Last night saw one of our favourite events of the year, our annual Prize Giving ceremony which recognises success across our modern academic school life. Invited students and their families joined us for an informal drinks reception followed by the ceremony itself, held in Jubilee Hall.

This year we celebrated the Classes of 2023/2024,  with speeches from governor, Alistair McKinlay, the Mayor and alumnae guest speakers, former MP Heidi Allen and former Deputy Head Girl Amina Khan.  We were also delighted to be joined for the evening by members of the Executive Group and Governing Board.

A huge thanks goes to Heidi Allen for sharing many insights of her own time as a student as well as from her professional life and distributing awards.  Heidi’s speech was motivational, empowering and reflective, encouraging our young people to embrace imperfection, learn from failure, and recognise their unique potential to lead and make a difference in the world. While acknowledging the challenges they will face, Heidi spoke about the importance of resilience, empathy, and the responsibility that comes with privilege. Her message was one of self-belief, reminding us all that success isn’t about perfection or traditional accolades, but about using their talents to lift others and create positive change in the world.

Thank you also to Amina Khan for her inspiring speech which was also one of empowerment and personal reflection.  Encouraging the audience to redefine success on their own terms, rather than conforming to societal standards, Amina emphasized the importance of self-awareness, personal growth, and taking action to create a fulfilling life. Challenging the traditional notions of success—such as wealth, status, and material possessions—Amina promoted a more meaningful approach focused on personal achievements, positive connections, and making a difference in others’ lives, reminding students to trust in their potential and be proud of their accomplishments.

Head, Heidi-Jayne Boyes congratulated all of the prize winners, particularly noting how the girls had focused their efforts to work smarter, not harder, to prepare themselves for their examinations. Everyone has been impressed by the way the girls have prioritised their time, attended extra clinics and booster sessions, and worked with Learning Support to discover the study techniques which work best for them.

The Head also highlighted the role of the staff in the girls’ success, with both outstanding teaching and strong relationships playing an important part; the benefit of receiving ongoing support and encouragement from their parents; and even the support the girls give each other in order to reach their potential.

This traditional ceremony is a chance to take some time to enjoy the girls’ many academic achievements and also celebrate other qualities they’ve shown such as leadership, kindness, teamwork, creativity and community spirit. Thank you to Head and Deputy Head Girl of 2023/2024 Ellie and Alice for their vote of thanks.

Wakefield Girls stand out in every way, and our Prize Giving is a fantastic public demonstration of that. We believe celebrating the all-round success of our students is important to our community. It’s not only a way to congratulate our students, it’s also a wonderful way to encourage everyone to revel in, and value, learning.