Kayleigh Watson, winner of the James Barr Memorial Award for Access to Higher Education Student of the Year
Hellesdon woman who battled to save her lecturer’s life wins education award named in his memory
Friday, September 14, 2012
11:14 AM
Almost a decade after leaving her studies behind aged 15, Kayleigh Watson took a daunting decision to drop her developing career and work toward her dream.
The list of winners
School of Technology, Environment and Sports
Kier Construction Award for Outstanding Progression: Mia Heward
Norwich Electrical Co Award for Outstanding Progression: Michael Mackay
East of England Energy Group Award for Outstanding Progression: Lauren Peacock
Norfolk Construction Training Group Award for Outstanding Progression: Bruno Periera
Norse Commercial Services Award for Outstanding Achievement: Kristian Dyer
Copy IT Digital Solutions Award for Outstanding Achievement: Damien Kubinski
Waveney Insurance Brokers Award for Outstanding Achievement: Daniel Medlar
Chapel Doors Award for Outstanding Achievement: Noah Redding
Norfolk FA Award for Outstanding Achievement: Dominic Shaw
Bluespace Ltd Award for Special Achievement: Maria Bishop
Norwich Electrical Co Award for Special Achievement: Thomas Cossey
Kier Construction Award for Special Achievement: Richard Webb
Wildcat Aerobatics Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Alex Papp
Norfolk Construction Training Group Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Angelo Squires
School of Creative and Business Industries
Theatre Royal Award for Outstanding Progression: Camilla Batch
John Jarrold Trust Award for Outstanding Progression: Eli Davey
LSI Architects Award for Outstanding Progression: Daniel Gray
Archant Anglia Award for Outstanding Achievement: Thomas Adams
Bluespace Ltd Award for Outstanding Achievement: Max Bode
Clark James Norwich Award for Outstanding Achievement: Hayley Denmen
Norwich and Norfolk Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement: Grace Dodd
Aviva UK Award for Outstanding Achievement: Georgina Humm
Archant Ltd Award for Outstanding Achievement: Chelsea Watson
Virgin Money Award for Special Achievement: Laura Arnoup
Ultimate Impact Media Award for Special Achievement: Zoey Grey
Lsect and FE Week Award for Special Achievement: Corinne Haynes
Farrows Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Rebecca Croucher
Theatre Royal Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Fran Goodman
Playhouse Norwich Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Matilda Larrington-Spencer
School of Hotel, Hair and Beauty
Anglia Culinary Suppliers Ltd Award for Outstanding Progression: Robert Cromack
Mercure Norwich Hotel Award for Outstanding Progression: Harriet Crowe
Adnams Award for Outstanding Progression: Lysa Gedge
Newsmakers PR Award for Outstanding Progression: Natasha Pasco
The Mason Trust Award for Outstanding Achievement: Nathan Coleman
Sandra Reynolds Agency Award for Outstanding Achievement: Laura Gonzalez
Mills & Reeve LLP Award for Outstanding Achievement: Christie Scarle
Tribe Award for Outstanding Achievement: Amy Withers
Last Wine Bar Award for Special Achievement: Roisin Burnett
Dunston Hall Award for Special Achievement: Abigail Clipsom
Dewing Grain Award for Special Achievement: Sam Masters
Mercure Norwich Hotel Award for Special Achievement: Emma Seaman
Adnams Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Joshua Atkin
Anglia Culinary Suppliers Ltd Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: George Chapman
Sandra Reynolds Agency Award for Outstanding Community Spirit:Vanessa Millburn
School of Foundation Studies
Facilicom Cleaning Services Ltd Award for Outstanding Progression: Kieran Gibbs
John Jarrold Trust Award for Outstanding Progression: Sam Newstead
Chapel Doors Award for Outstanding Progression: Aurimas Ciocys
Aviva UK Award for Outstanding Progression: Liam Walls
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Award for Outstanding Achievement: Jessica Freestone
Snelling Business Systems Award for Outstanding Achievement: Sarah-Louise Goodwin
Interpac Award for Outstanding Achievement: Joseph Longhurst
Waveney Insurance Brokers Award for Special Achievement: Kieran Buckland
Norse Commercial Services Award for Special Achievement: Sam Johnson
Norfolk FA Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Leshawn Naurayan
M+A Partners Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Joshua Pennington
Chartwells Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Romeo Reszegi
School of Health and Community Studies
Once Upon A Time Nursery Award for Outstanding Progression: Kay Hornsey
Inspired Change Award for Outstanding Progression: Paige McDonnell
Facilicom Cleaning Services Ltd Award for Outstanding Progression: Victoria Warren-Potter
Admin Re Award for Outstanding Progression: Tom Wasmuth
OpenContact Award for Outstanding Achievement: Francesca Connor
Norfolk County Council Award for Outstanding Achievement: Lee Cutts
Howes Percival Award for Outstanding Achievement: Sophie Dade
Norse Commercial Services Award for Outstanding Achievement: Joan Latta
Norwich City Council Award for Special Achievement: Kerrie Bayes
Copy IT Digital Solutions Award for Special Achievement: Chloe Carter
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Award for Special Achievement: Rachel Saunders
