Hereford School celebrates a top-of-the-class year

HEREFORD Technology School celebrated its best ever GCSE results at its annual year 11 presentation evening.

Scores of students received awards for service to the school and for achievement in different subjects in the ceremony at the Hotel Elizabeth in Grimsby.

However, it was the courage, determination and achievement of two particular students which received special recognition.

Amy London received the Mark Coultas Award – named after a former pupil who achieved well despite having a severe learning impairment – for achievement against the odds, whilst Chloe Walker picked up the Special Award for Citizenship.

HONOURING SUCCESS: Pictured with their awards are, front row, from left, headteacher Elaine Davies, Amy London, Chloe Walker, Roger Edwardson, deputy director of learning, Roxanne Conlon and Lisa Hanley.

Amy, 16, has Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a painful and debilitating skin condition.

Staff and fellow students have been impressed by the way Amy has battled through severe pain to attend lessons and achieve above her target grades.

Head teacher Elaine Davies said: "Whenever we saw this student there was always a smile on her face. Yet we also knew that quite often she could be in extreme physical pain. Nevertheless, she never gave up, and was determined that she would achieve the highest possible grades."

Amy, who is now studying IT and Travel and Tourism at Franklin College, said: "I suffer from blisters and my skin is very tender. I'm in pain but I don't let it bother me."

Chloe 16, worked hard to catch up with her studies after missing school for about a month whilst recovering from an operation to have bone marrow removed, so it could be donated to her brother Adam, 21, to help him overcome leukaemia.

Chloe, who is taking a course in Health Studies at the Grimsby Institute, said: "I feel really proud. I'm just glad I did it for my brother. He has made a full recovery. I lost a lot of blood and after the operation I had no energy and couldn't do anything."

With 15 GCSE passes, including an amazing 10 at grade A*, the award for Overall Academic Achievement went to Roxanne Conlon.

Roxanne, 16, who also achieved a pass in A-level maths, is now at Franklin College, and is hoping to study French and German at university.

She said: "I'm really proud. Doing A-level maths in a year was really stressful and I was staying after school every night. But I had a lot of help from my teachers Mr Allard and Mr Wheeler."

Mrs Davies said "wow" was the only word that could sum up the school's best ever GCSE results – 70 per cent of students achieved five or more A* to C passes.

She said: "I wish to congratulate you students on your hard work and efforts, staff for your determination that these young people would succeed, parents, no doubt for the sleepless nights, and the continued support that you gave your sons and daughters throughout those final exams."

A full list of winners appears in today's Grimsby Telegraph.