St Helena Secondary School Holds Annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony

On Friday, 20 February 2026, students, parents, and distinguished guests gathered in the St Helena Secondary School (SHSS) Hall for the annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony. This event celebrates student achievement and the successful completion of various qualifications.

The ceremony commenced with a warm welcome from Minister of Education, Skills and Employment, Andrew Turner, who addressed the audience before the presentation of certificates began.

The first round of awards recognised former Year 10, 11, 12, and 13 students, who received their certificates for a range of qualifications, including the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQ), Advanced Subsidiary (AS-Level), and Advanced Level (A-Level).

Following this, individual awards were presented to students who excelled in various disciplines, celebrating outstanding achievements across multiple areas.

Award	Awardee
Jean Beadon Art Award	Sitthipon (Om) Sawangwong
Governor’s Award for academic excellence and achievement at Key Stage 3	Jude Jacobs and Bethany Bennett
PTA Student of the Year Award for the top performing student in Year 11 and Year 13	Asa Bushuru and Leah Bedwell
SURE Award for the top performing male and female in Year 11	Rebekah Braaf and Asa Bushuru
Jeanette Williams Mathematics Achievement Award for the highest Mathematics score in Year 11 and Year 13	Kalem Henry and Asa Bushuru
English Achievement Award for the highest English score in Year 11 and Year 13	Rebekah Braaf and Isabella Scott
Eliza Mary Lloyd Trust Agriculture Award for commitment to agriculture	Ashley Henry
Bishop Houghton Award for pastoral care and support of the community	Diederik Robbertse
Joy George Award for outstanding effort, progress and achievement at the end of Key Stage 3	Jacob Herne

Teachers Steve Plato and Gavie Williams were also recognised for their commitment to continued professional development in achieving the following awards:

Mr Steve Plato received his Professional Development Qualification Diploma in Teaching and Learning
Mrs Gavie Williams received her Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Throughout the ceremony, various musical items were performed by SHSS students under the guidance of Music Teacher, James Fantom. Willow Yon-Duncan performed a piece ‘10 000 Reasons’ on the violin, Year 7 music students performed a cultural Cameroonian folk song called ‘Bela Mama’ and the Enrichment Rock Band performed a song called ‘Seven Nation Army’.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks from Head Teacher, Phil Toal, with closing remarks delivered by HE Governor Nigel Phillips.

Head Teacher for SHSS, Phil Toal, commented:

“Our annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony is one of the highlights of the school year, as it gives us the opportunity to publicly recognise the commitment, resilience and ambition shown by our young people. The achievements celebrated today reflect not only academic success, but also the character, determination and growth of our students across a wide range of pathways.

I am immensely proud of all our award recipients and certificate holders, and grateful to our dedicated staff who continue to go above and beyond to support and inspire our learners. Events like this remind us that success comes in many forms – from examination results and vocational achievements to creativity, leadership and service to others.

My thanks go to parents, carers and partners for their continued support, and to our performers who added such warmth and vibrancy to the ceremony. Together, as a school community, we are committed to ensuring that every young person at SHSS is given the opportunity to thrive and to realise their potential.”

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