High achievers celebrated their success after getting into top universities across the country. St. John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College are celebrating with over half of all A level grades at A* - B and with the percentage of A* - C grades improving from last year.
Evangeline Collyer secured a clean sweep of A* results! Evangeline from Crook has been accepted into York University to read English after studying English lang/lit, sociology, religious studies and an EPQ. She said: “I really love the course; it was such a relief because for me I felt the exams went so badly so I was really expecting to not get the grades I needed. I was so excited, and I really wasn’t expecting to see it.”
Hannah Foster-Short secured her first-choice place at Durham University to study archaeology after achieving an A in history, A in English lang/lit, B in biology and B in AS chemistry. The 18-year-old, from Bishop Auckland, has dreamed of studying at Durham University since she was seven years old. She said: “I have been a part of a group called the Durham Archaeology Explorers since it started when I was seven, and I now volunteer at the group run by Durham University. “The Scottish Soldiers Exhibition at Durham University really sparked my interest in archaeology. I felt like A levels did not go that well for me and I did feel anxious but the support and the staff at St. John’s have been excellent; they have really looked after me. It was just incredible.”
Eleanor Tippey, 18, Bishop Auckland, also landed herself a spot at her top-choice university after receiving an A in her EPQ, A in drama, an A in English lang/lit and an A* in law. She said: “I don’t feel like it’s really sunk in yet. I’m going to study law at Southampton, and I am so excited.”
St. John’s also celebrated success in the creative arts, with student Zach Elliott, being accepted into Sunderland University to study performing arts. The 18-year-old, from Willington, has triumphed after suffering a serious head injury in Year 10, meaning he has needed additional support throughout his GCSEs and A Levels. He said: “My mam didn’t believe me when I opened my results, because it’s all she’s worried about for weeks. There were struggles leading up to my A Levels, like finding time to revise, but the school has been absolutely amazing with everything, providing me with readers and really helping me cope through all the exams. I feel like now I can just relax.”
Other high performers include Jack Harburn, 18, Bishop Auckland, who received an A* in both maths and further maths, an A in physics and a B in chemistry to go and study physics at Durham.
William Foster, 18, Shildon, will also be staying in the north to study civil engineering at Newcastle University having secured three As in chemistry, maths and physics and Mohamad Rashdan from Bishop Auckland achieved three As to study dentistry abroad.
St. John’s headteacher Lisa Byron said: “We are delighted with our students’ results and their wonderful achievements. They have demonstrated tremendous resilience and commitment to their studies.“Not only have they been dedicated to their studies, but they have embraced all that the school has to offer. We are all excited to see how our students grow from strength to strength in the next chapter of their lives.”