EMOTIONS were running high for Rhyddings headteacher Barry Burke as he gave his farewell speech at the school’s prize night.

Mr Burke, who became head of the Oswaldtwistle school in 1999, said his goodbyes to pupils and parents at the ceremony held at the Global Conference Centre in Oswaldtwistle.

In 2005, the school was named as one of the five most improved in the country.

In the New Year, Mr Burke will be taking up a post at a new inner city academy in Manchester and said he would take some of the “Rhyddings magic” with him.

He said: “Tonight is the last time I’ll speak to you as headteacher of Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School. As you know, I’ve been given the opportunity to take some of the Rhyddings magic and plant it in a new school in Manchester. So you see, it’s really your fault I’m leaving at the end of this term.

He told last year’s leavers: “You’ve demonstrated to the world that Rhyddings students improve their performance year on year, with your year group achieving the best all-round set of results ever, and this makes me look good.

“And just like Joe Calzaghe’s decision to quit while he’s at the top, I’m able to leave Rhyddings at the pinnacle of my teaching career – all because of your outstanding success.”

Mr Burke thanked pupils, parents, staff and governors, adding: “I’ll take my Rhyddings snapshots with me to make me happy when times get tough and call on the support of my friends when I inevitably meet those apparently insurmountable obstacles.”

He added: “The most important qualification you have is being associated with Rhyddings and demonstrating the personal qualities that identify you as extraordinarily good and capable of making a positive contribution to your community.”

He also spoke about the school’s GCSE success and praised pupils for achieving their personal best.

Subject trophies were awarded for: art and design, Aqsa Munir; business studies, Daniel Duckett; engineering, Liam Koral; English language, Farheen Mohammed; English literature, Nafisa Tahir; French, Rebecca Entwistle; geography, Katie Collins; health and social care, Leanne Slattery; history, Farheen Mohammed; ICT, Kirsty Ormerod; mathematics, Daniel Duckett; media studies, Sameena Waheed; performing arts, Emma Ward; physical education, Danny Wilkinson; religious education, Zishan Abid; science, Rebecca Entwistle; technology – catering, Katie Collins; technology – graphics, Louise Pike; technology – product design, Aqsa Munir; technology – resistant materials, Drew Owens; technology – textiles, Zakkeha Begum; travel and tourism, Louise Pike; Urdu, Zishan Abid.

Trophy winners were: Moore Trophy for service to the school, Mark Braysford; Governors Trophy for service to the community, Annabel Johnson; Rhyddings Trophy for effort, Moinuddin Anwar; Banks Trophy for achievement, Emma Ward; Mim’s Trophy for extra curricular performance, Christopher O’Connor; Rhyddings Trophy for outstanding academic achievement.

Merit certificates were presented for: art and design, Emma Ward; business studies, Haroon Yaqoob; engineering, Omar Aziz; English language, Collete Mellor; English literature, Katie Collins; French, Kirsty Phillipson; geography, Drewe Owens; health and social care, Amanda Larder; History, Saba Hussain; ICT, Sean Jackson; mathematics, Mohammed Ummar; media studies, Joely Fielding; performing arts, Max Evans; physical education, Kirsty Ormerod; religious education, Emily Driver; science, Katie Collins; technology – catering, Kirsty Phillipson; technology – graphics, Saba Hussain; technology – product design, Mark Braysford; technology – resistant materials, Mohammed Ummar; technology – textiles, Michaela Walker; travel and tourism, Michaela Walker; Urdu, Raja Hussain.

100 per cent attendance: One year – Katie Collins and Kirsty Evans; five years – Daniel Duckett.

Special prizes of £250, donated by Blackburn College for students who attained high GCSE grades or achieved beyond expectation respectively, were presented to Elias Joynes and Lee Cookson by Ann Pilkingon, vice-president for skills and support.