Top marks during GCSEs

Top marks during GCSEs

16 September 2015

THE value placed on every child at St Mary’s High School means they walk with their heads held high, according to school principal Sheila Darling.

Speaking at the annual prize-giving night last week, Mrs Darling said the school’s motto “every child matters” was reflected in everything they did.

Congratulating students on their hard work, determination and their “can-do-attitude”, Mrs Darling said they had all achieved success in their studies and been rewarded for hard work and commitment in other areas of life.

She said 100% of students had been successful in gaining GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications in their respective examinations.

“In St Mary’s no student is stigmatised, every child is supported to experience success and to be the best they can be,” she said.

“In this school, our students know they are valued, they walk with their heads held high, they are rightly proud of who they are and proud of their association with our school. 

“All the staff work as part of a team, each one bringing their own special talents to support every student reach their potential.”

Referring to recent research which shows that most teenagers spend four hours on average per night watching television, on the internet or playing computer games, she said it was estimated that one extra hour of these activities resulted in ping a GCSE grade in two subjects with two extra hours accounting for a drop in a grade in four subjects. 

She said research had also confirmed that students who put in an extra hour of homework or spend time reading do much better in their GCSEs.

“St Mary’s is a very successful school, proud of its “Mercy history”, welcoming to all, irrespective of race, colour, creed or 11 plus status,” she said.

“Here “every child matters”, every child is treated as an individual, every child is supported to develop a can-do-approach, to work hard to improve, to learn from their mistakes and to stick at something until the job is done.

“Our economy needs people who can bring positivity to the work place, who can bring solutions to work scenarios, who can work independently and as part of a team, who can recognise the intrinsic value of every human being, who can respect others and allow others to experience human kindness.

We work hard in St Mary’s to help our students to become rounded human beings capable of both academic success and personal compassion.”

Mrs Darling said St Mary’s was proud of its teenagers. “They bring so many gifts and talents to our school community,” she said.

“We have a culture of ‘giving back’; our students give freely of their time both in school and in the community. 

“Whilst I am really pleased with the outstanding educational achievements in our school, I am equally pleased with the warm, generous nature of our students, willing and able to think of others, to give something back, to make a difference, to put the H into human.”