Friday the 16th November was a day of celebration.
We welcomed the return of last year’s Higher Sixth’ students to collect their A’Levels as well as their academic excellence awards. Some of our Lower Sixth’s students were also rewarded for achieving excellence and commendable progress in their subjects. Chairman of Governors, Mr Gordon Main started proceedings with words of welcome and our Senior Wind Band, directed by Roger Meaden provided us with outstanding music.
It was a great honour to welcome back one of our students Alumni, Dr James Oldfield; brother of our last year’s Head Boy Stephen Oldfield, who himself won the Leon Ashton Prize for Outstanding Leadership. Dr Oldfield gave an enlightening speech about his time at Crompton House and his journey at Cardiff University, studying medicine up to his job working for NHS Pennine Care, training to be a GP. His words were encouraging and relatable; he quoted from a book called ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ by Nobel Prize Winner Daniel Kahneman that influenced his way of thinking and acting within his job. He also impressed upon us the importance of asking that stupid question and to not be afraid to keep asking if a concept isn’t quite understood. He spoke fondly of his teachers Mrs Borthwick, Mr Dunkley, Mr Raynerd and the late Mr Varney. Once all the certificates and trophies were handed out, our Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl gave a vote of thanks with a donation to Dr Oldfield’s chosen charity ‘the Springhill Hospice’. It was with great emotion that our Alumni and their parents and carers sang the school Hymn for perhaps the last time.
After the ceremony, all Alumni and their parents, teachers, governors and the Student Management Team were invited back to the Learning Zone for some refreshments and a catch up and, in my opinion a great time was had by all involved.
Johnny Lawrence
Deputy Head Boy
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