The School was delighted to hear that a second Old Stop from the Class of 2024 has received high praise for their Textiles work.

Scarlett Potkins received a 'highly commendable artwork' award in the A Level category of Textiles Skills Centre’s Student Textile Artist 2025 competition. 

Scarlett's final piece was inspired by the series ‘The Women I Know’ by the contemporary artist Ghada Amer. She began her piece by using Batik to create the text in the background. She then experimented with several techniques to add detail to some of the letters and facial features. The techniques included free machine embroidery and fabric paint. She chose her colour scheme from her research into the Suffragette movement.

On receiving her award, Scarlett said: "I'm honoured to have my work recognised by this competition. Inspired by the strength and resilience of the suffragettes, this work pays tribute to the ongoing fight for women's empowerment, while celebrating the vital role textiles have played in women's voices and stories throughout history."

Textiles Teacher Katy Gate commented: "I am pleased that Scarlett’s work continues to receive recognition outside of school. It is an impressive piece of work, finished to a high skill level with a strong story behind it. I am so proud of Scarlett and what she achieved during her time here in the Textiles department."

Scarlett has continued her passion for the creative arts by studying Fashion Marketing at university.