Over the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting more of the pupils and prizes awarded on the evening, each recognising not only academic excellence but also the values and character that make our Crossley Heath community so special.

This time, we’re celebrating Mariyam, winner of the Kevin Allen Prize for Perseverance in Mathematics.

This award is presented in tribute to the much-missed Kevin Allen, a highly respected Maths teacher who sadly passed away ten years ago. His legacy lives on through this prize, recognising students who demonstrate determination, resilience and a deep commitment to learning.

Mariyam’s teachers described her as “one of the most determined and focused students to grace Crossley Heath Sixth Form in recent years – a shining example of what you can achieve when you truly put your mind to it.”

Congratulations, Mariyam. With such an outstanding work ethic, we have no doubt you are destined for great things!

Our prizes are so generously sponsored by members of our wider school family, from individual former students to local businesses with strong links to the school, as well as our wonderful alumni associations, the Old Crossleyans Association and the Heath Old Boys Association. We are incredibly grateful for your continued support of our students, thank you.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be showcasing some of our pupils and the prizes they received. We’re starting with a brand new award, the ‘1C Class of 1978’ Award for Kindness.

This year’s recipient was Jonathan. Jonathan was nominated for this award in recognition of the kindness he consistently showed to others throughout his time at school. Alongside this, he demonstrated resilience, growth and a genuine Crossley Heath spirit. Jonathan has shown real character, heart, and the ability to learn and grow - qualities that go beyond academic talent and truly make him stand out from the crowd.

Congratulations, Jonathan. We’re excited to see what the future holds for you and have no doubt you’ll achieve great things!

Each year, we invite a distinguished former student to return and share reflections on their journey beyond Crossley Heath. This year, we were delighted to welcome back Luke Tryl, former Head Boy (2005).

Since leaving Crossley Heath, Luke has had an exceptional academic and professional journey. He studied Modern History and Politics at the University of Oxford, achieving a First Class degree and serving as President of the Oxford Union. His career has since spanned politics, public policy and education, including senior roles at Ofsted and as a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education. He is now UK Director of More in Common, where he leads ground-breaking research into public opinion on issues such as immigration, climate change, mental health and social cohesion, and is a regular contributor across national media.

Luke’s speech on the evening was thoughtful, engaging and deeply inspiring. He spoke about the importance of curiosity, humility and genuine human connection, reflected honestly on non-linear career paths and setbacks, and encouraged students to back themselves, understand others and use their talents to help shape a more connected society.

We are incredibly grateful to Luke for returning to school and sharing his insight, experience and wisdom with our students.

It’s a simple way for us to stay in touch and share news, events and opportunities that are relevant to you. If you’re just starting out in your career, we can share job opportunities through the platform. If you’re further along, there’s even the option to advertise roles and connect with talented Crossley Heath alumni.

It’s also a great way to reconnect with former school friends and remain part of the Crossley Heath community, wherever life has taken you.

Sign up here: https://alumni.crossleyheath.org.uk/usersignup

Here’s to staying connected in 2026!

Hear first-hand from our students and staff about their biggest takeaways from the inspiring alumni sessions.

A huge thank you to Fred, Rachel, Will, Paul, David, Jazz and Abhi for generously sharing your career wisdom and insights with us, you were brilliant. We also want to thank all our London based former students who came to meet us last night - it was amazing to catch up!

We’re already excited for next year!

Spectators are kindly asked to bring a small monetary contribution to watch the game. All money raised will go to The Mayfield Trust, a wonderful Halifax-based charity that supports people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and neurological conditions. They provide person-led care in supported living, nursing and outreach services, helping individuals across Calderdale live fulfilling, independent lives with choice and dignity.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Students learned all about Dyson’s exciting engineering pathways, the recruitment process and, most importantly, what they can be doing right now to stand out as future applicants. They left buzzing with ideas and inspiration.

A huge thank you to Alastair for travelling all the way from Wiltshire to speak to our students, especially after only recently returning from working in Singapore, and to @dyson for their incredible support.

We offer:

Exceptional teaching and outstanding results

A close-knit, supportive community

Weekly enrichment and leadership opportunities

Personal guidance to help you reach your goals

A place where every student is known, valued and encouraged to excel

Applications for September 2026 entry are now open, and we warmly welcome students from other schools to apply.

Check our A-Level entry requirements

Apply here: https://crossleyheath.applicaa.com/sixthformapply

Deadline: Friday 19 December 2025

A huge shoutout to Mitchell, Will H, Chloe, Jayden and Mr Smith for their standout performances and top scores in the first game; however, Mr Hirst demonstrated some bowling prowess smashing the top score in the partial second game before time ran out.

It was brilliant to see everyone getting involved and enjoying a bit of healthy competition and fun!

They spoke brilliantly about the opportunities, independence and support they’ve found since joining us, inspiring Rastrick’s current Year 11 students to follow in their footsteps.

