A headteacher welcomed his school’s move to become a dual-specialism college during its GCSE award ceremony.

Anthony McNamara, of St Augustine’s RC High School, Billington, said at last night’s celebration evening that the hard work of students and staff had led to the school being designated a high performing specialist school this year, as well as becoming one of the few to have dual science and languages specialism.

But he criticised the government’s handling of the SAT tests this year, when all 205 pupils in St Augustine’s Year 9 were marked as absent from the maths exam.

He said: “In hindsight, absenting themselves would perhaps have been a better use of their time, given the comment by the education minister last week that SATs had ‘outlived their usefulness’.

"These SATs were worse than useless. For far too long they have restricted and narrowed children’s learning, and far too often the marking has been sloppy and inaccurate.

"Fortunately, there is more to school than exams.”

>> AWARD WINNERS

Margaret Ainsworth Memorial Silver Salver for Literature and Drama: Ieva Rusyte; Portfolio Award for Art: Grace Stafford; Cup for Drama: Samantha Harper; Prize for Geography: Joshua Anderson; Rey/Bulman Award for Modern Languages: Harriet Reader; Heyhurst Cup for Music: Samantha Harper; Prize for Religious Studies: Kate Lydon; Engineering Award: Luke Raith; Sandra Coulter Trophy for Contribution to School Sports: Peter Kellaway; Peter Rose Cup for Musical Endeavour: Rebecca Schofield.

Springhill Care Group Business and Communications Systems Award: Joseph Pennock; Merit Cup for English: Andrew Porter; Philip Morris Prize for History: Thomas Livesey; St Augustine’s Award for Mathematics: Peter Clayton; Grogan Trophy for GCSE PE: Rebecca Kemp; St Augustine’s prize for Science: Peter Clayton; Health and Social Care: Bethany Dilworth; Cope Award: Matthew Lister; Lambert Love of Languages Award: Niall Harkin.

Technology Awards: Food Thomas Puttock; Graphics Amy Scholes; Textiles Amy Smith; Resistant Materials: Daniel Hoyle; Electronics Joseph Smith.

Prize for Contribution to Young Enterprise: Peter Kellaway and Amy Scholes; Aim Higher Award: Thomas Talbot; Whalley Lions Shield for Service to the School Community: Joseph Wells and Jennifer Scurlock; Patrick Roberts Award for Contribution to Year 11: Christopher McKiernan and Jacob Foley; Peter Webster Memorial prize for Overall Contribution to Upper School: Depty Head Girls Harriet Reader and Amy Scholes; Deputy Head Boys Nicholas Gunn and Joseph Nightingale.

Lawrenson Trophy for Head Boy: Joseph Basquill; Simone Martin Trophy for Effort and Determination: Jac Bradley and Sophie Spear; Richard Sykes Trophy for Dedication and Achievement: James Hargreaves; Monsignor Guerin Rosebowl for Best GCSE results: Peter Clayton; Wardrobe Trophy for Work Ethos: Georgina Tootle and Demi Raith; Bob Ainsworth Memorial prize for Further Education: David Platt.

Osbaldeston Trophy for service to the school community: Nicola Curran; Jean Bell Memorial prize for Progress: Joseph Pennock; Alan Fish Progress Award: Nicholas Donnelly; Lawrenson Trophy for Head Girl: Samantha Harper; Anthony Leecy Cup for Dedication and Achievement: Hannah Darbyshire and Ashley Makinson; St Augustine’s Silver Salver for runner-up to best GCSE results: Patrick Scott; Pupil Council Prize: Nicholas Gunn; Nomination for Clitheroe 2000 Award 2007: Ieva Rusyte; PTFA AWard for Endeavour and Achievement: Daniel Hodgson, Andrew Oddie, Ivy Sala.

Sporting Achievements – Football Premier League and Cup Winners: Captain Joseph Nightingale; Dance – Lancashire Schools Dance Festival Representative: Dancer of the Year Laura Nicholson; Athletics – Represented Catholic Schools in Athletics: Sports Achiever of the Year Joseph Basquill; Hyndburn & Ribbley Valley: Ambassador Rebecca Kemp, Deputy: Nicola Curran.