The Mason Trust Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Joanna Duffell
Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Alliance Award for Outstanding Community Spirit: Piers Grey
Sixth Form Centre
The Forum Trust Award for Outstanding Progression: Thomas Browes
Lsect and FE Week Award for Outstanding Progression: Sam Gibbs
Alan Boswell Group Award for Outstanding Progression: Hao Chen Zhu
Newsmakers PR Award for Outstanding Achievement: Karina Adcock
Mills & Reeve LLP Award for Outstanding Achievement: Mehvash Ahmad
Waveney Insurance Brokers Award for Outstanding Achievement: Elliot Byford
Archant Ltd Award for Outstanding Achievement: Sinead Carey
LSI Architects Award for Outstanding Achievement: Ben Pollock
Validus IVC LTD Award for Outstanding Achievement: Aaron Smith
Farrows Award for Outstanding Achievement: Jessica Storey
Snelling Business Systems Award for Outstanding Achievement: George Worrall
Howes Percival Award for Special Achievement: Isobel Bailey
Admin Re Award for Special Achievement: Lauren Burrows
Archant Anglia Award for Special Achievement: Rebecca Hanley
Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award, sponsored by City College Norwich’s StartUp Lounge: Bethany Spring
Enhancing the Student Experience Award, sponsored by City College Norwich’s Students’ Union: Kevin Skipper
The James Barr Memorial Award for Access to Higher Education Student of the Year: Kayleigh Watson
The Governors’ Robert Walton Award for Outstanding Contribution to College Life: Matthew Perry
The Governors’ Award for Outstanding Student Achievement: Emma Pottle
Miss Watson, of Hellesdon, left the East of England Ambulance Service after five years to study at City College Norwich, with the initial aim to see how things went.
But she also had a further desire to study forensic anthropology - in short, the study of dead people - at university.
And as Miss Watson, 25, spoke on the telephone yesterday from the University of Dundee on day three of a four-year course on the subject, it appeared everything she did while working towards her dream worked like a dream.
On Wednesday night, her outstanding achievement of scoring top marks in her natural science diploma helped secure her the James Barr Memorial for Access to Higher Education Student of the Year award.
But this was only part of her story from the last 12 months.
Miss Watson’s award is named after science lecturer James Barr, who taught at the college for seven years and was one of those helping her back into education.
He died on September 28 last year - three weeks into Miss Watson’s course.
The mature student was among those who tried to save his life, with her skills from working for the ambulance service urgently needed before paramedics arrived.
Miss Watson said: “I had to carry out CPR on him - in the situation we were in at the time, there was not a lot of medical staff around.
“A lot of people there were more mature students going back into education and we looked at our lecturers to be there and to help us through a difficult time.
“It was a real big shock to the system, not only to the tutors but the class as well. It took the college a bit of time to get back on its feet.
“Apart from the emotional aspect of losing a tutor, we missed a few weeks of education.”
But Miss Watson said the experience of Mr Barr’s death pulled the group together as they sought to cope without their “dynamic” teacher.
She said: “We had already been treated to his way of teaching. Within his first class he was demonstrating the movement of molecules by throwing balls around the classroom.
“He really got people excited about chemistry. I’m not a huge fan [of chemistry] but there was a real excitement over the whole day. He had a laugh and he explained things in such a way that you didn’t feel you were being force-fed information. It was fun.”
Out of class and Miss Watson was also dealing with the breakdown of a long-term relationship.
But despite the emotional challenges presented to her within a short space of time, she was not deterred.
The college’s eighth further education awards ceremony in Norwich celebrated outstanding progress of students.
Furthermore, the winners were also viewed to have gone far above and beyond the requirements of their course while overcoming barriers to learning and for outstanding community spirit.
Miss Watson said: “I was over the moon to win. I can’t say how pleased I was. I don’t often win much but the year I had while doing the access course was probably one of the most difficult of my life.”
Miss Watson said securing top marks in her exams was enough recognition.
But she added: “For someone else to step in and recognise the challenges I’ve faced, it’s overwhelming. It gives me extra confidence going into the next step.”
That next step is already under way, with Miss Watson admitting she was “fearful” of the jump from college to university. However, she says the award has strengthened her belief - along with her experience of the course following a traumatic start.
Miss Watson said: “The absolute support we got from our remaining tutors was vital and the support from the rest of the group.
“Without that support, not just myself but the whole group, we would not have done what we did.”
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