Belsize Park College school

Weekly Newsletter for Parents 06.03

Posted: 6th March 2026

Welcome from Candy & Emmy

We are currently on a History of Art study trip in Italy; these are some of the thoughts our students expressed after the first few days in Florence:

“My favourite thing about today was being able to see the Birth of Venus in person” – Clara

“Doing 15,000 steps!” – Olivia

“I really liked seeing the Tribute Money with natural light falling on it from a window” – Edie

“Seeing how architectural features appear in different buildings” – Aniela

“Walking in the sunshine” – Archie

“Suppertime!” – Mia

“The stained-glass windows in Santa Maria Novella” – Saskia

“Seeing Masaccio’s Holy Trinity in real life felt so special and almost surreal. I’ve only ever seen that painting in books” – Annaliza

 

 

Big Idea Challenge Trip to NatWest

The Fine Arts student representatives for the Big Idea Challenge really impressed at the Boot Camp last Friday. They listened to guest speakers, including young apprentices at NatWest, and took part in a communications skills workshop. The students worked alongside a mentor to refine their business idea and then presented a confident pitch in front of all the other colleges and staff. They really enjoyed the experience in the winter Olympics-themed conference rooms at NatWest and even tried their hand at curling during the break.

The next steps include the student groups creating a 2-minute video pitch that will then go to the voting by the public and the judges. The winners will be announced at the awards event on 15th of April.

 

 

March Open Day

Next Tuesday we will host our March Open Day where we will be showcasing our many GCSE and A-level subjects at Centre Studios and at our new site at Parkhill. We believe that prospective students and parents can only really understand what makes Hampstead Fine Arts College so special by coming to visit us and experiencing our unique atmosphere for themselves. More information here.

 

Upper Sixth Parents Evening

On Wednesday 11th of March, we will have the Year 13 Parents’ Evening at Centre Studios, starting at 4pm, with last entry at 5pm. We look forward to seeing all Upper Sixth parents then.

 

Next week’s Enrichment Talk

Next week’s talk for Lower Sixth students will be in the form of two PSHE workshops, on Gender and Sexuality and Consent in Relationships. Last month the students divided into two groups and will now swap, so that every student attends both workshops. The sessions are run in a sensitive manner to prompt thoughts and discussion around the topics. This event is compulsory for the Lower Sixth.

 

 

Photography Trip to Bristol

Next Thursday, Year 12, 13 and Foundation Photography students will have an extended visit to the Martin Parr Foundation in Bristol. They will view the current exhibition “Last Resort” celebrating the life and artwork of the, recently passed, iconic British photographer.

 

Alum, Lola Clark on being painted by David Hockney

We are delighted to see alumna Lola Clark continuing to make waves as a creative voice online and in the arts. As recently highlighted in Ocula Magazine, David Hockney painted the teenage Lola several times, capturing not just her likeness but her personality. Lola described how Hockney’s approach to portraiture focused on observing her character, an experience she describes as both intimidating and inspiring. Read more

Categories: News Uncategorised
Universities & Careers

Most students progress to higher education either at top academic institutions or leading art colleges. We host regular talks on higher education options and future careers. We advise and help students complete their university and art school applications for institutions in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, and Australia.

Hampstead Fine Arts College became part of Dukes Education in 2015, and our students benefit from careers advice from Dukes Education’s team of Oxbridge and US admissions specialists. Students who wish to follow academic courses are regularly accepted to study at Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, LSE, King’s College, the Courtauld Institute, St Andrews, Edinburgh, York, Bristol, and Leeds. The most popular destinations for our art students are Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, Camberwell, and Kingston. Our leading American destinations are Parsons, Pratt, NYU, and Cal Arts.

Students flourish in future careers in film, fine art, fashion, creative writing, the media, and academia, amongst others. Whatever FAC students go on to do, an education at Hampstead Fine Arts College provides a strong foundation for forging a distinctive career in a changing and competitive world.