Newcastle College celebrates success with 'Student of the Month'

Leila Everill - Academic and Creative Studies.

Leila has been recognised for her outstanding work throughout her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which she is completing alongside her A-levels in Maths, Physics, and Animation. For her EPQ, she created an incredible artefact titled ‘Origami in Engineering: A Children’s Play Tent Made from Scaled Origami.’

Recently, Leila delivered an impressive presentation where she had the opportunity to showcase her meticulously designed and built tent. Her attention to detail at every stage of her research, planning, and design process has impressed her tutor. In addition, her project is grounded in solid theory and origami principles, with every design decision clearly explained and justified. The photographic and video evidence of her construction process highlights not only her design talent but also her ability to adapt to change when facing challenges. Leila has also shone developing new skills in areas such as CAD software and sewing.

Lucy Bithell - Vocational Studies

Currently in her second year of her T Level Health course, studying the Adult Nursing pathway, Lucy consistently demonstrates exceptional dedication, always giving her best in every aspect of her course. Known amongst her peers for her calm, patient, and supportive attitude, Lucy is a great team player and a positive influence on everyone she works with.

Her hard work paid off with a fantastic grade B in her first-year exams, which tested both her theoretical knowledge and practical skills in healthcare. Not only is Lucy’s attendance excellent, she is also recognised by staff for her diligence and kindness.

Feedback from her recent block placement at the hospital described Lucy as “a very enthusiastic young lady who is eager to learn the ways of nursing. Although I have only known Lucy for a short period, I am sure that she will make a positive contribution to the nursing industry through her determination and compassion that she shows towards staff, patients and their relatives. Lucy has been very welcomed on the ward, and I have no doubt that she will excel in her career.”

Phoebe Shaw - Vocational Studies

Currently studying the Level 2 Hair and Media Makeup course, Phoebe consistently stands out as an exceptional student. She not only completes all assignments on time and to an impressive standard but also excels in both makeup and hair.

With a keen eye for detail and a clear understanding of briefs, Phoebe’s creativity and precision shine through in every project. Her professionalism and dedication are evident in everything she does. Beyond academics, she is a kind and supportive classmate, always ready to lend a hand, whether it’s in class or during extracurricular activities like the Flash Mob and Tea Dance collaborations with Performing Arts students.

Phoebe’s creativity also shone through when she won the Halloween competition in October, further showcasing her school spirit. Her self-motivation and commitment to her craft are clear, as she consistently uses her time productively in hair classes and even sources her own models to stay on track with assessments.

Tia Rathbone - Vocational Studies

Tia joined NSCG from St Peter’s Academy to study BTEC Level 1 Health and Social Care, and it’s incredible to see how far she’s come. While she faced challenges in the past, Tia has fully embraced college life and has worked incredibly hard to succeed. She consistently puts in extra effort, using off-timetable sessions to study, and even comes in on her days off to complete coursework and assessments. As a result of her dedication and motivation, she is currently achieving Distinction grades in her course.

Away from college, Tia plays a key role as an ambassador for Looked After Children in the Stoke on Trent area. She represents other young people in care by attending national conferences, sharing her own experiences, and supporting others in similar situations. Tia also actively participates in youth clubs and events organized by Stoke on Trent Council, making a real difference in her community.

Jade Hazelwood - Access to HE

Having enrolled on the our Access to HE (Health Professionals) course in order to pursue a career in midwifery, Jade was understandably nervous and anxious about returning to education. Showing commitment and dedication, Jade juggles her studies whilst raising her young family and also caring for her grandmother.

Jade’s confidence is growing so much and embraces all assignments set so far, proving to everyone that she really can succeed academically. She has been noted as being keen to develop and her wider reading around topics is second to none. With university in her sights, Jade has taken on board advice and help to secure a place at university to study midwifery. Jade has also secured a volunteering post at the Maternity Assessment Unit and already has have received two offers for Staffordshire and Keele Universities following successful interviews.

