PUPILS will leave a Furness school with a bedrock of values and firm foundations, the head teacher said at the annual prize presentation evening.

In addition to individual prizes, the evening featured various highlights across the school year, including this year's "historical" exam success.

In her speech, head teacher Julie O’Connor said: “[The students] have excellent attitudes to learning and the excellent teaching here inspires them to make very good progress across the curriculum and achieve very highly in their GCSE examinations. With outstanding support and guidance students put themselves on the right path for success.”

The Year 11 was praised for achieving "the best examination results in the school’s history". with *** 5A*-C grades as well as 69 per cent 5A*-C in English and Maths at GCSE last summer, 2***% of all those grades being at the highest A*/A grades.

“Leading every student towards future success is our job”, Ms O’Connor said. “Students go on to apprenticeships and training, including at degree level, others into Year 12 and 13 – and from there on to degrees at Russell Group universities including Oxbridge.”

The recognition received by Dowdales School across different subjects was highlighted as Ms O’Connor expressed her delight of the school being chosen by the Royal Shakespeare Company to perform at Stratford in recognition of their commitment to in the Arts as well as being asked to take a lead role in one of the 35 national Maths Hubs.

The evening also featured student presentations about various projects within the school, including the Peer Mentor Programme, the HeadStart programme as well as a forty-mile charity walk from Keswick to Barrow.

“As a community school we take great pride in being at the heart of our community, offering education and excellence for the whole community”, said Ms O’Connor. “Engagement in community initiatives at local, national and international level has a profound effect on students’ learning and achievement and sincere thanks go to all partners for their continuing support of the school and our various projects.”

The evening also held student performances, including an extract from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a dance performance inspired by the Lion King.