Students honoured for their achievements at CANDI awards ceremony

Students at City and Islington College (CANDI) were all smiles after being presented with awards in recognition of their achievements this year.

More than 50 students from CANDI’s Sixth Form College and its Centre for Applied Sciences at Angel were honoured at a ceremony attended by staff and parents on 29 June.

Curriculum Managers presented students with awards in four categories after choosing the winners from nominations made by teachers at the college’s centres in Goswell Road.

Awards were presented in each of the following categories:

• Outstanding Achievement, for students who have attained the best grades.
• Curriculum Area Award, for students who have overcome adversity.
• Outstanding Commitment, for students who have worked hard.
• Contribution to the Course, for students who have helped others or supported the college.

Among the Outstanding Achievement winners was Engineering student Gino Tsotsi who was recognised for his high level of dedication to his studies, which had been reflected in his results.

Gino, 17, said: “The teachers have supported not just me, but all the students on the course. When you ask them anything, they answer straightaway. They want you to ask questions so they can help you. They are very knowledgeable and experienced and explain things well, which is all going to help me. Having good teachers will get you far.

“I want to thank them for seeing something in me and picking me for this award. It makes me feel very happy. It makes you think you’re the best on your course, which has given me the confidence to go further and do well next year.”

A Level student Tanya Qusham, 18, was presented with a Curriculum Area Award for commitment to her studies in the face of mental health problems following an incident at school.

She said: “Compared to secondary school, my teachers at college really helped me. I would have frequent panic attacks in class and it got to the point where sometimes I couldn’t come into college, which meant I found it hard to get my work done.

“My teachers were very patient with me, which is what I needed, and gave me more time to do my assignments. If I left the room, they were fine with it and would come out and check on me. If I wasn’t in, they would email me everything.

“I feel much happier in myself knowing they have recognised I have really tried and put in a lot of work. Everyone at college helped so massively. Without them, I don’t think I would be where I am now.”

Special Recognition Awards were presented to five A Level students who initially joined the college’s Home Education Hub when they were 14. The hub provides Year 10 and 11 students with part-time tuition in English, maths, science and history, and the chance to experience studying at college.

The ceremony was compered by Dominic Eady, Deputy Director of the Sixth Form College, and included guest speeches from former CANDI Health and Social Care Diploma student Zahra Ga-al and Law Amankwah, UK Student Recruitment and Schools Liaison Officer at City, University of London.

Zahra, 23, is about to start work as a primary school teacher after completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Roehampton where she previously graduated with a BA (Hons) Education Studies.

Offering her advice to students leaving this year, she said: “If you are going to university, make use of all the support on offer. Your lecturers will be so supportive if you need to talk to them about your assignments. Have confidence. You can do it. You just need to work hard and you’ll go on to do amazing things.”

The evening also included talks on both the Sixth Form College and Centre for Applied Sciences by Deputy Directors Jenny Nolan and Adam Beral.

Congratulating the award winners, Assistant Principal Matt Wojtyniak said: “It’s a real pleasure to celebrate many of our individual student’s successes this year. In truth, we could have nominated many more students for awards as this current cohort of students has been phenomenal, and I am certainly very proud of them.

“The majority of students receiving awards tonight are the ones that we feel have been most affected by the pandemic, who didn’t sit their GCSEs, and had to work even harder to overcome more barriers than students in previous years.

“Tonight is also about celebrating everyone that has helped to make this happen, the teachers and the support staff who run the libraries, career service, enrichment, and all those who work so incredibly hard to make our college a success.”

CANDI’s Sixth Form College offers a choice of more than 30 A Levels while the Centre for Applied Sciences runs courses in subjects including Applied Science, Engineering, Forensics, Animal Care, Optics, Sports Science and Public Services.

Find out more about courses and apprenticeships at CANDI and apply here.

Sixth Form College

Centre for Applied Sciences

Home Education Hub

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