St. Stephen’s Church in Tonbridge was the stunning backdrop for Hillview’s Senior Prize Giving Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 16 December.
The school was celebrating students’ exam and subject successes once again at the end of a hugely successful year. This summer, Hillview Sixth Form bucked the national trend in A* and A grades (or equivalent) with an impressive 15% of students achieving A* grades (national average 8.2%).
This year’s event was particularly vibrant, including an impressive range of sixth form performances from flute and guitar solos to musical theatre performers and singers.
Following an opening address by Chair of Governors, Sue Bishop, Deputy Headteacher Kevin Hill gave an overview of the year. He presented an entertaining reminder of the numerous events and activities that have occurred at Hillview during 2015 – from Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award to the summer musical, Annie, and various sporting and charity achievements.
A large number of students received awards, including Kelsey Sowerby (Achievement in Science Trophy), Lauren Beaney and Kelly Beany (joint winners of the Barbara Corke Community Prize), Amber Pursey (Expressive Arts Cup) and Hannah Rainbow (Greta May Award).
Miss Owen, Head of Sixth Form, also praised the students’ achievements:
“I’m extremely proud of our students – our annual Senior Prize-Giving event is a fantastic opportunity to come together as a school community and celebrate students’ achievements over the past year, as well as recognising their hard work and commitment. It’s also a chance to look back over all the activities, trips and experiences that have made the past year so special. The results for 2015 were excellent and I look forward to even greater success in 2016.”
A highlight of the ceremony was a presentation by Guest Speaker, Fiona Gilmore. Fiona is a branding and positioning expert, author, public speaker and founder of Aranchi Consulting.
Taking inspiration from astronaut, Tim Peake, Fiona spoke of the importance of ‘reaching for the stars’. Fiona herself has a rich and varied CV, having worked in war-torn countries, in boardrooms and has even presented on Question Time, so she was keen to emphasise the importance of adaptability and versatility as essential skills for all careers.
Students listened intently when she spoke of the importance of having early exposure to Performing Arts to develop important interpersonal skills, for careers as diverse as Law, Teaching and Journalism.
She even gave an impromptu drama sketch, taken from Molière, in French, which received huge applause. The ceremony was then closed by Miss Owen.
