THE pride and the passion of the school year was encapsulated in a speech from Meridian School head teacher Dr Mike Firth on Monday evening. Speaking at the school s presentation evening, he said there was much in the school in which both the staff and st

THE pride and the passion of the school year was encapsulated in a speech from Meridian School head teacher Dr Mike Firth on Monday evening.

Speaking at the school's presentation evening, he said there was much in the school in which both the staff and students could be proud.

He praised the contribution of students in all aspects of school life during the past 12 months.

He said results from Year 11 students in GCSE exams were "magnificent" and for the school it was a "tremendous achievement".

And the sixth-form results had matched the record results of the previous years with the proportion of top grades higher than ever before, he said.

This had resulted in the school's largest number of admissions to university since 1994.

"That result is despite the impact of tuition fees," said Dr Firth.

He continued: "Excellent results are one important measure of a school's success, but other factors are an important measure, too.

"Find a school with flourishing music, drama, art and sport and you will find a successful school."

Dr Firth said: "A school such as Meridian teaches 40,000 lessons each year, but it is the experiences and skills developed out of the classroom that people remember in later life."

He said that the experiences that students will carry with them into the outside world would be various.

One such experience in the past year had been the school's production of Les Miserables.

"It was a magical performance which captured the imagination," he said.

Dr Firth added that both the staff and governors had "considerable pride" in the contributions of the students over the year.

The guest speaker, Peter Chapman, the ex-head teacher at Knights Templar School in Baldock, who began his teaching career at The Meridian School, spoke of students having their own dreams.

And he said that they were dreams that had to be pursued.

Earlier Rex Walford, one of the school governors, told the packed audience of students and parents that it had been a "challenging" year for the school.

Award winners

GCSE awards: Art Emily White Business Kerry Danaher, Siobhan Christopher, Erin Stannard Design & Technology Emma Holmes, Thomas Macfarlane, Thomas Hully Drama Alexandra Haggis English Martha Davies, Timothy Smith Geography Catherine Johnson History Christopher Trimble ICT Clare Catton Mathematics Alexandra Hegginbottom Modern Languages Claire Cooper, Timothy Smith Media studies Gemma Porter Music Emma Higton PE Joseph Carver Religious studies Laura Stacy Sciences Amanda Bray, Laura Gill, Alexander Overhill, Thomas Macfarlane.

Sixth-form awards: Art Christina Hadjisawas Business Thomas Guerrero Computing Joel Last Design & Technology Benjamin Charles, Hannah Dolden Drama Kimberly Hosein Electroncis Richard Tarpey English Megan Haggis,Christina Maylor Geography Alastair Hill History Luke Paton ICT Jack Manning Law Scott Manning Mathematics Graham White Modern Languages Miriam Katche, Emma Crouch Media studies Rachel Glen Music Kate Stannard PE Tess Fielden Psychology Laura Bass Religious studies Joanna Laing Sciences Rose Wainwright,Anna-Lize Botha, Joel Last Vocational Robert Hart, Matthew Skinner, Jodie Harris.

Effort Awards: Jennifer Watson (Year 9) Michael Hill (Year 10) Emma Higton (Year 11) Hannah Laker (6th form). Outstanding Progress Award Mildred Chindo Jane Fitzgerld Award (Drama) Tom Pinnock Kingsley Award (Best GCSE performance) Martin Goddard (Best A-level performance) Graham White Meridian Award (overall contribution to the school) Hannah Laker