Our students performed brilliantly throughout the week and at the evening concert, showcasing their dedication, confidence and love of music. We are incredibly proud of them all.
A special thank you to alumnus Thomas Backhouse, who returned to Crossley Heath as a guest pianist. It was a real privilege to welcome him back and to be inspired by his performance.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the festival such a success! 
Following on from our previous posts, we’re delighted to continue celebrating the achievements of our students recognised at Prize Giving 2025.
We are incredibly proud to celebrate Rana, winner of The Vernon Brearley Prize for Public Service (in addition to the Sheila Francis Jackson Memorial Trophy for Poetry!) 
Since Year 7, Rana has shown an outstanding commitment to serving others and making a positive difference to school life. From her early involvement in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Group and Student Council, to supporting younger students through transition, Rana has consistently used her voice to improve the experience of those around her.
Over the years, Rana has led and supported a wide range of initiatives including drama club, house events, Duke of Edinburgh, volunteering with YMCA and a local youth club, cadets, student panels, MedTech leadership, and the prom committee. She has also represented the school with confidence and maturity through public speaking, media work, parliamentary visits, and meetings with local MPs.
What truly sets Rana apart is her character. She is a wonderful example of our Crossley Heath values in action:
Kindness through her service to others
Courage in stepping forward to lead and speak up
Excellence in her sustained commitment over many years
Rana, we are so proud of everything you have achieved and the positive impact you continue to make. A very deserving winner - well done! 
On Thursday, six of our talented string players took part in a fantastic String Workshop at Crompton House School, led by tutors and students from the Royal Northern College of Music.
It was a brilliant opportunity to work with professional musicians, develop their skills and enjoy making music together in a supportive and inspiring environment.
Our students had a wonderful time and represented Crossley Heath brilliantly. A really enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone involved!
In December, we held our annual Prize Giving event, celebrating the achievements of our most recent GCSE and A Level cohort. Over the coming weeks, we’re excited to continue to share some of the students, their awards and the stories behind them, to really highlight just how proud we are.
Next up is Eisa, who was awarded Most Improved Student.
Eisa earned this award through determination, discipline and consistent effort throughout Year 11. By committing to a structured study routine and refusing to give up, he made remarkable progress over the course of the year. His exam results reflected not only improved grades, but also a much stronger understanding of his subjects and growing confidence in his own abilities. This award recognises Eisa’s hard work, resilience and positive mindset, and it was a real pleasure to celebrate his success with him on results day.
Congratulations, Eisa - we’re sure this is just the beginning, and we look forward to seeing many more great things from you!
It wouldn’t feel right to reflect on our Prize Giving celebrations without recognising our outgoing Head Boy, Luke.
Luke had an exceptional evening, receiving an impressive 6 awards in total - a tally that must be close to a Prize Giving record (former students, we’d love to hear if anyone can challenge it!). His awards on the evening included those for Exceptional Attainment at A Level, Computer Science, and Head Boy (among others!) - reflecting both his academic excellence and wider contribution to school life.
Luke is also one of the first two recipients of our Crossley Brothers Scholarships, a new annual award that supports our top two A Level performers with a £5,000 per year cash scholarship for the duration of their three-year degree, alongside a range of wider opportunities. These include access to leadership development, a London-based conference, and the chance to engage with our alumni network as he takes his next steps.
Luke is an ambitious, driven young person who has consistently made the most of every opportunity available to him, and we know he plans to continue doing so through work experience, internships and professional development alongside his university studies.
Congratulations, Luke. We’re incredibly proud of you and look forward to following your journey as it continues.
We were delighted to welcome the BBC Bitesize Careers Tour into school today, giving our students an exciting and interactive look at the many career pathways open to them in the future.
The event gave students the chance to hear directly from a panel of inspiring local professionals, including Fee Mak from BBC Radio Xtra and Pete Marquis from Porsche, who shared their journeys, experiences and advice about building successful careers in very different industries.
It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to ask questions, gain real world insight and start thinking about where their own ambitions could take them. A huge thank you to everyone involved.
Following on from our last post, we’re delighted to continue celebrating the achievements of our students from Prize Giving 2025.
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!
We are incredibly proud to share that Myra-Sofia has made her television debut in the hit BBC drama Waterloo Road, appearing as Aisha Azzi! 
Myra-Sofia’s talent, confidence and dedication have truly shone through, and this is a fantastic milestone in her acting journey. We can’t wait to see what comes next for her and we’ll all be cheering her on as she continues to shine.
Well done, Myra-Sofia! 
We’re still riding high after our Prize Giving celebration in December, where we welcomed back our most recent GCSE and A Level leavers to receive their certificates and a range of awards recognising their fantastic achievements.
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!
In December, we hosted our annual Prize Giving event, a highlight of the school calendar and a special opportunity to celebrate our leavers.
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.
Calling all former students. Whether you’ve just left us, like this lovely lot pictured at our Prizegiving event a few weeks ago, or you left Crossley Heath decades ago, we’d love for you to join our alumni database as we head into the new year.
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!
We love sharing the amazing achievements, talents and moments of our wonderful students, it’s one of the best parts of what we do.
However, we can only do this with parental consent. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to log into the Arbor Parent Portal and check or update your consent preferences.
Keeping this up to date helps us continue to celebrate our students and showcase the brilliant things happening every day at Crossley Heath.
Thank you for your support!
