WORLD class mountaineer Leo Houlding dared Dallam students to dream as they set off on life beyond school.

Speaking at the school’s annual prizegiving, adventurer Mr Houlding, of Staveley, showed pupils videos of his extreme challenges from around the world and told them that there was nothing to be afraid of in life that could not be conquered.

Using footage of his ascent of Everest and a jaw-dropping flight in a bat-wing suit through deep gorges, the 28-year-old told the audience his own adventurous career started while still a schoolboy.

The head teacher then went on to award prizes to students who had gained strings of As and A* grades at A-level, world class marks in the International Baccalaureate (IB), Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards and an assortment of sporting and artistic accolades.

Fittingly, he also presented the international state boarding school with a plaque to celebrate its appointment as the first Adventure Learning School in the country.

Head teacher Steve Holdup said: “There couldn’t be anyone better to present us with the Adventure Learning award than Leo Houlding. His incredible feats at such a young age are an inspiration and we want to promote that passion for adventure and discovery at our school.

“Outdoor challenges are embedded across the whole curriculum and it has been really good to have someone to talk to pupils who has taken that ethos to its highest level.”

Cumbria outdoor education adviser, Matt Ellis, who also attended the event, described the excitement generated by the national adventure initiative and the leading role taken by Dallam School and Cumbria.

The evening was also a chance for Mr Holdup to showcase some of the school’s achievements during the past academic year and a special mention was given to the pupils achieving the best ever GCSE results in the school’s history.

He said he was also delighted with A level and the IB results where five pupils were among the highest achieving five per cent in the world.

