A Leamington student who helped to transform a college nursery and raised vital funds for a children’s charity has been recognised as Student of the Year at Royal Leamington Spa College.
Grace Elliott, 17 from Leamington, also received the title of Early Years Student of the Year and is now set to embark on a journey to become a special educational needs and disability (SEND) teacher.
The eighth annual Further Education Student Awards ceremony was held at the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington.
More than 200 people, including students, staff, parents and guardians, attended the event – with students from Royal Leamington Spa College and Warwick Trident College, which are both part of WCG (Warwickshire College Group) being honoured.
The evening saw 53 awards presented, including 43 awards for Royal Leamington Spa College students and nine apprentices graduating from across WCG.
Grace has completed a two-year Level 3 Early Years course with the college and leaves a lasting impact on its Early Years facilities.
During her course, Grace took a lead role in redesigning the college nursery and sought donations from local businesses in Warwickshire to support the project.
While in her first year at the college, she also led on a fundraising project for Molly Ollys Wishes which raised funds to enable a child to enjoy a playdate.
Grace is now planning to attend Sheffield Hallam University to study to be a teacher, specialising in SEND and working with children with autism.
“It was a huge shock to win Student of the Year. I knew I was nominated for something, but not the main award. It feels nice to be appreciated in this way,” said Grace.
“Early Years is something I’ve always been interested in, so when I saw this course I knew I wanted to follow it up. I’m not a traditional learner, I prefer to be hands-on with assignments and exams. I knew the support would be there for me at the college.
“I really enjoyed getting the chance to redesign the nursery, which was something I took on at the end of my first year. We had support from local businesses and now it is much more child friendly and it has been amazing to see children playing in the new nursery in recent months.
“The tutors and the support they have given me has been amazing, we had a small group in the class and we felt like a little family.
“I’m hoping to go to Sheffield Hallam to study for my Qualified Teaching Status, which will enable me to fulfil my goal of teaching children in a SEND school. “
Rosalyn Lambert, Head of Department, added: “Grace has always shown the utmost enthusiasm towards the field of Early Years.
“Not only does she demonstrate this within the classroom environment, but it also permeates her extracurricular activities as a volunteer at Rainbows and work with charities such as Molly Ollys Wishes.
“Grace has also gone above and beyond by revolutionising the practical room at college. She has been a pleasure to have as a student, and the team wishes her every success as she progresses to her Higher Education studies.”
Students taking a range of subjects at Royal Leamington Spa College received awards on the evening including maths, English, A-Levels, digital and cyber technology, business and enterprise, health and social care, Early Years, Access to HE, building services, re-engagement and supported learning.
Peter Husband, Royal Leamington Spa College Director, said: “We’re extremely proud of every one of our students and their achievements at Royal Leamington Spa College.
“The celebration evening highlighted the diverse range of courses we deliver at the college and was the perfect opportunity for students to celebrate their successes, and to reap the benefits of all the hard work they have put in throughout the year.”
To find out more about studying at Royal Leamington Spa College visit www.wcg.ac.uk/study