Celebrating Excellence

Posted By: William Hobhouse
Date Posted: 12/11/2009

I had the pleasure of attending, as a School Governor, the Celebration of Excellence Evening at Oulder Hill Community School and Language College.
The celebration is, I believe, in its second year and publicly recognises the talents and achievements of many pupils in the school. The Gracie Fields Theatre is full to the back with the pupils themselves and all the supporting parents, family and friends. The evening is quite formal, with a guest speaker, and presentation of awards and prizes.
This year, following a couple of choir pieces, the Chair of Governors Hilary Tyers opened the evening with a welcome. Headteacher Margaret Dudley then gave a report. She was upbeat, saying how incredibly well the school had performed in the 2008-9 year with excellent improvements in results. Oulder Hill performs 6% above the national average, and 9% above the Rochdale average, and this performance has been recognised by Ofsted, who have judged the school very positively.
Then followed a second musical interlude with a solo song from Starlight Express and a euphonium solo.
The Guest Speaker was Mr Richard Vince, the Governor of HM’s Prison in Manchester (which used to be called Strangeways). He told us how children excluded from school all too often end up in the prison system, and how 70% of all prisoners enter prison with a drug or alcohol addiction. It was a thought-provoking speech.
Then Deputy Headteacher Mr Watson compered the prizegiving, with Mr Vince handing the prizes out. Every subject in every year awarded a prize. Following all the form prizes, there were the more general awards – for example the Award for Citizenship, the Rotary Club award for the most improved student, and the Rochdale Childer Award for both a lower school and a 6th Form pupil. Finally the Head Boy and Girl and their deputies from last year received recognition, and were joined by their successors on stage.
It was a wonderful evening celebrating the talents of the next generation.