National BTEC recognition for Blackpool Sixth

Silver BTEC Tutor of the Year award winner: Chelsie Toole

Blackpool Sixth is celebrating success and national recognition for the excellence of its BTEC provision. The college as a whole has won a BTEC College of the Year Silver Award from the examinations and publishing giant, Pearson. IT teacher, Chelsie Toole, has been awarded a Silver BTEC Tutor of the Year award. Additionally, three public services students, Emily Bradder, Chloe Tipping and Crystal Thompson and a sport student, Callum Galbraith, have all been awarded Silver in the BTEC student of the year category.

The Silver Award for BTEC College of the Year recognises Blackpool Sixth’s excellent track record of successfully delivering BTEC qualifications in a wide variety of subjects. Blackpool Sixth is consistently amongst the highest achieving schools and colleges in the country.

Chelsie has been recognised for her outstanding teaching and her enterprising work to develop BTEC students’ employability skills through volunteering and industry experience.

Chelsie commented, “I am humbled to have achieved this award amongst fantastic practitioners and for me, to be rewarded for something I love doing, is an honour and privilege.”

Assistant Principal (Vocational), Tina Cooper, said, “We are absolutely delighted to have been given silver awards for BTEC College of the Year, BTEC teacher of the year and four for Student of the Year. It is wonderful to have been recognised by Pearson for the outstanding work of all our BTEC staff and students. As a college we believe in developing the whole person, ensuring they have the best opportunities to succeed in life, and BTECs are a great vehicle to enable this. We are incredibly proud of Chelsie Toole who is a passionate and committed teacher, and provides many opportunities for her students to shine both in and out of the classroom. She thoroughly deserves the recognition achieved.”

As well as the recognition for the college and Chelsie, four Blackpool Sixth students have received Silver Awards from Pearson. Silver award winners are selected for their academic excellence, their clear passion for their subject and for having “gone ‘above and beyond’ in their commitment to extracurricular activities such as volunteering and gaining industry experience.”

The student silver award winners are:

Callum Galbraith, a BTEC Level 3 Sport Performance and Excellence (Triple) student. This former Lytham St. Annes Technology and Performing Arts student is described as ‘an outstanding sports coach’. Callum is progressing to Edgehill University to begin a degree in sports coaching and development.

Chloe Tipping, a BTEC Level 3 Public Services (Triple) student, formerly of Cardinal Allen Catholic High School. Chloe demonstrated huge determination to succeed despite a number of challenges. She commented, “Despite all the personal battles, I believe that going above and beyond should be a normal state of mind for all young people. I do many charity running events each year including Pretty Muddy (for Cancer Research), Colour Run (for Brian House) and the Race for Life. I also participate in summer fairs at a special school.”

Emily Bradder, a BTEC Level 3 Public Services (Triple) student. The former Cardinal Allen Catholic High School student suffers from a rare brain condition which unfortunately has ruled out her dream of joining the Army for the moment. Emily said, “I have not let this get me down and shatter my dreams to join a public service. I have had to adapt and accept this and have had to adjust my plans for my future, and doing public services has helped to achieve this. I have a real desire to help people like me with a hidden disability that aren’t able to do what they wanted to do. I’m planning to go to Liverpool John Moores university to study business and public eelations. With this degree I hope I will either be able to go into the Army through a different route, or work with the Police. I would also like to try and change the way the Ministry of Defence think of people with disabilities serving in the forces.”

Crystal Thompson, a BTEC Level 3 Public Services (Triple) student. Crystal, a former Unity Academy student, has been a young carer since the age of 12. Crystal carried out a huge amount of volunteering during her course, including aspiration-raising work in her former high school and was Chair of the Student Council. Crystal’s leadership skills were recognised by Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO CBE, to be the Youth Ambassador with the Claremont Community in Blackpool, one of the most deprived council wards in the UK. Her aim is to improve the reputation of the area and “bring the youth more together and have more clubs that everyone feels like they are able to go to.”