A Halesowen student has received a £1,000 boost for doing so well on her University course. Sharnie Jones is studying the Early Years Foundation Degree at the University of Worcester and received the money for her academic achievement during the first year of the course. She also was presented with a certificate which she can use on her CV. The 20-year-old passed her BTEC Level Three Children’s Play, Learning and Development at Halesowen College with flying colours. Sharnie said: “I feel like my studies at Halesowen prepared me for this degree. It gave me the knowledge needed to pursue a higher level of thinking for a degree and enabled me to get a part time job in a nursery.