A SOUTH Lakeland head teacher has highlighted the value of his school’s international credentials in his annual speech.

Chris Clarke told pupils at the annual awards evening at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, that they should become ‘global citizens’ – reflecting the aspirations of QES’s 16th century founders and its recently-won status as an International School.

Mr Clarke praised the work of international co-ordinator Andrew Douglas, a former pupil, who was a ‘passionate and persuasive advocate for internationalism’ at QES.

“Interestingly, QES has always been outward looking,” said Mr Clarke.

“Indeed, one of the reasons for establishing the charter for a free school back in the 1590s was to enable local boys to aspire to established scholarships to the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge and thereby extend their horizons beyond the local fells.

“I wonder what those enlightened and aspirational governors in the 1590s would have made of our links with Senegal and Malawi or international visits to China, Africa and places like the USA and Australia.

“And goodness knows what they would have made of gap years in South America or Asia, working on social projects with disadvantaged groups.”

Mr Clarke also highlighted QES’s ability to retain staff.

“Out of more than 200 QES staff, only three left in August, a sign I think of the collective spirit which is QES,” he said.

Award winners

A-LeVel: Oliver Barker; Ian Booth; Joelle Boyd; Hannah Burch; Aydin Calik; Ela Calik; Ben Chetwood; Abi Clay; James Clough; Katie Cousins; Zoe Craven; James Deaville; Claire Doffegnies; Kate Donovan; Helen Falkingham; Anna Fawcett; Jade Flynn; Joseph Hacker; Alice Heidemann-Poynton; Olivia Hodgson; Thomas Holland; Alice Houghton; Philip Jackson; Rebekah Jones; Laura Kerigan; George Ketchen-Roberts; Catherine Knipe; Robyn Lewes; Robin Lowery; Beth Mainwaring; Kishon McGuire; Hannah Neale; Joanne Nelson; Rory Nutter; Charlie Parker; Matthew Percy; Ben Pett; Cheryl Potts; Christopher Proudfoot, Lydia Ratcliffe; Rebecca Rowell; Ned Sharpe; Stephanie Shew; Adam Simons; Phillipa Stribling; Victoria Taylor; Joshua Thatcher; David Thexton; Charlotte Tomlin; Lily Turner; Sophie Webster; David Whitehead; Lizzie Wignall; Adam Woodhouse.

GCSE: Hannah Bindloss; Oliver Blackburn; Eilish Briscoe; Harriet Butterfield; Michael Bywater; Helena Casement; Marnie Clark; Thomas Davies; Kimberly Day; Hannah Denison; Jack Donegan; Bethany Duckett; Olivia Dundon; Jack Fawcett; Harry Fellows; Alastair Fleming; Amy France; Hazel Gardner; Libby Gibson; Adam Green; Lizzie Howden; Thomas Jackson; Hugh Johnson; Adam Kaye; Adam Kelly; David Kilshaw; Matthew Lynn; Amanda Makinson; Emily Massey; George McCanney; Marcus Nicholson; Matthew Pickering; Sarah Pye; Joanna Rycroft; Harriet Sansby; Patrick Sellers; Georgina Shuttleworth; Alice Smith-Hilliard; Helen Stacey; Matthew Thatcher; George Townsend; Chloe Watson; Adam Whitaker; Janet Wightman.

BTEC and YA achievement: Sophie Bullock, Peter Hunt, Thomas Ledsham, Emily Mattinson.

