DIAMOND and gold awards have been presented to mark the sparkling success and achievements of youngsters at a Felixstowe school.Deben High is celebrating another year of hard work, determination and progress by its students in academic studies, music and art, and sports.

DIAMOND and gold awards have been presented to mark the sparkling success and achievements of youngsters at a Felixstowe school.

Deben High is celebrating another year of hard work, determination and progress by its students in academic studies, music and art, and sports.

To mark the success of the Key Stage Three pupils - those in years seven, eight and nine - parents and school governors were invited along to join the awards ceremony at a special assembly.

It was an opportunity to learn more about the work of and with the three year groups as well as celebrate their success.

Headteacher Terry Ring said the school's Achievement Award scheme had proved highly-successful since it was introduced, with many bronze and silver awards made at assemblies throughout the year, as well as the gold and diamond certificates being presented at the ceremony.

A student would need to accumulate 100 Achievement Awards - given for excellence in their work - in order to reach the diamond standard.

"The awards acknowledge the real hard work that the vast majority of pupils put into their studies in order to achieve well," said Mr Ring.

"To gain gold and diamond awards, the students have to achieve well in a range of subjects and get Achievement Awards in at least five subjects.

"The awards can be given for exceptionally good work in class or exceptionally good homework or for a very special piece of work which goes beyond normal expectations, and to pupils who are making real progress."

There were 48 pupils in all three years receiving gold awards, but most of the ten diamond ones went to students in years eight and nine, though one student in year seven had incredibly managed to achieve the standard in just two terms.

A range of other presentations included the Peter Ainger Award for Achievement in Music, which was presented to Victoria Scarlett.

The assembly in the sports hall at the school in Garrison Lane also enjoyed music from the school's jazz band and a fencing display.

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Diamond and gold awards:

Gold:

Year 7: Joshua Froggatt; Lauren Atkins; Flora Charlton; William Pearce; Lauren Shenfield; Sarah Evans; Georgina Rushen-Smith; Jennifer Teo; Gemma Allard; Emily White.

Year 8: Mark Knights; Stevie Davison; Chloe Grimwood; Emily Shevlin; Frances Edwards; Rebecca Sleightholme; Rebecca Warren; Daniel Wheeler; Casey Amass; Emily Carey; Daniel Johnson; Shaun Lou; Danielle Pearson; Sophie Boleyn; Matthew Boreham; Nicola Butcher; Matthew Cornwell; Eleanor Dunn; Thomas Edwards; Helen Finegan; Matthew Flecknoe; James Fowler; Emma Keen; Rosanna King; Sophie Lockwood; Joshua Rayner; Hannah Rowe; Louise Wright; Georgia Johnstone; Ellen Ruffles; Benjamin Smith; Kathryn Stone.

Year 9: Stacey Nevett; Mark Fulcher; Rebecca Emeny; Alicia Laflin; Natalie McCullough.

Diamond:

Year 7: Jennifer Teo.

Year 8: Amy Crossley; Helen Finegan; Joshua Rayner; Laura Downs; Kathryn Stone; Rosie Pearce.

Year 9: Natalie Turland; Victoria Scarlett; Sarah Donnelly.