A SOLDIER who served in Iraq returned to his former school to reward youngsters for their achievements.

Sgt Andrew Carr went back to King James I Community College, in Bishop Auckland, for its annual prizegiving.

He left the college in 1991 and joined the Royal Corps of Signals.

Assistant headteacher Elizabeth Proud said students and staff were motivated by his speech about making an effort at school.

She said: "The event is about rewarding students for every aspect of school life, those who are academically able and those who have talent or do their best in other areas."

Senior Prizes: Claire Wood (Andrew Morrison prize), Jennifer Butler (Bob Raymond prize), Kathryn Charlton (Douglas Reed Memorial), Kelly Bannister (Gordon Cup), Thomas Stones (King James Prize), Rachel Butler (Laurel award), Paul Watson (Mike Simpson Memorial), Liam Watson (Peter Kilmister Memorial), David Atkinson (Robert Niven prize), Ben Matthews (Sidney Biggs Memorial).

Special awards, the Lez Rawe Trophies: David Atkinson, Jennifer Kwa.

Special prizes: Jennie Harrison, Sean Carney, Liam Davison, Wayne Haswell, William Johnson, Matthew Moralee, Sam Parkman, Same Race, Chelsea Rickaby, Samantha Slack, Danielle Summers, David Barnes (three awards), Michael Barnes, Amii Belton, Philip Burek, Martyn Corner, Michelle Dent, Ian Dobson, Adam Doyle, Charlotte Hornsby, Paul Kipling, Laura Knight (two awards), Kayleigh Race, Laura Spence, Lindsey Stones (two awards), Daniel Wales.

Talentstar: Amii Belton, Jennifer Butler, Amy Richardson, Sarah Sample, Paul Scutter.

Millennium Volunteers: Kelly Bannister, Kathryn Potts, Amy Scullen, Helen Wallis.

ASDAN and XL Club awards: Emma Ellison, Kimberley Roderick, Jane Wilkinson.

AVCE certificates: Kelly Bannister, Suzanne Brass, Leanne Dargue, Nicola Edgecombe, Deborah Moore, Robert Proud, Stephen Spence.

Community drama: Daniel Amos, Lauren Beadle, Amii belton, James Millward, Todd Murgatroyd, Richard Rutter, Daniel Wales

Community Sports Leaders: Nicola Bainbridge, Rebecca Brannan.

Games trophies: Stephanie Smith, Kelly Bannister, Simon Bushbye, Helen Harnby, Wayne Haswell, Sarah Hope, Gemma Houlahan, Claire Johns, Matthew Kemp, Sarah Newton, Scott Oldfield, Josh Stones.

Form prizes: Jennifer Kwa, Stephanie Hallam, Jennifer, Brown, John Young, Sarah Goldsmith, Emma Bainbridge, Keiran Walton, Edward Johnson, Kayleigh Melles, James Lee, Bonnie Williams, Laura Bannister, James Robson, Claire Johns, Arron Wilson, Robert Whitton, Ashley Iceton, Karl Hall, Natasha Mitchell, Joanne Laybourn, Lucy Harrison, Lauren Beadle, Natalie Appleton, Sarah Hodgson, Louise Kwa, Lucy Baxendale, Nicola Saunders, Helen Harnby, Katrina Coates, Gavin Robson, Marie Sowerby, Brian Walton, Craig Smith, Richard Nicholson, Carly-Ann Hopper, Amy Carpenter, Stephenie Smith, Kay Wilkinson.

A and AS levels: George Bainbridge, Adam Harrison, Ben Matthews, Michael Owens, Trevor Sampson, Amy Scullen, Jamie Walton, Daniel Watkins, Emma Westwood, Clare Wood, Victoria Fawcett, Deborah Moore, James Scutter, Alexander Stamp, Helen Wallis, Kelly Bannister, Suzanne Brass, Sarah Moffett, Kate Scott, Suzanne Robson.

Attendance awards: Stephanie Hallam, Roxanne Flatman, Caitlin McGee, Sarah Goldsmith, Stephanie Crowther, Emma Bainbridge, Thai Scott, Robert Gowling, Carl Bell, Michael Hodgson, James Lee, Sean Nicholson, Kayleigh Orton, Daryl Patterson, Danielle Shield, Natasha Mitchell, Joanne Laybourn, Gary Mottram, Christopher West, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Sam Race, Thomas Stabler, Katrina Coates, Laura Campbell, Gillian Conn, Thomas Fawcett, Gary Laybourn, Andrew Lee, Thomas Stones.

GCSE certificates: David Carmedy, Kathryn Charlton, Matthew Crowther, Andrew Eales, Gaynor Elmore, Thomas Fawcett, Claire Hudspeth, Jane Imrie, Jennifer Kemp, Louise Lawson, Carly Moore, Carolyn Oliphant, Sarah Paylor, Lauren Phillips, Hazel Pollard, Kris Poskett, Rebecca Postma, Amy Richardson, Deborah Ayton, Laura Baxendale, Neil Bell, Simon Bushbye, Jennifer Butler, Laura Campbell, Amy Clay, Gillian Conn, Louise Conn, Stephanie Ellis, Simone Hodgson, Gary Laybourn, Andrew Mulholland, Kelly-Ann Sowerby, Thomas Stones, Daniel Wall, Michael Whitton.

GNVQ certificates: Katrina Bannister, Michelle Dent, Ian Dobson, James Gregory, Michael Kay, Emma McClacklan, Vicky Metcalfe, Helen Smart, Richard Sullivan.

SATS awards: Elizabeth Bainbridge, Lucy Baxendale, Lauren Beadle, Kimberley Fawcett, Karl Hall, Sarah Hodgson, Rebecca Iceton, Louise Kwa, Natalie Longstaff, Natasha Mitchell, Michael Ross, Nicola Smith, Rachel Smith, James Steele, Helen Stobbart, Liam Whittaker.