NORTH East Cambridgeshire MP Stephen Barclay was the guest of honour at Wisbech Grammar School’s annual speech day.

Mr Barclay encouraged students to dare to dream, after Headmaster Nicholas Hammond had congratulated returning members of last year’s upper sixth form for achieving the best A-Level results in the history of the school.

Addressing governors, parents and pupils, the MP said: “People may tell you to do what can be done, but with ambition and hard work you have the scope to challenge other people’s perceptions of you.

“The biggest restriction on success sometimes comes from the individual themselves. If you do not believe in yourself it is less likely that others will believe in you.”

In his speech, Mr Hammond said education was about more than just education, encouraging pupils to play an active part in the wider community.

The house charity challenge had raised nearly �6000 for the Rotary International Shelterbox Appeal and the cash donated to the Priory Rotary Club of King’s Lynn had already been funding boxes for flood victims in Pakistan.

Mr Hammond said the school had worked in partnership with its primary school partners as well as the Wisbech Institute, the town’s rugby, tennis and hockey clubs, Octavia View, the Wisbech Music Society, the Wisbech Society and the mother church of St Peter and St Paul.

He said: “We stay true to our founders’ aims in that we are providing assistance for all in this fine town. Truly we are a school for Wisbech.”

He ended with a message to this year’s leavers: “Stay true to the values of honesty, hard work and service that you have learnt at the school and always remember where it is that you have come from. You are in part a product of this school.”

The head said he was delighted that the school had been teaming up with the Thomas Clarkson Community College - whose principal Maureen Strudwick was amongst the guests.

He also welcolmed the latest addition to the school campus in the shape of the new sixth form centre, the Hazel Centre.