WADHAM School celebrated the achievements of its students at St Bartholomew’s Church in Crewkerne.
Headteacher David Derbyshire introduced proceedings and thanked the students for their endeavours and congratulated them on their achievements.
“It really has been a standout year for academic achievement at Wadham,” he said.
“In the GCSE examinations 71 per cent of students passed English and Maths at A*-C grade and 63 per cent attained five GCSEs at A*-C grade including English and Maths, a fantastic 10 per cent improvement.
“Our A-level students also excelled achieving a 98 per cent pass rate with students seeking to progress to higher education all securing university places and those selecting an alternative career path securing top level apprenticeships and jobs.”
Mr Derbyshire read out two recently received letters commending the school on a number of levels, one from a former student and the other from a parent which had particular poignancy.
“I am incredibly proud of my team of teaching and support staff who are 100 per cent committed to creating the best possible opportunities for our students,” he added.
Guest speaker and presenter of the awards was former head student, Dr Raj Sengupta, consultant rheumatologist in Bath.
He spoke of the quality his teachers, the level of support given to him at Wadham and the sense of community at the school.
Dr Sengupta explained how this combined with the work ethic instilled by his parents gave him a wonderful grounding to follow his passion to work in medicine, culminating in now speaking worldwide on his specialist research interest, ankylosing spondylitis.
He concluded by encouraging students and said: “Be confident, believe in yourself, work hard and you can achieve anything – the world really is your oyster.”
The presentations were complemented by the musical talents of Grace Truong playing a challenging technical piece on the harp and a superb adaptation of Ed Sheeran’s ‘I See Fire’ by Megan Smith and Tarn White.
Liz Lister, South West Manager of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), presented the school with the STEM Engagement Award.
She commended the school on their focus on STEM and stated that “Wadham School is the only school in Somerset with student STEM ambassadors that go out to other schools to inspire their students in the value of STEM.”
A brand new Service Above Self award was presented by the Rotary Club of Ilminster.
Madeline Bennett and Molly Daniel received the award jointly for their lead role in school fundraising to help Calais ‘Jungle’ migrants.
The award was instigated by Linda Vijeh, former president of Ilminster Rotary Club, who presented the impressive trophy along with current president, Harley Pope.
In sport, Bethany Lacey was recognised with the Governors’ Award for Personal Endeavour for her performance on the tennis court.
Over the summer she not only won the Somerset Under 18s Championship, but also the ladies senior title.
She now joins the women’s UK Pro Tour competing in championships nationwide.
The Headteacher’s Award was won by Madeline Bennett.
The awards were as follows:- Art: Year 9 (Maureen Hindle Cup) – Lysette Bennett, Year 10 – Iona Davis, Year 11 (Jill Hutchings Award) – Lauren Miller, Year 12 – Georgia Lennox.
Photography: Year 10 – Ryan Jeffery, Year 11 – Elisha Hawkins, Year 12 – Emily Spriggs.
Drama: Year 10 (Junior Drama Cup) Grace Truong, Year 11 – Madeleine Murdoch, Year 13 (Michaela Brown Shield for Performing Arts) – Molly Soo.
Music: Year 9 (Junior Music Cup) – Lauren Gregory, Year 10 (Dawes Senior Music Cup) – Grace Dean, Year 11 – Harry Dixon, Year 13 (Sally Culmstock Cup for achievement in singing) – George Horgan.
Technology: Year 9 – Amy Barrett, Year 11 (Parker Hannifin Cup for Design & Technology) – Lia Dang.
Engineering: Year 10 – William Ball, Year 11 (Clyde Anderson Award) – Max Metcalfe.
Graphics: Year 10 – Ryan Jeffery, Year 11, Elizabeth Womack.
Resistant Materials: Year 10 – Thomas Singleton, Year 11 – Bradley Amor.
Food Technology: Year 10 – Megan Middleton-Hunt, Year 11 – Imogen Sims.
Textiles: Year 10 – Emily Matthews, Year 11 Courtney Brown.
English: Jess Canning, Year 10 – Grace Pitcher.
English Language: Year 11 (Jacqui Taylor Award for GCSE Achievement) Caitlin Paull, Year 12 – George Gillman, Year 13 – Dominic Lawrence.
English Literature: Year 11 (Stella French Award for GCSE Achievement) – Jessica Payne, Year 12 – Lucy Edmonds, Year 13 – Kirsten Epps.
Modern Foreign Languages: Year 9 (Vanessa Salter Junior Linguist Award) – Luke Dowling, Year 10 (The Crewkerne and District Twinning Association Award for Excellence in French) – Courtney Payne, Year 11 (Vanessa Salter Senior Linguist Award) – Lea Newcombe.
German: Year 10 – Scott Hooper, Year 11 – Mollie Fry.
