Willkommen in Barntrup

21 March 2013

A multi-talented group of AS and A2 Wyke students enthusiastically took part in the biennial exchange to Germany last week. A mixture of German and Performing Arts students took the overnight ferry to Rotterdam and travelled to the Barntrup Gymnasium in North Rhein Westphalia which has been our partner school for some 20+ years. All 12 students were ‘on tour’ with “Ein Sommernachtstraum” (Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) which was performed on 3 occasions to a variety of German audiences and was exceptionally well-received. Several students were asked for their autographs and are being followed on Facebook as a result of their outstanding performances!

On arrival in Barntrup each student was warmly met by their exchange partner bearing a rose and several students were whisked away for a press conference and photo shoot in order to promote the play. A relaxing weekend ensued with a day trip to Hameln, a town famous for the story of ‘The Pied Piper of Hamlin’, with rats aplenty and musical storytelling in the town square. A visit to an exhibition by the quirky Austrian artist Hundertwasser appealed to many students and got them out of the dank, bone-chilling fog which had sat over the region for 2 days. Students spent a day alone with their host families and were able to thoroughly soak up the language, plentiful food, culture and friendliness of the German people.

London Media & Film Tour

14 March 2013

A group of 39 AS and A2 Film Studies and Media Studies students travelled to London in the early hours of Wednesday 6th March to witness the magic of the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour.

They marvelled and gaped at the spectacular sets, props and creatures which originated from JK Rowling’s wonderful books and the hugely successful films that they spawned. Students were delighted to stand in the Great Hall, were enchanted by the ‘creatures’ workshop and left wind-swept by their CGI broomstick adventures.

Many were keen to sample the confectionary featured in the films, and left the gift-shop with bags of sweet treats. Shortly after lunchtime the tour departed for the South Bank of London, where students were fascinated by the exhibits on display at the London Film Museum. They were charmed by the Charlie Chaplin 4-person cinema, and transported to a galaxy far, far away when they posed with light sabres on a replica set from Star Wars. There was even an opportunity to join The Simpsons for a quick chat on their iconic sofa.

New York 2013

15 February 2013

New York 2013 was definitely a college trip worth remembering. From visiting the USA’s leading hip-hop radio station, HOT97, to appearing on “Good Morning America”, it certainly was an intense week of activity. That’s not to forget experiencing “Nemo”, the snow storm that engulfed the city towards the end of the visit.

The group of 20 students stayed at the iconic YMCA, just off Central Park, which provided a brilliant location to visit New York’s main attractions. Besides going to the top of the Empire State Building, visiting Times Square, exploring Central Park and walking the Manhattan shoreline to Brooklyn Bridge, students were also treated to a lecture from the New York Film Academy and a personalised tour of HOT97.

Star Struck

24 January 2013

On Tuesday 22nd January, 15 Wyke Film Studies students attended ‘An Evening with John Hurt’ at The University of Lincoln’s Performing Arts Centre.

The lecture, chaired by Professor Martin Sleight, was a retrospective of John Hurt’s impressive canon of work and featured clips of his most celebrated on-screen roles, including the seminal ‘birth’ scene from Alien.

The lecture precedes the University of Lincoln's award of an honorary PhD to Mr Hurt, in recognition of his exceptionally successful career. In conversation with Professor Sleight, and on the eve of his 73rd birthday, Mr Hurt himself provided illuminating insights into the film industry and the professionals that he has worked with in a career spanning 50 years and a broad range of roles including Kane in Alien, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, John Merrick in The Elephant Man and Mr Ollivander in Harry Potter. He has received four Baftas, two Oscar nominations, two Evening Standard Awards and a Golden Globe.

Students Mean Business at an Enterprise Master Class

14 November 2012

A group of 10 Business Studies students will be heading to the University of Hull, this November, for an Enterprise Master Class as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The event will include an inspirational talk from the former BBC Apprentice star Ruth Badger and a number of young entrepreneurs in the city.

Business teacher Elizabeth Blakey said, “We hope to not only enjoy the afternoon but also win a small prize for the enterprise task.”

Each competing college team will have an object and brief relating to the 2012 Olympics. The group will be asked to come up with a marketing concept using the object placed on its table. As in business strict deadlines will apply and inspiration is key. The each group need to prepare a dynamic but concise two-minute presentation for the “Badger’s Sett”.

Six teams then will be selected from the delegates and each will have up to four minutes to put forward their case to the “Badger’s Sett” made up of key speakers and guests.