ANOTHER year of high achievement in and out of the classroom was reflected on at the annual prizegiving night for Bury Grammar School (Boys).

Professor John Garside, principal and vice-chancellor of UMIST, was welcomed as the special guest for the ceremony last Thursday (Oct 4) night. In his annual report, headteacher Mr Keith Richards told the assembled guests that during the last academic year the school had said goodbye to several members of staff.

Particular mention was made of Mr Malcolm Clarke, head of PE, who retired after 32 years.

His efforts helped to make it another impressive year, with outstanding athletic achievements for both teams and individuals. Pride of place went to Mark Freeman, who is the national under-16 gymnastics champion. On the charity front, the Junior School donated £3,477 to Cancer Research and the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team. Children in Need day and Comic Relief activities raised a total of £2,200, and the sixth form raised significant sums for Christie's Against Cancer and the Leukaemia Research Fund.

Mr Richards also gave mention to "splendid productions" of Fiddler on the Roof and Oklahoma, a trip by the history department to the First World War battlefields and a meeting by sixth form politics students with William Hague and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis.

Academically, it was another good year for the school with a 95.6 per cent A-level pass rate.

Mr Richards said: "It is the many other activities in which we engage that both define our school's character and also help to develop the self-confidence and self-esteem of our pupils.

"Hopefully, this enables them to cope with the demands of school, university and life beyond."

He praised the "support and commitment" of the teaching staff for helping to make this possible.