On 19 June 2025, West Thames College hosted its annual Further Education Student Awards—a vibrant evening celebrating the resilience, creativity, and excellence of its students across all subject areas. Held at the College’s Isleworth campus and attended by students, families, staff, sponsors, and dignitaries, the event was a powerful tribute to personal and academic achievement.
CEO & Principal, Tracy Aust said: “This is a celebration of brilliance, creativity, and the boundless potential of our student community,” as she welcomed guests and set the tone for the evening. “These awards are a testament to the talent, dedication, and drive that define the next generation of leaders.”
The evening was attended by a number of special guests and dignitaries, including the Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Amy Croft, the Leader of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills and Employment, Councillor Samia Chaudhary, the Labour MP for Brentford & Isleworth and Chair of the UK Parliament’s Transport Select Committee Ruth Cadbury, the Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, Randeep Singh Lall, a former student Jai Harji alongside Carl Lomas of the Institute of Couriers with our Logistics Employer Board members and our long-standing partners at Ambitious about Autism, West London Chamber and Hounslow Local Authority. Their presence, along with representatives from local and national organisations, reflected the strong community partnerships that continue to support and celebrate the achievements of our students.
The event was made possible with the generous support of our event sponsors. This year Ascentis was our headline sponsor, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. A leading educational charity and awarding organisation, Ascentis offers a wide-ranging portfolio of qualifications—from Access to HE and community interpreting to digital skills, construction, ESOL, and employability—helping learners to progress in education, employment, and beyond.
Over 40 awards were presented throughout the evening, spanning departments such as creative arts, health and care, STEM, vocational trades, ESOL, business, and apprenticeships. Notable winners included Rain Elson (Contribution to the College Award), Harman Bhardwaj (Determination Award), and Abdelhadi Harchich (Outstanding Academic Achievement Award).
The awards given by sponsors were:
- Art & Design: Rain Elson, Sponsor: This is Jelly
- Dance, Performing Arts & Makeup: Romaniia Buchii, Sponsor: St Mary’s University
- Media & Music: Amelia Kilgallon-Sheppard, Sponsor: Andrew Ward
- Beauty Therapy & Hairdressing: Zofia Orczyk, Sponsor: Milkshake
- Beauty Therapy (Adults): Zineb Taileb, Sponsor: Eve Taylor
- Supported Learning Student of the Year: Harman Bhardwaj, Sponsor: Curo Construction
- Science: Bailey Elliman, Sponsor: NHS
- Health & Care: Muskaan Babwani, Sponsor: Young Hounslow RSE
- Business: Dmytro Horlov, Sponsor: Hounslow Highways
- Computing & ICT: Abdelhadi Harchich, Sponsor: Ajar Technology
- Sport & Uniformed Public Services: Jeorge Lock, Sponsor: The Army
- Travel, Tourism & Aviation: Mimasa Bala, Sponsor: Radisson Hotel
- Partnerships (Adult): Razia Saffi, Sponsor: Mindful Education
- ESOL (Adults): Tahmeena Hameed Baha, Sponsor: Ascentis
- 14–16: Kateryna Venher, Sponsor: West London Chambers
- ESOL Threshold: Artin Amini, Sponsor: Ascentis
- English & Maths: Rashmi Ojha, Sponsor: Sam’s Waterside
- Construction & Building Trades: Zoe Fuller, Sponsor: Curo Construction
- Logistics: Josh Gill, Sponsor: TVS Supply Chain Solutions
- Electrical & Motor Vehicle: Louis Brown, Sponsor: Curo Construction
- Student Experience Award (Individual): Dennis-Gabriele Mihaila, Sponsor: The Berkeley Group
- Student Experience Award (Group): West Thames College Football Team, Sponsor: Curo Construction
- Adult Learner of the Year (Ernest Harrison Award): Niranjan Singh Kapoor
Sponsor: Ernest Harrison Memorial Fund - Apprentice of the Year: Kinan Patel, Sponsor: Morgan Hunt
- The Determination Award: Harman Bhardwaj, Sponsor: BlueCube
- The Contribution to the College Award: Rain Elson, Sponsor: BlueCube
- The Outstanding Academic Achievement Award: Abdelhadi Harchich, Sponsor: BlueCube
This year’s ceremony held even greater significance as it marked the final awards event for CEO & Principal Tracy Aust, who is retiring at the end of the academic year after 27 years of service.
She also proudly highlighted that this year had been a particularly special year for the College and one which reflects the dedication, resilience, and brilliance of the entire College community. In December 2024, West Thames was graded Outstanding by Ofsted which is the highest possible judgement.
Aust said: “This achievement means so much to me personally as CEO & Principal. We’ve been on a Journey to Outstanding and it’s not the Ofsted Outstanding that means the most to me, it’s the fact that we are able to provide an Outstanding Student Experience for each and every student who walks through our door. That has always been my personal goal and what has driven me to do the role I do in a sector which genuinely transforms lives with the college being an anchor institution serving our community.”
Aust concluded the evening by recognising the collective effort behind each student's journey: “Celebrations like these remind me why I love working at West Thames College. Our students inspire us every day with their courage, curiosity, and commitment. To all of you—well done and thank you for making this college such a vibrant and successful place.”
The event closed with a group photo of winners, dignitaries, and staff, followed by a reception in the College atrium.
If you’ve been inspired by the incredible achievements celebrated at this year’s awards, now is the perfect time to take your next step. Whether you're interested in creative arts, health and care, business, construction, or any of the many areas West Thames College has to offer, there’s a course waiting for you. Apply now and start your journey toward success by visitingwww.west-thames.ac.uk.
