The end of the school year would not be complete without a wonderful celebration of the boys’ many achievements. So on Saturday 26 June, our Y8 assembled in the Great Hall for their final Speech Day in the Prep School.

Headmaster Ian Silk explained, “We would have loved to have all boys, parents and Governors present with us in the magnificent Great Hall this year, but our Y8 boys and our teachers represented us all in person, whilst the wider community listened and watched from home via a live stream. It was a great pleasure to be able to award so many prizes for excellent learning this year. And it was a privilege to listen to three guest speakers who recorded films for us.”

First up was Old Bedfordian Emilo Gay, who is beginning to make a serious name from himself at Northamptonshire Cricket Club and was in the national news this month after making his first-ever first-class century against Kent. Many of our boys who play for Bedford Cricket Club know him as he frequently practises there and often encourages the younger boys.

Next up, we were delighted to hear from Olympian Heather Stanning, a friend of our own Mrs Denny Morley. Heather is a seriously good rower! A double Olympic champion, double World champion and quadruple World Cup champion, she and her rowing partner Helen Glover are reigning Olympic champions and World record holders. She has been ranked number 1 female rower in the world since 2016. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, she had some superb advice to give.

Then to finish, we welcomed back former Head of School Fraser Dingwall. The Northampton Saints centre is a member of the latest England Rugby squad to be announced, and, fittingly, recorded his message to the boys from his bedroom in the England camp.

You can watch all their speeches and applaud all the boys on their successes in the film below.

Read and download the Speech Day booklet

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