THE achievements of pupils at a south Cumbrian school have been celebrated at the annual awards night.

Ulverston Victoria High School held its senior prize giving with last year’s GCSE, AS and A Level students receiving certificates and awards at a packed Coronation Hall.

Head of School Matthew Hardwick said that to prepare students for the future, a school should not just focus on results and what goes on in lessons but also ensure that there is ample, high-quality extra-curricular provision throughout all areas.

“Here at UVHS, we offer such provision, with several areas recognised at both a national and international level for the quality of work, as well as additional volunteering opportunities for students, both within the community and abroad,” he said.

“By developing our school as the centre of the community, students are given every opportunity to mould their own futures through an environment of mutual respect, care and nurture.”

During the event, several current sixth-formers gave presentations on what they are doing to shape their futures, with Abigail Howie and David Griffiths performing Vivaldi’s Double Trumpet Concerto with the school orchestra. Abi then spoke on how they were preparing for a future in the music industry.

Charlie Butterworth and Matthew Taplin told of their experiences working at Siemens over the summer and receiving coveted Gold Crest Awards for engineering. There was also a presentation on the charity work that some pupils are doing through ‘Toilet Twinning’ – raising hundreds of pounds to build facilities in rural Tanzanian villages.

Guest speaker was James Higgins, who extended the theme of ‘Preparing for the Future’ with an address detailing how he became a journalist and then editor.