Heckmondwike Grammar: Secondary School of the Year celebrates ‘outstanding successes’ of 2023

The event, which took place on Tuesday, December 19, saw over 600 guests flock to Dewsbury Town Hall, as the school - which recently won The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2024’s North Secondary School of the Year Award - paid tribute to the Year 11 and Year 13 classes of 2023.

Former student Joe Seddon, one of Europe’s most influential social entrepreneurs, was the guest of honour, while the audience was entertained by the school’s soul band and student violin soloist, Eleanor Turner.

Highlights of the evening included Saugat Bohara and Freya Thornton being presented with the Rex Scholarum award for the highest academic success, having both achieved four A* grades at A level. Saugat is currently having a gap year before reapplying to read computer science and Freya is reading medicine at Kings College, at the university of Cambridge.

Headteacher Peter Roberts said: “I would like to congratulate all the students and staff for their achievements this year which have been formally recognised in the Sunday Times Parent Power Survey, having being named ‘Secondary School of the Year’ and for the second year running ranked the second placed school in the whole of the North of England.

“This is an exceptional achievement and recognises all the hard work over a number of years.”