After a 2-year break, we were very pleased and proud to be able to hold the GCSE Presentation Evening event at the end of 2022. This event gives staff, students and their parents the opportunity to celebrate the successes and achievements of the cohort who have most recently taken their GCSE exams. These students were the first to have taken formal GCSEs since 2019 and they should all be very proud of their results. Success is even more remarkable because they have achieved all of this against the back-drop of lockdowns, online learning, lateral flow tests and everything that went with schooling during the pandemic.
Both academic achievement and the Thamesmead values were celebrated in the presentation of the Special Awards with trophies given for successes in Sports, Performing Arts, Science, Mathematics, Design and Technology, Food & Nutrition, History and Languages alongside those for Endeavour, Courtesy, Services to the Community and Kindness. Trophies were awarded to Bronwyn Mayne, Harry Newbould, Billy Bletcher, Aadikesh Thekayil Rakeshkumar, Ben Mills, Keira Muir, Amelia Horn, Jude Isaacs, Ethan Willis, Holly Bentall, Dulcie Barry, Joshua Spackman, Elodie Morris-Hunt, Annabelle Martin, Carl Egginton, George Thomas, Ryan Hatton and George Prendergast. Over 40 students also received certificates and prizes for achievement or progress in all of the subject areas taught at Thamesmead.
Our Headteacher presented the awards alongside the Vice-Chair of Governors, Fred Pogson who both congratulated the students on their resilience over an unprecedented two years of learning.
Two of the award winners, Danny Drew and Alexander Portat wowed the audience with their amazing musical talent, performing spine-tingling pieces on the piano and electric guitar. The evening ended with the Friends of Thamesmead providing a wonderful buffet enabling everyone to gather to share news of their current endeavours. Many have gone on to study at local colleges or taken up apprenticeships and it was fantastic for staff to be able to hear about the next steps that their time at Thamesmead had prepared them for.