Isabelle Spencer Awards
These awards are made possible by the generous bequest from Isabelle Spencer to Witney Educational Foundation.
2021
Katie Leeming
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Katie Leeming is a hugely talented and worthy recipient of the 2021 Isabelle Spencer Bursary Award.
Throughout her Drama and Theatre Studies A level course, Katie has demonstrated creative skill, raw energy and ability. She is highly skilled at Naturalism and is highly adept at physical theatre. Despite the challenges of lockdown, Katie remained focused and committed to furthering her skills and knowledge, and demonstrated huge resilience when faced with the inevitable changes to the planned devised performance. Katie developed her leadership and directing skills to excellent effect during the A level course. She is an enthusiastic and committed drama student with a passion for live theatre. Katie is an invaluable member of the Henry Box community who has joined student leadership teams, participated in music concerts and presented the school’s Open Day video. Katie’s substantial extra-curricular drama experience demonstrates her commitment and dedication to the subject. She has attended the West End Stage Theatre Summer School at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has attended Stagecoach from a very young age and became a teaching assistant in the early stages section of the school, helping teach children from the ages of three to seven in singing, acting and dancing. Katie has performed in a pantomime at a local theatre and reached the final stages of the audition process for ‘Shrek the Musical’ and ‘Hairspray’. She has also taken piano and performing arts exams. Katie wishes to pursue a theatre career and has applied for a Musical Theatre course at university. |
Kayleigh Griva
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media & Technologies – Abingdon & Witney College
Kayleigh is an all-round excellent student in the Arts. Her practical and theory-based work is always of a very high standard and she is super-motivated. She is both curious and creative and this has been of real benefit since starting college. Kayleigh is always prepared to go the extra mile and carries out all manner of research to investigate and innovate in her field of Creative Media. This has helped Kayleigh develop a very well-rounded understanding of cinematography and editing. In her first year, she demonstrated this through a meticulous execution of a well-paced, character driven music video. Her work shows expressive, engaging and considered storytelling, enabled by the significant time and effort Kayleigh invests in it.
Kayleigh's understanding of Creative Media shows a maturity beyond her years. This has been especially evident in the creation and development of her final project this year. Kayleigh's research processes have been insightful and useful to the development of her body of work. This has informed her own personal development and a sophisticated understanding of the world around her. She is respected by her peers due to the high standard of her work, but also her leadership and her ability to lift the working practice of her classmates.
Kayleigh has had an amazing two years at college, and we anticipate that she will continue to make valuable contributions to our material, emotional, social, and virtual worlds as a creative practitioner. We wish her well in the next phase of her formal education where she will continue her studies at University.
Kayleigh hopes to go on to study Film Production at either Solent University or University of Salford.
Kayleigh is an all-round excellent student in the Arts. Her practical and theory-based work is always of a very high standard and she is super-motivated. She is both curious and creative and this has been of real benefit since starting college. Kayleigh is always prepared to go the extra mile and carries out all manner of research to investigate and innovate in her field of Creative Media. This has helped Kayleigh develop a very well-rounded understanding of cinematography and editing. In her first year, she demonstrated this through a meticulous execution of a well-paced, character driven music video. Her work shows expressive, engaging and considered storytelling, enabled by the significant time and effort Kayleigh invests in it.
Kayleigh's understanding of Creative Media shows a maturity beyond her years. This has been especially evident in the creation and development of her final project this year. Kayleigh's research processes have been insightful and useful to the development of her body of work. This has informed her own personal development and a sophisticated understanding of the world around her. She is respected by her peers due to the high standard of her work, but also her leadership and her ability to lift the working practice of her classmates.
Kayleigh has had an amazing two years at college, and we anticipate that she will continue to make valuable contributions to our material, emotional, social, and virtual worlds as a creative practitioner. We wish her well in the next phase of her formal education where she will continue her studies at University.
Kayleigh hopes to go on to study Film Production at either Solent University or University of Salford.
Amber Jones
It is with great pleasure that Wood Green School nominates Amber Jones for the Isabelle Spencer Bursary.
Amber has been an outstanding student throughout the A Level Fine Art course, approaching her work with positivity, passion and astonishing creativity. Amber becomes fully immersed in her work, thinking far beyond the literal interpretation of a theme and is prepared to explore new concepts and experiment with extremely wide ranging materials. Her current Personal Investigation explores the theme of ‘perspective’, encompassing traditional drawing techniques and devices and extending into a more conceptual and psychological interpretation. She has produced work in print, textiles, paint, photography and wood etching using hot blades. She thrives on diverse approaches and techniques.
She is truly a ‘creative’, with a determination to interrogate a theme and produce her own, personal outcomes. I am thrilled that she has gained a place on the exceptionally competitive and prestigious Foundation Course at Oxford Brookes and am excited to see how her career develops.
Amber has been an outstanding student throughout the A Level Fine Art course, approaching her work with positivity, passion and astonishing creativity. Amber becomes fully immersed in her work, thinking far beyond the literal interpretation of a theme and is prepared to explore new concepts and experiment with extremely wide ranging materials. Her current Personal Investigation explores the theme of ‘perspective’, encompassing traditional drawing techniques and devices and extending into a more conceptual and psychological interpretation. She has produced work in print, textiles, paint, photography and wood etching using hot blades. She thrives on diverse approaches and techniques.
She is truly a ‘creative’, with a determination to interrogate a theme and produce her own, personal outcomes. I am thrilled that she has gained a place on the exceptionally competitive and prestigious Foundation Course at Oxford Brookes and am excited to see how her career develops.
