THE headteacher of Kirkbie Kendal School heaped praised on students and staff at the annual prizegiving evening.

Held at Kendal Leisure Centre on Tuesday night, Phil Hyman congratulated GCSE and A Level pupils on their grades and paid tribute to three retiring colleagues who together have provided more than four decades of service.

Cathie Maberly has worked at the Lound Road site for 18 years as a science technician, Steve Bramall for 13 years as head of computing and Paddy Finn, who taught Business Studies, for nine years.

Mr Hyman explained 52 per cent of all grades at A Level were awarded A*-B and 85 percent A*-C.

At GCSE, Mr Hyman said: "National concerns over volatility due to the change from grades in letters to numbers turned out to be less problematic than anticipated."

"We are proud of the examination successes of our students and the amount of academic progress that they have made," said Mr Hyman. "Equally important is the celebration of our students being well-rounded, caring, courteous and considerate young people."

Prizes were handed out by South Lakes MP Tim Farron.

Grades were not the only focus of the evening as creative and performing arts, sporting successes and the charitable nature of pupils was also celebrated.

Musically the school production of Disco Inferno performed over four days and evenings in the Brewery Theatre.

"It was the most musically demanding show we have done and the students all rose to the occasion for arguably the best production to date," My Hyman told the audience.

Dance performances included a Collaborative Dance showcase with Dance Attik at the leisure centre, the Brewery Dance Platform for the third year, and at ‘UDance Cumbria’ at The Brewery and Theatre by the Lake, Keswick.

Away from the stage, 14 players qualified for the British Chess Challenge area finals and the World Challenge next year sees pupils go to Mongolia for an 11 day trek which will finish in Beijing climbing part of the Great Wall of China.

And the praise did not stop there as a whole host of sporting achievements were highlighted.

Among the standout mentions were Imogen Burrow and Skye Hunter Dale being chosen to represent the county at cross country in Italy; Will Montgomery, who plays for Newcastle Falcons Junior Academy, being selecting for the England u18 team and swimmer Nicola Capstick becoming Cumbria champion at 50, 100 and 200m Backstroke in the open age group - and ranked sixth nationally.

Students also raised over £2,500 this year for their chosen charities: Children in Need, the Solidarity Fund (Manchester and London terror attacks), Teenage Cancer Trust and the NW Air Ambulance.