Prize Night 2026
Larne Grammar School’s annual Prize Night Ceremony took place on Wednesday 16th September. Staff, Governors, Parents and Friends of the School gathered in the Assembly Hall to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our pupils in curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular pursuits throughout the 2025/26 Academic Year. The Guest of Honour for the evening was a former pupil of Larne Grammar School, Professor Glen McCluggage MBE. Professor McCluggage is a consultant histopathologist and one of the leading specialists in his field. He attended the school from 1975-1982 and was a member of the 1st XV Rugby Team who reached the Subsidiary Shield Final in 1981.
Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Thomas Sloan opened proceedings by welcoming guests and inviting them to thank our learning community for their combined efforts throughout the 25/26 Academic Year with a round of applause. Mr Sloan thanked his fellow Governors for their, ‘unstinted and totally voluntary commitment to the school community.’ Following the reconstitution of the Board in January, Mr Sloan extended his thanks to departing Governors who had reached the end of their term of office and formally welcomed new members, Mr Andrew Gibson, Mrs Sam Irwin, Mrs Emma Knox, Mrs Stephanie Short, Mr Colin Smyth and Mrs Karen Weir onto the Board. Mr Sloan stated that, ‘working together as Governors, School Leaders, Teachers, Support Staff and Parents, we can ensure a bright future for our pupils.’ He asserted, ‘What a great place Larne Grammar School is to be,’ and he encouraged Parents, Staff, Governors and Students to, ‘collectively reaffirm their shared commitment to continue the strong tradition of the school, quality of learning, strong community links and producing leaders in every area of business and industry.’ In closing, Mr Sloan surmised that, ‘Our pupils are our future, and we promise to nurture and feed it at Larne Grammar School.’ He then invited Mr Wylie to deliver his Report on the previous Academic Year.
Mr Wylie began his report by addressing the TransformEd Programme described by the Minister of Education as, “the most significant reform of our education system in a generation.” In reference to the proposals, Mr Wylie proclaimed, ‘We stand ready to implement positive change,’ but advised on caution and thoughtful implementation stating that, ‘the pace of that change needs to be realistic, and reform needs to be properly thought through, adequately resourced and appropriately managed.’ The Principal asserted that he shares the Ministers ambition to “position Northern Ireland as a world leader in education”, but emphasised that, ‘the starting point should be a recognition of all that is good within the education system that we currently have, something that is demonstrated by the success enjoyed by the pupils of Larne Grammar in the 2025/26 school year.’
Mr Wylie then highlighted the academic success of our pupils in public examinations, ‘evidenced by the publication of the School’s best ever ‘A’ Level results, exceeding the previous best outcomes achieved in 2018.’ At GCE ‘A’ Level, 89% of Year 14 pupils achieved the key measure of 3 A*-C grades, ‘meaning that Larne Grammar will be one of the top performing schools in the country.’ The percentages of pupils achieving 3 A*-A grades (26.4%) and 3 A*-B (68.1%) were also the best ever achieved by the School. 53% of all ‘A’ Level entries were graded at either A* or A and over 80% of entries (83.6%) were awarded A*, A or B grades. The AS results achieved by Year 13 pupils were also strong, with 80% of the cohort achieving 3 A-C grades. Mr Wylie stated that, ‘this performance bodes well for another excellent set of ‘A’ Level results in 2027.’ At GCSE, 97% of Year 12 students gained at least five good GCSE passes including English & Mathematics, with 92% of the cohort gaining at least 7 A*-C grades, including English & Mathematics. Almost 50% of all GCSE entries were graded at A* or A. Mr Wylie reported on the vast list of individual pupil success at ‘A’ Level, AS Level and GCSE.
The Principal went on to deliver an extensive report showcasing the, ‘wide range of opportunities for personal growth and development through participation in an extensive extra-curricular and enrichment programme,’ noting significant success in the fields of Music, Public Speaking, Debating, Art, Drama, Literacy, Numeracy, Sport, Charity and Travel. Mr Wylie also recognised the ‘valued and valuable support’ provided by the Larne Grammar School Friends’ Association. Funds raised by the LGFA have been used to refurbish the Sixth Form Common Room. Mr Wylie highlighted, ‘the commitment and dedication of the staff and governors… (in) facilitating the success enjoyed by the pupils of the School.’
