Governors' Awards 2016

On Wednesday 12th October 2016, the Governors of Selby High School invited 140 students to Selby High School’s 13th Annual Governors’ Awards for the Academic Year 2015-2016.  The celebration of achievement and success was watched by over 320 parents, carers and guardians, governors and the staff at the school, together with nine special guests who had very kindly agreed to present the trophies either sponsored by their company or themselves. 

Companies and organisations represented included: Greencore Groceries, Doosan Babcock, Handelsbanken, Wright Electrical, Wallworks Photography and Natwest Corporate and Commercial Banking.  In addition, Mr Jim Wildash from Selby Civic Society presented the Society’s trophy for our Young Citizen of the Year to Evie Adamson, following a commendation delivered by Miss Harwood (Head of Garrett House).  Mr Tony Norris the school’s former Head of Music who retired in July 2014 after 24 years dedicated service to the school, also attended and presented the Inter-House Music Cup, bearing his name and which he sponsored on his retirement.

During the evening over two hundred and thirty awards were presented, reflecting the ever increasing achievement and attainment of the students at Selby High School.  During his introduction to the evening, Mr Paul Eckersley recognised the awards as, “A celebration and reflection of the hard work, dedication and commitment of our students.”

Awards were presented during the evening for academic and sporting excellence, service to the community, achievement in adversity, outstanding attitudes to learning and for exceptional educational progress.  In addition, former students Bethany Brown and Thomas Butcher, who attained the highest GCSE performances this summer, were also recognised for their outstanding academic achievements.   Madison Whitaker, Rosie Ballantyne and Thomas Butcher who achieved 100% attendance for the whole five years they attended Selby High School, also received awards.  Mr Burnitt (Head of Year 8) addressed the audience and introduced, Chloe Rafton, the winner of the Phillip Stables Achievement in Adversity Award.

Eleven prestigious awards recognising our specialist status for excellence in the arts and sciences were introduced by Heads of Faculty Mr Derek Block and Mrs Jennifer Mackey.

During the evening, some outstanding performances punctuated the ceremony, these showcased some of the gifted and talented musicians and dancers that attend the school.  Really fantastic performances were given by the School Choir, Daniel Toone on guitar, and Talia Firth in a vocal rendition of ‘With You’ from ‘Ghost’, the musical’. Carys Soper, and Kate Hinken sang ‘All of Me’ and ‘Teenage Dream’ respectively and former student Carl Leighton played Chopin’s ‘Nocturne in E Flat’ which provided a wonderful musical backdrop for dancers: Rachel Anderton, Alexandria Little, Emma Newbould, Jessica Ramsey and Lucy Watson to showcase their skills. Carl is a wonderful talent and we are all looking forward to witnessing him achieve great things in the future in his music career. We were also very lucky this year to watch and hear a hugely talented Year 11 poet, Luke Cheney explain why poetry is so important to him, together with performing the poem ‘The Flame Still Burns’, which he wrote in 2015. 

Mr Grant Gibson, the Chair of Governors’, addressed the audience and reinforced the ‘can do’ philosophy of the school and the desire to achieve and gain success being represented by the students, who had been present at the ceremony. 

A special governors’ award was presented to Mr Gary Bowell Head of the English and Media Faculty for successfully completing the Polar Marathon and raising over £2,000 for the charity Doctors without Frontiers, which undertakes relief work in some of the most challenging conditions across the world.