Junior Prize Giving Ceremony 2023

10 Jul 2023

We put a spotlight on the achievements of our pupils over the last 12 months at a special event in Southport recently.

The prestigious Atkinson arts centre on Lord Street was the venue for our junior prize-giving ceremony.

The VIP guest at this year’s event was former professional footballer and ‘Lioness’ Isobel (‘Izzy’) Christiansen who ended her career with Everton before retiring at the end of last season.

Prior to that Izzy played for Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and French club Olympique Lyonnais where she was part of the team that won the French league title and the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2019.

In her speech, Izzy focused on the theme of resilience and the idea of never giving up.  

Elsewhere at the event the large Atkinson audience heard that our Preparatory School had again achieved excellent academic results during the year.

They also watched pupils collect prizes and awards recognising their success in a wide range of extracurricular activities including music, drama and sport.

And guests also enjoyed a series of choral and instrumental performances that once again highlighted the talent and creativity of pupils at St. Mary’s Prep.

In his wide-ranging review of the last 12 months, our Headteacher Jonathan Webster said that during the year pupils had had the opportunity to take part in four residential trips and more than 20 other visits.

Our school has also supported 15 charities and welcomed visitors from over 20 outside organisations, focusing on everything from African culture and Spanish dance to the plight of refugees and the benefits of yoga.

Mr Webster commented: “This evening is very important for the school because it gives all our families the opportunity to gather and celebrate the achievements of our pupils in their many endeavours over the past year.

“It is our belief that every child has their own excellence and as a school it is our role to help them find and nurture it.

“I believe that on nights like this, we get the chance to allow the children to celebrate their personal growth, no matter what area it is in.”

St. Mary’s College Principal, Mike Kennedy, added: “I would like to salute the whole Preparatory School community – all the children, and the staff and families who support them – for making the school such a special environment in which to grow and learn.”