During term 2 of each academic year students are identified as Gifted & Talented by their class teachers. Students are identified based on a set of criteria within each subject area, which could be linked to students’ attainment; their approach, understanding or appreciation of the subject; or the way in which they have shown significant giftedness or talent in that field. From this identification subject areas then nominate students who have shown the most giftedness or talent to be put forward for the awards.

The 2010-2011 awards ceremony was presented by the Gifted & Talented Co-ordinator, Julia Mallard, and Gareth Thomas, Head of Film, Photography and Media Studies. Taking the format of an Oscars style presentation, nominees were highlighted and an array of videos, created by staff with details of the winners, were presented. There were some outstanding videos this year, highlights including Dave Robertson’s rap style video for the Producer of the Year Award and the Music Department’s video revelation of what it means to be Gifted & Talented within Music.

As part of this year’s awards ceremony there were a number of performances throughout the evening from the Choir, Orchestra and String Group, the line up also included a number of solo performances, from music students such as Kyle Donnelly as well as from nominees and award winners; Danielle Louise Reddington (Music award winner), Jessica Nicholson (Music award nominee) and Malachia Faulkner (Expressive and Performing Arts - Artist of the Year). 

The three larger recognition awards: Artist of the Year, Academic Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Award, were won by truly deserving students. Unlike the other awards presented throughout the evening, these three awards have no nominees and are presented to individual students from across the school.

Artist of the Year 2011 was presented to Malachia Faulkner for his achievements and dedication to Music. Malachia, a self taught pianist, has displayed his talents for sometime; readily performing in assemblies and for concerts, as well as recently winning the Core’s Corby’s Got Talent Competition.

The award for Academic Excellence was won by Joseph Dixon, for his astonishing G.C.S.E results this summer. Joseph achieved all but one of his G.C.S.E’s at A* grade, achieving an A in one of his English results. Joseph sat his exam, against the advice of doctors as he had appendicitis at the time, yet still managed to achieve such amazing results. A truly deserving winner!

The final award of the evening for School Lifetime Achievement was won by Megan Plowman. Although Megan is not at the end of her school career here at Kingswood, she has shown her achievement continuously throughout her studies so far. Megan, previously a winner of the Academic Excellence Award (2010), has continued to show her Giftedness and Talents across the curriculum. She had been identified as Gifted & Talented across all her subjects and received 5 nominations for the awards night. Megan continues to achieve in all that she does and proves herself to be exceptionally worthy of an award normally reserved for students in Year 13.

We would like to thank everyone who supported the evening by giving their time, as well as all those members of staff who created videos for the winners and finally to all who attended the evening; with a special thanks to all those students who were nominated and of course the eventual winners.

Award Nominees and Winners:

Mathematician of the Year
Nominees: Jade Swan (Winner), Gage Talbot and Megan Plowman.

Young Mathematician of the Year
Nominees: Jamie Matthews (Winner), Sean McManus and Melissa Thomson.

Geographer of the Year
Nominees: Abbie Smyth, Sam Garica, Jessica Liquorish (Winner).

Discipulus Optimus (Latin)
Nominees: Megan Plowman, Kane Ogden and Beccy Liquorish (Winner).

Musician of the Year
Nominees: Ethan Glover, Danielle Louise Reddington (Winner) and Jessica Nicholson.

Dancer of the Year
Nominees: Georgia Burns, Robyn Gough and Amy Louise Lines (Winner)

Performer of the Year
Nominees: Nathan Parmar, Ryan Kidman (Winner) and Izzy Nottage.

Design and Technology Student of the Year:
Nominees: Tanya Burnett, Jessica Liquorish and Josh Rouchy (Winner).

Producer of the Year
Nominees: Ryan Cassidy (Winner), Marc Collins and Graeme Tait.

Entrepreneur of the Year
Nominees: Abbie Kaylor (Winner), Cheyenne Mair and Toni Winch.

Health and Social Care Student of the Year
Nominees: Kayleigh Carlton (Winner), Ellis Forsyth and Cassie Blakeston.

Gifted and Talented Artist
Nominees: Jasmine Owen (Winner), Abigail Munro, Dean Lafferty and Sinead Hyldon.

Sportsman of the Year
Nominees: Lewis Armour, Jake Buckingham and Sean Littlejohn (Winner).

Sportswoman of the Year
Nominees: Kelsey Marshall (Winner), Jamie Harper and Emma Witt.

French – Linguist of the Year
Nominees: Teresa Domingos (Winner), Ashleigh Gombedza and Michael Wood.

German – Linguist of the Year
Nominees: Sean McManus (Winner), Jamie Matthews and Megan Plowman.

ICT – Student of the Year
Nominees: Ryan Cassidy, Jonathon Downey (Winner) and Josh Reilly.

Religious Studies Student of the Year
Nominees: Reni Olagoke, Sadia Aktar (Winner) and Melise Dinch.

Historian of the Year
Nominees: Joseph Dixon (Winner), Megan Plowman and Jasmine Owen.

Contribution and Achievement in English
Nominees: Laura Haselip, Dean Lafferty and Joseph Dixon (Winner).

Scientist of the Year
Nominees: Jessica Liquorish, Kirsty Davies (Winner) and Megan Plowman.

Expressive and Performing Arts – Artist of the Year: Malachia Faulkner

Award for Academic Excellence: Joseph Dixon

School Lifetime Achievement Award: Megan Plowman

To view the full photo gallery click here