News Class of ’23 Rewarded 21.01.2024

At the annual Collyer’s Prize Giving ceremony, successful students have been rewarded for their 2023 achievements at the college. Collyer’s Principal Dan Lodge welcomed David Arnold (Collyer’s Principal from 1983 to 1999), Cllr David Skipp (Chair of Horsham District Council), Mark Sheridan (Headteacher of Tanbridge House School), and former students, teachers, families, and other members of the Collyer’s community. The event was hosted by Deputy Principal Steve Martell and the presentation of the awards was made by Dr Grant Powell (Upper Warden of the Mercers’ Company), Graham Lawrence (Chair of the Governing Body), Ruth Mitchell (President of the Old Collyerians’ Association), Claire Howard, Lawrence Long from the Town Twinning Association; Nick Brindlow representing the Richard Collyer Lodge, Tabitha Siklos, and Collyer’s staff. The photographers were Jamie Frost, Miki Navratilova, and Poppy Ray-Jones. The event was expertly organised by Collyer’s Linda MacLeman, with superb support from Becky Bourne, Jo Bull, and Sara Luxford.

The Mercer’s School Memorial Prize (The Merrett Bequest), awarded by the Mercer’s Company, was won by former Tanbridge House pupil Greg Dargue; recipients of the Mercers’ Exhibition Prize, awarded by the Trustees of the Collyer’s Foundation, were: Shriya Jayatilaka, Ruth Ironmonger, Ben Toth, Max Cole, Jade Vohra; Harry Kuzbit-Lanham, Evan Fung, Luca Yeates, Roseanna Graves, Rosie Cox; Evie Bennett, Joe Baxendale, Daniel Wright; Joe Bensusan, Oscar Gavira, and George Clegg.

The Trustees’ Curriculum Prize, also awarded by the Trustees of the Collyer’s Foundation, was presented to: Freya Barrett, Cerys Brown, Katie Gasson, Lewis Drabble; Aron Cirpici, Eliza Smith, and Josh Heffernan. The Trustees International Student prize, was won by Karena Ho.

The college prizes were donated by The College of Richard Collyer and Richard Collyer Lodge, Trustees and The Mercers Company, the Old Collyerians’ Association, Chris Clementi; The Estate of the late Brian Alner, the Horsham Twinning Association, and the Siklos family.

The Collyer’s Association Prizes for Outstanding Contribution to the Student Community were awarded to Feli Beissel and Hania Gignal. The Ray Smith Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sport was presented to Izzy Smith.

Matilda Strutt picked up the prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts, and the college prize for Excellence in Level 3 Vocational Courses was awarded to Gloria Coldicott.

The College Prize for Early Years was presented to Martha Thomson, while Harry O’Brien won Top Academic Progress. Frankie Reynolds picked up the Excellence in Access prize, while Maher Hamami was awarded the Special Achievement in Adult Education prize. The Vivien Martin Prize for Special Achievement was awarded to Harrison Willis, and the College Special Merit Prize for Significant EAL Improvement went to Ryan Wong.

Aron Cirpici was awarded the Adam Howard Law Prize, Ellie West-Wilson won the Mercers’ School History Prize, and Jade Vohra won the Business Prize for Strategic Management.

President of the Old Collyerian’s Association, Ruth Mitchell, presented the Old Collyerians’ Awards for Outstanding Extra-Curricular Achievement to Rach Hughes and Joe Bensusan.

The Chris Clementi Music Prize was awarded to Joe Steel, and the College Language prizes were presented to Karla Rojas Vega (French) and Emilia Roy (Spanish).

The Stephen Siklos Maths prize was won by Oscar Gavira, and the Brian Alner Prize for Careers went to Gloria Coldicott, while the Brian Alner Prize for Geography was awarded to Emma Boxhall.

Collyer’s Principal, Dan Lodge, said: “The Prizegiving event celebrates the wide range of student achievement at Collyer’s. They are truly awe-inspiring people and all within the Collyer’s community are extremely proud of them.

“Students are awarded prizes for excelling academically and the way they engaged in activities outside the classroom, in clubs and societies, sport, music and drama, or the way they supported other students in their studies while persevering with their own.”

Graham Lawrence, Chair of Governors at Collyer’s, said: “To hear individual stories of hard work and success is wonderful and inspiring. It was a pleasure to be here to celebrate such extraordinary student achievements.

“Congratulations to these incredible students and massive thanks to the staff who support them.”