Former pupils of a Barrow school have been celebrated for their achievements at its annual prizegiving.
Chetwynde School held the event and guest speaker Sue Hannan, an education leader and former governor of the school on Rating Lane, congratulated the year 11s who left in the summer on their GCSE success.
“Follow your own journey,” she said. “Take advice but make your own choices and do not be afraid to change.”
Sue, who has worked in education for more than 30 years, trained as a nurse but moved into education as a health and social care specialist at Barrow Sixth Form studying her degree part-time.
“I loved working with young people and felt the value of what I did,” she said.
She presented the awards to the students in front of an audience of staff, family and friends in the school’s theatre. Prizes were given for hard work, effort and contribution to school as well as academic success.
Top academic student was Nathan Lee Cheong whose results – including seven grade 9s – made him the highest achiever. He also received three subject awards, including the award for maths with his teacher describing him as ‘a student who comes along once in a lifetime’.
Marissa Roberts received the Holmes Prize for best academic improvement after excelling in her GCSEs and smashing her targets by three grades. She also picked up the awards for chemistry and French.
Zofia Garbacz won the Governor’s Prize for Student of the Year for her excellent achievement across the board. She also shared the award for drama and theatre studies with Laurie Burns and Maya Crelllin, who also received the English award.
Twins Honor and Gretta Morton were also among the winners. Honor won the geography award and trophy for outstanding achievement in sport while Gretta picked up the prizes for history and design and technology. Harry Nicholson won the Les Rigg Trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Sports and Ava Wallace and Violent Bland won the The Billingham Cup – Awarded for Perseverance.
A new prize – the SCMAT Award for Outstanding Contribution – was presented to Chloe Birt-Reed who studied her GCSEs at Chetwynde last year and secured an apprenticeship in the school’s kindergarten.
Headteacher Steve Jefferson said this year group was particularly special to him.
He said: “I will always remember you because you are the first year group of my headship when I took over five years ago.
“In your time here I have seen you grow academically as well as people and we have been through a lot together including Covid, our Hub school and virtual learning as well as the school securing its good grade at Ofsted and becoming the first member of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust.”
“I hope you will all keep in touch with school and let us know what you go on to achieve.”
Winners
- Head of School’s Award for best results at GCSE: Nathan Lee Cheong
- The Holmes Prize for best academic improvement: Marissa Roberts
- The Governor’s Cup – Student of the Year: Zofia Garbacz
- The Simon Spencer Award for Current Affairs: Bobby Jardine
- The Billingham Cup – Awarded for Perseverance: Ava Wallace/Violet Bland
- The Computer Science Award: Liam Crawshaw
- The Les Rigg Trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Sports: Harry Nicholson
- The Martin Pears Trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Sport: Honor Morton
- The GCSE English Prize: Maya Crellin
- The French Prize for GCSE: Marissa Roberts
- The Dr Glenn Morris Cup for GCSE Mathematics: Nathan Lee Cheong
- The BDAE Stem Award for GCSE: Michael Dance
- The GSK Design & Technology Trophy: Gretta Morton
- The Cornelius Kelliher Trophy for GCSE Geography: Honor Morton
- The Evans History Trophy for GCSE: Gretta Morton
- RS Prize for GCSE: Georgina Newby
- The Chas Kendall Trophy for Drama & Theatre Studies: Zofia Garbacz/Laurie Burns/Maya Crellin
- The SJL Art Award: Mia Griffiths
- The GCSE Biology Award: Arya Priya
- The GCSE Chemistry Award: Marissa Roberts
- The GCSE Physics Award: Nathan Lee Cheong
- SCMAT Award for Outstanding Contribution: Chloe Birt-Reed
- The 11KEI Form Achievement Award: John Hardman
- The 11ELA Form Achievement Award: Pamudi Godage
- The 11SBE Form Achievement Award: Poppy Tyson
