Meet the OAT Awards nominees!

Ormiston SWB Academy are proud to showcase our nominees for the OAT awards.  Pictured below are Lizanne Samath, Mr Kibby (Director of Performing Arts), Mr Mason (Principal) on behalf of former pupil Alexen Henriquez, Mr Wall (Careers) and Lexi Millward.

Lizanne Samath – nominated for the Creativity award.  Having emerged at the Christmas Showcase in 2022, Lizanne has not looked back in expressing her creative talents. A regular in SWB performances for both her singing and performing arts roles, Lizanne is a credit to our Academy. Her talents have been recognised on a much wider scale with Lizanne being chosen as the pupil from all OAT schools to open the 2023-24 National Conference in Nottingham.  We are sure we will continue to see her talents progress further and would expect to see her in a ‘West End’ role a some point in the future

Mr Kibby – nominated for the Enrichment Champion award.  Mr Kibby has been relentless in his commitment to enrichment and widening links with the local community. He increased participation in instrumental lessons by 120% in one year, started music clubs to showcase the students talents and revolutionized the way Music is taught at the academy. Not content with running music clubs, organizing concerts and talent shows and taking students to external events, Mr Kibby also instigated a bid for national lottery heritage funding to finance a project to produce a film and book showcasing the heritage of the two predecessor schools that formed SWB.

Alexen Henriquez – Nominated for the inspirational hero award.  Having lost a leg to cancer before his arrival at SWB academy, Alexen had already faced challenges beyond the comprehension of most. This, to Alexen, however, was inconsequential. He learnt living and manoeuvring with a full prosthetic leg as easy as he learnt ‘An Inspector Calls’; he took both in his stride. And whilst there is no pun intended, it’s something Alexen would have smiled at because, despite debilitating illness, he never lost his ‘funny’.  His smile was incomparable, his energy for life infectious. He was the first on the football pitch, intent to live his life with his friends to the fullest and this continued when, at the start of year 11, Alexen’s cancer returned leaving hm with a terminal prognosis he was acutely aware of. His indomitable spirit pervaded his entire outlook. With a mantra that encouraged all to ‘be a rainbow in someone’s cloud’, Alexen leaves a considerable hole here at SWB. He forged the very best of relationships with staff and students alike here at the academy and built memories that they look back fondly on now.

Mr Wall – Nominated for the Careers award.  One of the qualities that sets Mr Wall apart is his ability to connect with students on a personal level. He has created an environment where students feel heard, valued, and supported in their career exploration journey.  Mr Wall has played a pivotal role in organising various career-related events. From career fairs, motivational talks, soft-skills workshops and employer challenges, he has worked tirelessly to bring employers from diverse fields to share their experiences with students.   Mr Wall has also been a driving force behind the work experience programme, which has recently had it’s highest uptake ever. By involving parents and fostering connections with local businesses, Mr Wall has created invaluable experiences for students, allowing them to gain practical insights into potential careers. Liam has also worked to support students who struggle to access mainstream programmes, creating bespoke opportunities for students with additional needs.

Lexi Millward – Nominated for the Sporting star award – Not only is Lexi a gifted footballer, she is also a natural leader and role model to younger students and her team mates. She always has words of encouragement for her team and opposing players and will go above and beyond to ensure her friends and team mates are supported. Lexi also helps to coach the younger footballers with training sessions and matches and always offers to support both the boys and girls football teams at SWB. It is clear to see how well respected and admired she is by both staff and students for her sporting success, and we can’t wait to see her lead out the Lionesses at Wembley in the future.