HERMITAGE Academy’s outgoing head teacher has lauded the efforts of pupils during an “unparalleled” school year as the top senior students were honoured at a prize-giving ceremony.

The annual celebration of achievement was streamed on social media, since parents were unable to join the presentation in person.

In his speech Robert Williamson, who is leaving his position later this month, paid tribute to staff members for their efforts in what has been “a very strange, challenging and hopefully unique year”, while also giving recognition to pupils who have worked through the most uncertain of times.

Mr Williamson said: “Our extremely talented young people have again excelled themselves and this year it’s been against a backdrop unparalleled in the history of this or any school.

“As always I am extremely grateful for the support of the senior leadership team, staff, parent council, parent teachers association and Argyll and Bute Council in ensuring our pupils are supported throughout their school career.

“However I would also like to give a special thanks to our staff this year. Without their efficiency and flexibility it would’ve been impossible to ensure that our young people had the evidence to enable them to be appropriately rewarded for their efforts this year.

“The results achieved by our young people speak for themselves and it’s quite remarkable that they managed to maintain the focus and energy required to continue to aspire during the challenging final months of last session.

“This was hugely due to their own pride in their work and their determination to aim high, and their impressive work ethic.

“All of their families should be extremely proud of them.

“I will repeat my message from last year, however: that we will never forget that parents and carers are the prime educators who support our efforts, and who instil the belief that the entire community is one team aimed at improving the life chances of all of our young people, and this has never been more true than this year.”

Among this year’s notable award winners were Rosie Sumsion, who received the Hermitage Quaich, and Cramb Medal winners Isabel Harris, Daniel Kennedy and Eva McAloon.

The Cramb Medal was first awarded in 1912 and is given out each year to the "most efficient" scholar/s at Hermitage Academy.

Addressing the ceremony, Eva said: “Everybody who finishes an exam year during a pandemic deserves a medal but we’re here to represent our whole year group and all their outstanding achievements throughout the year.

“We are honoured to be awarded the Cramb Medal this year but of course it’s not down to the work of just one individual, or in this case three, but it’s the achievement of a whole community of amazing people who have helped and supported us this year.

“We would like to start by thanking all of our teachers for their guidance and for helping us achieve the best we could.

“We recognise that the pressure they were under last term was immense and we can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done for us.

“Without the constant support from our friends and families we wouldn’t have gotten this far.

“They have listened to our complaints, they have celebrated our achievements and to say we’re grateful is an understatement.

“Thank you to the whole school community for somehow keeping everything running smoothly during this madness, and of course congratulations to all our students who have worked so hard this year.”

Isabel Harris added: “To the current S5, best of luck this year. Although it’s anyone’s guess what next May will look like, the most important lesson we learned this year is that if you currently hold the attitude that you don’t need to start working hard until April, fix it now.

“As summed up by Benjamin Franklin: Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

“Exams will be a challenge but work hard and don’t give up because I promise it’s worth it in the end.

“Fifth year isn’t just about school work. Trust your teachers, talk to your families, help your friends. Have fun, I’m sure you’ll all go on to do great things.”

