Year One, International Baccalaureate student, Ella Tingley (formerly of Oathall Community College, Haywards Heath) is one of the 2021 recipients of a prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship to help fund her future studies at college or university.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme is the most esteemed scholarship scheme of its type in the UK, designed to inspire students to pursue their career paths in engineering. The Scholarships are awarded to 16-year old students through a rigorous selection process with the aim of supporting them through their A levels, Scottish Highers or equivalent. Each Scholarship is sponsored by a commercial company, trade association, university, professional institution, armed service, government organisation, charitable trust or personal donor. This means that support is offered in various different ways, for example, valuable hands-on work experience, support for the student’s curriculum project, as well as a personal mentor.

Ella applied whilst still a Year 11 student at Oathall Community College and after having passed through the selection process, including an online 20-minute interview, learned of her success this autumn. She was then matched with her sponsor, UK educational charity, The Ernest Cook Trust.

The Ernest Cook Trust is a land-based education trust caring for 22,500 acres of land across nine estates, a model for innovative and experimental methods of land management, and who aim to inspire a greater love and understanding of the natural world, farming and environmental sustainability.

Ella, who is studying the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma at Varndean and hopes to go on to study either engineering or medicine at university, has been awarded £600 to help with her studies, for example the purchase of textbooks or attendance on courses/workshops and summer schools. Her school has also been awarded £400 for the purchase of equipment or teacher training in order to enhance the delivery of STEM subjects.

Ella is pictured here with her scholarship certificate and Varndean College Principal, Donna-Marie Janson. Huge congratulations Ella.