One of the most enjoyable dates in the school calendar at Blacon High School is the whole –school Celebration Evening, which was held on 29^th September. It is the school’s opportunity to celebrate the successes of the previous year and reward the attainments and effort of students from each year group.

As always, the event was very well attended and the guest speaker addressed a large audience of proud parents, carers and students. Describing his career as a ‘ticket to happiness,’ Sky TV’s news reporter Mike McCarthy recalled his own rise to notoriety in journalism, a journey that has enabled him to travel the globe, interview world leaders, and report on some of the most important news stories of our time such as the unrest in Iraq and Afghanistan. His message to the students was simple:  if you work hard and aim high, anything is possible!

That was certainly the case for a number of leavers in 2015 who secured fully-funded places at some of the top independent schools in the country, including the prestigious Eton College.

This year’s ‘Lilian Young Legacy Award,’ presented in memory of an ex-teacher from Blacon High School, went to top-performing student Alexandra Cosme, who secured A and A* grades at GCSE and, after winning a bursary-funded place, is now studying for her A levels at Bradfield College in Reading.

Among a host of other awards celebrating achievement across all subject areas in the school, the Head Teacher’s award went to Thea Moore; this was a popular choice. Thea is an example of all of the qualities that epitomise the values at Blacon High School and her excellent outcomes at GCSE reflect the hard work and effort she illustrated, especially in years 10 and 11.

A number of invited guests and VIPs attended the event including Sheriff of Chester Alex Black; Councillor Carol Gahan; Councillor Reggie Jones and Blacon High School Chair of Governors David Peachey. All the guests were filled with praise about the school and its students.

This was the last time that the event will be held at its current venue and the Head Teacher, staff and students look forward to welcoming everyone to next year’s celebration in the new school building, which is due for completion in May 2016.