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  • Award winners: Abbie Johnston: Musical Theatre prize; Abigail Field: seven A passes at Nat 5; Alasdair McKay: first in Nat 5 Computing Science; Alexandra Kenhard: six A passes at Nat 5, outstanding commitment and contribution to school athletics; Alicia Palazeulos-Garcia: five A passes at Higher, The Bill Reid Poetry award; Amelia Murphy: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 PE, first in Nat 5 Modern Studies, first in Nat 5 Maths, first in Nat 5 Biology; Ami Matthew: first in Higher Business Management, first in Higher Sociology; Amy Court: first in Advanced Higher Spanish; Andrew Duggan: first in Advanced Higher Music; Andrew Jackson-Leach: seven A passes at Nat 5; Anna Sherry: service to the school, first in Advanced Higher PE, Peter Parlane Award; Aysha Sohail: first in Higher RMPS, first in Higher History, The Ambassador Award awarded to the Philo-so-raptors, Lord McFall Award - PSYV - service to the community; Ben Hogg: seven A passes at Nat 5; Bonnie Clarke: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Admin and IT; Caitlin Hanson: first in Higher Design and Manufacture; Callum Sumsion: seven A passes at Nat 5; Cameron Kinvig: five A passes at Higher; Cameron Robinson: five A passes at Higher; Callum Burton: first in Higher Modern Studies, first in Higher PE; Cara McGhie: six A passes at Nat 5; Charlie Ferguson: first in Higher Music Tech; Charlie Bridges: first in Nat 5 Practical Cookery; Christina Taylor: seven A passes at Nat 5; Ciaran Hoskins: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Graphic Communication, first in Nat 5 Chemistry; Cramb Medal winners - Isabel Harris, Daniel Kennedy and Eva McAloon; Eva McAloon: Cramb Medal winner, five A passes at Higher; Isabel Harris: Cramb Medal winner, five A passes at Higher, first in Higher Human Biology, first in Higher Chemistry; Coral Fletcher: six A passes at Nat 5; Daniel Dobson: seven A passes at Nat 5; Daniel Kennedy: Cramb Medal winner, five A passes at Higher, first in Higher English; Dylan Hung Kin Yuen: seven A passes at Nat 5; Elinor Whyte: first in Higher Drama; Esther Lopez: six A passes at Higher; Elizabeth Swain: five A passes at Higher; Emma-Joy McFarlane: Jeannette Scobie Award; Enola Archard: first in Higher Art and Design; Eoghan Adkins: first in Higher Graphic Communication; Francis Swan: three A passes at Advanced Higher, first in Advanced Higher Chemistry; Erin Ferguson: service to the school; Euan Brown: six A passes at Nat 5; Eva Campbell: first in Higher Dance; James Field: three A passes at Advanced Higher, first in Advanced Higher Physics, first in Advanced Higher Maths, first in Advanced Higher Computing Science; Evelyn Dennison: seven A passes at Nat 5; Ezlan Weir: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Drama; Fergus Butt: first in Higher Music; James Grant: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Spanish, first in Nat 5 French; Gregor Blackburn: seven A passes at Nat 5, Lord McFall Award - PSYV - service to the community; Jake Speirs: outstanding commitment and contribution to school athletics; Jamie Nicolson: first in Nat 5 health and food technology; Jasmine Mansfield: five A passes at Higher, first in Higher Spanish; Jarvis Jamieson: five A passes at Higher, first in Higher Physics, first in Higher Maths, first in Higher Computing Science, first in Higher Chemistry; Jennifer Hyde: five A passes at Higher; Jenny Dougan: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Business Management; Joe Neil: seven A passes at Nat 5; Katie King: seven A passes at Nat 5; Matthew Cameron: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Physics, first in Nat 5 German; Kayla Mullin: first in Advanced Higher Drama, first in Advanced Higher Art & Design (Design); Kelly Hetherington: seven A passes at Nat 5; Kieran Stockwood: first in Higher Geography; Kyla Dorizon: seven A passes at Nat 5; Rosemary Sumsion: three A passes at Advanced Higher, The Ambassador Award awarded to the Philo-so-raptors, Hermitage Quaich, first in Advanced Higher RMPS, first in Advanced Higher Modern Studies; Lachlan Mackinnon: five A passes at Higher; Laura Carmichael: six A passes at Nat 5; Lauren Hendry: seven A passes at Nat 5; Louise Cameron: first in Higher Admin and IT, first in Nat 5 Practical Cookery; Tara Jackson: three A passes at Advanced Higher, first in Advanced Higher English, first in Higher Photography; Luke Deacon: first in Nat 5 Music Technology; Luke Godwin: six A passes at Nat 5; Madeline Tarr: first in Nat 5 Applications of Mathematics; Marina Harland-Dos-Santos: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Art and Design; The Ambassador Award: The Philo-so-raptors - Rosie Sumsion, Aubrey Agub, Amy Pickett, Megan Rowat, Emily Vaughan and Aysha Sohail; Mark Clifford: first in Advanced Higher History; Matthew Makeham: six A passes at Nat 5; Matthew Palmer: six A passes at Nat 5; Matthew Dunn: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Design and Manufacture; Megan Minshull: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 History; Melissa Jamieson: first in Higher Health and Food Technology; Mia Rooney: Musical Theatre prize; Morgan Ward: first in Higher French, The Lewis McLachlan award (voted by peers); PSYV group: Ella Gourlay, Marne Stevenson, Alex Bates, Chloe Ross, Tama’s Miha’ly, Chloe Meikle, Taylor Potter, Lauren Macfarlane, Colby Grant, Errin Marton Foley, Mark Paterson, Arwen Ross, Craig Trollope, Andrew Rickards, Brooke Macaskill, Finlay Fleming, Sophie Somerville, Ross Hynes and Matilda Lee; Megan McAllister: first in Nat 5 Accounts; Murray Wain: five A passes at Higher; Natasha Gharib: service to the school; Nathan O’Brien: seven A passes at Nat 5; Rotary Club - Rose Bowl for Citizenship: Sophie Buchan, Eilidh Morton, Aimee Scott, Lily Boultby, Roisin Hartley, Niamh O’Donnell, Abbie McCandlish, Ewan Blair and Amy Pickett; Phoebe Barr: six A passes at Nat 5; Poppy Galloway: six A passes at Nat 5; Rachael Hughes: first in Advanced Higher Biology; Niamh Clark: The Hood Environmental Award, seven A passes at Nat 5; Rachael McKillop: first in Higher Accounting, Petrie Cup for captaincy; Reece Arnold: six A passes at Nat 5; Robbie McKellar: seven A passes at Nat 5, Lord McFall Award - PSYV - service to the community; Robyn Shaw: seven A passes at Nat 5; Rose McGilvray: five A passes at Higher; Ross McIntosh: three A passes at Advanced Higher, first in Advanced Higher Graphic Communication; Samuel Rogers: six A passes at Nat 5; Sarah Mitchell: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 Music; Scott McGinlay: service to the school, Music award; Scott Smith: six A passes at Nat 5; Simon Bianchet: first in Nat 5 Practical Woodworking; Sophie Ross: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 English; Torran Jones: seven A passes at Nat 5; William Fitzgerald: seven A passes at Nat 5, first in Nat 5 RMPS; William Graham: school office sunshine award; William Wright: first in Nat 5 Practical Metalworking.