MORE than 200 people, Year 13 students, parents and staff, attended the annual Sixth Form Diploma Awards evening held at Queen Elizabeth's Community College.

As well as their formal academic programme, Sixth Form students also spend two years working towards the Diploma which recognises extra curricular achievements in the areas of Creativity, Action and Service (or CAS@QE) as well as independent learning skills and work related learning.

After what has been regarded as a great year in the Sixth Form, the College was thrilled to be able to award more than 80 Diplomas to Year 13 students whose time at Queen Elizabeth's is about to come to an end.

During the evening, students talked with enthusiasm about the activities that they have been involved in which have resulted in them contributing more than 5,000 hours of voluntary service within the school and wider community.

Recently, Francis Parker and Will Hallsworth visited the sites of concentration camps near Auschwitz-Birkenau and spoke movingly about the impact that the visit had on them personally.

Other students that have passed the Extended Project Qualification this year included Coralie Neave, who has written and published a novel and Matt Hawkins who has written and performed a piece of music for brass instruments and is marketing a CD of his work.

Tilly Gush talked about her work over the last two years at the Age Concern Lunch Club in Crediton and reflected on how this experience would help her in her pursuit of a career in medicine.

Throughout this year, students have been busy fund raising for an expedition to Tanzania where they will carry out some building work to improve living conditions in a rural village and have the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Abi Hill and Maya Grantham told the audience about their various successful and failed attempts to raise money which included an Auction of Promises and a Barn Dance.

There was a demonstration of salsa dancing from Victoria Shakspeare and Jo Rossen; Jonathan Clarke and Rob Milton discussed last year's Peru Expedition and dubious sporting successes of Sixth Form teams.

Paula Smith, Head of Sixth Form, who presented the Diplomas with College Principal, Richard Newton-Chance, said: "As a year group, Year 13 are creative and imaginative as shown by the short film directed by Ryan O'Sullivan which showcased the acting talents of students and Sixth Form teachers alike and confirmed to us all that it is the close working relationship between staff and students that develops over the two years that makes the Sixth Form such a special place to study.

"The evening gave just a glimpse of the many and varied group and individual achievements of our students over the past two years and a chance to say good bye as they prepare for university or work.

THIS STORY HAS PICTURES YOU CAN BUY ONLINE!!