Students share £10,000 in prizes

Barrow Sixth Form College students who achieved success while studying through the Covid pandemic have been rewarded for their efforts sharing prizes worth more than £10,000.

The 34 students were recognised for academic and personal achievement during their time at the Rating Lane campus in the annual prize fund awards.

The fund was set up to celebrate the very best in education and support students with cash prizes as they go on to university, higher apprenticeships and employment.

Head of Sixth Form Helen Gibson praised the Class of 2021 for adapting to a new way of learning, including virtual lessons and independent study.

“These students have faced the most challenging circumstances with their two years with us disrupted due to the pandemic, yet they have shone through and come away with skills that often go beyond academic success.

“These awards not only recognise their talents but the fact they have been so committed to learning and gone above and beyond to not only achieve but support each other in ways we never expected.”

Awards were given as monetary prizes ranging from £100 to £1,000 for the top student. Many have progressed on to study at university or start higher apprenticeships.

Principal and Chair’s Student of the Year was Izzy Rodger who joined college from Walney School and is now at Durham University studying a degree in physics after A*s in his A Levels in maths, physics and history and an A* in his Extended Project Qualification.

“The time I spent at Barrow Sixth Form College was incredible; no other word could describe it. The teachers and staff were always at the top of their game, I really can’t fault it. It’d be no understatement to say it’s formed me into who I am today,” he said. “This award was really the cherry on top of an excellent two years, and I’m immensely grateful for that.”

During his time in lockdown, Honours student Izzy won a national BAE Systems/Sport England Design competition by designing an atmosphere mask to reduce the volume of oxygen an Olympic athlete can take in so they can train on limited breathing.

Former Dowdales student Isobel Dixon won the Murial Auld Fund Head of Sixth Form Award for her academic achievement with A*s across the board in English language, English literature and history A Levels and is now at Lancaster University studying a degree in English literature, creative writing and practice.

She thanked her teachers for supporting her to achieve her potential and said her college experience had helped her to smoothly adjust to university life because of the independence she had gained.

“I feel extremely pleased to have won an award because it’s always nice to have your hard work recognised and the money was a very welcome surprise,” she said.

Other Head of Sixth Form prizes for students who were the top academic performers went to Kris McSweeney who is now taking a well-deserved gap year, Chloe Price, Jacob Sharif, Rona Bisset, Megan Roker, Martin Brun and Judy Ann Stevenson who returned to college as an adult student to do her GCSEs in English, maths and biology and a CTEC in art.

Jack Knight, a former Chetwynde student, won the Elizabeth Mauchline Roberts Prize as the highest achiever in A Level history and is now studying a degree with a view to becoming a teacher.

“College life for me was great, whenever I needed support it was there, whether that was with work or my application for university. I am overwhelmed to receive this history award and very thankful for this prize,” he said.

Principal and Chief Executive Professor Andrew Wren praised the students’ achievements. “We are so proud of their efforts, which have been rightly rewarded and we wish them every success at university and in their future careers,” he said.

Full list of prizewinners

Principal and Chair’s Student of the Year
Izzy Rodger (Earnest Priest Foundation)
Head of Sixth Form awards
Chloe Price (McCullough Scholarship)
Kris McSweeney
Isobel Dixon (Murial Auld Fund)
Jacob Sharif
Rona Bisset (McCullough Exhibition)
Martin Brun
Megan Roker
Judy Ann Stevenson

Curriculum Leader Awards
Laura Steinheuer
Faye Gardner
Dana Earley
Will Corkhill
Mia Fairclough
Lauren Irvine
Bobby Rose Bone
Ella Pearson

Personal Progress Coach awards
Harvey Brockway (Whinnerah Memorial)
Leigh Ann Botham
Annabelle Cotton Hill
Ronnie Brockway

Personal Progress Coach attendance awards
Emily Gilmore
Qi Lin
Ellis Wray
Nathaniel Garnett
Connor McLoughlin

Michael Phipps Memorial Prize
Georgia Williamson
Philip Geddes Memorial Prize
Raven Trigo
Sharon Lamb Memorial Prize
Gracie Rawlings
David Cole Memorial Prize
Charlie Cooksey
Dan Logan Memorial Prize
Ellie Booth
William Rollinson Memorial Prize
Matthew Thomas
Derrick Gould Memorial Prize
Ethan Nunn
Elizabeth Mauchline Roberts Prize
Jack Knight