PUPILS and staff at Darwen Moorland High School were applauded by head teacher Richard Bridges at the speech night for their hard work and commitment.

Mr Bridges said the number of students leaving with qualifications last year had increased, with 98 per cent receiving GCSE certificates and 94 per cent of those achieving grades A *to G. He said that this year the school had also received a certificate of distinction for their after school activities scheme and commitment to the enrichment of the educational experience of young people.

He said: "We cannot measure with a ruler the beauty of music, we cannot weigh the beauty of a flower on the scales, we cannot mathematically define what true friendship is and I think the same is true for education."

He said he was looking to the future with confidence, which was possible because of the many partners who supported the school, from governors, the Local Education Authority and the Education Business Partnership, to the post 16 training providers, parents, local industry and members of the community.

Picture: Blackburn College principal Sheena Ewing with pupils, from the left, Philip Newhan, Katie Haworth, Neil Wruk and Bryn Naylor