Four Epsom College students have received national honours in the Secondary Student Voice Awards.
Luka Woods (Fa) was judged the overall national champion in the awards, while Lily Taylor-Fitzgibbon (Rv), Kirsten Head (Wh) and Josh Dixon (C) were all placed as runners-up.
These outstanding results mean that the College came runner-up overall in the Secondary School category.
The awards, which are organised by Vote for Schools “promote student voice by recognising and celebrating high-quality and inspiring practice.” Prizes are given to those schools that:
- Give students genuine and meaningful opportunities to have a voice and influence decisions which affect them.
- Put student voice at the heart of learning and school life.
- Maintain a high standard of inclusive student voice.
What the judges said…
…on Luka
“His knowledge and enthusiasm is painfully evident and he clearly has a strong moral compass. There is no doubt that he will go on to do great things.
“It goes without saying that the video accompanying this application was the clincher – outstanding creativity combined with some seriously impressive knowledge. This student clearly has the ability to make just about any topic accessible to everyone, and this is proven in the written application as well. Outstanding!
… on Kirsten
“This application offered a fantastic balance of the three key aims at Vote for Schools: to be informed, curious and heard.
“This student’s agility in terms of current affairs was particularly impressive, as well as the clear ability to influence change – especially on the library shelves!”
… on Joshua
“This student evidently has knowledge and skills in abundance, and the evidence of their willingness to share these with others was very heartening to read.
“He sounds like a valuable and enthusiastic member of his school community with a lot to offer. He seems like a valuable addition to any classroom or debate.”
… on Lily
“Playing devil’s advocate is not an easy role, especially amongst your friends and peers, so this student is to be commended on using their initiative and evident capabilities to open up the conversation to anyone and everyone.
“This application is also a fantastic representation of the power of inter-year dialogue and collaboration. Her passion and enthusiasm for discussion and debate is so evident.
“We love a ‘devil’s advocate’ and it sounds like her persistence to look at a topic from all angles clearly pays off. She sounds supportive of other students, particularly younger more vulnerable ones, and sounds like a pleasure to teach!”
… and finally, on Epsom College
“The College encourages students to think deeper about relevant issues and speak openly about issues that affect themselves and their school. The focus here is very clearly on inclusivity and diversity, which is a wonderful thing to see.”