Lewis Barlow - Skills and Technology

Lewis has showcased exceptional enthusiasm and practical skills during his placement with Drayton Beaumont Services. From his very first week, Lewis impressed his colleagues with his eagerness to learn and ability to work independently. His determination and work ethic have not only benefited his personal development but have also strengthened our partnership with Drayton Beaumont.

Tom Preston, Contracts Manager at Drayton Beaumont, shared, “Lewis’s positive attitude and willingness to take on challenges made him a valuable asset to our team. He has a bright future in the electrical field.”

Ethan Shrigley - Professional Studies

Ethan has been a shining star in the Digital Coding and Technology programme. His knowledge and attitude have been highly commended by Keele University, where he has excelled in his placement. Ethan has embraced responsibilities such as IT Service Desk support and device setup, surpassing placement requirements with six months still to go. Keele University praised Ethan, saying, “Ethan has exceeded all expectations. He is approachable, quick to learn, and completes tasks with professionalism and ease.”

Ethan has even supported Year 1 students in preparing for their placements, conducting mock interviews during the college’s speed networking event, this willingness to help others demonstrates his maturity and ability to mentor peers effectively- making him an asset to any future employer.

Ellie Moore - Arts

Ellie studies on the Level 3 Performing Arts Acting course you have continually shown 100% commitment in not only all of her performances, but her written work too which has been of an exceptionally high standard. She always strives to do her best and her tutor has commented that he can guarantee that there will be an email in his inbox explaining that she have already completed the work set. She even completed work before the deadline so she could concentrate on the lead role she had in this year's pantomime.

Not only does Ellie have an amazing work ethic, she is always happy to help her peers with their work. She is  highly respected by her group and when anyone in her class struggles, it is Ellie they turn to for help and support.

Karol Symula - Arts

After relocating from Birmingham to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Karol has demonstrated remarkable dedication. With 100% attendance and glowing feedback from his placement provider, Beeston & Shenton Solicitors, Karol has already begun to excel in the legal industry. His employer remarked, "“Karol has been a great addition to the team. He shows a fantastic attitude and great enthusiasm to all of his tasks.”

Most recently he represented the T-Level in Legal Studies during T-Level Week and met with colleagues from the Department of Education, The Gatsby Foundation and AOC. Karol gave a really insightful overview of his progress on the course so far. With aspirations to ultimately progress to  a degree apprenticeship in Law after completion of his T Level studies, we are confident that Karol has a bright future and will succeed in whatever he puts his mind to. 

Lauren Kinder - Apprentice of the Month

Lauren received this award in recognition of the outstanding progress she has made during the first six months of her Multi-Channel Marketer apprenticeship based at Discovery Academy. She has impressed her employers with her positive and professional attitude to achieving her goals and completing her apprenticeship ahead of time.

During her apprenticeship, Lauren has demonstrated a real passion for marketing working as a key member of the marketing team and taking on a wide variety of exciting projects to support her growing knowledge and skills in the workplace. She has also been an integral part of a recent Mental Health Awareness Day campaign receiving positive feedback from the Strategic Lead for Mental Health. This campaign saw Lauren combine her organisational and creative skills to produce themed posters and graphics and work tirelessly across several of the Alpha Academies Trust schools, taking photographs of all the activities taking place and creating content for social media.

Bailey Allen - English and Maths

Bailey, a first-year student on the Early Years T-Level course, has shown incredible dedication and has progressed onto the Level 3 course after successfully completing the Level 2 Childcare CACHE course last year.

Known for being a quiet member of the class, Bailey is focused on her studies and her attentive nature speaks volumes. Bailey’s tutor describes her as ‘diligent, committed, and always on task,’ and works tirelessly to achieve the best possible grades in her GCSE English and Maths resits, which are essential qualifications for her future career ambitions.

Bailey is self-motivated and dedicates a lot of time outside of class for personal study, using various resources to master techniques taught in lessons to help her to achieve her goals of becoming a teaching assistant, ideally working with Years 3 and 4. She combines her love for education with creative activities and makes a big impact during her time on placement.