MORE than 70 high-flying students at a North-East school have been recognised for their hard work and dedication during a special ceremony.
Polam Hall School, in Darlington, invited its highest-achieving students to a special awards evening, which honoured pupils who have performed impressively in subject areas, accomplished something noteworthy, or contributed to their school or community beyond the call of duty.
The evening began with a welcome by principal Kate Reid, who congratulated the assembled students on obtaining the school’s best exam results in years, and spoke of her pride in how they contributed to a healthy, inclusive, and supportive culture within the school.
The awards were then presented by Darlington councillor Cyndi Hughes, who spoke of her admiration of “Polam’s well-spoken, handsomely uniformed young people”, and praised their generation’s adaptability to a rapidly changing world, and almost instinctive command of information technology.
Cllr Hughes concluded by reminding students of the example set by the young climate activist Greta Thunberg, which shows “no-one is too small to make a difference to the world”, and encouraging them to “stay a bit crazy, sassy, edgy, and slightly offbeat, because the world needs people like that.”
Sixteen-year-old Chloe Atkinson, who graduated from Polam this year and is going on to study Maths, English, and Theatre at A Level, was the evening’s most decorated student, receiving the Senior Music Cup, the Mathematics Cup, the Performance Subjects Cup, the Science Cup, and the Katie Allen Trophy.
She said: “I’ve been at Polam since I was two and a half, so that’s 14 years. It’s amazing to be honoured in this way, I didn’t expect it. I’d have to say I’m proudest of being recognised for my music and performing, because that’s ultimately what I want to do.”
Principal Kate Reid said: “We’re really proud of all our students tonight, including all our academic stars, but I’m particularly proud of those students who have contributed to our school community.
“It’s been a wonderful evening. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Sam Turner & Sons Garden Centre, and to Status Trophies, which have both kindly supported us tonight.
“There have been lots of historic prizes presented tonight which are awarded for the spirit of ‘service before self’, and it’s been wonderful to see that so many of our students have taken that adage to heart.”
Roll of Honour
Subject Awards
- History – Jassie Kaur (Year 7), Tilly Limbrick (Year 8), Rosie McElvanney (Year 9)
- Geography – Matilda Haymer (Year 7), Kirandeep Kaur (Year 8), Tibet Homraruen (Year 9)
- German – Ewan Rogers (Year 8), Genevieve Ferrari (Year 9)
- French – Josh Elsdon (Year 7), Seth Rippon (Year 8), Dan Tindle (Year 9)
- English – Daniel Lockhart (Year 7), Bella Tait (Year 8), Alfreda Batty (Year 9)
- Maths – Olivia Martin (Year 7), Storm Smith (Year 8) Eliana Baker (Year 9)
- Biology – Annabelle Wilkinson (Year 7), Tony Diep (Year 8), Alfreda Batty (Year 9)
- Chemistry – Archie Kirkup (Year 7), Imogen Craggs (Year 8), Ben Wilkinson (Year 9)
- Physics – Olivia Dent (Year 7), Imogen Craggs (Year 8), Jessie Linfoot (Year 9)
- Art – Jassie Kaur (Year 7), Molly Scally (Year 8), Jess Nunn (Year 9)
- Drama – Ollie Morgans (Year 7), Marc Griffiths (Year 8), Lily Singleton (Year 9)
- Food Technology – Mia Gwavuya (Year 7), Kirandeep Kaur (Year 8), Elizabeth Gilligan (Year 9)
- Music – Jay Dutton (Year 7), Bradley Booth (Year 8), Genevieve Ferrari (Year 9)
- Boys’ P.E. – Max Martin (Year 7), Jack Sharp (Year 8), Josh Gummerson (Year 9)
- Girls’ P.E. – Olivia Dent (Year 7), Storm Smith (Year 8), Amber Grieves (Year 9)
Polam Hall Old Scholars’ Awards
- Rawcliffe Technology Trophy – Storm Smith
- Junior Civics Cup – Marc Griffiths
- Nellie Robson Medal Essay – Abbigail Craggs
- Chanticleer Award – Scarlet Pringle
- A Pickersgill Trophy – Mackenzie Sanderson
- Craft Cup – K C Freeley
- Woodwind Cup – Matthew Dove
- Strings Cup – Tom Robinson
- 1 V’s Music Cup – Maya Watson
- Senior Music Cup – Chloe Atkinson
- Rozeena Bhogal Drama Cup – Emily Farely-Smith
Major Polam Hall Old Scholars’ Awards
- Helen Baynes Award – Joshua Mitchell
- Emma Thwaites Cup – Shirley Wong
- Sylvia Owen Award – Jamie Glasper
School Awards
- Thompson Cup – Claudia Penketh
- Barclays Bank Award – Alana Ridell
- Kay Rumney Cup – Chloe Hartley
- Best Overall GCSE – Sophie Allison
- Best Overall A Level – Hannah Raw
- Art Cup – Macie Bisicker-Peacock
- Arts Shield – Duncan Wehrhahn
- English Cup – Erin Partridge
- Mathematics Cup – Chloe Atkinson
- Modern Languages Cup – Chloe Hartley
- Performance Subjects Cup – Chloe Atkinson
- Science Cup – Chloe Atkinson
- Social Science Cup – Hannah Raw
- Junior Boarding Cup – Sophie Kelly
- Cawson Shield – Alex Dugdale
- Parker Bowl – Alex Peart
- Derek Henderson Bowl – James Goldberg
- Katie Allen Trophy – Chloe Atkinson
- Helen Wilson Cup – Lily Singleton
- Anna Billington Cup – Summer Fenwick
- Jack Smith Cup – Ben Swindale
- Pearson Cup – Caitlin Minns
- Lister Cup – Emily Farely-Smith
- Judith Carswell Cup – Hugo Cheung
- J E Ridley Howlett Cup – Jasmine Dahesh-Moghadam
- Civics Cup – Erin Partridge
- Out of Africa Trophy – James Goldberg
- Ann Oliver Award – Tyler Hagger & Fane Richardson
- Sally Pelham Award – Rosie McElvanney
- Helen Hamilton Cup – Priya Kaur
- Woodard Board Prize – Erin Partridge