Recognising achievement
The surprising impact of Sixth Form Awards
Studying for your A-Levels can be challenging, particularly if you’re also dealing with financial or emotional stresses. We hear how Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards can make a crucial, sometimes life-changing, difference to students.
Words by Fiona Thompson
Photography by Paul Read
“At first, I wasn’t too sure what I’d actually won the award for, so I was a bit confused. But as soon as I did understand, I was quite taken aback,” says Ella Parkin, who won a £1,000 Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Award in 2022 while she was studying at Prendergast Sixth Form.
“I was back and forth between Canada and London during my A-levels for personal reasons,” she says. “In Canada, I’d get up at 4am to take classes that were happening in London at 9am. This award was a testament of my hard work during what was a turbulent time for me.”
Will Housden, who received an award of £600 in 2023 when he was studying at Prendergast Sixth Form, was equally stunned when his name was announced. “To be honest, I was very surprised,” he says. “I thought I’d misheard. Several people in our year received Leathersellers’ Awards for various reasons. I knew them all and they’re all such wonderful, caring people. I felt really privileged to be up on the stage with them.”
The award also came as a shock to Leyla Reveillon, who received £850 in 2019. “It was an unreal feeling. I wasn’t someone who’d ever won prizes,” she says. “I was quite a naughty child at the start of secondary school. I got in with the wrong people and liked to play the class clown. I always knew I could achieve academically, but I didn’t take school seriously. Finally, though, I matured and realised I needed to be less badly behaved. I really concentrated on my A-levels, despite going through a lot of hardships in my personal life. So it felt especially good to win a Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Award, and to be recognised for my hard work.”
The Sixth Form Awards are just one aspect of the Leathersellers’ long-standing commitment to improving young people’s educational chances. The Company and Foundation support the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools in south-east London, which consists of five schools including Prendergast Sixth Form.
“The Leathersellers has supported education in south-east London since the 17th century. Our history with the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools dates back to 1890 when Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school opened on land gifted by the Company,” says Natalia Rymaszewska, Head of Grants at The Leathersellers’ Foundation.
“Today, we’re as committed as ever to offering opportunities to young people in Lewisham. Our Sixth Form Awards shine a light on students who deserve recognition for their success, especially those who have faced and overcome adversity during their A-Level years. We recognise the importance of these final years of formal education as opportunities to improve social mobility. We’re delighted to be able to highlight the tenacity, dedication and achievements of this special group of students at the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools, and to offer awards that give them an extra boost as they finish school and make plans for their future.”
Every year The Leathersellers’ Foundation gives an overall grant of £5,000, to be awarded according to the recommendations of the interview panel. The panel contains representatives of the Leathersellers’ Company who have the pleasure and privilege of speaking to the students nominated for awards.
“We meet as a Sixth Form team and discuss which students might be eligible,” says Nathan Mealor, Deputy Headteacher at Prendergast School, “and after we’ve made our choice, we recommend a number of pupils to the Leathersellers. They make the final decision on the amount to award to each student.” The criteria for the award include excellent academic achievement, overcoming challenges in achieving success, and an outstanding commitment towards school life. In the past, some students have won awards because they’ve represented the school in a sports competition or taken part in an exceptional music performance. “It’s about students who do something above and beyond for themselves and for the school,” adds Nathan.
Leyla Reveillon
Many students win Sixth Form Awards because they have overcome adversity to persevere with their education during their time at the school.
Prendergast Sixth Form is based in Lewisham, an inner-city area of south-east London that has high levels of poverty and deprivation. Lewisham is in the top 20% most deprived local authorities in England; one in four people working in Lewisham earns less than the Living Wage, and the borough has one of the highest levels of child poverty in the country. As a consequence, some students at the school have to deal with day-to-day problems that undermine their ability to focus on their education. “A small number of our students have no family backing and are entirely self-sufficient,” says Nathan. “They’re working in part-time jobs outside school hours to support themselves. Others are struggling with the consequences of family poverty.”
Nicki Mason, Sixth Form Administrator, agrees, adding “Many of our students navigate challenging and complex home situations. They may take on additional responsibilities beyond their years on a daily basis, as well as devoting time to their studies.”
