News Outstanding Students Rewarded! 06.01.2020

At the annual Collyer’s Prize Giving ceremony, successful students have been rewarded for their 2019 achievements at the college. The event was attended by students, teachers, families and other members of the Collyer’s community. Music was provided by the student Piano Trio, comprising Tym Bielenski, Vicky Ridgway and Carys Underwood. Student Seb Dunkley was responsible for photography.

Presentation of the awards was made by Chair of the Governing Body, Dr David Skipp, Vice Chair Ann Donoghue, John Weeds, President of the Old Collyerian’s Association, Dr Paul Siklos, Peter Crees and Claire Howard. The event was expertly organised by Collyer’s Linda MacLeman.

The Mercer’s School Memorial Prize (The Merrett Bequest), awarded by the Mercer’s Company, was won by Wiggert Vermeer; recipients of the Mercers’ Exhibition Prize, awarded by the Trustees of the Collyer’s Foundation, were: Navid Kalani, James Maclean, Lawrence Schofield, Elizabeth Budgen, James Burrows and Timothy Edwards.

The Trustees’ Curriculum Prize, also awarded by the Trustees of the Collyer’s Foundation, was presented to: Isobel Hall, Alexander Newton, Betsey Hodgkinson, Alexander Farr; Sophie Appleyard, Abigail McNeill, Joshua Mukherjee, Sophie Owens, Benedict Carter, Charlotte Sutherland; Joel Boyd, Gracie Enticknap, David Jolliffe, Abigail Shoulders, Jennifer Goodier; Alexander Becker, Bradley Burke, Arianne Puttock and Joseph Widdowson.

The Trustees of the Collyer Endowment Award to the highest achieving International student, was won by Hoi Ching Tang.

The college prizes were donated by the College of Richard Collyer and Richard Collyer Lodge, Trustees and Mercers Company, the Collyer’s Association, the Old Collyerian’s Association; Collyer’s Law Department, Chris Martin and Chris Clementi, The Estate of the late Brian Alner, and the Horsham Town Twinning Association.

The Collyer’s Association Prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Student Community was awarded to Billy Van de Borgh and Dalal Abdelaal. The Ray Smith Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sport was presented by Peter Crees, on behalf of Ray Smith’s family, to Tom Evans.

Isobel Hall picked up the prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and college prizes for Excellence in Level 3 Vocational Courses was awarded to Oli Murtagh, with the prize for Excellence in Level 2 Vocational Courses going to Amy Green

The College Prize for Early Years was presented to Samantha Pummel, while Billy Venner, Samuel Parrott, Zachary Bown, Jessica Edwards and William Sullivan won Top Academic Progress. Hayley Maxwell picked up the Excellence in Access prize, while Willian Garcia was awarded the Special Achievement in Adult Education prize. The Vivien Martin Prize for Special Achievement was awarded to Darja Knotkova-Hanley and the College Special Merit Prize for Significant EAL Improvement went to Hang Yu Ching.

Ciarran Buckley was awarded the Adam Howard Law Prize, set up in memory of a very promising law student, and kindly presented by his mum, Claire. Billy Venner was delighted to receive the Business Prize for Entrepreneurship, with Megan Taylor awarded the prize for Strategic Management.

President of the Old Collyerian’s Association, John Weeds, presented the Old Collyerian’s Awards (OCA) to Morton Woodburn, winning the award for the OCA Outstanding Extra-Curricular Achievement Prize, and Grace Cummins won the OCA Creative Writing Prize.

The Chris Clementi Music Prize was presented to Xinming Zhang, and the College Language prizes were awarded to Oliver Colbran (French), Alice Hazell (German) and James Maclean (Spanish).

The Brian Alner Prize for Careers was awarded to Lewis Rogers, Bradley Burke picked up the Brian Alner Prize for Geography. The Stephen Siklos Maths prize, new for 2019, was presented to James Maclean, by Stephen’s brother Paul.

Recipients of Outstanding Contribution to College (Mercers’ Award) prize winners were: Becca Inglis-Taylor, Bradley Burke, Anisha Wakefield, Riya Sharma, Gracie Enticknap, Nic Mortimer-Cook and Lily Hadfield.

The 2019 Alumni Prize, for an ex student who has continued to keep in touch and support the college, went to Dr Sophie Avery.

Principal, Sally Bromley, who hosted the ceremony, said: “The Prizegiving event celebrates the wide range of student achievement at Collyer’s. Students are awarded prizes for excelling academically and the way they engaged in activities outside the classroom, in clubs and societies, sport, music and drama, or the way they supported other students in their studies while persevering with their own. They are all truly awe inspiring young people and all at Collyer’s are extremely proud of them.”

“It was an honour present this year’s Alumni Prize to Dr Sophie Avery, an outstanding ex-Collyer’s student who having left us in 2008 is now enjoying a massively successful career in veterinary medicine, specialising in equine medicine. It was great to see Sophie again and hear how her success story is progressing.”

Sally Bromley proudly presented the overall prize for Student of the Year 2019 to a delighted Morton Woodburn.

Dr David Skipp, Chair of Governors at Collyer’s, told the audience: “I’d like to congratulate the staff for all their work encouraging and passing on their expertise. Collyer’s really is outstanding, and much appreciated by Horsham residents; the results and achievements of our students are amazing!

“I congratulate you all sincerely and I’d also like to thank supporters, families and friends for their help, which is much appreciated.”