Class of 2008 celebrate achievements
Posted on Monday 22 December 2008
New Chair of Ofqual, Kathleen Tattersall, presents certificates and awards.
Students Star in Awards ceremony
Click here for more photographs
18 year old Bishnu Simkhada of Tongham was named as the Dell Student of the Year at Farnborough Sixth Form College’s Annual Awards Evening last week and was presented with Dell Corporation’s top of the range Studio Laptop. Over 1000 parents and students packed the Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre when the College’s class of 2008 celebrated their examination successes.
Principal guest was Kathleen Tattersall, Chair of the newly established independent government regulator, Ofqual, which oversees all national examinations and qualifications.
Introducing Ms Tattersall to the College, Principal Dr John Guy said, “Kathleen is a giant in the assessment world and she carries the respect and confidence of the entire education sector.”
Dr Guy congratulated the students not only on their outstanding personal achievements but also on being the first in the country to be awarded the new A star grade at A level. “It is important for this College to be at the leading edge of qualifications reform and I congratulate you all on what you have achieved.”
Ms Tattersall told the students that their achievements were particularly outstanding. Speaking of the esteem in which Farnborough Sixth Form College was held nationally, she said, “Don’t let anyone tell you that standards in education have fallen.”
She presented certificates to over 400 students and a number of special awards to students with particularly outstanding achievements. Gareth Davies, 19, of Fleet, now at Durham University reading English, achieved the top mark in the entire country for A level Film Studies but was unable to attend because of a drama production in Durham. In Oscar ceremony style, the College arranged for a live video link to Durham to the delight of the audience. Gareth said, “I am really sorry not to be with you this evening but I owe my achievement to my teacher, Aidan Hamilton, who was brilliant throughout the course.”
Dell Student of the Year, Bishnu Simkhada, arrived in England alone at the age of 12, speaking no English. Dr Guy said, “Your achievements are an inspiration to us all and you now have a place at the University of Loughborough to study Economics.”
Speaking afterwards, Bishnu said, “I still can’t believe I have won this amazing award – Farnborough Sixth Form College really is the best college in the country. It has given me enormous support in my life and I don’t think I could have received the same opportunity anywhere else.”
Award winners:
Outstanding Academic Achievement: Gareth Davies, Fleet; Jamie Fisher, Ascot; Rachel Hyman, Badshot Lea; Luke Palmer, Farnborough; Rosemary Pritchard, Fleet; Nicole Ramshaw, Virginia Water; Caroline West, Farnborough.
Outstanding Personal Achievement: Tom Banham, Wokingham; Alexis Cooper, Aldershot; Adam James, Sandhurst; Alistair Macallan, Fleet; James Morrison, Wokingham.
Outstanding Contribution to College Life: Josh Arnold, Farnham; Daniel Barnes, Farnborough; Gemma Gronland, Ewshot; Ellen Hunter, Hartley Wintney; Mo Saqib, Farnborough.
Outstanding Contribution and Academic Achievement: Joanne Woodage, Camberley; Edward Taylor, Knaphill.
University College for Creative Arts Award: Abigail Burch, Farnborough.
University of Winchester Awards for top marks in the Country: Leanda Hatten, Farnborough; Max Welford, Camberley; Bethany Clark, Fleet; Jessica Stewart, Church Crookham; Luke Palmer, Farnborough; Edward Taylor, Knaphill.
Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year: Dan Read, Fleet; Rebecca Smillie, Deepcut.
Mike Ritchie Award for Sport: Jemma Siemak, Matt Trundle, both Church Crookham.
Justin Scregg Memorial Award for Drama: Sian Boorman, Farnham.
Alistair Panter Memorial Award for Personal Achievement: Rosalind Fraser, Swallowfield.
N J Clarke Award for Accounting and Business: Helen Williams, Finchampstead.
Dell Student of the Year Award: Bishnu Simkhada, Tongham.
Speech by Mo Saqib, Student President at Awards Evening
Thank you John.
As I take the stage for the last time as your Student President, can I firstly say that is really is great to see so many of you here tonight. This evening we celebrate our two year-long journey through Farnborough Sixth and we pay tribute to those we met along the way.
So for a moment, let's just think back to the start of that journey, our first few days at Farnborough Sixth; we had just finished about twelve years of compulsory education and had willingly put ourselves up for another two years. Our expectations at that stage were probably to just get a few A-levels under our belts and then move on to wherever the tide may take us.
But let's think of our lives now that the journey has ended, and think about what the last two years have given us. What we thought would be simply two years of walking in through those gates every morning, going to lessons, then walking out at quarter past four, turned out to be part of a larger journey: a journey of self-discovery during which all of us went through our own personal struggles and came out as better people. What we thought would simply involve new teachers throwing new subject material at us became a relationship with beacons who lit the path to our aspirations. This college turned out to be so much more than we expected and a large part of that was down to the people we met and the friends we made. I don't think any of us thought we'd meet such a diverse group of amazing people; so many of whom we can regard as good friends. So when we look back and think what a brilliant time we had at Farnborough Sixth, one of the reasons will be because of the people we got to know. But they say all good things must come to an end and right now we're all going our own separate ways; either straight into work, or on gap years, or on to uni. For those of you who decided to put off uni to earn some money or to go travelling, I hope you're enjoying life in the big wide world. For those of you studying for your degrees, as I'm on a gap year I don't know what university's like, but I hear it's a fountain of knowledge... students go there to drink.
But anyway; if we're honest, another group of people who deserve a mention, are our teachers. We've all had a number of teachers during over two years here, but let's just stop for a moment and think. Think of that one teacher who's lessons we looked forward to, that one teacher we could have banter with, that one teacher who was prepared to help us whenever we needed it. I was fortunate enough to have met so many such teachers; for example: on the SA front, Christine Eustace was an absolute tower of strength without whom many SA events would simply have not got off the ground. Any SA event that took place successfully, Christine was at the heart of it. Another decent person, one whom all of you know, is John Guy. John's been brilliant to work with, an absolute joy.
But I'm just going to embarrass him for a moment by telling you what's probably my favourite John Guy story: back in April when the College achieved Fairtrade status and it was decided that we'd give out free Ben & Jerry's ice creams to celebrate, John had to ring up Ben & Jerry's and speak to them. So he got on the phone, dialled the number, and when the person on the other end picked up, John said: “Hello, who am I speaking to? Is this Ben or Jerry?”
But most of all for me, a man who typifies the kind of unconditional support that every student should receive is my Personal Tutor, David Grant. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Dave, who stood by me as I experienced the ups- and the downs- of juggling my college work with my commitments to the SA. I'm not sure where I'd be without that kind of support.
Now, a few final words before I finish. Having graduated from Farnborough Sixth, we have all begun the walk down the foggy path to the future and although we can't see it, we all want to know what lies beyond that fog. But let me tell you: there is no better way to foresee the future than to make it. So Class of 2008 after tonight most of us probably won't see each other again- apart from when we're in Jaxx. But the last two years have been an absolute privilege and an immense pleasure- and for that, I thank you. So I'll leave you with a final thought: if you can laugh at yourself loud and hard every time you fall, people will think you're drunk.
Good night.