On the Pitch:

Both teams were outstanding, with the U16s finishing unbeaten with 4 wins from 4 and the U18s winning 3 of 4 thanks to incredible teamwork and determination. Every game was played with courage, skill and pride.

Off the Pitch:

A huge highlight was a team meal with alumnus David Briggs, whose generosity and support made the day extra special. The squad also enjoyed exploring Vancouver, watching the Whitecaps and Canucks, and soaking up Canadian life.

The Finale:

The tour ended with a celebration and awards ceremony, the perfect close to an amazing adventure.

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible. A tour full of kindness, courage and excellence and memories to last a lifetime!

Football:

A superb opening win! Ida opened the scoring with a stunning volley, Alexia dominated midfield and was named Player of the Match, and Belinda added a third after great link-up play with Reshem. Huge credit to Elodee for some top saves and our solid defence of Ritika, Grace, Harriet, Henrietta and Ebony!

Netball:

An afternoon of thrilling matches against Dubai Hurricanes, full of energy, skill and great sportsmanship.

Evening Adventures:

The girls enjoyed a magical desert evening with live performances, a BBQ buffet and camel rides. An unforgettable experience!

It’s set to be an unforgettable week of competition, culture, and teamwork as the girls represent Crossley Heath on the international stage, showcasing their talent and school spirit under the Dubai sun.

A huge thank you to James O’Rourke Tutoring for generously sponsoring the team’s tour hoodies! They look fantastic and will be worn with pride throughout the trip.

“I’m really enjoying university life so far and have settled in quickly. After almost two weeks of lectures I’m loving all of my modules, and I’m finding Oxford’s tutorial system especially valuable - studying in a group of just two students with a specialist tutor is helping me deepen my understanding every week.

The scholarship has already made such a difference, helping with accommodation costs and essential items like my sub fusc, which we wear for exams and formal ceremonies. On Saturday I took part in matriculation, which was such a memorable experience - and I’m now officially a member of Oxford University!”

The Crossley Brothers Scholarship supports exceptional Crossley Heath students in our Sixth Form, as they leave us and take bold next steps in their education and careers. We are so proud of Amelie and everything she has achieved and we can’t wait to follow her journey!

Their passion, honesty, and enthusiasm truly captured what makes our Sixth Form such a special place - a community built on strong relationships, ambition and support for every individual.

Luke has now started university and is already thriving: settling in well, enjoying his modules and embracing everything student life has to offer. He told us that receiving the first instalment of the scholarship has made a big difference, helping with accommodation costs and giving him access to invaluable opportunities, including:

An upcoming Leadership Conference in London

Connections with alumni working in the industries he aspires to join

Support for future ambitions, including internships and placement plans

Luke is aiming high, hoping to finish his first year at First-Class level, secure a summer internship, and line up a year in industry with a leading company. We have no doubt he’ll get there.

We’re incredibly proud and can’t wait to see all that he achieves.

Matthew shared his experiences of studying German and highlighted the amazing opportunities that learning a language can open, from travel and cultural experiences to career possibilities. His insights were inspiring and a great reminder of the doors that languages can unlock!

U16s: 60–0 win

U18s: 57–14 win

Outstanding performances all round skill, teamwork and Crossley Heath spirit on full display. A huge well done to all our players and staff for representing the school so brilliantly overseas.

Exciting times ahead —the Canadian adventure continues!

This is set to be an unforgettable experience, full of top-class rugby, cultural exploration, and team bonding. We can’t wait to see them representing Crossley Heath on the international stage.

We’re especially proud that one of the instructors was Niamh, a wonderful member of our Crossley Heath alumni, who has gone on to make a real difference through her work with YAS.

Our students showed fantastic engagement and maturity throughout the sessions, learning vital skills that could one day help save a life.

A huge thank you to Yorkshire Ambulance Service and everyone involved in delivering such an important and inspiring day.

They had a fantastic time teaching French and German to pupils from Year 2 through to Year 6 sharing their love of languages and inspiring the next generation of linguists.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop their leadership skills while showing younger pupils just how exciting learning another language can be. A big well done to our Sixth Formers for being such brilliant role models!

A-Safe have so kindly sponsored our boys’ rugby team kit for their upcoming Canada tour – what an incredible boost for our students as they prepare for this exciting adventure!

A huge thank you to James and everyone at A-Safe for their generosity and support – it means the world to us, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

If you are linked to a company who might be interested in sponsoring one of our sports teams, we’d love to hear from you! Our girls’ teams are still looking for sponsors, and there are lots of other opportunities available too. Please comment below if you’re interested and we’ll be in touch!

They packed in so much: advice on the application process, choosing a college, and the importance of supercurriculars, plus a tour of Selwyn, a city tour, a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum, a Cambridge life quiz, and even a scavenger hunt.

A huge thank you to the Selwyn schools liaison team and their brilliant student ambassadors for making us feel so welcome – our students came away inspired and full of ideas for the future!

