THE shining stars at Pershore High School gleamed brightly last week as students were honoured for their numerous achievements.

Proud parents joined award-winning students in a packed school hall for the annual Presentation Evening held on Thursday (26).

They were welcomed to the event by chairman of governors Rob Phillips and this year's guest of honour, Lord Phillips of Sudbury, also gave a speech.

Students excelling in all manner of subjects were honoured and the pupils also showed their public speaking skills with a review of the year coming from year 8 and the sixth form.

But it was not just performing well in subjects that gained students an award with prizes for progress, commitment, contribution to the school community and exceptional effort all gratefully accepted by deserving winners.

After all the presentations had been made headteacher Clive Corbett made his own speech where he highlighted how important he felt it was to ensure children leave school as well rounded individuals, equipped to deal with life in the outside world.

He said: "Young people are tested more than ever but our national pre-occupation with data and exams do not guarantee success. We still face a hell of a battle for the soul of education - is education about standards or the well-being and life chances of young people?

"My own personal experiences have convinced me that we must look at the broader education of the child and the community in which he and she live.

"I was challenged to come up with a motto for the school and I came to the conclusion that I would give our students three pieces of advice - believe in yourself, trust others and be happy."

Prizewinners were: Art: Art Award in Memory of Sophie McGorrigan: Bethany Pope; The Pershore High School Photography Award: Oliver Owen; Art Award - Short Course: Daniel Wilcox; Photography Award - Short Course: Joanna Train; Art Award - Full Course: Francesca Potter Business Education: Outstanding Effort and Achievement in Applied Business Education at Key Stage 4: Thomas Neal; Outstanding Effort and Achievement in Business Education at Key Stage 5: Jack Busby; Outstanding Effort and Achievement in Business Education at Key Stage 4: Dominic Burr; Most Improved Student in Business Education at Key Stage 5: Reena Bhatt; Outstanding Effort and Achievement in Applied Leisure and Tourism at Key Stage 4: Rebecca Dawkes; Outstanding Achievement in Business Education: Oliver Owen Drama Outstanding Contribution to Drama: Thomas Fincher, Samuel Walton English Outstanding Achievement in English: Key Stage 3: Mark Grimes; Key Stage 4: Rebecca Wheeler; Key Stage 5: Emily-Kate Cavell-Hill Geography Best Geographical Investigation: Ryck Williamson; Best Geographer in Key Stage 3: Kate Rawlings The Hampton Centre The Student Achievement Award: Kieran Collyer, Rebecca Donegan, Jacob Holmes, Joshua Critchley History Outstanding Effort, Achievement and Improvement in GCSE History: Heather Busby, Amelia Stephens; Prize for A-Level History: Nicholas Sexton Information and Communication Technology ICT in the School Community Award: Thomas Fincher; Sixth Form Award for ICT: David Farebrother Mathematics Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics: Key Stage 3: Megan Chitty; Key Stage 4: Hannah Redgewell, Leonie Yarnold; The Walter Palfrey Shield for Achievement in Mathematics: Giles Shaw Modern Foreign Languages The Wychavon Shield for Excellence in Modern Languages: Hannah Clubley, Giles Shaw; Outstanding Performance at Key Stage 3: Megan Chitty, Rosa Clubley, Edward Surman; Outstanding Performance at Key Stage 4: Heather Busby, Adam Gordon, Eleanor Percival; The Peugeot Shield for Progress in Modern Languages: Michael Herdman, Sophie de' la' Mare Music Contribution to the Musical Life of the School: Kathryn Cobain, Heather Jones, Abigail Raggett, Chantelle Cain, Jessica Smith, Lucy Taylor; Contribution to the Musical Life of the school throughout their school career at PHS: Amy Glazzard, Rachel Sadler, Rebecca Wagner, Rebecca Winter; Musician of the Year: Emily Jones Psychology Award for Outstanding Achievement: Hannah Clubley Physical Education and School Sport Sportswoman of the Year: Year 8: Ella Gibbons; Year 9: Elizabeth Davis; Year 10: Hannah Chidlow; Year 11: Hannah Bainbridge; Sixth Form: Sophie Reeves Progress and Commitment