2020
Maisy Charlett
Maisy was nominated for one of the 2020 Isabelle Spencer Awards by her Art and Design course leader and the Head of Faculty, Oxfordshire Creative Academy. The nomination was supported and approved by the Principal, Abingdon & Witney College.
When nominating Maisy her course leader wrote: "Maisy has been our student for two years and over that period we have seen her blossom into one of the brightest, honest, caring and gifted students we have ever worked with. Maisy is completing the UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design and is predicted a Distinction grade, the equivalent to three A* grades at A level.
"Her achievement is outstanding, so much so that in a recent assessment we felt it necessary to call the whole art staff team to come and witness the phenomenal quality, research, creativity and craftsmanship exuding her prolific body of artwork.
"Maisy gained a Distinction grade at the end of her first year and has progressed throughout the second year with just as much commitment and excitement in her creative work. Maisy’s current artwork is based on the modern-life phenomenon of ‘losing’ our tangible paper-based memories as we shift to digital recording. There is always a nostalgia to her work with a contemporary edge as she dabbles in current themes and processes whilst continuing to be true to her subject’s roots. There are always hidden tangents within her visual outcomes so, as a viewer, you never see the same thing twice.
"Maisy enjoyed a successful work experience placement at Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock where she learnt about museum curation, display and arts administration. She has been successful in the next step of her progression plan to study Fine Art at higher level. She has been keenly offered places on all the university courses she has applied for. Maisy plans to take a gap year to develop her professional skills by working in the family business before starting university at either Oxford Brookes or Bath Spa.
"Maisy is exceptionally talented, and her resilience, drive and exemplary communication skills enable her ongoing achievement. Her work ethic is like no other we have seen, and we sometimes wonder if she ever goes to sleep! It has been a pleasure and a treat to teach Maisy. We are incredibly proud to be able to put her forward for the Isabelle Spencer Bursary to mark her achievements and excellence in the arts. This prestigious award will support her move into higher education and a very prosperous career in the Creative Industries."
When nominating Maisy her course leader wrote: "Maisy has been our student for two years and over that period we have seen her blossom into one of the brightest, honest, caring and gifted students we have ever worked with. Maisy is completing the UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design and is predicted a Distinction grade, the equivalent to three A* grades at A level.
"Her achievement is outstanding, so much so that in a recent assessment we felt it necessary to call the whole art staff team to come and witness the phenomenal quality, research, creativity and craftsmanship exuding her prolific body of artwork.
"Maisy gained a Distinction grade at the end of her first year and has progressed throughout the second year with just as much commitment and excitement in her creative work. Maisy’s current artwork is based on the modern-life phenomenon of ‘losing’ our tangible paper-based memories as we shift to digital recording. There is always a nostalgia to her work with a contemporary edge as she dabbles in current themes and processes whilst continuing to be true to her subject’s roots. There are always hidden tangents within her visual outcomes so, as a viewer, you never see the same thing twice.
"Maisy enjoyed a successful work experience placement at Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock where she learnt about museum curation, display and arts administration. She has been successful in the next step of her progression plan to study Fine Art at higher level. She has been keenly offered places on all the university courses she has applied for. Maisy plans to take a gap year to develop her professional skills by working in the family business before starting university at either Oxford Brookes or Bath Spa.
"Maisy is exceptionally talented, and her resilience, drive and exemplary communication skills enable her ongoing achievement. Her work ethic is like no other we have seen, and we sometimes wonder if she ever goes to sleep! It has been a pleasure and a treat to teach Maisy. We are incredibly proud to be able to put her forward for the Isabelle Spencer Bursary to mark her achievements and excellence in the arts. This prestigious award will support her move into higher education and a very prosperous career in the Creative Industries."
Martha Langley
Martha was nominated for one of this year’s Isabelle Spencer Awards by the Head of Drama at Wood Green School, Witney, where she is a year 13 student. The award was supported and approved by the Head-teacher.
Martha has been studying Drama and Theatre, English Literature and Design & Technology for her A levels.
When nominating Martha the head of Drama wrote: “Martha has been an exceptional Drama student. Her imagination and flair is truly inspiring. Martha is one of those students who immerses herself in her creative projects. This was particularly the case when Martha decided she wanted to create a set design for her group’s devised piece of Drama in Year 12. Martha may as well have lived in the Drama Department during those weeks, sourcing set from unused equipment and furniture from around the school, charming the site staff to help her in her quest.”
The head of Drama added: “Martha has secured an unconditional offer from Nottingham Trent University to study Design for Stage and Screen next year. Her contribution to the Wood Green Drama Department will continue long after she has left and that makes her a very worthy winner of this award.”
This Award was made under the Covid19 lockdown regulations and was presented to Martha at home during a video meeting.
Martha has been studying Drama and Theatre, English Literature and Design & Technology for her A levels.
When nominating Martha the head of Drama wrote: “Martha has been an exceptional Drama student. Her imagination and flair is truly inspiring. Martha is one of those students who immerses herself in her creative projects. This was particularly the case when Martha decided she wanted to create a set design for her group’s devised piece of Drama in Year 12. Martha may as well have lived in the Drama Department during those weeks, sourcing set from unused equipment and furniture from around the school, charming the site staff to help her in her quest.”
The head of Drama added: “Martha has secured an unconditional offer from Nottingham Trent University to study Design for Stage and Screen next year. Her contribution to the Wood Green Drama Department will continue long after she has left and that makes her a very worthy winner of this award.”
This Award was made under the Covid19 lockdown regulations and was presented to Martha at home during a video meeting.
