EMMERDALE actress Charley Webb was one of many pupils at Philips High School in Whitefield who made an outstanding individual achievement in the class of 2004.

The 16-year-old, who plays young Debbie Jones in the popular soap - daughter of Charity and Cain Dingle - was mentioned in the headteacher's prize-giving speech on Thursday of last week.

Mr Chris Trees also singled out David Naylor, recipient of the Princess Diana Memorial Award, and Carol Hooley, for being in the top 10 students out of an entry of 6,386 for vocational GCSEs.

Speaking at Radcliffe Civic Suite, Mr Trees said of Charley Webb, who juggled filming with her school work: "She was a great success, a tremendous success, including a nomination for Best Young Actress of the Year and has had her contract renewed. However, once she returned to school there was nothing of the prima donna' about her . . . fame did not go to her head."

Of David Naylor, who was the National Archery Champion for his age group and suffers chronic renal problems, he said: "When we announced his award, the pupils spontaneously were on their feet clapping their hands and cheering David in the warmest way that you could possibly imagine with no affectation and no jealousies."

Mr Trees added: "Carol Hooley was typical of the class of 2004, to whom I must now address my remarks . . . they were an articulate, committed, intelligent, caring and very likeable set of young people. Yet for all this, none of these things ever seemed to go to their heads, either collectively or individually."

Mr Trees held up the group of young people as proof that sometimes adults who criticise them get it wrong.

He had a message to those who said young people were badly behaved, were ill-mannered and claimed the GCSEs were not worth the paper they were written on:

"I have to say I think your attitudes are wrong. I think those attitudes and opinions are uninspiring and, above all, I think they do not reflect the overall picture of young people today, but reflect what the minority do and what the hidden majority do not."

As well as praising his pupils, Mr Trees had some advice for them too.

He told them not to rest on their laurels as the price of success was the demand for more success, and said they had the capacity to do good, had drive and initiative that will be a vital element to their country, community, family and themselves.

Mr Trees added: "I am a great believer in the JF Kennedy thing, 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country'."