Award - Girls Year 8: Esther Chidlow; Year 9: Joanna Hartley; Year 10: Molly Browne; Year 11: Amy Ridge Sportsman of the Year Year 8: Daniel Bailey; Year 9: Jack Lambert; Year 10: Andrew Geoghegan; Year 11: Daniel Wilson; Sixth Form: Christopher Ridings Progress and Commitment Award - Boys Year 8: Thomas Perks; Year 9: Brett Taylor; Year 10: Nathan Comber; Year 11: Andrew Taylor The Ben Woodcock Memorial Trophy in recognition of contribution to school basketball: Liam Blondon; Coach of the Year Award: Ryck Williamson; The Tom Richardson Award for Outstanding Progress and Commitment: Molly Browne, Andrew Taylor Science The ESA McIntosh Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science: Emily Baxter, Andrew Marks; Award for Best Science Coursework: Robert Holman Technology: Design Outstanding Achievement in Manufacturing: Sean Bagnall; Outstanding Achievement in Product Design: Michael Walker Technology: Food For Outstanding Achievement and Effort in Food Technology: Crystal Harman Technology: Textiles The Kirsty Goodes Award for Achievement in Textiles: Esther Womersley Vocational Education For Outstanding Achievement in Vocational Education Business: Curtis Smith; Health, Social Care and Early Years: Jessica Chippendale-Jones Exceptional Effort in Vocational Education Young Apprenticeship in Motor Vehicle Studies: Ashley Bird; Excellence in Work Experience: Ryan Farquharson Citizenship The Evesham Vale Lions Good Citizenship Award: Chloe Bitcon; The Pershore Town Council Citizenship Award: Stephen Maughan; The Pershore Abbey Citizenship Award: Nathan John; Co-operative Community Action Awards 2008: Victoria Barrett, Hannah Evans, Thomas Fincher Contribution to School Community Thomas Fincher The Sixth Form For Service to the Sixth Form: Thomas Deakin, Zoe Ogden Carpe Annum Chloe Bitcon Gold Awards Year 8: Joanne Bull, Esther Chidlow, Katie Clark, Philippa Cole, Daniel Comber, Frances Dobell, John Dolan, Amy Field, Elizabeth Fletcher-Byers, Sam Gardner, Ella Gibbons, William Griffiths, James Harley, Charlotte Haynes, Frances Jones, Katherine Kellard, Rose Llewellyn, Andrew Makepeace, Rebecca Marks, Leah Martin, Bethany McIlvenny, Thomas Meades, Stephanie Moule, Thomas Moule, Catherine Parkinson, Thomas Perks, Amy Price, Abigail Raggett, Cara Reed, Joseph Reynolds, Kieron Sheen, Jamie Smith, Samuel Steele, Jessica Thornton, Hayley Tomlinson, Oliver Wilcox, Florence Young Year 9: Olivia Adams, Matthew Baker, Lauren Ball, Natalie Bray, Chantelle Cain, Samantha Charlton, Rachel Corbett, Ebony Findlay, Jodie Grant, Hannah Griffin, Lucy Hanson, Olivia Harbridge, Coral Harman, Kate Hickinbotham, Robert Ireland, Michole Jeynes, Georgina Jones, Henry Mallinson, Eleanor Morris, Bethany Mullaly, Sofie Owen, Alexander Pope, Lucy Taylor, Stephanie Weaver Gold and Platinum Awards Year 8: Eleanor Beevis, Martha Browne, Kathryn Cobain, Alexander Dowson, Holly Giles, Mark Grimes, Andrew Hemming, Ashley Phillips, Joshua Stacey Year 9: Katie Clasen, Elizabeth Davis, Hannah Fowler, Alasdair Mustard, Kate Rawlings, Jessica Smith, Edward Surman, Samuel Verralls, Alexander Wagner Exceptional Effort Year 8: Eleanor Beevis, Frances Dobell, William Griffiths, Charlotte Haynes, Laura Madden, Laura Radley, Jamie Smith; Year 9: Elizabeth Davis, Joshua Carr, Jessica Hawthorn, Misha Tacy, Stephanie Weaver; Year 10: Molly Browne, Rebecca Gillmore, Thomas Fincher, Laura Higgins, Emma Hildesley, William Hill, Jordan Kirkland; Year 11: James Grant, Helen Moore, Rebecca Parkinson, Victoria Shone, Rebecca Wagner; Year 12: Freya Davidson-Smith, Hannah Evans, Scott Law, Samantha Nicklin, Katherine Quinn, Natalie Titmus; Year 13: Jennifer Barrett, Melissa Carey, Naomi Robinson, Amy Baldwin, Rebecca Blundell Academic Excellence 2007/2008 Year 8: Martha Browne, Philippa Cole, Daniel Comber, Lucy Ellingworth, Ella Gibbons, Mark Grimes, Laura Madden; Year 9: Megan Chitty, Rosa Clubley, Rachel Corbett, Lucy Hanson, Kate Rawlings, Edward Surman; Year 10: Rebecca Dawkes, Robbie Guy, Fiona Hartley, Alexander Irish, Andrew Oxley, Sebastian Shaw, Curtis Smith; Year 11: Dominic Burr, Heather Busby, Stephanie Holmes, Helena Long, Eleanor Percival, Hannah Redgewell; Year 12: Jack Busby, Imogen Morris, Katherine Quinn, Matthew Smith, Emily Young; Year 13: Hannah Clubley, Giles Shaw, Samuel Peirce, Michael Walker