Students move on with A-level results in hand

Students move on with A-level results in hand

24 August 2016

HUNDREDS of local teenagers have taken their first steps on new paths following the publication of this year’s A-level results.

There were once again tears of joy and disappointment in school halls across the district on Thursday morning when pupils returned for one last time to receive their results.

School principals have unanimously congratulated their young graduates on their effort and results and wished them well as they prepare for new university and college courses.

Many schools have celebrated their best ever grades with both St Colman’s High School and Sixth Form College and Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch highlighting a five per cent increase in last year’s achievements.

St Colman’s vice-principal Mrs Carol Potter said she was delighted students had continued to improve on their results, which she said were the “icing on the cake” after the school was designated very good to outstanding in a recent inspection report.

At A-level, she said there was a 5% increase in those achieving three A* to C grades with 43% of pupils achieving the top grades and 72% earning three A-level overall.

Assumption Grammar School principal Peter Dobbin said his students had also achieved their most impressive examination results in recent years with 100% of students passing all their A-level subjects with almost 95% of grades at A*-C and 86% of all students attaining three or more grades at A*-C with 75% attaining A*-B grades, topping last year’s results by 5%. 

He said this also represented a 10% increase in the number of pupils attaining top grades in the last two years.

While the school boasts many individual success stories, Mr Dobbin said Sherry Blair was this year’s top achiever with four A*s, while outgoing head girl Helen Jennings had secured a place at the prestigious Pembroke College in Cambridge to read Law and AS student, Eilis Rowan, had laid firm foundations for next year with an impressive five A grades at AS level.

“Today’s results are proof that our commitment to ensuring every student reaches their full potential remains at the forefront of the Assumption experience,” he said.

“However, I am not in the least surprised. I have the privilege of working with an exceptional staff who provide both outstanding teaching and dedicated, individualised pastoral care.”

St Malachy’s High School’s principal, Orla O’Neill, said her students had exceeded all targets set with over one third achieving the top A grades.

As an all ability school, she said staff were extremely proud of the achievement, which had placed St Malachy’s pupils “up there with the best, yet again.”   

“Our A-level students are happy and thrive in St Malachy’s and this is evident in our continued success at A-level with 83% of the year group leaving us with three good A-level grades to go on to further study at the top universities,” she said.

Shimna Integrated College principal Kevin Lambe said he too was absolutely delighted with the A-level results as well as the many other successes students had achieved throughout the year with one representing the UK U19 rifle shooting team in South Africa, another qualifying as a gymnastics coach during her A-level year, another changing his course to construction management after being inspired on a Habitat for Humanity trip to Ethiopia and another achieving grade As despite having to learn English from scratch.

“We are very, very proud of every single one of our students, and look forward to seeing them all again at presentation evening in December when we will find out how they have moved on,” he said.

Although Thursday marked the end of secondary school days for hundreds of A-level achievers, it marked a beginning for one school principal who publicly congratulated her students for the first time.

Fresh to her new post as principal of Down High School, Mrs Maud Perry has hailed the efforts of pupils, staff and parents as the Downpatrick grammar celebrates another excellent year of A-level results.

She said the expanded sixth form meant increased numbers of students sat a range of traditional A-level subjects, applied A-levels and BTEC courses with particular mention to 16 students who had achieved three or more  A and A* grades.

Mrs Perry said the recently-introduced BTEC level three subsidiary diplomas enabled many students to access a range of university courses, with nearly three-quarters of awards delivered in conjunction with the South Eastern Regional College being the top distinction* grade. 

“The curriculum offered in Down High School brings out the best qualities of our young people,” she said.

“The performances of the students, including the large number who joined our inclusive sixth form, are highly impressive and I would like to express my admiration for the work that they have put into making these results possible.”

Principal of St Patrick’s, Mr Sean Sloan, said staff were delighted with the results achieved including 91% of all grades from A* to C and were particularly pleased with the outcomes of the students who joined the school for post-16 studies with 98.4% of all grades awarded at A*- C.

 “Not only are students celebrating their results today but they were also celebrating gaining entry to their chosen university places, many of our students have secured third level places in Queen’s University Belfast and University of Ulster while others will be travelling to universities in the South of Ireland, Scotland, England and even the US,” he said.

 “I am confident that the students are leaving us fully equipped for the many exciting opportunities that lie ahead for them, their parents should be very proud of the well rounded adults they have become.”

Barry Sharvin, principal of De La Salle High School, Downpatrick, said his staff were delighted by pupils’ results and said each pupil had gained entry to their chosen third level course, while Mrs Sheila Darling, principal of St Mary’s High School, said students, parents and staff were delighted with the successful results achieved by A-level students.

She praised staff and students for their hard work, which she said had led to every post-16 student gaining their A-level qualifications.