As another successful academic year comes to a close, we were delighted to come together once again for the highlight of the Grafton calendar; our annual Celebration Day. With families, friends, learners and staff filling the hall with smiles, laughter and pride, it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on an incredible year of achievement.
The event began with a warm welcome from our Director of Education, Becky McGuinness, who thanked everyone for their continued support and contributions throughout the year.
This year’s celebration was also a particularly emotional one as we said goodbye to two of our learners. Both were presented with a speech delivered by their Personal Tutors and a touching video montage highlighting their journeys at Grafton. It was a wonderful tribute to their achievements and contributions, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the hall.
We were also proud to recognise the hard work and dedication of the learners who have been working towards their external accredited qualifications. They received certificates and plenty of praise from everyone who filled the hall! Alongside these accomplishments, our staff team worked collaboratively to create presentations celebrating the progress, successes and personal milestones of each group across the academic year, ensuring each learner’s achievements were recognised.
Purple Group’s presentation shared a lovely moment, with one learner presenting certificates to his classmates, recognising the hard work and effort they had put in throughout the year. Another learner was also thrilled to receive a certificate from Jessica at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, celebrating her achievements during an external work experience placement. It was clear to see just how much our learners support one another, with plenty of smiles as they celebrated each other.
Green group shared photos of their Blue Planet trip, and their trips to the Sports Hall to play Badminton during Sports Week. Whilst Orange group showed off their recycling skills, and trips to the Fire Station and Chester Zoo. Both groups celebrated the friendships that have bloomed within them, with plenty of heart-warming pictures and hilarious videos. Awards and Certificates were presented to all, and the groups celebrated their two friends who are leaving this year, with Orange group even wearing masks of their friend’s face!
Curriculum Manager Lauren then joined learners from Purple Group to present some of the highlights from the themed weeks that all groups take part in every term across the academic year. This years themes were History Week, Careers Week and Sports Week. Photos were shared and learners gave some lovely descriptions of some of the exciting activities they had taken part in. Lauren then gave a special mention to the employers that support our learners to take part in their external Work Experience placements and for all of the hard work and efforts they put in to make it such a positive experience for all. Finally, a video was shared from this years Leavers Graduation Party, the theme they decided on this year was Jungle! All the learners dressed up and danced the afternoon away with their friends at Fitz Village Hall, this was decorated in true Jungle style!
Throughout the year, our learners have embraced every opportunity to develop their independence and confidence. From strengthening independent living skills to taking on exciting challenges such as their ESB exam, they have continued to demonstrate determination, resilience and enthusiasm in all that they do.
Work experience has also been an important part of our learners’ journeys this year. Through work experience with organisations such as Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, Attingham Park, Severn Hospice Charity Shop and The Grange School, learners have gained valuable real-world experience. These opportunities have also helped us build strong relationships with local employers, and we were delighted to welcome Jessica Bromley and Stu Toulson from Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, and Debbie from Severn Hospice to our Celebration Day. Their attendance and recognition of our learners’ achievements were a powerful reflection of the commitment and hard work our learners demonstrate during their work experience.
The celebrations continued beyond the presentations, with learners proudly showcasing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit through an enterprise stall. Visitors had the opportunity to purchase fresh vegetables and elderflower cordial hand grown and made by learners during their enterprise sessions. The stall was a fantastic example of the innovation and creativity that our learners bring to everything they do.
To round off the day, guests enjoyed a delicious hog roast provided by Jenny’s Catering, while live music created a vibrant, festival-like atmosphere. It was the perfect setting for everyone to relax, socialise and continue celebrating together.
Celebration Day is always a special occasion, but this year felt particularly memorable. It was a chance to reflect on how far our learners have come, recognise their achievements and celebrate the unique strengths they bring to our College. We are incredibly proud of every learner and look forward to seeing what they achieve in the year ahead.
