A SCHOOL celebrated a recordbreaking year when pupils, governors and staff attended its presentation evening.

Spennymoor School hosted the event to acknowledge the academic and extra curricular achievements of pupils.

Chairman of governors Fred Walker thanked parents for their support and headteacher Paul Gillis said the school and individual students had enjoyed outstanding achievements.

Highlights included a fourth consecutive year of improved Key Stage 3 results and record GCSE results with 69 per cent of students gaining five or more top A* to C grades.

Award winners included - Sinead McKenna Favier, deputy headteacher's award - she was in the top five per cent of GCSE pupils in the country; Jack Tindle, Beyond Expectation award; Philip Key, head of sixth form award for citizenship; Nicholas Shaw, award for special achievement at Alevel; Kate Livingstone, headteacher's special award for greatest academic achievement; Charlotte Heslop, Neil Davis Trophy for musical achievement; Thomas West, TY McGurk Cup for sports attainment; Nicole Richardson, Thomas-Ferguson Plate for sports attainment.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards were presented to Lora Ainsley, Laura Brown, Anna Kidd, Jake Lickley, Connor Richardson, Shelby Wilsher, Sam Barnard, Natalie Heslop, Andrew Laidler, Ben Richardson and Lauren Richardson (bronze), and Thomas West and Shaun Snowdon (silver).