University Academy Keighley students thought of their mothers during a highlight of the annual celebration prize-giving evening.

Singer-songwriter Ahmad Hussain was the guest of honour during the event to recognise the commitment of students towards making UAK a special place.

Ahmad sang a Nasheed song entitled My Beloved, which was dedicated to the mothers in the audience.

He also performed the foot-tapping song Reggie after presenting prizes and speaking to the students about pride in their achievements and the importance of respecting each other.

More than 100 students received recognition for achievements above and beyond the normal expectations placed on UAK’s students.

Prize winners and their parents were also entertained with performances from student group Dance Nation, storytellers from the UAK’s award winning Literacy Club, guitarists from Eric Beaumont and AJ Wilson, magic tricks from UAK’s Got Talent winner Sudhes Jabbar, and tales of ‘Academy Life’ from Ahmed Choudhry.

Prizes were awarded for subject progress and achievement, sporting achievement including recognition of the Academy’s successful sporting teams, contribution within school’s house system, and principal’s awards.

There were also Drake and Tonson awards for outstanding contribution to the Academy and sixth form.

Sheffield-born Ahmad Hussain is an internationally-renowned singer and writer of Nasheed, spiritual music, and was invited to University Academy Keighley to give an uplifting performance and motivational speech.

He said that following your dreams and believing in yourself was the key to success, telling how as a child it was his dream to become a singer.

Having been gifted an organ at the age of six he never looked back, and he has since performed in all corners of the world and his videos have amassed millions of views on YouTube.

Ahmad’s song My Beloved which he recorded for his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer. He dedicated the song to all the mothers attending the Academy’s awards evening.

He said: “Mothers are the first institution for learning, we can never do enough to repay them for all they do for us throughout our lives."

The music video for the song, filmed at the Cheshire home of Take That star Gary Barlow, was played in the background.