THE best of the Bolton school community have been given a chance to shine.

Behind classroom doors are thousands of teachers, pupils and staff working hard every day to bring top class education to the community.

And here we honour the achievements of those people and places that make up all that’s good in the borough’s schools at the second Bolton News School Awards.

Secondary School of the Year, sponsored by University Technical College Bolton: Ladybridge High School

CHILDREN at this school want to change the world for the better and teachers want to give them the skills and ability to do just that.

Ladybridge High School has been given the title Secondary School of the Year recognising what it has achieved under the inspirational leadership of Hilary D’Arcy. She retired at the end of the academic year.

In 2007 the school was in the bottom 200 schools in the country with just 18 per cent of pupils leaving school with five or more good grades in their GCSEs including English and maths.

Under Mrs D’Arcy’s leadership the school has featured in the top 100 most improved schools in the country a number of times.

It has results above the national average — and says deputy headteacher Ann Zammit the school is a world away from that she “took under her wing” in 2007.

Her philosophy of “if it’s not good enough for my children, it’s not good enough for Ladybridge’s children” now runs through the school every day.

Ms Zammit said: “Hilary turned Ladybridge into a family. Under her inspirational and outstanding leadership she encouraged all to be the best they could be. She created a happy, safe and secure environment for the whole school community and ensured she knew each and every student.

“Thanks to her stewardship of the school, Ladybridge students have been given the happiest of memories and the brightest of futures.”
Young people at the school are amongst the most charitable in the borough. 

They support charities at home and abroad, with a special emphasis on transforming the lives of children around the world through their support of UNICEF, so much so it is the charity’s top fundraising school in the UK.

Ms Zammit said: “Many of our students come from all over the world and the flags in our school hall are a visual representation of the international nature of our school.

“Some of our students have come from places in the world that UNICEF is working in and several students were actually in UNICEF camps before coming to England. This is particularly moving for many of our staff.”

She added: “We send the money we raise with our love and the hope that many children’s lives are transformed.”

Mrs D’Arcy said: “Ladybridge is a wonderful school, brimming with aspiration for, and pride in, each and every one of our very special students.”

Martin Witter, headteacher added: “We are delighted to have been selected for this special award.

“We would like to thank those who have nominated us. 

“It means such a lot to us and it makes us all even more determined to be the best that we can be.”