Awards Ceremony

20 years after Mrs Rumpler OBE founded Side by Side Special Needs School, the top classes celebrated its first ever ASDAN qualifiers with a spectacular  awards ceremony on Wednesday 8th February.  

Each participating student was presented with their framed ASDAN certificate by Rabbi Pinter after demonstrating their newly acquired skills through a presentation.

Over the last two years several of Side by Side’s special needs students have been working towards their ASDAN qualifications, all of which aim to set the students up for life as contributing members of the community. The ASDAN topics include how to behave in the work place, health and safety and understanding the environment. A significant part of these qualifications is hands on experience in day to day life. The students therefore spent a lot of time outside of school and integrated into the local community by working in local businesses and supermarkets.

The students were joined by friends and family at the ceremony, all of whom came to support and celebrate this wonderful achievement. The audience was extremely proud of the students for being the first ever Side by Side pupils to achieve this award, with many stopping to take photos of the awardees  and cheer as each name was called by Rabbi Pinter. Many of Side by Side's staff were also present at the awards ceremony to see their students who they have been working with for many years towards this momentous occasion, receive their hard earned award. 

The Speaker of the Council, Rosemary Sales, the Guest of Honour at the ceremony gifted a presentation to Mrs Lichtenstein the ASDAN coordinator for Side by Side, whom without which this momentous milestone would not have been reached. In her speech, the Rosemary Sales said "It was a real honour to be here and see the wonderful achievement these students have made. Not only is this event a truly proud moment for both the boys and the school but particularly for their parents and it is key to acknowledge the role these parents have in pursuing their children’s development.

One of the Side by Side parents said: “I was truly overcome with emotion at the ceremony and could not have been more proud of my son for achieving this award. This is the first qualification and award my son has received and likely the same for the other students too, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when our boys went up to receive their awards. It was a very special day.”