The second half was tense, but Oscar D crossed for two opportunist tries, helping Crossleys hold on for a thrilling 29-26 win despite another try from Hymers. Incredible resilience and teamwork from the squad.

Well done lads!

After a National Takeover Day shadowing then-CEO Owen Williams, Abhi went on to study medicine at the University of Plymouth. Now, ten years later, he’s come home to Yorkshire to give back to the community that shaped him.

Work opportunities like Abhi’s when he was 14 show just how important seeing the world of work is in shaping future careers – we’re so grateful to our community partners who help provide opportunities like this for our students every year.

We couldn’t be prouder – congratulations Abhi, you are a true inspiration to our students and community!

As girls’ sport continues to grow, opportunities like this are so important, and we’re incredibly proud to see our students showing such determination, teamwork and independence both on and off the pitch.

At just 19 years old, James made his Super League debut for Warrington Wolves on Friday night in their game against Salford Red Devils. He has proudly received heritage number 1219, marking him as the 1,219th player to represent the club.

We are incredibly proud of James and can’t wait to follow his journey. Wishing him a long, successful and inspiring career in Rugby League!

As well as representing our school at countless events and activities, always leading by example and inspiring younger students, she’s also achieved an incredible A*A*AB in her A Levels

Ria is now heading to the University of Oxford to study English

We’re so proud of everything you’ve achieved, Ria - both academically and as a fantastic leader of our school community. Huge congratulations!

He’s heading to the University of Sheffield to study Mechanical Engineering – an exciting next step that we know he’ll thrive in

Huge congratulations, Isaac – we’re so proud of you!

We’re absolutely thrilled to share that we celebrated lots of successes here at school yesterday as our students received their A Level results.

A huge congratulations to all of our students – you should be so proud of your hard work and achievements. We can’t wait to see where your next chapter takes you, and we know that whatever next step you're taking, you will do your old school so proud.

We’ll be sharing more about individual successes soon, but for now, we’d like to give a special mention to Amelie and Luke – our first ever recipients of the Crossley Brothers Scholarship. Amelie achieved grades of A*AAC and is heading to the University of Oxford, and Luke achieved A*A*A*A and plans to study at The University of Sheffield.

This fantastic initiative, kindly funded by former student David Briggs, provides an annual cash bursary for 3 years, a yearly leadership conference, support with entrepreneurial initiatives and much more – all designed to help them thrive at university and beyond.

Well done Crossley Heath Class of 2025, and to Amelie and Luke!

David Briggs, CEO of company GeoComply and a proud former Crossley Heath student, is launching the brand-new Crossley Brothers Scholarships... an amazing opportunity for our Sixth Formers!

Each year, our two highest attaining A-Level students (including one from a disadvantaged background) will receive:

-£5,000 a year for 3 years

-A place at an exclusive leadership conference

-Ongoing career support and mentoring

-And lots more!

We’re so grateful to David, and we really hope that this opportunity inspires our superstar students to continue aiming high. We can't wait for Results Day to learn which of our wonderful students will receive the scholarship this year!

Congratulations to this years winners..... Queens! Queens came out on top and claimed victory with an impressive performance and are closing that gap on Savile!

A special mention to the Year 8 students, who were a brilliant audience, full of encouragement and energy throughout the day.

Well done to everyone who took part, you did your houses proud!

Students completed three practical activities in the morning, then attended a lecture in the afternoon on drug discovery and development and the use of metals as catalysts in the process.

Students had a fantastic day and have taken a lot away from the opportunity!

27 Year 12 student leaders and school and house officials took part in a morning of public speaking training delivered by Alex Edwards from the English Speaking Union.

During the ‘Discover Your Voice’ workshop, the students learned the theory behind effective public speaking and then developed their public speaking skills through a range of group activities and tasks.

It was an interesting and fun morning which will help the students to carry out their roles as student leaders effectively, such as delivering assemblies and speaking at events!

Bo is now working at the Bank of England in London and kindly returned to speak with several groups of our Economics and Business students. She shared fascinating insights into the role of the Bank, monetary policy, and regulation, as well as valuable advice on career pathways in the financial sector.

It’s always inspiring to see our alumni thriving and giving back – thank you so much to Bo and to the Bank of England for supporting this brilliant opportunity!

A huge thank you to everyone who donated, supported and cheered us on for our #IceBucketChallenge – we raised almost £700 for Children's Mental Health! Your generosity has absolutely smashed our target and shown the power of our amazing school community!

As promised, Mr Jones, Mr Smith, Anaya and Lakshya bravely took the icy plunge – and yes, our mystery staff members joined in too!

Mr Jones has nominated three fantastic organisations to take on the icy plunge: our Old Crossleyans Association, Heath Old Boys' Association and our wonderful Crossley Heath Rugby Development Fund (Come on Paul Ramsden!)

We’re proud to be backing such a brilliant cause – and we couldn’t have done it without you. THANK YOU for your kindness, enthusiasm, and generosity