GB ROWER and Olympic Gold medalist Paul Bennett joined students, parents and staff at St Mary’s, Menston, as guest speaker and to present awards at the school’s annual Sixth Form Presentation Evening.

Paul enjoyed a memorable Olympic debut as he added Rio 2016 Gold to the back-to-back World Championship titles he won with the men’s eight. The Oxford Blue is in his fourth season with the senior squad, having made his GB Rowing Team debut in the first international race of the Rio Olympiad. Paul, the tallest rower in the GB squad at 6’8”, has also won European Silver and Bronze plus a host of World Cup medals during an impressive start to his international career.

St Mary’s results gained in the summer meant that well over 80 per cent of the cohort gained places at university with no fewer than 95 students securing places at their first choice university.

On the evening, students returned to receive not only their A level certificates but also special individual subject and community awards.

Individual prize winners were: Art Sophie Place; Applied Science Chloe Sunderland; Biology James Redlaff; Chemistry Iestyn Hayes; Economics Thomas Brady; English Language Ella Fitzpatrick; English Literature Luca Rizzello; English Dual Oliver Ribchester; French Anna Munroe; General Studies Thomas Markham; German Laura Donnelly; Government & Politics Benjamin Hopwood; Health and Social Nisa Iqbal; History Elliot Mulligan;

ICT Ellie Brosnan; Mathematics William Giles; Further Maths Thomas Hewitt; Music April Middleton; PE Alexander Henney; Physics Joseph Copsey;

Product Design Abigail Brown; BTEC Sports Studies Oscar Turnbull; Psychology Chloe Moir; Textiles Eliza Palumbo; Theatre Studies Benedict Kershaw; Theology Kate Hutchison.

Special prizes were also awarded: Highest Points Score at A level Thomas Brady; Highest Average Points Score at A level Lucy Tindale; Greatest Progress from KS4 to A level Michael Cockroft; The Kevin Leaver Memorial Geography Prize Joshua Hogg; Sports College Award for Excellence in Sport James Cape; Mo’s Prize Mairenn Collins; Stephen Botterill Award for Excellence in Physics of Forces and Motion Connor Nelson;

Aireborough Rotary Service Above Self Award Anna Munroe; Otley Lions Achievement Awards Kevin Bediouhoune and Patrick Bourke; Governors’ Award Mairenn Collins, Lucy Tindale, Benedict Kershaw and Elliot Mulligan

The Bambisanani and Diana Awards: Thomas Brady, Jessica Carroll, Christopher Chavez-Cronin, Benedict Cheetham, Mairenn Collins, Joseph Copsey

Dominique Cunningham, William Giles, Niall Hogan, Hannah Jowett, Mitchell Lofthouse, Elliot Mulligan, Rebecca Still and Lucy Tindale

The Sbonelo Magwaza Award Mitchell Lofthouse

Eric Dawson Award for ‘The Distance Travelled’ Daniel Lofthouse

Music on the evening was provided by Molly Ness and Year 12 student, Rosie Egan.

Headteacher, Mr Darren Beardsley said: “I was delighted to see so many students return to school, along with their families, to collect examination certificates and a wide range of other prizes. We are extremely grateful to Paul Bennett for joining us on this occasion and giving an inspiring insight into his own career progression, encouraging students to be determined to reach their own personal goals. We appreciate the support and attendance of representatives from Otley Lions, the Aireborough Rotary Club, Arthur J Gallagher Risk Management Services, Saffery Champness Chartered Accountants and Schofield Sweeney Solicitors, who generously sponsor awards and prizes, and we look forward to continuing these links.

"The year group achieved incredible academic success, as well as contributing to many aspects of school life and serving the local, national and international communities. We believe that our Sixth Form Students are great ambassadors for the school and I wish them every success in the future.”