Fortescue Medals have been awarded to pupils at West Buckland throughout the School’s history. They are the highest honour bestowed on a pupil as they leave the school.

The winner has to have 1 ½ colours in sport, drama or music, that creates a relatively small field of 5 this year. They are also supposed to have worked hard, have excellent character, and have made a special contribution to the school. It is often that final criterion which defines them as a Fortescue medal winner.
 
We have one winner today.

Sometimes winners have been great sportsmen or women, or musicians, or dramatists. This winner has been successful in all three of these areas of school life, with full colours in drama, half colours in concert band, and half colours in rugby
 
He is a very busy young man, also representing the Fortescue in football, tennis, hockey and swimming, and improvising in house drama in the autumn term. Those who attended Guys and Dolls at the Queen’s Theatre will recall him as Sky Masterson, where his dedication was recognised by all, and where he was a role model to the younger boys.

He is an accomplished musician, a composer and singer of what Mrs Kent calls a fusion of Coldplay and Elton John.  Indeed members of the school will recall his self-assured performance for the Fortescue in the senior ensemble of the House music:. Many of us were impressed at the way he spoke for his year at this year’s leavers’ ball. If you hadn’t guessed, I am speaking about our current Head of School.

A Fortescue medal is awarded to Tom Smaldon.