Boundstone Community College in Lancing is issuing a request for former students of the college to get in touch.

The college opened on its present site in Upper Boundstone Lane in 1963 when it transferred from an original home as Lancing County Secondary Modern School in Irene Avenue. The college recently submitted an expression of interest to become an academy sponsored by Woodard Schools.

The college would like to find out what former students are up to and how their lives have changed since leaving the college. They would also like to use some as examples to inspire and encourage current students to succeed.

Richard Evea, Headteacher said “We know that there is a great wealth of experience amongst ex-Boundstone students who have gone on to great things. A lot of people remember Chris Hide on Pop Idol, but we’ve got former students working in universities both in this country and abroad, as doctors undertaking medical research and working in general practice. One former student now works for NASA, two have been recognised for their work in film by winning an Oscar and an Emmy, two have co-written successful TV and film scripts and helped to create the “Mr Bean” character and there are over fifty former students now working as teachers. Closer to home three ex-students were involved in establishing local radio station Splash FM and they still have regular presenting duties. Not forgetting that some students choose to stay in our community and have families of their own and we are pleased to welcome these back as parents.

‘If we are successful as an academy the college and site will change beyond all recognition in a couple of years time. We don’t want to miss out on this opportunity to re-establish contact with our former students and find out how far the Boundstone has rolled and what they are all up to now”.

Former Boundstone who would like to contact the college are invited to contact Ian Tout at the college by telephone 01903 755894 or email.

Do you have any memories of South Street in Lancing? If so, Boundstone Community College wants to hear from you.

The college is currently running a project focusing on South Street looking at its history and trying to imagine its future. Students are hoping to put on a number of arts events in different locations and spaces between the station and Beach Green. One of the aims is to visualise how South Street might be developed in the future and the college would like to make contact with any local residents or businesses who have an interest in the area.

The project is being coordinated by Mike Chandler, Assistant Headteacher who explained “We are using the idea of place-shaping that links commercial development with the local culture and with the physical environment of an area. Successful place-shaping is also about being mindful of the past so that local history and tradition is preserved and not lost”.

Working alongside the students will be local creative practitioners and professionals including Gerry Thompson, Anna Twinam-Cauchi and Jim Byford. Jim is a former Boundstone student who now has his own international creative company.

The students want to hear fro anyone who has information about South Street or any photographs from its past so if you can help please contact Ian Tout, Arts Administrator at the college by telephone (01903) 755894 or email .

Everything that the students learn and all of the artwork that they create will be part of an exhibition during the summer with the support of Arts Council England and West Sussex County Council who are sponsoring the project.

Mr Chandler added “Ultimately we hope to generate a debate amongst local people about the type of development that would be most beneficial to this area”.

A tempestuous hive of activity centred itself on Boundstone Community College at the weekend. (19/20 January)   Under the direction of two professional actors and a set-designer, a motley crew of some 30 souls were marooned in the Drama Suite for an exhausting but exhilarating two days.

The aim was to produce a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Tempest’ in one weekend.  As a participant, I can testify to the apprehension felt by all as we embarked on our voyage.  Beginning with exercises designed to develop our ability to work as a team, we progressed to mime and the art of communication as well as the use of voice and expression.

By mid-day on Saturday, we had a production team and a cast of characters.  Sophia Lovell Smith took her production crew off to build sets and create costumes.  Dominic Rickhards and Matthew Wait took the actors through their scenes.  Dominic, as director, had produced a shortened version of the original while retaining its essential spirit and Shakespeare’s words.  A ship of power-hungry noblemen and fools is wrecked on an island inhabited by a tragic monster, Caliban, a mystical sprite, Ariel, a deposed nobleman with magical powers, Prospero, and his daughter, Miranda.  Happily, for the daughter, the ship also contains her prince charming, Ferdinand.  The tale, about greed and corruption and the redemptive power of love, is overlaid with magic and mysticism.  Cast members took turns to play different characters, identified by costumes that were exchanged between scenes.  Can’t remember the words?  Use your own.  Improvise – just get the message across.  We did!     

After Sunday’s warm-up, we embarked on our only full rehearsal, the action moving between two rooms, one of which was transformed, as if by magic wrought by Prospero and Ariel, into a tropical island.   At 5pm our audience arrived – friends and family curious to see what we’d been up to all weekend – and the performance began.  There were lights and there was music.  Everything went to plan.  The audience were at the sides and moved, with the action, between ‘theatres’, sometimes becoming part of the scene.  This was a ‘Tempest’ Shakespeare would have approved of. There was laughter, romance, intrigue and pathos.  An hour later we were all applauding – audience and company alike.  This was a weekend to remember – a ‘Tempest’ to enliven a wet and windy January.

The tempest 'Play in a Weekend' was a Drama  initiative provided by the  West Sussex Adult and Community Learning Service in partnership with Boundstone Community College
(www.westsussex.gov.uk/adulteducation 01403 261088)

A new group offering drama skills for adults has been launched at Boundstone Community College in Lancing.

The group, run by West Sussex Adult and Community Learning, aims to offer adults a range of drama skills that will be useful in everyday life so is not just aimed at those who enjoy being onstage. These skills will include confidence boosting, voice projection, character development, improvisation and much more.

The drama group will run fortnightly on Tuesday evenings at the Performing Arts Centre at the College in Upper Boundstone Lane, Lancing under the direction of tutor Nina Bhirangi. Further details, including cost information, are available from Lancing Adult Education Centre by telephoning 01903 755895.

Ian Tout, Arts Administrator said “So many different people can benefit from using drama-based skills in their everyday lives that this is too good an opportunity to miss. There are no plans for this group to do performances so anyone who just wants to come along and have a bit of fun learning in a different way is very welcome”.

Boundstone Community College, Lancing is pleased to announce its attainment of the prestigious Arts Council England Artsmark award, which rewards schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to developing a dynamic arts programme.

In this seventh annual Artsmark round, nearly 1500 schools have been awarded the Artsmark distinction – a national award that acknowledges all art forms, from drama to music, design to literature, dance to sculpture. 298 schools across the country have achieved Artsmark, 452 Artsmark Silver and 695 achieved Artsmark Gold status.

Boundstone renews its Artsmark Gold status first award in 2004 and remains the only specialist performing arts college in West Sussex following redesignation earlier this year.

The Artsmark scheme also encourages schools to work in partnership with artists and arts organisations. The arts can transform lives and raise aspirations. Improving opportunities for young people and encouraging their local communities to engage with the arts is a key priority for the Arts Council.

Richard Evea, Headteacher of Boundstone said “I am delighted that the Arts Council has again recognised the high standard of Boundstone’s arts education programme. We are proud of the high levels of achievement attained by the arts at Boundstone. Our performers are regularly to be seen out-and-about in our community and have developed a loyal following by our ever-increasing audiences. We have also started to develop projects which explore students creativity, particularly involving our composer-in-residence Dorothy Ker and artist-in-residence Anna Twinam-Cauchi. We are also partnered with Cambridge University in an innovative and exciting research project based on our successful Real Spaces Project”.

Sir Christopher Frayling, Arts Council England Chair said “The Arts Council warmly congratulates all those who have attained the coveted Artsmark award this year. This distinction demonstrates each school’s strong commitment to the arts and also acknowledges the strengthened relationship – through the arts – between schools and their community”.