The red carpet was rolled out for Nelson and Colne College’s 2019 star students who gathered with family and friends for an evening of recognition and reward.
Nelson and Colne College’s 2019 Star Awards marked the achievement, commitment and talent of A Level and vocational students, and flutes were charged with fizz, canapés were circulated and students enjoyed the photographer’s white screen experience on an evening of celebration.
College staff, VIPs and dignitaries were also present to celebrate student success, while NCC alumna and former Park High School student Alexandra Mitchell-Males returned to College as guest speaker for the evening. Alexandra highlighted her fantastic learning experience at NCC and how tutors supported her to achieve her dream of taking up English Literature studies at the University of Oxford.
Individual subject awards were presented to those students who have been top performers throughout their time at NCC, while a series of special awards were presented to exceptional cases. These included the Robert Fort Prize for the highest achieving A Level student, Outstanding Achievement Awards marking contributions to College and community life, and awards for diligence given to students who strived to achieve the very best that they could be.
Two of the college’s key employer partners were also award sponsors on the evening. Burnley FC in the Community sponsored the Burnley FC Shadow Youth Team Programme prize and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust sponsored the Work Experience Award – which was new for 2019.
Students have progressed into a number of highly competitive degree courses at Russell Group institutions including Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and York. Career pathways include Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Computer Science, Law, and Politics while others have moved into Apprenticeships with leading employers, or into successful employment opportunities regionally and beyond.
Principal of Nelson and Colne College Amanda Melton said: “Our 2019 Star Awards was an amazing occasion, and a chance to reward the outstanding success of our A Level and vocational students who we are very proud of. It was a special night to remember and it brought the curtain down on another stellar year for the college.
“Each year we continue to be a beacon for excellence and we bucked the national trend in our A Level results, with the number of students achieving the coveted high grades increasing by more than 5%, with a pass rate at 99%. We also maintained a strong performance with a 100% pass rate in our vocational provision.
“Thank you to our VIPs, dignitaries, our returning guest speaker Alexandra, and our sponsors East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Burnley FC in the Community, for helping to make it such a fabulous night.”
Former Colne Primet Academy student Lewis Gorton, 18, won the Robert Fort Prize for his A*A*A*A grades at A Level, and the A* he was awarded for his Extended Project Qualification. Lewis, who has become the first NCC student to progress onto the University of Cambridge to study Mathematics, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to win these awards, and I am incredibly grateful for the amount of time and effort my teachers consistently put in to push me forward – it really has been a phenomenal time at NCC and I have made lifelong friends.”
Kieran Khaliq, 18, collected the Work Experience Award after impressing staff at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust during work placement. He said: “It really was a fantastic experience to go into a hospital environment and observe practice. I was unique as the only student in the Fracture Clinic, and to gain such insight was inspiring. I’m progressing to Hull York Medical School to study Medicine, and after the experience I enjoyed with the Trust, I would certainly consider an opportunity to return.”
Alexandra Mitchell-Males said: “I would like to thank College for inviting me back to speak at the Star Awards – it was a privilege. I have so many fantastic memories of my time at Nelson and Colne College, including my supportive teachers, and the extracurricular opportunities that boosted my confidence and skills. My passion and enthusiasm for English, which was really brought to life by my tutors at NCC, has enabled me to have a successful and wonderful first year at Oxford.”
Nelson and Colne College is the number one college in the country for 16-18 learner achievement, based on government data, and it is number one in Lancashire for A Levels, based on progress scores. It is also the number one college in Lancashire for student satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices survey.
If you would like to enrol at Nelson and Colne College, contact 01282 440272 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk
