PRESTEIGNE'S John Beddoes School is about delivering a quality education to children of all abilities, according to head teacher John Stocker speaking at the school's speech day.

Welcoming guests, former deputy head teacher Keith Parker and his wife Joan, Mr Stocker congratulated pupils on their achievements.

He added: "This is a school that cares for the needs of the individual. I hope people will recognise that John Beddoes is a school that works hard for its pupils in the true meaning of education which is far more than just aspiring to the dizzy heights of examinations successes."

A minute's silence was held to remember a former pupil, Sam Vaughan who died just before the GCSE exams were due to begin.

Mr Stocker also proudly spoke of all the pupils who represented their county in various sporting activities as well as Chaz Davies, who took part in the World Motorcycling Championships.

PRIZE-WINNERS:

English, Megan Griffin; mathematics, Sam Hall, Matilda Lawrence; local history, Piers Gwynn, Rebecca Bennett, Daniel Southcoat; languages, Helen Pope, Megan Griffin; ceramics: Jade Lloyd; art, Rebecca Poole; business, Ruth Leopold; travel and tourism, Richard Schofield.

Creative English, Claire Grimwade; perseverance, Rebecca Rogers, Joanna Wood, Christopher Lloyd; technology prizes - GCSE, Natasha Gorton, Guy Baxter; A-level, David Price, John Prince; English spoken word, Lia Vincent Gilmour, Eliza Selley; service to the school, Helen Pope, Paul Dawe.

Science, Matilda Lawrence; biology, Angharad Matthews; chemistry, Sarah Owens; psychology, Gemma Morgan; RE, Joanne White; junior modern foreign language, Claire Grimwade; effort award, Matthew Bufton; drama, Rebecca Bennett; music, Amy Beavan; Welsh, Helen Powell.