The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Presentation Evening in the last week of the Spring Term was a lovely evening of celebration. Nearly all of the 186 pupils who achieved their award in the last year were present: Gold, Silver and Bronze. The main speaker was Professor Damian Hughes, an international speaker and best-selling author who combines his practical and academic background within sport, organisational development and change psychology, to help organisations and teams to create a high performing culture. His talk was fascinating and illuminating and everyone was involved in the activities he asked the pupils and parents to try.
After the presentations of the traditional Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Mrs Pam Sleigh, our North of England D of E Operations Officer, announced the members of the (extended) Crompton House family who had achieved the Diamond Challenge Award. These included Mrs Jess Ritiche, English teacher, and her children James, Thomas and Emily. Mrs Jane Harvey, Learning Zone Manager, her nephew Alex and her mother, 83 year old Mrs Marjorie Buttner. Headteacher, Mr Newell, and his wife Mrs Marie Newell, Mr Jim Upton, Senior Deputy Head, his wife, Erica Ryan and History teacher, daughter Freya in Year 13, and son Tom an ex-CHS pupil. The whole Crompton House D of E Team took part in the Diamond Challenge with Mr Tony Hardman, Bronze Coordinator, , Mr Ian Wroe, Silver Coordinator, Mrs Kate Franklin, Gold Coordinator, and Mrs Wendy Buckley, D of E Student Support.
Jim Upton, the D of E coordinator for Crompton House said “We are delighted that so many of our pupils take up and achieve the Duke of Edinburgh Award. We have a very high completion rate, and in May eight of our pupils will be receiving their Gold Award at Buckingham Palace, which will be a fantastic day for the pupils and their parents. Damian Hughes was an excellent speaker, demonstrating how we can all achieve more with the right motivation and how activities like the D of E help to develop that self-motivation.
It is great that so many people connected to the school took part in the Diamond Challenge, celebrating 60 years of the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. As well as completing their own challenges each participant raised at least £60 for the scheme to fund less well-off children in the North West to take part in the award.”
The Diamond Award group picture shows:
Mr Karl Newell Headteacher, Cycled from Manchester to Blackpool
Mr Tony Hardman CHS Bronze D of E Coordinator, Completed 5km, 10km and ½ Marathon races
Mr Ian Wroe CHS Silver D of E Coordinator, Completed the Rosendale Triathlon
Mrs Kate Franklin CHS Gold D of E Coordinator, Completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Mrs Wendy Buckley CHS D of E Student Support, Completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Mr Jim Upton CHS D of E Coordinator, Performed in school performance of Joseph
Ms Erica Ryan Teacher, Achieved, and used, her Scout Leaders Nights Away Permit
Tom Upton ex CHS pupil, Completed a September Strava Cycle Challenge
Freya Upton Year 13 pupil, Completed 60 climbs and qualified as a Scout Climbing Instructor
Mrs Jane Harvey Learning Zone Manager, Completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Mrs Marjorie Buttner Mother of Jane Harvey (see above), Knitted 60 chicks for St Mary’s Church
Mrs Wendy Taala-Andrews CHS Attendance Officer, Completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Mrs Jayne Wood Teaching Assistant, Completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Mrs Jess Ritchie Teacher, Completed a Peak District Hill Challenge
James, Emily & Thomas Birks Children of Mrs Ritchie (see above), Completed a Peak District Hill Challenge
Callum Morrison Year 11, Swam sixty length of Royton Baths in 31 minutes
Katelyn Harrison Year 8, Swam a hundred lengths of Royton Baths
Beth Martin-Nixon Year 8, Swam a hundred lengths of Royton Baths
Toby Ranson Year 8, Climbed Snowdon
Other successful CHS Diamond Challengers were Alex Buttner (Yr 11), Mrs Olivia Cocker (Teaching Assistant), Mrs Marie Newell (SENCO), Kyle Wilcock (Yr 11)