Full list of winners

Award for Academic Achievement in Year 7: Lydia Baker; Dayna Bakhat; Fraser Barclay; Adam Dewhurst; George Duxbury; Kadi-Maye Faireer; Finn Green; Katherine Miller; Gemma Mitchell; Shannon Nicholson; Caitlyn Reeve; Anya Shore. Award for Citizenship in Year 7: Nicole Dallison; Christian Forlizzi; Alessandra Gibson; Jennifer Grassick; Sara Lycett. Award for Progress in Year 7: Michael Adair; Curtis Banks; Laura Bryant; Georgia Clark; Lizzie Goodfellow; John Hodgkinson; Deena Mason; Francesca Molloy; James Reid; Tom Taylor; Charlotte Watts; Robert Yates. Junior Boy Tennis Trophy: Joseph Till. Cross Country Award: Sarah Thompson. Award for Citizenship in Year 8: Georgia Hough; Sophie Hoyle; Lucy Kennedy; Joshua Lewis-Lennon; Jessie McGregor; Bethan Reeve. Award for Progress in Year 8: Faye Bateson; Oliver Clark; Jacob Cox; Samuel Hollingdrake; Emily Knight; Gabriel Lee; Emily McLeod; Jessica Smith; Jade Troughton; John Whitfield. Award for Sport in Year 8: Samuel Frith, Shannon Horrocks. Award for Academic Achievement in Year 8: Lily Abel, Nina Duxbury, Theo Gardner, Georgia Gravestock, Devon Jacques; Bradley Kennon; Ellie Taylor; Ben Thedham; Sarah Thompson. Dr John Dawson Trophy for runners-up: Team of the Year: - Year 8 Netball: Tilly Davies. Junior Girls Tennis Trophy: Faye Bateson. Ray Lacey Cup for Athletics: Lily Abel. Alison Thompson Trophy for achievement in athletics: Sarah Thompson. The Wilcox Cup for Athlete of the Year: Amy Richardson. Award for Sport in Year 9: Daniel Daw; Rachel Nield. Award for Citizenship in Year 9: Elizabeth Cooper; Saskia Crompton; Samantha Newby; Andrew Norman; Callum Seton. Award for Progress in Year 9: Charlotte Coates; Daniel Daw; William Fisher; Abigail Helliwel;, Jamie Mason-Millward; David Miller; Ellie Mycock; Kyran Newbold; Teresa Ngai; Kira Thomas; Henry Townson. Award for Academic Achievement in Year 9: Robyn Barclay; Hannah Brown; Olivia Gee; Hannah Gosling; George Henderson; Beth Howarth-Henry; Matthew James; Ellen Layzell; Lana Purcell; Ellen Sandford; Joseph Shore; Harriett Wareham; Kate Watton; Lucy Westworth. Award for Citizenship in Year 10: Daniel Baird; Anthony Battersby; Harriet Cook; Amber Cropley; Callum Jackson; Kimberley Nelson. Award for Progress in Year 10: Josef Abdel-Moneim; Curtis Baker; Megan Collinson; Sarah Elliott; Francesca Frew; Luke Gott; Robert Johnson; Shona Painter; Heather Smith; Rowan Watson. Award for Academic Achievement in Year 10: Jasmine Allen; Robyn Archer; Isaac Barfoot; George Beale; Michael Bell; Leah Bury; Matthew Edge; Kari Gustedt; James Knox; Nancy Marshall; Alice Quinton; Rachel Towers. J. Ian Todd Award for Bronze Level Duke of Edinburgh Scheme: Leah Bury; Lewis Murphy. John N Fielding Award for Creative Writing: Kiya Hennefer. Award for Achievement at GCSE: Hayley Buchan; Abi Cooper; Callum Marrs; Thomas Thompson. Dr John Dawson Trophy for Team of the Year - U11 Football: Michael Sharp. ELBS Award: Robyn Atkinson. Thomson Award for English: Tomas Whitehead. Almond Award for Physical Education: (Boys): Lawrence Duncan. (Girls): Jessica Young. Brooks Award for Geography: Abi Cooper. Crooklands Award for Business Studies: Ben Woods. Evelyn Garnett Award for Catering Studies: Olivia Jones. Grayer Award for Mathematics: Lauren Ly. The Hartley Award for ICT: Callum Marrs. Jackson Award for Health and Social Care: Pip Catchpole. Jeffrey Hayhurst Award for Religious Studies: Robyn Atkinson. Kuypers Award for Modern Languages: Holly Salter (French); Katrina Adomat (German); Hannah Kitching (Spanish). Miles Award for History: Thomas Thompson. Rushton Award for Music: Abi Cooper. Snaith Award for Art: Jessica Horton. Wright Award for Science: Abi Cooper. Achievement in Year 12: Regina Ngai; Elisabeth Nowak; Francesco Sciortino; Adam Whitehead. Awards for Duke of Edinburgh (Bronze). Tom Carling; Anna Field; Jack Jones; Dale Shepherd; Jodie Taylor-Crozier; Alex Wood. Award for Higher Sports Leadership: Marco Thompson. Brooks Award: Aaron Marrs. Chambers Award: Fraser Morgan; Cooper Award for Physics: Fraser Morgan. Deighton Award for Art: Emily Wren. Douthwaite Award for Chemistry: Josh Thompson. James Cawthorn Award for History: Joshua Desbottes. Mellor Award for Modern Languages: Alexandra Woodhouse. Nan Chinn Award for Boarding: Jorge Diaz Luengo. Rushton Award for Economics and Business: Cherry Chan. Senior Sports Award: Eleanor Peach. Thomson Award for English: William McClurg. Threlfall Award for Physical Education: Eleanor Peach. Wilfred Holmes Award for Mathematics: Joshua Thompson. Duke of Edinburgh (Gold): Robbie Collinson; Ryan Bury; Russell Cooper; Daniel Gibbs; Jennifer Harrison; Samuel Hill; Isobel Hirst; Mary McSporran; Matthew Towers; David Webster; Samuel Winters. Duke of Edinburgh (Silver): Gareth Davies; Emily Edwards; Steven Lyde; Zoe Maxfield; Vicky Smith. E.W. Pearson Award for Theatre Studies: Charlotte Hines; Herbert Lawson Award for Psychology: Hannah Brooks. Mellor Award for Modern Languages: Laura Denwood. The Whewell Prize. Damien Hahnloser; Charlotte Hines. Award for Higher Sports Leadership: Laura mason. The Frith-Hudson Scholarship: Stephanie Chan. Tryon-Wilson Award: Jane Mangler. Award for Head Boy: Josh Thompson. Award for Head Girl: Stephanie Hines.