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Making The Right Choice For You at Cadbury
Here at Cadbury we’re big believers in choice and think that students shouldn’t have to compromise on what they enjoy when deciding what to do after school. For that reason we have one of the largest course offers in the region with over 50 subject areas to choose from.
Applied Science BTEC with an Art A Level? No problem. Some university courses and careers will require you to study certain courses at Level 3 after you leave school but lots of them won’t. The most important thing to remember when selecting your courses is to concentrate on what you’re good at and what you enjoy.
In theory you are free to do any combination of courses you want here at Cadbury – you just need to do a combination which adds up to the equivalent of three A Levels. We do however have recommended combinations that provide pathways into careers and university courses.
Record University Applications Beat UCAS Deadline
Our tireless Careers Team have worked round the clock to process record numbers of university applications ahead of the cut off time.
Numbers of Cadbury Sixth Form College students applying for higher education places has now brought the total for all Sandwell College group sites to more than 1,300.
Careers Coordinator and Adviser, Andrew Farthing, said: “Ahead of the 6pm UCAS deadline on 31st January, the Careers Team worked tirelessly to advise students and tutors, check all student applications and send completed applications with references to UCAS.
“This huge task will help our students to secure offers for places at university. We are on track for record numbers of applications this year.”
Last year 1,035 students across the group were placed at university destinations. Russell Group Universities attracting our students included Oxford, Birmingham, Nottingham, Warwick, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Southampton and York.
The top 5 most popular choices emerged as Birmingham City University, University of Wolverhampton, Aston University, Coventry University, plus De Montfort and Birmingham Newman University in joint fifth place for popularity.
Course sectors which attracted the most students were Criminology and Law, Business/Finance/Accounting/Economics, Nursing and Midwifery, Computing, Psychology and Engineering.
To be part of our next year of success at Cadbury, apply now!
Cadbury Design Graduate Wins Global KSI Competition
One of Cadbury’s successful alumni, Hamza Ali, has won a competition to create a new Reddit icon for social media superstar KSI. Hamza, who is set to graduate from Birmingham City University as a Graphic Designer in the summer, has been praised for his “passion, imagination and huge flair” by the famous YouTube influencer.
Hamza saw off thousands of rivals from around the world with his entry, which will now be viewed by KSI’s army of 2.9m followers. KSI, who also has more than 20 million subscribers on YouTube, added: “I’ve seen Hamza’s work all over Reddit. I love his passion, imagination and huge flair for artistic design. I know his work is in hot demand by other YouTube influencers. He is very talented. Hamza managed to whip up a madness of colours and energy, combining all the things I love in this icon. The design is super awesome and sick.”
Hamza, who goes by the name Ballpoint Papi on social media and has more than 40,000 followers across TikTok, X and Instagram, said: “It’s pretty amazing and it’s hard to put into words what this means. KSI rarely changes his icon for Reddit, so it’s really massive. It means the entire KSI community will know my work. KSI is very into Dragon Ball Z, so the icon was inspired by this and the Reddit logo.”
Hamza hopes this competition win will improve his chances of impressing leading design agencies in the USA when he heads to New York later this year with a group of fellow creatives from the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at BCU. He also plans on travelling to Japan to publicise his work next summer with a series of exhibitions.
He added: “Apart from my academic pursuits, I have arranged studio visits in New York City. During my visit, I will be exploring ‘SlangInc’ and Design Bridge to broaden my knowledge and gain real-time exposure to the professional world of graphic design. This opportunity follows a similar experience I had last year when I met with esteemed designers such as Michael Beirut at Pentagram and Georgia Stout at 2×4. These visits have shaped my approach to design and have inspired me to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity.”
Hamza credited his experience and lecturers at Cadbury for paving the way to his growing success. “The A Levels I chose have played a significant role in shaping me into the designer I am today. Stuart, my former graphic design tutor at Cadbury, challenged me creatively, and I am incredibly grateful for him pushing me beyond the boundaries of what is considered ‘normal’ for a graphics designer. He encouraged me to pursue a career in graphic design, and I attribute my success in this field to his guidance and unwavering support.”
You can view Hamza’s winning icon here
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The Sandwell Colleges is delighted to announce the appointment of Emma Brannen as Senior Vice Principal, Quality and Student Success. Emma brings a wealth of experience in further education, having served as Vice Principal Quality at Stoke-on-Trent College.
During her tenure at Stoke-on-Trent College, Emma was instrumental in driving curriculum development and quality assurance, ensuring students achieved exceptional outcomes. Her leadership has been widely recognised, including overseeing national award-winning projects that celebrated participation and inclusivity.
Emma is also well known for her community-focused work, having served on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board for Stoke City Football Club. Her contributions have inspired confidence and inclusion across local communities, particularly through initiatives empowering women and girls.
In her new role, Emma will focus on enhancing curriculum strategies and maintaining the highest standards of quality across The Sandwell Colleges’ programmes, including Sandwell College, Cadbury Sixth Form College and Central Saint Michael’s Sixth Form campuses. She will work closely with staff and stakeholders to ensure the College continues to deliver exceptional education and training opportunities for all learners and employers across the West Midlands, fostering an environment that promotes success for all.
Emma commented on her new position, saying: “I am thrilled to join The Sandwell Colleges, which is renowned for its commitment to learners and community impact. I look forward to working with the team to build on its successes and drive further innovation and excellence.”
Lisa Capper MBE, CEO and Principal of The Sandwell Colleges, said: “We are proud to welcome Emma to The Sandwell Colleges. Her experience, leadership and dedication to educational excellence align perfectly with our vision to support all learners, apprentices and our community. Emma’s expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our senior leadership team as we continue to grow.”
Emma joins Asa Gordon, Deputy Principal Curriculum and Skills, who was appointed in November. Emma’s appointment marks another exciting milestone for The Sandwell Colleges as it continues its mission to deliver outstanding learning opportunities to over 12,000 students annually.
We’re delighted to share that Khalid Daley, a former learner at Cadbury Sixth Form College, has seen his latest play, Choir Boy, win three Black British Theatre Awards – Best Production, Best Director, and Best Male Lead Actor.
Khalid’s journey is truly inspiring. After training at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he received the prestigious Laurence Olivier Bursary, his career has gone from strength to strength.
His impressive theatre credits include:
– Hamilton
– Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
– War Horse
– Matthew Bourne’s Lord of the Flies
Khalid has also made his mark on screen, with appearances in The Great War, Doctors, and 4 O’Clock Club: Hollywood.
Huge congratulations, Khalid – you continue to inspire us all!
Two budding graphic designers at Cadbury Sixth Form College have created a new logo for NHS surgeries in South Birmingham.
Two of our first year A Level Graphics learners, Josh and Imogen, have designed the new logo for Rea Valley Health Partnership, which will soon feature across NHS surgeries, including Kings Norton Surgery, Ashtree Surgery and Keynell Covert.
One of the directors of Rea Valley Health Partnership, Rajiv Kalia, commended the design duo’s professionalism and the high standard of work they produced.
Josh said: “By working with a real organisation, it makes you think about what will work and the kind of image the surgeries wish to present.”
Imogen said: “We also get to work with the business to understand what they do and how the logo will help others recognise their brand and purpose.”
Lisa Capper MBE, CEO & Principal of The Sandwell Colleges, said: “Well done Josh and Imogen – a fantastic achievement! This kind of ‘live brief’ really brings learning to life for our students. Thank you to the team at Rea Valley Health Partnership. Working with local businesses and community organisations like yourselves supports our mission to ensure our learners meet the skill needs of the workplace while providing invaluable real-world opportunities.”
