Littlehampton’s remarkable Rob scoops top award

Rob Howell, 18, has been praised during a recent national awards ceremony which marked the UK’s top students.

The year-13, who is studying for his A-levels at The Littlehampton Academy, was named as one of only 50 students to be presented with the Pure Potential UBS Outstanding Student Award.

The modest teenager was shocked when he was presented with the accolade during an awards night in London.

He said: “I was thrilled and surprised to receive the award and am thankful for my teachers who applied for the award on my behalf. I am looking forward to university and the challenges that it will bring.”

A total of 450 students from the UK were nominated for the award, which recognises academic excellence by students in state education.

He was nominated by his sixth form manager Angie Gresty, who told judges not only of Robert’s impressive AS exam results earlier this year but of his passsion for maths and science.

Speaking to the Gazette on Friday, Mrs Gresty said: “Rob is an amazing student, who works incredibly hard all of the time.

“He is a quiet, unassuming, intelligent young man who has huge potential to go on and succeed highly in the future.”

She said that Rob had a passion for mathematics and science and that he hoped to study mathematics at one of the UK’s top universities next year.

“He is highly respected by his teaching staff and his peers. After gaining fantastic marks in his AS exams, it was only right that we should enter him for the Pure Potential UBS Outstanding Student Award, because quite simply, this is what he is.

“We were absolutely delighted when we heard that he had won. Rob is testimony of what hard work and dedication can bring.”