Other awards: Chris Unsworth Shield for Photography: Joe Wilkin-Oxley. Hartley Cup: Katie Grieve, Rachel Parker, Victoria Thwaite. Kirsty Young Memorial Award for Music: Charlotte Tomlin. McEwan Cup for Strings: Ian Booth. QES Charity Cup: Matthew Postlethwaite, Andrew Wright. QES Dance Award: Lily Turner. Saggerson Music Trophy: Zoe Craven. Smith Award for Media Studies: Matthew Postlethwaite. Adam Woodhouse. Tim Lea Memorial Music Award: Oliver Goss. Valley Award for Performing Art: Oliver Barker. Chandler Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sixth Form: Katie Cousins. Lawrence Cup for Endeavour: Rhys Bennett, Sarah Hurst, Sarah Morphet. Edward Burrow Memorial Trophy for Sporting Endeavour: Matthew Percy. Senior Football Cup for Best Senior Player: Adam Garnett. Senior Netball Cup for Best Senior Player: Catherine Knipe. Senior Rugby Cup for Best Senior Player: Edward Towers. Senior Hockey Cup for Best Senior Girls’ Player: Abby Bland. Senior Hockey Cup for Best Senior Boys’ Player: Adam Simons. Senior Athletics Shield: Alisha Casement. Dixon Cup for Sustained Contribution to Girls’ Sport: Hannah Burch. U18 Football-County Cup Winners’ Medals: Nathan Dixon, Jackosn Eatherden, Jake Fawcett, Adam Garnett, Alex Greenback, Thomas Holland, Ross Kilshaw, Jack Smith, Daniel Wilkinson, Oliver Blackburn, Thomas Jackson, David Leinweber, Cole Procter. Redwood Award for the Highest GCSE Achievement: Hazel Gardner. Economics Award: Mark Robinson, William Rycroft. Castle Award for hard work and effort: Leanne Richards. Dean Memorial Awards - Graphics: George Townsend; Food: Hannah Bindloss, Janet Wightman; Catering: Thomas Speigh; Resistant Materials: Callum Young; Textiles: Imogen Orange. Travel and Tourism Award: Jade Flynn. Religious Studies Award: Megan Davies-Ingham. Geography Award: Kate Donovan. John Wilson Award for Product Design: Kate Donovan, Victoria Taylor, Robin Lowery, Sam Mason. John Wilson Award for Electronics: Steven Bailey, Joseph Hacker. Philosophy Award: Claire Doffegnies. Computing Award: Philip Jackson. Scarr Mathematics Award: David Thexton. Elizabeth Scarr Memorial Award for Endeavour in Mathematics: William Rycroft. Bannister Award for Spanish: Hannah Burch. Abbot Award for Singing: Hannah Neale. Wolfenden Art Award: Victoria Taylor. Harper History Award: Rory Nutter, Ned Sharpe, Charlotte Tomlin. Wilson Award for Physics: Philip Jackson. Huck Chemistry Award: Charlie Parker. Burrow Award for Creative Literature: Claire Doffegnies, Kishon McGuire. Ben Haygarth Award for Best Backstage Worker: James Clough. L G Defoe Award for Drama: Sophie Webster. Lockwood Biology Award: Ben Pett. Troughton Award for Home Economics - Food: Andrew Wright; Textiles: Alice Houghton. Martindale English Award: Katie Cousins, Helen Falkingham. Critical Thinking Award: Laura Kerigan. Biggs Award for French: Charlie Parker. Applied A Level ICT Award: Alice Houghton. Health & Social Care Award: Hannah Rigg. BTEC Music Award: Ian Booth. BTEC Acting Award: Sophie Webster. BTEC Dance Award: Lily Turner. Psychology Award: Oliver Roberts. Sociology Award: Hannah Burch, Joanne Nelson. Business Studies Award: Beth Mainwaring, Adam Woodhouse. Physical Education A Level Award: Kate Donovan. Physical Education BTEC Award: Laura Dixon. Amnesty International Award: Megan Davies-Ingham. Value Champions Award: Joelle Boyd. Sustained Contribution to Extra-Curricular Music: Simon Balshaw, Oliver Barker, Ian Booth, Hannah Burch, Ben Chetwood, Zoe Craven, James Deaville, Helen Falkingham, Oliver Goss, Robyn Lewes, Sam Mason, Hannah Neale, Hannah Rigg, Jasmin Sowerby-Greenall, Charlotte Tomlin. Dr Burnett Award - Head Boy: Matthew Percy; Head Girl: Hannah Neale. J L Johnson Award - Deputy Head Boys: James Hart, David Whitehead; Deputy Head Girls: Hannah Burch, Sophie Webster.