The Principal expressed his gratitude to departing members of staff recognising the, ‘life-changing role that (they have) played in the lives of so many pupils.’ He paid tribute to Mrs Alana Steele whose appointment to a permanent role in EA brought to an end her twenty-nine-year career in LGS. He highlighted Mrs Steele’s incredible impact in the school across numerous roles and stated that, ‘in her role as Learning Support Coordinator, she had perhaps her greatest impact.’ Mr Wylie testified that, ‘the reputation Larne Grammar has for outstanding pastoral care and SEN support is, in large part, due to her.’
The Principal bid farewell to Miss Beggs, Miss Corney, Mrs Fraser and Mrs Norwood at the conclusion of their temporary contracts and our Vice Principal, Mrs Best, who moved on to a new role in Belfast High School. He also expressed his thanks and best wishes to Mr Seymour who retired after fourteen years of service to the Biology and Chemistry Departments as one of our Science Technicians. He welcomed Miss Snoddy, Mr Anderson, Mrs Crooks, Mrs Greer and Mr McNaughten to the English, Biology, Home Economics and Physical Education Departments respectively and welcomed back Mr Agass, who will be teaching in the Business Studies Department.
In closing, Mr Wylie referred back to his opening message, "May you live in interesting times" stating that, ‘life in Larne Grammar School is always interesting and it has been another very busy twelve months.’
Following the distribution of Junior and Senior Prizes, and an impressive musical interlude, including performances from the Choral Group, and piano soloist, Hannah Mellon, Mr Sloan introduced the Guest of Honour. Professor Glen McCluggage attended Larne Grammar School from 1975-1982 and was a key member of the school community, representing the 1st XV in Rugby. He later attended Queens University, Belfast, graduating as a medical doctor in 1987 and developing a specialisation in Histopathology. He was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to women with gynaecological cancer, demonstrating his dedication to his field.
Professor McCluggage began by congratulating the pupils on their achievements, and the school, which he described as, ‘such an impressive place that the pupils are lucky to attend.’ He noted his enjoyment in listening to the names of the prizes being presented and recognising strong links with some of his former teachers and other well-known members of the Larne Grammar School community. He made particular reference to the DJ Thompson Cup, his former school principal, and the Norman Allen Cup, his former Chemistry teacher.
Professor McCluggage spoke of his academic journey from Moyle Primary School to Larne Grammar School before progressing to Queens University, Belfast to study Medicine. He explained his chosen specialism of Histopathology and the impact that he and his team have on diagnosis of patients across Northern Ireland. Professor McCluggage spoke of the passion he has for his profession and encouraged our pupils to buy into the concept of ‘lifelong learning’ stating that, despite specialising in his field of over 30 years, he is still learning something new every day. He modestly expressed his pride and honour in being awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to women with gynaecological cancer.
Professor McCluggage went on to describe his other main passion in life – Sport, specifically Larne Rugby Club and Larne Football Club. He recognised the opportunities afforded to him through his involvement in sport including, ‘meeting friends for life,’ encouraging our pupils to make the most of opportunities that come their way. He concluded by reiterating his congratulations to all our prize winners and wishing them the best for the future.
The final speech of the evening was delivered by Head Boy, Alex Rea, and Head Girl, Hannah Mellon. In their speech they congratulated their fellow pupils on their effort, determination and success and encouraged their peers to, ‘continue to work hard to achieve your goals.’ Alex and Hannah described their school experience as, ‘much more than just equations, essays and exams,’ stating that, ‘it was the extra-curricular activities offered that allowed (them) to reach (their) potential.’ They spoke fondly of opportunities in Music, Drama, Public Speaking and Sport, describing some of their most memorable experiences on the sports field and stage. Hannah summed up her favourite aspect of Larne Grammar School as the ‘sense of family’ which was epitomised by the School’s large entry to the Belfast Marathon. She stated, ‘it wasn’t just about running a marathon, it was about everybody coming together, supporting each other and being part or something bigger.’
Alex and Hannah expressed their gratitude to the teaching and support staff for their ‘ongoing support and dedication… (playing) a key role in helping us achieve our academic goals whilst also nurturing our personal growth and allowing us to thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.’ The Head Boy and Head Girl’s final words of wisdom to their peers were to, ‘Work hard and cherish every moment in Larne Grammar School,’ stating that, ‘the time will come when the days you wished would end will become the days you will wish you could have back again.’
Prize Night 2026
