Stafford College celebrates inspirational students with December 'Student of the Month' Awards

Each month Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group hold a ‘Student of the Month’ awards presentation that highlights and recognises the individual effort, progress and dedication of students who go above and beyond throughout the year.

This month saw the December round of nominees collect their awards. The presentations included a number of inspirational stories from staff about their nominees, including: overcoming personal challenges, going above and beyond on their chosen courses, exemplary attendance and hard work. We want to say a huge thank you to David Padfield from Hitachi Energy for joining us and presenting the awards.

Grace Taylor - Professional Studies Award

Grace has been recognised for her exceptional dedication, outstanding academic achievements, and commitment to excellence. Grace has achieved Distinctions in all coursework units and mock exams, demonstrating her meticulous approach with colour-coded notes, detailed revision resources, and a proactive attitude toward her studies. Practically, she impressed by confidently leading a Circuit Session and competently performing health screenings, including Blood Pressure, BMI, and Peak Flow assessments. In addition to her academic success, Grace excels in the DiSE Sporting Excellence Programme, earning 64 extra UCAS points while developing key life skills. A national league basketball player for Derby, Grace was crowned MVP after a successful season.

Phoebe Slabbert - Academic and Creative Studies Award

Phoebe, a dedicated BTEC Applied Science student, has been recognised for her exceptional commitment to professionalism and academic excellence. A reflective and thorough learner, Phoebe consistently aims for the highest grades, showcasing her strong theoretical and practical scientific knowledge. Her achievements include excelling in complex practicals such as chromatography and producing high-quality written work, such as her literature review on reaction orders using the iodine clock experiment. Her passion for Chemistry shines through her extra work in practical chemical analysis and her proactive work experience with a professional agronomist, exploring agricultural chemistry applications. Despite taking on personal caring responsibilities this year, Phoebe has remained focused on her studies, achieving distinction-level results and maintaining predicted grades of DDD*.

George Love - English & Maths Award

George has been recognised for his outstanding contributions to his Level 2 Health and Social Care course. Described as helpful, polite, and engaged, George consistently makes valuable contributions to class discussions, volunteers answers, and supports fellow students with their organization and understanding. His adaptability to the college classroom environment, after transitioning from an alternative form of education, has been remarkable. George excels both independently and as a team player, often taking the lead to ensure everyone feels included. A highlight of his achievements includes being an integral part of a team that reached the finals in a recent Apprentice competition with a persuasive advert project.

Daniel Dowell - Professional Studies Award

Daniel has been recognised for his persistence, strength, and hard work since joining the Level 2 Esports course in 2023. Since starting at NSCG, Daniel has excelled in adapting to college life, achieving an impressive 90% attendance, and successfully passing both GCSE Maths and English. His journey has been remarkable, transitioning to mainstream education without the use of his classroom robot (AV1-BOT) and overcoming barriers along the way. Daniel has embraced new opportunities, including visits to EGX at London’s Excel Arena, and has earned Merits and Distinctions across nine assessments. With aspirations to work in Esports and Media, particularly in Social Media marketing, his dedication and determination are truly inspiring.

Katy Statham - Apprentice of the Month Award

Katy has been recognised for her exceptional dedication, motivation, and passion in her role as an early practitioner. From the start of her apprenticeship, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment, consistently delivering outstanding work on time and showcasing her deep understanding of early childhood practices. Her ability to engage in professional discussions highlights her enthusiasm for continuous learning and improvement. Observations have shown Katy’s exceptional skills, particularly in creating a safe and nurturing environment for children while fostering their development through her in-depth health and safety knowledge. Balancing her apprenticeship with a busy personal life as a mother of two, including one child with additional needs, Katy exemplifies resilience and determination.