Head teacher Sue Moore says this year’s A-level results day was her worst day in her 35 years of teaching.

She was speaking at Queen Elizabeth II High School’s prize day.

A-level results day was chaotic and emotional for teachers and pupils.

An algorithm awarded grades based on what past students had achieved - without this year’s students having sat any examinations themselves.

However, a week later the Westminster government conceded the process was ’unfair’ and centre-assessed predicted grades were used instead.

QEII’s prize day was attended by so many politicians that Miss Moore described it as feeling like ’Half of COMIN’ (Council of Ministers) and that it demonstrated the value government places on education.

In attendance were Chief Minister Howard Quayle, Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan, Education Minister Alex Allison and Chief Constable Gary Roberts was the guest of honour.

Miss Moore remarked that 40 years ago, when she and the chief constable had both just completed their first year of A-levels at Douglas High School and QEII was just a year old, that neither of them would have thought they would be on stage together that evening.

Miss Moore praised the staff for how they handled lockdown and ’rallied together to support the students’, saying: ’The teaching staff were amazing. Some were already adept in using technology, whilst others really had a steep learning curve.

’All rose to the challenge. I don’t think the public really understands just how challenging all of this was for teachers.

’Not only were they working from home, looking after their own families, with sometimes limited access to the internet, but they were having to learn a whole new approach to learning and teaching.’

In summarising what was learned from this unprecedented year, she said: ’it has confirmed our view that education is much more than examinations.’

She went on to say: ’I am delighted that the Manx Government has agreed to invest in the infrastructure for education and look forward to working with the design team, once it is appointed, on the new STEM block.

’Our current science and technology facilities were built in the 1970s and are long overdue for replacement.

’Investment in high quality staff is equally important. I hope that there will be due recognition of the need to pay experienced teachers a salary commensurate with their qualifications, dedication and skills.’

The prizes were:

Erin Kelly - Forster Prize (Best GCSE Level Results), The Stevenson Mathematics Prize, The Patrick Commissioners Centenary Cup and History Prize, The QEII Old Scholars’ Association Trophy for Science

Alice Main - The Headteacher’s Prize, The Cathedral Chapter Senior Divinity Prize and The Hector Duff Dunkirk History Prize

Tom Hughes - The Headteacher’s Prize, The Viking Lodge Higher Education Award for Science

Orry Mayne - The Assistant Headteachers’ Prize, The School Association Chemistry Prize

Ben McGee - The Assistant Headteachers’ Prize

Esther Walters - The Assistant Headteachers’ Prize, The George Kermode Prize for Achievement in D&T, and two consecutive wins of the Manx Youth Bard Runner Up Prize

Elsie Hyett- Year 11 Student of the Year

Emma Carrion Moschen won £1000 in the public art vote for the Sovereign Art Foundation Award.

In sports: Eliana Kneen represented the IOM U17s at the European Netball Open.

Gabby Divall also represented the U19 at the European Open challenge competition.

Senior Boys Champions, Junior Boys Champions and Year 7 Girls Champions.

Individual Cross Country winners were: Corrin Leeming - Senior Boys, Gethin Owen

Junior Boys and George Taylor - Year 7 Boys.

Jasmine Crellin was selected to be part of the UK 4 person International Geography Olympiad team to compete in Istanbul, based on her ’highly commended’ extended answers for a competition run by the Geographical Association.

This is now postponed until next summer.