Business Studies: Year 10 – Edward Collins, Year 11 (Cathy Tremaine Award) – Bradley Amor, Year 12 – Molly Paull, Year 13 (Cathy Tremain Award) Jade Nixon.
Geography: Year 9 – Lysette Bennett, Year 10 – Molly Campbell, Year 11 – Elizabeth Womack, Year 12 – Lydia Gardiner, Year 13 (Bennett Cup) – Daisy Goddard.
Government and Politics: Year 13 – Ollie Staples.
History: Year 9 – Phoebe Carpenter, Year 10 – Edward Collins, Year 11 – Molly Stone, Year 12 (Mary Tiffen Award) Lucie Slater, Year 13 – Jack Male.
Psychology: Year 12 – Lauren Jeffery, Year 13 – Dominic Harris.
Religion and Philosophy: Year 9 – Bethany Wakeman, Year 10 – Jessica Broom, Year 11 – Abigail White, Year 12 – Jacob Blow.
Sociology: Year 12 (Branston Cup) – Catherine Baron
Computer Science and ICT: Year 9 – Luke Dowling, Year 10 – Holly-May Philpott, Year 11 – Thomas Clark, Year 12 – Lucy Edmonds, Year 13 (Aerosystems Shield for ICT) – Jade Nixon.
Mathematics: Year 9 – Teresa Hughes, Year 10 – Julia Merchelska, Year 11 (The 77 Award) – William Meadows, Year 12 – Emily Spriggs, Year 13 (Chalmers Award) Aku Butler. The Rotary Award for Excellence in Maths – Christopher Bagwell (Year 10).
Health and Social Care: Year 10 – Chloe Hodder, Year 11 – Amy North, Year 13 – Ellie Martin.
Physical Education: Year 9 (Vickery Cup) – Luke Manley, Year 10 – Molly Daniel, Year 11 – Charlotte Pettinger, Year 13 (Spurway Family Award) Eliot Hawkins.
Science: Year 9 – Andrew Sansum, Year 10 (Peter Spencer Memorial Award for Natural Science) – Sophie Feilder, Year 11 – Thomas Clark, Year 12 (Gooch and Housego Award for Excellence in Science) – Amy Gardiner.
Biology: Year 12 – Catherine Baron, Year 13 – Rebecca Pettinger.
Chemistry: Year 12 – Isobel Rowe, Year 13 – Alistair Horne.
Physics: Year 10 – Christopher Bagwell, Year 12 – William Skinner, Year 13 – Joseph Bateman.
Curriculum Support: Year 9 – Ellise Waring, Year 10 – Brendon Keates, Year 11 – Stuart Aplin.
GCSE Awards for Progress: Bradley Amor, Stuart Aplin, Piers Aspinall, Harry Dixon, Corey Edwards, Marc Tristan Garcia, Nathan Gentle, Abigail Knight, Bethany Lacey, William Meadows, Julia Samways, Matilda Stewart-Pearson, Molly Stone, Abigail White and Morgan Williams.
GCSE Awards for Attainment: Erin Bowhay, Finlay Brown, Thomas Clark, Olivia Elsdale, Hannah Farmer, Imogen Fisher, Jessica Langdon, Georgia Lewis, Lea Newcombe, Abgail Parham, Jessica Payne, Charlotte Pettinger and Abigail Spicer.
GCSE Awards for both Progress and Attainment: Rebecca French, Madeline Murdoch, Caitlin Paull, Lucy Pittard, Elizabeth Womack.
A-level Awards for Progress: Maisie Bremer-Smith, Alistair Home, Sarah-Jane Jennings, Ellie Martin, Jade Nixon and Molly Soo.
A-level Awards for Attainment: Gabrielle Amor and Mikaela Samways.
A-level Awards for both Progress and Attainment: Joseph Bateman, Aku Butler, Daisy Goddard and Oliver Staples.
The Old Ilminsterian Cup for Achievement: Year 13 – Aku Butler
Governors’ Award for Personal Endeavour: Year 11 – Bethany Lacey
Friends of Wadham Award for Service to the School: Year 9 – Rosie Cornelius-Light
Director of Learning Awards: Year 9 – Leah Harper, Year 10 – Iona Davis, Year 11 – Harry Dixon, Year 12 – Isobel Rowe.
The Above and Beyond Award: Grace Truong.
The Rotary Club Service Above Self Award: Madeline Bennett and Molly Daniel.
Governors’ Award for Service to the School: The Head Student Team 2015/16 – Gabrielle Amor, Joseph Bateman, Maisie Bremer-Smith, Daisy Goddard, Harriet Hodder, Alistair Horne and Ollie Staples.
Headteacher’s Award: Madeline Bennett.
