Barrie's honour
By John Mitchell

PROUD father John Wilson stepped on stage at Dover Grammar School for Boys prize-giving to collect the awards earned by his 18-year-old son Barrie who was killed in a swimming accident.
    As John was handed his son's certificate for five A-level passes - three at Grade A - pupils, teachers, parents, governors and other guests applauded while some stood in tribute to the brilliant pupil who died so tragically last summer.

Prizwinners at Dover Grammar School for Boys

    John, of Elms Vale Road, Dover, his face etched with emotion, strode back through the centre aisle to still loud applause to rejoin his wife at the back of the school's great hall.
    Barrie drowned in Dover Harbour in August and never knew about his outstanding exam results.
    Acting headteacher Neil Slater, in his address, said he enjoyed teaching Barrie.
    "He was a fine scholar, very friendly and had a lovely sense of humour," he said. "One of Barrie's major contributions in life was to this school - we shall always value him."
    He said the school was enjoying a time of peace and success. Despite the possible move to the Castlemount site - only because of a birth rate fall and the way the election system is operating - confidence at the school is high.
    The school had operated in four places over the years and would continue to flourish, said Mr Slater.
    Summer exam results were splendid, he said. There was an 86 per cent pass rate at A level and at GCSE the rate of Grades A, B or C was 83 per cent. In the fifth form, 93 per cent got five or more GCSEs at Grade C or above.
    "The boys are intelligent, perceptive and responsive. They are being taught by a highly qualified and dedicated staff." said Mr Slater.
    Prizes were presented by Lord and Lady Cockfield.
    Lord Cockfield, 74, an old boy of the school, was responsible while EEC vice-president for setting up the 1992 trade agreement, along with president Jacques Delors. Lord Cockfield, vice-president of the EEC from 1985-88 and a former Tory cabinet minister, urged pupils to study Common Market issues.
    "This is the world you need to learn about, to know and understand, because that is the only way you will be able to take full advantage of it," he said.

School prizewinners

    Fourth form academic prize - David Thomas.
    Fifth form prizes: Academic - Kevin Holdstock; Roy Sutton Memorial prize for English - Adam Bhojoo and James Watson; Patrick Elworthy Memorial prize for French - Andrew Champion and James Watson; German - Anthony Cole and Ian Goddard; Spanish - James Flack; Latin Stephen Burns; Tunnel Memorial prize for history - A Champion and S Burns; Geography - J Watson; art - Paul Osborne; Sidney Clout music prize - Richard McPherson; Frederick Ashman memorial prize for chemistry - A Champion; biology Stephen Cleverley; Alex Coveney memorial prize for geometrical drawing - John Revell; Lewis Robt Kennedy memorial prize for engineering - S Cleverley; Megger Instruments prize for geometrical drawing Gary Dixon.
    Sixth form: John Tomlinson memorial prize for maths - Andrew Thornton; Pfizer prizes, for maths - Peter Bourner; physics - P Bourner; chemistry - P Bourner; biology - Macer Watson; computer science - Joseph Wood; E C Large memorial prize for engineering drawing - Nicholas Charnock; English literature Andrew Kynoch; French - J Alien; Spanish - J Allen; German - Christopher Watts; Clatworthy prize for classics - Philip Smith; art - Nicholas Dixon; senior music prize - Jonathan Todhunter; Bulow music prize Matthew Clackett; political studies prize - Simon Caplin; certificate for outstanding service to music Matthew Balson; geography - A Kynoch; history - Jonathan Marchand; economics - Cameron Thomson.
    Whitehouse memorial prize for religious education - John Miller; Martin Broom memorial prize for special endeavour - Christian Haalebos; Rookwood prize for drama - Todd Dedman and John Tomkinson; Theatre design - Thomas Harrison; Old Boys cadet prize - David Scopes; Robert Michael Brown prize for RAF cadets - Garry O'Neill; Jubilee prize for endeavour - Martin Barnwell; staff prize - Christopher Chatfield; Headmaster's prize Garry O'Neill; Dubris award - J Alien; Town Mayor of Dover's prize for good fellowship - D Scopes.
    Arnold shield - Nicholas Carbo; house challenge shield - Priory; Ian Wallace Bird Cup for outstanding service to school sport - Nicholas Charnock; initiative cup - D Scopes.
    Merit certificates - Paul Friend, James Gee, Mathew Niblett, Carl Philpott, James Pitchford, Garry Smith, Tim Spence, David Thomas, Alasdair Wood.