News & Press
Uxbridge College student Rachel Fernandes is one of a number of women whose original poetry is now being showcased on Hillingdon Women’s Centre’s website.
Her poem ‘Nobody Owns Her’ was one of a high number written and submitted by women across the borough, with the best being chosen and published on the ‘Community Hub’ section of the Centre’s website.
Submissions were invited to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, on the theme of the ‘resilience of women’.
Rachel’s poem, along with information about how to get help for domestic violence whatever your identifying gender or cultural background, was also circulated to all students and staff at Uxbridge College.
Izzy Sutherland, Project Support from Hillingdon Women’s Centre, said: “Thank you so much to Rachel for writing this incredibly moving poem to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. We are overwhelmed by the amount of responses we've received from students at Uxbridge College.”
Hillingdon Women’s Centre, based in Long Lane, Hillingdon, is a charity which provides support and opportunities for women regardless of all ages, background, and culture and sexual identity. Their main services are related to domestic abuse and they also work with women experiencing mental health difficulties, unemployment, isolation, as well as those needing legal and benefits advice.
Nobody Owns Her
Nobody owns her
She's just a woman but a whole lot of explosion
She believed in her heart and still has a whole lot of sparkle
Flames of fire burning in her eyes
Pay no heed to the critics but she’d hurdle
Got her feet grounded beneath the surface
Standing a little taller
Chin a bit higher
She got the power, Cause nobody owns her
There's more to her then just what they know
Her comeback cannot be tamed but she’d hustle
And when she quit, she still rise higher
Unmasking herself, fixing her crown
Speaking a bit louder
Soul a bit stronger
Heart a little prouder, Cause nobody owns her
She's just a woman but she's unstoppable
She needs no one to believe in her, Cause no one can stop her
Nobody owns her.
Rachel Fernandes.
Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Medicine, Dentistry, Law and Veterinary Medicine are among the targets for A Level students currently applying through UCAS from Uxbridge College.
This year sees a record number in the college’s history of early applicants - a total of 22 - to the prestigious Russell Group universities, as well as for highly competitive subjects. There are a total of nine Oxbridge applications and 13 applications to Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.
A significant number of the students have progressed through Uxbridge College’s GCSE programmes, both through re-sit programmes and taking their exams for the first time, and a number have also completed ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) courses after coming to the UK from overseas.
Jack Harris, Head of Uxbridge College Sixth Form Centre, said: “The fact that these students are in a position to look at progression at this level is testament not only to their incredibly hard work and consistent achievement, but to the quality of our teaching and the supportive environment we provide. Whilst it has been a difficult year for everyone, the indications are extremely positive and we are all working hard to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone.”
Dr Darrell DeSouza, Group Principal of Uxbridge College and HCUC, said: “It is fantastic news to see such a large number of our students in a position to make such strong applications. This is an indication of the strength of our results both in 2020 and prior, which is even more impressive given what a difficult year it has been. It is also testament to the efforts of staff over the lockdown period and since returning.”
The high number of applicants is underpinned by the results achieved by students in 2020, as well as the range of additional extra-curricular activities and work experience placements students have undertaken to support their studies and personal development more generally.
Many students have already received conditional offers from other highly competitive Russell Group universities including Birmingham, Warwick, and Exeter, and Oxbridge interviews will continue early in 2021.
Uxbridge College is offering new, flexible courses in bookkeeping, accountancy and management – with a mix of online and on campus learning.
The ‘blended learning’ courses, run in partnership with Mindful Education, offer increased access and flexibility for part-time students and apprentices in these areas. Learners can combine the benefits of online learning with being part of a class that meets regularly with a college tutor.
Online lessons can be accessed on mobile, tablet or desktop, meaning that students can choose how, when and where they want to study. Students and apprentices also attend regular classes with a college tutor, where their learning is supported and embedded through group work, discussion and 1:1 feedback. Students can study around work and life commitments and can re-visit online lessons when needed.
Attendance at college is fortnightly, except for the management apprenticeships, where attendance is monthly.
Dr Darrell DeSouza, Group Principal and CEO of HCUC said: “As well as offering superb flexibility, these award-winning courses have very good success rates. These new blended learning courses, run in partnership between Uxbridge College and Mindful Education, offer increased flexibility by giving students and apprentices more opportunities to fit in their studies with other commitments and work, as well as providing all the necessary support where needed. Uxbridge College is very pleased to be able to have this new approach on offer as part of its ongoing commitment to responding to the needs of students and employers.”
The increased flexibility helps to meet the demands of staying Covid-safe, as well as enabling apprentices to spend less time away from the workplace. Employers also benefit from the innovative online analytics which help to evidence the 20% off-the-job training requirement.
Online and On Campus courses and apprenticeships currently on offer:
* AAT Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Bookkeeping - 16 weeks, next starting date January 2021 (on campus classes at both Uxbridge College and Harrow College)
* Accounts/Finance Assistant Apprenticeship AAT Level 2, AAT Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship Level 3 (on campus classes at both Uxbridge College and Harrow College)
* AAT Professional Accounting Technician Level 4 Apprenticeship (on campus classes at both Uxbridge College and Harrow College)
* Team Leader/Supervisor Apprenticeship - CMI Level 3 (on campus classes at Uxbridge College’s Hayes campus, Coldharbour Lane, Hayes)
* CMI (Chartered Management Institute) Operations/Departmental Manager Apprenticeship Level 5 (on campus classes at Uxbridge College’s Hayes campus, Coldharbour Lane, Hayes)
For more information click the links for Online and On Campus Apprenticeships - HCUC Apprenticeships & Skills and Accountancy courses at Uxbridge.