Clifton High School proudly hosted its annual Sports Awards Dinner in partnership with Bristol Sport on the evening of Friday, 25th April 2025, at the prestigious Ashton Gate Stadium.
Senior School pupils, Sixth Form students, their families and Sports Department staff gathered to celebrate a year of outstanding sporting achievements and the talents of its Senior School. We were honoured to welcome guest speaker, Rosarian, two-time Artistic Swimming Olympian and silver Olympic medallist Izzy Thorpe, whose presence made the event even more special.
"It was a fantastic evening, enjoyed by all and a true celebration of our pupils' achievements and with the numbers in attendance, it showed our 'Sport for All' ethos - not just success but also of participation, perseverance and the joy of being part of a sporting community".
Mr Shane Cloete, Director of Sport
The evening began with a sense of excited anticipation as arriving guests spilled out onto the function room’s terrace area. Enjoying a welcome drink and taking time to digest the sheer dominance of Ashton Gate stadium they took advantage of the warmth of the setting sun before making their way to their table for the commencement of the award ceremony.
The awards were presented in three parts, interspersed with a delicious two-course meal and a series of fun and lively fundraising games. The room was a constant buzz of conversation and laughter, creating a vibrant and relaxed setting for celebration. The speeches from our enigmatic sports coaches were heartwarming in their commitment to their roles whilst, in turn, the pupils’ maturing confidence in addressing an audience were equally well received. Particularly entertaining was the good-natured jesting about Mr Bird’s traditionally lengthy speeches, with his own acknowledgement: “I received the memo this year — I’ll keep it sharp!”
A recurring message throughout the night was the strength of our sporting community as the wider values of Clifton High School – Love, Empathy, Direction, Curiosity- are upheld to encourage the pursuit of excellence, inclusivity and support for one another. Pupils spoke fondly of their enjoyment in mentoring younger children and their passion in being role models and ambassadors of Clifton High School.
As the awards concluded, Director of Bristol Sport, Mrs Lisa Knights Hume took to the stage for a Q&A session with Izzy Thorpe. It was a fascinating interaction whereby the audience were captivated by her and partner, Kate Shortman’s emotional and physical journey where they drew upon mental resilience to train for the Olympics. She also gave a behind-the-scenes tale of their artistic swimming routine that won them silver at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games! Welcoming back Rosarian’s is always a pleasure for Clifton High School and Izzy’s sharing her personal journey was an inspiring and motivating lesson for our pupils to understand that through hard work and commitment, dreams really do come true!
With formalities complete, the celebrations continued on the dance floor. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the DJ, the room came alive with music, dancing, and community spirit. A special mention goes to our Year 11 parent dance-off duo — a reminder that talent at Clifton High isn’t just limited to the sports field!
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and supported the Sports Awards Dinner 2025, to our sport staff members for their dedication and we congratulate our winners, the teams that have contributed to success on the sports fields. We already look forward to next year’s celebration.
For further information on Clifton High School’s Senior Sports Programme, please click here.
