Awards Evening 2025

 Students’ Academic Achievements Celebrated

Over 100 students awarded with medals and certificates for hard work

On Thursday 10th July, The Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College held its annual awards evening, which celebrated the success and hard work of well over 100 high-achieving students.

During the awards ceremony, the school’s highest-achieving students were presented with an award recognising their hard work, commitment, and academic success. Each of the school’s faculties and subject areas nominated two students from each year group to receive a subject award. The subject areas also selected one student, from any year group, to receive the overall award for that subject.

In addition, one high-achieving student from each year group was selected by their head of year for an award. The outstanding students of the year were Elsie Jackson – Year 7, Lena Winiarczyk – Year 8, Edward Dewes – Year 9, and Kallum Mackley – Year 10.

Year 10 student Maya Telka was selected by the school’s headteacher for a special award, and Connor Daysh was chosen to receive the Don O’Neill Award. The Alison Davies Award, which was introduced in 2024 and named after the school’s former headteacher, was awarded to Year 10 student Abha Masuti, for her commitment to the school’s values.

The students, who sat in front of proud parents, carers, and family members, were presented with a medal by the school’s special guest and headteacher, Blake Francis.

Paralympian Anna Turney

For this year’s awards evening, the school invited Paralympic skier Anna Turney to present the awards. Growing up, Anna dreamed of snowboard racing for GB in the Winter Olympics. However, in 2006, an accident left her paralysed from the waist down. Anna was determined to get back to the mountains and soon took up. Within three years, Anna achieved her goal and raced in the Vancouver Paralympics. At the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games, she was part of Britain’s most successful Winter Paralympic Team. 

Head of Year Carole Labreize, who organised the awards evening’ said, “Our annual awards evening is one of the highlights of the school year. It’s always a pleasure to welcome parents and carers to celebrate their child’s success and to see their child collect their award.

Blake Francis, Headteacher, commented, “At AVS we encourage our students to be ambitious, and it is wonderful to be able to recognise and celebrate our students' ambition and hard work. I am very grateful to our speaker, Anna Turney, for joining us and for sharing her inspirational story with our students and their guests. I also thank Miss Labreize for organising the event.”