News & Events - General

The Committee of South London Principals (COSLP) held their annual Best Learner Awards on 20th May at the House of Lords and the winner of the award for Kingston College was Hannah Clive, a student in her mid thirties, who travels to Kingston College from East Sheen and has been offered a place to study at both St Mary’s University and Kingston College where ultimately she has chosen to remain and study at Degree level.

A delighted Hannah said: “I am thrilled to have been nominated and received this award. I view it not just as a commendation for myself but for my tutors and the college as a whole. Their support, understanding and crucially their approachability during this course were invaluable to me, particularly given the personal pressures I have had to overcome both prior to and during my course. I would highly recommend any mature student to the college and I have very much enjoyed studying in the Design Studies Department; it is one that I would recommend to any adult considering a return to education. I am delighted to have fulfilled a lifetime goal; one that I hope will provide further career options and improve both mine and my daughter’s futures. The award was the cherry on the cake for me and an excellent example to be able to set for my own child - my tutors made that possible and I am very grateful to them for that. Receiving the COSLP Best Learner Award was a once in a lifetime experience and a memory I shall treasure.”

The awards are organised by the COSLP, one of the strongest groups of its kind in the country. The Principals work together to share good practice and to improve what is on offer for post 16 and adult learners across the boroughs of Bromley, Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton. COSLP is currently chaired by Mr Michael Wheeler, Principal of Bromley Adult Education College.

Rob Stuart, Hannah’s Personal Tutor commented: “Hannah Clive is a student who exemplifies the second-chance spirit of Access to Higher Education. She completed the one-year course a full term ahead of schedule, which is unprecedented, and consistently achieved excellent grades. Hannah’s success is all the more remarkable considering that she is a single mother and has had to juggle childcare, financial hardship and other personal difficulties in addition to her very demanding studies. It has been a very great pleasure to guide her through this course and I have no doubt that she will continue to excel as an undergraduate.”
 
Best learners representing each of the colleges received an award from guest speaker Clare Arnold, Senior Account Director for London, Skills Funding Agency.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Lord Tope and the invited audience of parents and supporters, politicians, employers and Learning and Skills Council representatives celebrated the learners’ success in the impressive surroundings of the Cholmondeley Room of the House of Lords.