THE headteacher of a Colne school slammed education's current obsession with exams at his school's awards evening.

After praising pupils for achieving their best-ever SATs results, Park High School's headteacher Alan Chambers, criticised the current results-obsessed culture.

He told the audience, which included guest of honour County Councillor Alan Whittaker, portfolio holder for education and young people in Lancashire, that we needed to create a culture where 'education is valued.'

Mr Chambers said: "We must strive to create a culture within our society at large in which education is valued and the need to gain new knowledge throughout a working life is recognised and accepted by all.

"Unfortunately, it saddens me to say that for too many people in this country, education in its widest sense is simply not important enough.

"There seems to be an obsession with examinations, testing and targets, which could put at risk some of the things that the Government and schools are trying to achieve."

He also told the audience that, for the second year running, Year 9 pupils notched up the school's best results yet.

He said the success of the pupils, now in Year 10, means the school could look forward to good GCSE results in two years' time.

The head also revealed that it wasn't just younger pupils who did the school proud. GCSE pupils also improved on the previous year's results.

Last year, 40 per cent of pupils managed five or more grade Cs and above, but teachers were hoping that youngsters could improve on that this year.

Mr Chambers revealed that pupils exceeded all expectations, with 50 per cent of its Year 11 pupils getting five or more.

This was the first time the school had reached the 50 per cent mark.Awards

English Trophy: M Arnold; Tony Bridges Memorial Award for English Literature: A Bamber; Colne Bookshop award for progress in English: R Smith; Maths Trophy: C Smith; Tony Smith Science Trophy: R King; RG Allan & C Thomas Chemistry Trophy: G Hall; Physics Trophy: C Smith; Biology Trophy: M Arnold.

Modular Science Prize: K Smith; Pedestal Trophy for Humanities: K Fryer; Geography Trophy: G Hall & A Hewson; History Award: G Airey & D Airey; RE Trophy: S Hawthorne; Barbara Walton Trophy: O Dewhurst; Phyl Holmes Trophy for Textiles Technology: C Hatfield; Oddies Trophy for Food Technology: R King; EBP Trophy for Food Technology: C Russell; Rolls-Royce Trophy for Design Technology: T Hartley.

GCSE Trophy for Graphics: M Crow; GCSE Trophy for Resistant Materials: R Smith; Hargreaves, Brown & Benson Trophy for Business Studies: C Hatfield; Midland Bank Trophy for IT: T Hartley; Senior Drama Trophy: M Arnold, N Smith & E Cooper; Junior Drama Trophy: G Kirkbright & A Jones; Creative & Performing Arts Student of the Year: L Astin; Modern Languages Shield: M Arnold.

Otto Hahn Award: K Fryer; Modern Languages Effort Prize: D Greenhalgh; Beharrel Prize: C Davy (French) & E Markendale (German); Art Award: A Kirkbride; Music Trophy -- Service: S Hawthorne; Music Support Group Award for Musical Achievement: A Bamber; Allen Emmott Music Trophy for GCSE: L Perry; Patricia Brierley Junior Music Award: C Davy; Key Stage Three English Award: K Booth; Key Stage Three Mathematics Award: D Brown.

Key Stage Three Science Award: O Dewhurst; Key Stage Three Overall Achievement Award: S Pickering; Headteacher's Awards: G Cross & S Hawthorne; Steven Wesson Progress Award: R Sutcliffe; Nelson & Colne College Progress Shield: R Driver; Merit Trophy for Service to the School: K Gorman; Colne Lions Trophy: A Barker; High Sheriff Award for Highest Academic Achievement: M Arnold.

Sports Awards

Contribution to football: C Haworth; contribution to rugby: A Barker; contribution to basketball (boys): J Waddington & J Waddle; contribution to basketball (girls): N Smith; contribution to badminton: G Cross; contribution to athletics (boys): T Birtles; contribution to athletics (girls): L Dickinson.

Contribution to cross country (boys): K Smith; contribution to cross country (girls): C Bickerstaffe; contribution to netball: C Russell; contribution to hockey: H Baines; GCSE PE prize: R King; Marsden Trophy for Sport (boys): A Barker & L Jordan; Prudential Assurance Trophy for Sport: (girls) K Gorman.