Award-winning students inspired to be the best they can be

Students have been rewarded for their achievements and hard work at the annual Richmond School and Sixth Form College presentation evening.   The School hall, full to capacity, with an audience of proud families, teachers and other members of the community, reacted with rapturous applause as the students lined up to receive a host of accolades at the evening of celebration. The School was delighted to welcome Captain Catherine Henderson, a past pupil, as the guest speaker. Catherine inspired the students with examples of how she has learnt to keep pushing the boundaries and never accept anything but performing the best that she can for both herself and her comrades.  Catherine commented, “The basis of my morals, my drive to achieve and be the best, my motivation and determination to face challenges with confidence all stems from my time here at Richmond School.” Catherine left Richmond School after successfully completing her GCSEs, having passed a stringent army officer selection board to attend the Military Tri-Service College at Welbeck, where she completed her A-levels. She went on to graduate with a degree in Mathematics and Business Management from Northumbria University. Forty four weeks of officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst followed and Catherine quickly demonstrated all the essential values required, resulting in her impressive progression to Captain less than three years later. Catherine has recently returned to her Yorkshire roots and is now Platoon Commander at the Army Foundation College at Harrogate. Her account of life in the army was inspirational and was certainly food for thought for the students who have their careers pathways ahead of them. Catherine encouraged the students to look seriously at the diverse range of opportunities available to them, before going on to present the eagerly-awaited awards.  Headteacher Jenna Potter said, “Presentation evening is one of the major highlights in the calendar and year on year we never fail to be impressed with the sheer determination of our students. It is a great a privilege to recognise this. The students demonstrate how much can be achieved with the right work ethic and are exactly the role models that our other students should aspire to. They should be incredibly proud of themselves, as ever, they are a credit to themselves, their families and their school.  I want to congratulate all the students as they receive their awards, wishing them continued success both in and outside of school.” Awards were presented for subjects across each year group with an overall cup winner for each subject, plus a number of special awards.  The Headteacher’s award was presented to Matthew Short.  Jenna Potter, Headteacher, commented, “Matthew is one of the most positive, mature and optimistic students I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, he always makes life better, in some way, for the people he has contact with.” Matthew is spending this year doing community sports work and football refereeing, ahead of pursuing either a sports science degree at Sheffield Hallam University or an internship in the bio-mechanics department at Adidas UK. Olivia Wallis and Ted While were regular visitors to the stage, each collecting two cups and two certificates. Olivia received the Humanities and Social Sciences cups and the English Language Award, as well as an examination excellence award for her superb A-level results of three A*s plus an A* for her extended project. Olivia is taking a gap year to do voluntary work, ahead of studying either history or philosophy at Durham University.   Ted’s cups were for ICT and Mathematics, plus the Physics award and an examination excellence award for his incredible four A*s at A-level. Ted is going on to read Computer Science at Cambridge. During the evening, the School Orchestra entertained the audience and award winners with polished renditions from their repertoire. Pieces included a sensitive performance of  “In The Hall Of The Mountain King, by Edvard Grieg, and Offenbach’s rousing ‘Can Can’. Jenna Potter, Headteacher, concluded, “Our awards acknowledge the tremendous achievements of students across the whole spectrum in education, from academia and sport to community work.  We recognise that the pursuit of excellence is not limited to academic achievement but encompasses the whole range of activities that makes for a rounded and balanced education.  The School ethos ‘being the best we can be’ is at the heart of the School and our highly-dedicated teaching staff support our students in reaching their potential.”