Ilminster school celebrates year of achievement (From This is The West Country)

Ilminster school celebrates year of achievement

6:20am Tuesday 17th July 2012 in News By Jamie Brooks

STUDENTS’ work throughout the year was praised in a celebration of achievement evening at Swanmead Community School in Ilminster last week.

The school has had its best ever SATS results and invited friends and families to the event on Thursday to share in the success.

Local MP David Laws and town Mayor Cllr Roger Swann attended along with special guest speaker Peter Bowler, the former Somerset cricketer.

Bowler gave an inspirational speech about his cricket career and how he coached former Australia captain Ricky Ponting when he was a youngster. He urged parents and teachers to give children the encouragement to succeed.

New head teacher Mark Walker said: “Events like this one are what schools are all about – achievement, rewarding hard work and rewarding everything we have accomplished through the course of the year.”

Paige Rawle received the Ilminster Rotary Community Award for her fundraising efforts for Help for Heroes, Georgia Western picked up the David Laws Citizenship Award and Karl Davis received the Headteacher’s Award.

“Events like this one are what schools are all about – achievement, rewarding hard work and rewarding everything we have accomplished through the course of the year.”

Mark Walker, Swanmead Community School head teacher

Rotary Club president Ken Dewsbury presented Hannah Wood with the John Wilson Memorial Shield after receiving 11 nominations from staff and special praise for being a model student.

Trinity Warburton-Smith sang My Favourite Things, Caitlin Horne performed the Amelie theme on the piano and Ellis Jordan played the Half Minute Waltz on piano.

Two departing governors were thanked for their efforts – Flo Montgomery, who was instrumental in organising the achievement evening, and Nigel Court, who was leaving the board after 16 years service.

Mr Walker thanked staff for their support and described his first year as rewarding and humbling. He added: “We have hopefully begun to set the platform of what will be an exciting future.”

AWARD WINNERS: Ilminster Rotary Community Award - Paige Rawle; David Laws' Citizenship Award - Georgia Western; Headteacher's Award - Karl Davis; John Wilson Memorial Shield - Hannah Wood. English : year five (effort) Luke Dowling; year six (achievement) Hannah Applegate; year seven (effort) Ami-Leah Pearson; year eight (achievement) Emily Singleton. French : year five (effort) Matthew Adams; year six (achievement) Ryan Jeffery; year seven (effort) Stuart Aplin; year eight (achievement) Georgia Western. Mathematics : year five (effort) Evelyn Crabb; year six (achievement) Katie Barrett; year seven (effort) Emma Wade; year eight (achievement) Hannah Wood. Science : year five (effort) Kieran Colley; year six (achievement) Caitlin Horne; year seven (effort) Ryan Perkins; year eight (achievement) Georgia Western. Design and Technology : year five (effort) Millie Tolman; year six (achievement) Joshua Phillips. Food Technology : year seven (effort) Sophie Twycross; year eight (achievement) Emily Singleton. ICT : year five (effort) Kathryn Muntz; year six (achievement) Kyra O'Regan; year seven (effort) Jordan Brown; year eight (achievement) Charlotte Eardley. Residential pupil of the trip - Osmington Bay year five - Jack Rutter; London year six - Scott Hooper; Great Wood year seven - Jack Lines. History : year five (effort) Chloe Jenkins; year six (achievement) Grace Dean; year seven (effort) Christian Lloyd; year eight (achievement) Phoebe Palk. Geography : year five (effort) Emily Lancaster; year six (achievement) Scott Hooper; year seven (effort) Callum Elswood; year eight (achievement) Hamish Davis. Religious Education : year five (effort) Amy Thomas; year six (achievement) Jack Read; year seven (effort) Cassie-Lee Jakeman; year eight (achievement) Samuel Cornelius-Light. Music year five (effort) Taryn White; year six (achievement) Katie Lenihan; year seven (effort) Stuart Aplin; year eight (achievement) Hamish Davis. Key Stage Two progress across the curriculum : Ethan Key. Art : year five (effort) Lysette Bennett; year six (achievement) Iona Davis; year seven (effort) Hannah Farmer; year eight (achievement) Samuel Ginno. PE : year five (effort) Molly Broom; year six (achievement) Arun Nixon; year seven (effort) Sophie Twycross; year eight (achievement) Lewis Williams.