on the family of colleges values; Respect, Responsible and Ready, the content of tutorials and mindfulness. The students were able to delve into these core values, exploring their relevance within the community. The feedback from these discussions will play a key role in guiding our future initiatives.
We are already looking forward to next year’s conference as this year’s event has set a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration between students and the college ensuring student voice remains at the heart of what we do.
- Results will be emailed to your college email address on the morning of results day.
- The college will be open for students to collect hard copies of your results from 9.30am.
- Please bring your college ID with you when you come.
- Any uncollected results will be posted home so please let us know if you have moved home recently.
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Results can only be given to you. If you are unable to collect your results and cannot wait for the post/ email, then please let us know beforehand. You will need to provide a letter of authorisation and the person coming to collect your results will need to bring ID as well.
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College email accounts were deactivated but should now be working, if you’re having any issues please email [email protected]
