Silverstone

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Four very lucky students were given the opportunity to visit the famous Silverstone F1 Motor Racing Circuit this week courtesy of Pistonheads Sunday Service. Pistonheads invite their website members to specialist motor vehicle events on a monthly basis and call them their Sunday Service. Entry is free to the lucky people that sign up. This Sunday 700 people were allowed access to the Ferrari Clienti Programme.

The Ferrari Clienti programme is for multi millionaires who purchase special cars from Ferrari that are not available to the general public, only to their most exclusive customers. Cars such as the F1 world champion Michael Schumacher’s & Kimi Raikkonen’s F1 cars and the 599XX and the Enzo based FXX.

Members of the clienti programme do not take their cars home with them. Ferrari transports them to the most exclusive racetracks in the world for them to use and then take them back to Modena again at the end of the weekend.

Normally the only people allowed access to the event are those people invited by the Ferrari factory or those being wooed by the Ferrari dealers.

The students were treated to a spectacular day of Ferrari events. Including a parade that attempted to amass the largest number of Ferrari’s in one place, a total of 1,087 were paraded along the circuit.  

F1 cars were raced around the circuit at breakneck speeds to a cacophony of high revving noise by the super rich while the students took the opportunity to try on the latest Ferrari’s, including the 458 Italia Spider for size.

Autosport International – The Racing Car Show

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Friday the 13th, a day that conjures up thoughts of dread and fear in many a person. But for the Motor Vehicle students of Reaseheath it was a day to look forward to. Our annual pilgrimage to the NEC for the Autosport show was finally going to be underway.

Whether you are into Rally cars or Formula 1, it’s all there. The stars are on hand for autographs and presentations. Grand unveilings of new Grand Prix cars and Rally giants, the live action arena with pit girls parading to distract you from the thrills and spills of the on track action.

If you’re into modifying cars then this is the place to see what everyone has to offer. Engine parts, suspension parts, trick brakes or gearboxes, you name it, it’s here. From modern supercars to multimillion pound classics for auction you cannot fail to find something that stirs you. Universities from all around the country pedal their HE courses for those that wish to train to higher levels. Race circuits, race organisers and manufacturers are here promoting all the support they give to motor racing.

Some of the students managed to challenge the staff to some remote control car racing, the result? Instructor, Graeme Smith won by over a lap.

If none of that is to your fancy you can always try and improve your functional skills communication, looks like these guys listened plenty in that lesson.

This is the third trip the students have been on this year and they have really done the college proud on each occasion. Planning for trip number four is well under way.

Wales Rally GB

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21 students and 3 staff left Reaseheath at 6:30am last Friday for the World Rally Championships final round, being held in North Wales.  Arriving at the Dyfnant Forest stage near Lake Vyrnwy in the morning mist was a precursor to an action packed day.

As we arrived early we chose to start the day with bacon butties for all, cooked on the trusty Student Services BBQ. This gave us all a hearty start to a 2 ½ mile walk along the route of the race to a tight and twisty section where we watched the morning action. Several students later chose a slightly higher vantage point as stones thrown up by the passing cars threatened expensive dental work.

After the WRC cars passed through we all walked a mile back towards the minibuses as the fog came down. For the National Rally we stood along a very high speed gravel section and watched everything from brand new Evo’s to 1970’s Ford Escort RS2000’s. We were all amazed to see some fantastically spirited driving of these older machines and many were faster through the stage than modern rally cars with 4 wheel drive.

Lunch time saw a return to the minibuses for a headcount and more BBQ food. At 3:30 we all headed back to the track and watched the WRC cars come through for a second time as the rain came and darkness fell. The highlight of the day was watching World Champion, Sebastian Loeb literally fly through the stage at impossible speed at the head of the field with headlights blazing.

All the students set an exemplary example for behaviour and we are all looking forward to better weather for our return trip next year!

 

 

Can horses teach us a better way of doing things?

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Our Entry and Foundation Department is successfully using natural horsemanship methods to help both learners and staff.

Taking elements from techniques used by Monty Roberts, Kelly Marks and other practitioners who specialise in non-verbal cues and body language, the department has developed an equine assisted learning programme in which horses have become the teachers.

Around 30 staff and over 100 students have already benefited from workshops which involve team work with an equine partner.

The initiative is being led by Foundation Instructor Lisa Brewitt, who was awarded the Innovation Award in Reaseheath’s Awards of Excellence 2012 for her work on the innovative teaching techniques. Very few UK centres offer this type of training.

The programme was initially aimed at Pre-Entry to Level 1 students with learning difficulties, particularly those with autism and anxiety behaviour. It can develop self confidence, self esteem, communication, problem solving and team work.

The workshops have been so successful that they have been taken up by students from visiting specialist schools. Lisa has also run seven staff workshops, which cover  scientific and theoretical aspects as well as practical activities. These have underlined the importance of non verbal communication and how this can promote more effective classroom management.

As well as the Foundation team, colleagues from our student welfare and train to gain teams have used the workshops for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). A growing list of external professionals from specialist schools, colleges and secure units have also attended at full cost.

The equine trainers are ponies from our animal management department and equestrian centre and Lisa’s own retrained ex-racehorse. Our animal management department uses elements of the programme.

Lisa says: “Lots of our learners have difficulty with social interaction and in understanding eye and body language. Team work with an equine partner shows you how you can get over obstacles in life such as these.”

Workshops are offered mainly during college holidays. Demand is high, particularly for staff team building and problem solving.  If you want to know more, email lisab@reaseheath.ac.uk.