WHAT MAKES HIGHCLARE ‘HIGHCLARE’?
This was the theme for the speeches at this year’s annual prize giving event for Highclare Senior School, on Friday 12th November.
Mrs Margaret Viles, Head of Highclare School, congratulated all the pupils on the excellent results and with the help of guest speaker, Mr David Roberts, awarded prizes for academic and extra curricular achievement during the year.
Her speech was intercepted with musical and dramatic performances from some of the pupils pertinently illustrating the answer to her question. Extracts from Lewis Caroll ‘ Jabberwocky’, recital of poems by W H Auden and W E Henley, and a performance of the Flower Duet by Delibes, were included.
Prizes for effort and achievement were awarded throughout the school, as well as individual subject prizes for achievement in GCSE and A level examinations. The Hanson Plate & Prize for best A level student was awarded to Emily Collins, the Science Cup to Elizabeth Brown and Mathematics prize awarded jointly to Emily and Elizabeth. Sports Girl of the Year was awarded to Natasha Forrester and the House Festival Trophy was won by Lancaster.
Guest Speaker, Mr David Roberts, who is now a student in English Literature himself, after taking early retirement from his career in law, urged pupils, parents, governors and guests to consider the true meaning of the school’s motto ‘Facta non Verba’. He concluded that although the literal translation is ‘Actions not words’ in reality this message means that students should take opportunities to do things in life and not just talk about it ! A message which is already reinforced in the large number of activities and opportunities available to pupils at Highclare Senior School, and which will from September 2011 be available to boys as well as girls enrolled at the school.
The evening finished with a performance of ‘Fly me to the Moon’ by the senior school choir. Mrs Angie Moore, Pastoral Head of Senior School, said “This was an amazing evening for all the pupils and parents and marks the culmination of all the hard work put in during the year by both pupils and staff. We are justly proud of all their achievements”.
