Clarendon Sixth Form College

01 May 2025

Clarendon Sixth Form College student wins prestigious national fashion award after impressing judges.

Amelia Scattergood, a former Alder Community High School pupil and current level three fashion student at the college is one step further towards achieving her dreams, after being presented with a ‘highly commended’ award in the Royal Ballet and Opera’s annual design challenge.

The competition, which is open to schools and colleges across the country, gives students the chance to work to a brief inspired by a Royal Ballet or Opera production, this year’s being the ballet ‘A Winter’s Tale’. It aims to discover young talent, improve access to design careers and develop hands on skills.

The institution is one of the world’s most renowned and well known in its field, producing and employing some of the best classical ballet dancers and singers in the world. Since she was a child, Amelia has dreamt of working in costume design for the Royal Ballet and Opera.

Amelia’s design, which takes inspiration from the complex and juxtaposing theme of the ballet, with darker colours and squared edges and shapes, forms part of her final major project with the college.

After winning the award, Amelia has now been invited to visit the Royal Ballet and Opera in London, in June, to receive her award, gain an insight into day to day working life at the organisation and meet the production teams and designers who make each show possible.

Amelia said: “This competition pushed me to think about the practicality of the garment, understand and analyse the storyline allowing me to connect with the characters and help me develop skills I can take forward to further my own career. I’m very pleased because it’s always been a career goal of mine to work with ballet costume design and I’ve loved it since I was a young child. I’m really looking forward to the visit in June now.”

Ryan Boulton, fashion and textiles course leader at Clarendon Sixth Form College, said: “Since starting her studies with the college, Amelia has been set on a career in the costume industry. This competition has demonstrated her commitment and talent, producing a piece that challenged her conceptually and technically. The team and students are all extremely proud of her and her achievement. Well done.”

Upon completion of her level three qualification with the college, Amelia will be progressing on to a degree in costume design with textiles at Huddersfield University.

To find out more about creative courses at Clarendon Sixth Form College, visit the college website or call 0161 908 6600.