Sixth formers recognised for excellence

Top students shared prizes worth almost £10,000 as Barrow Sixth Form College celebrated the very best in education in the annual awards ceremony.
Some 35 students, who had shown not only talent but commitment to their studies, were recognised for their academic and personal achievement at the event at the Rating Lane campus.

Congratulating the prize winners Principal and Chief Executive Andrew Wren said they included some ‘truly exceptional students’.
“I have worked alongside you all in various ways for the last two years and I have never failed to be impressed by the maturity you bring to the college, your passion for education and your drive to become the best you can,” he said. “As I stand here, I am genuinely proud of you all.”

Awards were given as monetary prizes ranging from £100 to £1,000 for the top student. Many have now gone on to study at universities or start their careers.

Guest speaker Emma Aubrey, Headteacher of Dowdales School, praised the students’ success and spoke about how excited she was to return to sixth form where she had completed her A levels. Don’t let there be any barriers to your career, she told the award winners ‘you have proved that you can’.

“I always looked back as managing A levels as the ‘hardest’ part of my academic career, you have done your best and achieved wonderful awards tonight,” she said. “You have followed the very same route as I did and that is special to me, it matters to me.”

Prize winners were selected by specialist sixth form staff on the basis of their academic excellence, commitment to their chosen courses, attendance and personal achievements during their time at the sixth form, which is now part of Furness College. Chair of Governors Caroline Vernon gave the vote of thanks.

Elliott Stockdale, who achieved 4 A*s at A level and an A in his extended project, was named Student of the Year winning the top prize of £1,000.

Elliott, a former Walney School student, is now at Cambridge University studying a degree in economics and also plays rugby league. He is also a finalist in the British Education Awards 2020 in recognition of his ‘brilliant academic results and extracurricular success’ at A level.

“I’m really grateful to everyone here at college, all the tutors and the support staff, I could not have asked for any better,” he said. “I’ve not decided what to spend the money on yet, I’ve never had so much money in my life.”

He said his degree studies were going well, that he had met new friends from all over the world and was enjoying his time in Cambridge.
“They know me as the lad from up North who turns up to lectures in my rugby gear.”

Among the other winners were Ben Atkinson who is studying a physics degree at the University of Manchester, Hannah Bethell who is doing medicine at Leeds University, Chris Bradbury, who has a degree apprenticeship at BAE Systems, Caitlin Patterson who is at Cambridge University studying Veterinary Science, Chloe Dunn who achieved A*s in art and photography and is on the Art Foundation course at sixth form, Hannah Dixon who is doing a maths degree at Durham University and Ben Chinn who is studying Zoology at Bangor University.

Josie Curwen won an award as the top performer at college in her Level 2 studies. After spending some time out of mainstream education she impressed tutors by her spectacular return.

Barrow Sixth Form College Prize Winners 2019

Principal and Chair’s Student of the Year
Elliott Stockdale (Earnest Priest Foundation)
Head of Sixth Form awards
Josie Curwen
Ben Atkinson (Robert Pickin Memorial Fund)
Hannah Bethell
Chris Bradbury
Caitlin Patterson (McCullough Exhibition)
Chloe Dunn (Murial Auld Fund)
Hannah Dixon (McCullough Scholarship)
Ben Chinn
Deputy Head of Sixth Form awards
Mandy Chissim
Meghan Ewing
Sam Hunt
Cavan Murt
Chloe Bell
Connor Griffin
Alice Wharton
Personal Progress Mentor awards
George Gifford (Whinnerah Memorial)
Liam Edgley
Edward Dockeray
Bethany Pitcher
Anna Brocklebank
Personal Progress Mentor attendance awards
Lydia Allinson
Ethan Clark
Maisie Roberts
David Cleasby
Martin Longstaffe Memorial Prize
Sophie Tyson
Philip Geddes Memorial Prize
Elisha Murray/ Georgia Docherty
Sharon Lamb Memorial Prize
Nathan Hall
David Cole Memorial Prize
Rebecca Keen
Dan Logan Memorial Prize
Anna Collins
William Rollinson Memorial Prize
Abby Blakeborough
Derrick Gould Memorial Prize
Lucy Kirk
Elizabeth Mauchline Roberts Prize
Vivian Iroanya