Five digital film students have shown that they have what it takes to compete with professional filmmakers across the globe as their films have made it into the official selection for Thurrock International Film Festival. 

AS student Jason Bartlett has had his film shortlisted for Best Film in the Under 18 category with A2 students Jack Perkins and Michael Newbon also having films screened within this category.  Being over 18, Lucy Jones will have her film screened within the Student selection and is the only non-university student to be screened in this category.  Building on his previous success at Screentest National Student Film Festival where he was shortlisted for Best Experimental Film, Joy Salekin will have his film screened in the Experimental category along with work by professional filmmakers.

Competing against entries from over 35 different countries and judged by a host of well-known actors and industry professionals, the students’ selection marks out their work as being some of the very best of the entries received in their categories. The festival presents a fantastic opportunity for the students to gain hands on experience of the short and independent film making industry and network with top professionals.

I am so proud of each of my students.  They have all worked so hard and truly earned their selection.  To have their work recognised on an international platform is very special indeed and I can’t think of a bunch of people who deserve it more.

Anna Hawes, Digital Film Teacher

The festival takes place between the 23^rd and 28^th September 2013 and you can view the entries here on YouTube.

The Principal and students celebrate the Ofsted Results. Image courtesy of Sarah Standing at The News http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/

 “Sustained improvements in results, good teaching, learning and assessment and very high quality support from all staff.”

OfSTED inspectors have classified Portsmouth College as consistently good and improving further.  In a report packed with positive observations they were particularly complimentary about the quality of teaching and learning over recent years and the sustained improvement in results that this has generated. 

A team of experienced, senior inspectors visited the Tangier Road college for a full week in mid-March to assess the College in three core areas:

• Outcomes for Learners
• Quality of Teaching and Learning
• Effectiveness of Leadership and Management

For each of these categories the inspectors awarded the second highest point in the OfSTED range; ‘grade 2, good’.   In addition, the team focused on two broad curriculum areas, assessing both Visual Arts & Media and Social Sciences as ‘good’, the latter with ‘outstanding features’.

The Inspectors’ full report, now available on the OfSTED website, provides consistently positive messages about a college which supports its students brilliantly, contributes substantially to the local community and which has achieved year-on-year improvements in academic results to reach the current high level of success. 

Uniformed Public Service students spent the day at Cosham fire station learning about the work of Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The opportunity was given to youngsters from Portsmouth College, South Downs College and Highbury College to provide them with an insight into how the service operates on a daily basis; and how to go about making an application to join the service in the future. They completed functional fitness assessments, practical tasks and studied the personal qualities and attributes linked to Hampshire's Fire and Rescue core values; in order to understand the work involved in this service.

Public Services students Jake Dilley, Michael Lock and Jack Stringer from the College took part in a mock road traffic collision exercise; assisted by firefighters Gary Ball and Jim Couch which gave them an insight into team working and extrication practices used by the service when faced with road traffic collisions.