It is telling that the students who are coping with the most difficult circumstances frequently prefer to keep their problems to themselves. “They tend to be quiet, modest students, who may sometimes feel isolated and not want to speak about their situations,” says Nicki. “The Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards give us the opportunity to acknowledge the achievement of a handful of these students, offering them a small token in recognition of their exceptional efforts during their time with us, before they take their next steps towards higher education, apprenticeships or employment.”
As with schools everywhere, budgets at Prendergast Sixth Form are under increasing pressure, which makes the Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards particularly welcome.“With school funds squeezed tighter and tighter, year on year, we offer our students every support we can in school, but there is a limit,” says Nicki. “The end of Year 13 is a prominent milestone in our students’ lives, and the awards help us to mark this happy occasion for them in a special way, which would otherwise not be possible.”
Nathan remarks that the awards also provide Prendergast Sixth Form with a unique selling point, creating an additional draw for potential students. “The Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards are something different that only Prendergast can offer, because we’re part of the Leathersellers’ Federation. They give students another reason to attend our Sixth Form.”
Clearly, the awards are beneficial for the school, but it’s the impact on students that stands out. “The award has helped me get where I am today,” says Ella, who’s currently reading International Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. “It was a motivating factor for me to continue on a good path and it helped me stay focused on getting through my A-level exams.
Leyla Reveillon with 2024 award recipients
“The Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards are something different that only Prendergast can offer, because we’re part of the Leathersellers’ Federation. They give students another reason to attend our Sixth Form.”
“The award supported me emotionally and financially, as it boosted my confidence and helped pay for my housing in the Netherlands. I’ve been learning Arabic and hope to pursue a career in the Middle East and North Africa region. I’ve enjoyed this course so much and am excited to see where it leads me.”
Like Ella, Will found that winning the award gave him more confidence and self-belief. “I came out with way better A-level grades than I could have imagined, because of the award and the unwavering support I received,” he says. “The Sixth Form Award reinforced the fact that, if I put my mind to it, I can achieve what I want. I’m now studying Philosophy and History at the University of Southampton, which has been such a good experience. I’m really enjoying discovering how history is manipulated by people in power. And, in philosophy, it’s fascinating to learn how to question beliefs, reason, and argue my point.”
Meanwhile, Leyla went from being the class clown to studying History and Politics at Cambridge. Her teachers were a vital part of her support squad, encouraging her to go to university and even accompanying her to the local council to help her get a place in a hostel, while at school.
“Getting the Sixth Form Award changed my life completely,” she says. “First, it was wonderful that people noticed my hard work. It helped me to cope and to look the future whenever I was tempted to give up. Winning the award was also one of the factors that influenced my decision to go to university, seeing the interest the Leathersellers had in my academic journey and how many people were invested in my potential.”
Following her studies at Cambridge, Leyla gained a position as a research analyst at an executive search firm. Having developed close ties with the Leathersellers, she is also now a Governor at Prendergast School and a Freeman of the Leathersellers’ Company.
“The Leathersellers is an amazing institution and I’m so proud to be involved with it,” she says. “I sit on the Small Grants Committee, so I help to decide which charities should receive grants. I dealt with a lot of hardship growing up, so I draw on my own experience when we’re making decisions. It helps me to give back to the community in a way that I’ve never been able to do before.”
Natalia adds, “It’s inspiring to see that the Leathersellers’ Sixth Form Awards have an impact that goes far beyond the financial. We look forward to the winners joining our thriving alumni network of Foundation-supported individuals, and can’t wait to hear what they do next.
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The Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools develops the vision of Joseph Prendergast, who founded Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school in 1890 on a site provided by the Leathersellers’ Company. The Leathersellers continues to provide support to the schools through nominating Foundation Governors as well as offering regular financial support to maintain the quality of education, well-being, and access to opportunity. In 2023-2024 financial support for initiatives at the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools totalled £266,756. Grant funding was awarded for a range of activities aimed at enrichment and meeting essential needs such as breakfast clubs.
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