Bright futures for region's teenagers after record-breaking A-level results

Students in south Durham had good reason to celebrate after two schools achieved a 100 per cent pass rate.

Chris Goy, headteacher of Wolsingham Community College, in Weardale, said all students had achieved the grades they needed to go to university.

It was the same story at Spennymoor Sixth Form Centre, which also achieved a 100 per cent pass rate.

At St John’s Sixth Form, in Bishop Auckland, there was a 99.5 per cent pass rate, with 34 per cent of youngsters gaining A* and A grades.

One of the high achievers was Frances Gallagher, from Willington, who gained A* grades in maths and biology and A grades in chemistry and physics.

Teesdale School, in Barnard Castle, said results improved for a sixth consecutive year, with a pass rate of just over 97 per cent.

Among the success stories was Sophie Philbrick, of Mickleton, who achieved an A* and three A grades and will study biological sciences at Oxford.

Students at King James I Academy, in Bishop Auckland, were celebrating achieving some of the school’s best results.

Pupils passed 100 per cent of their A-levels and BTECs, with all performing arts students scoring between an A* and a B.

About 66 per cent of students received an A* or A in art.

Assistant headteacher Dave Shearer said: “The personal support which we provide to all of our students is our unique selling point.”

Top scholars included Jill Young, Beth Dixon, Sam Wilkinson, Thomas Wales and Sarah Bailey.

In North Yorkshire, Stokesley School was one of those to break all records, with 63 per cent of students obtaining A* , A or B grades.

At The Wensleydale School, in Leyburn, 46 per cent of students gained A* to B grades.

Student Duncan Lindsay achieved four A* grades and Brett Utley achieved three A* grades.

At Northallerton College, 54 per cent of students achieved A* to B grades, while at Thirsk School and Sixth Form College, seven students obtained at least four A* or A grades.

Student Ben Hart has been accepted to study paramedic science at Coventry.

He said: “Even from about the age of about 11, I remember practising my dressings on friends and family and wrapping them up in all kinds of bandages.”

Fellow students Claire Mitchell and Stephen Lane both earned places at Cambridge University – Claire to study law, Stephen to study economics.

Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough, east Cleveland, gained a 99 per cent pass rate on all A-level courses and 100 per cent success for national diplomas.

The outstanding performer was Hugh Wilson, who achieved four A* grades in chemistry, maths, further maths and physics, scoring nearly 100 per cent in all his exam papers.

Alice Fidel and George Walters led the way in Level 3 BTEC national diplomas in fine art and graphic design at Cleveland College of Art and Design.

Sophie Rutherford and Nick Lyons will fly the flag for English Martyrs Sixth Form College, in Hartlepool, when they read English at Cambridge and French and German at Oxford respectively.

In Darlington, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College achieved a pass rate of 99 per cent, with more than half the students gaining A*, A and B grades.

Owen Cundy, 18, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was the highest-achieving student in the college with five A* grades.

There were scenes of joy at Carmel College, Darlington, as students celebrated their best ever results.

At Durham High School for Girls, nearly half of all entries were awarded A* or A grades and nearly a third of the year group gained at least three A grades.

Nearly half of all entries at Durham Johnston School were awarded A* or A grades.

Three youngsters obtained four A* grades and ten students gained entry to Oxford or Cambridge.

A quarter of all entries at Durham School were awarded A* or A grades and the pass rate was 97 per cent. Nicole Lamb, who recently represented Great Britain at the Junior World Rowing Championships, secured a place to study biology at Newcastle University.

• See The Northern Echo on Wednesday for a 12-page supplement listing individual students’ achievements

Engineer Emma aims to buck the trend

EMMA CLEMENT hopes to buck gender stereotypes.

Emma, from Durham High School for Girls, will study engineering at Cambridge, having gained A* grades in physics, maths and further maths.

Emma, from Durham City, has spent three weeks of her summer holidays working at construction equipment firm Komatsu, in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, where she has been learning to weld, drive a digger, work on the assembly line and spray paint.

She said: “I am really, really pleased. It is really nice. All that hard work has paid off.”

She will be joined at Cambridge by deputy head girl Heather Keenan, who will study medicine after gaining A* grades in biology, chemistry and maths.

Headteacher Ann Templeman said: “One of the key reasons for our success is the fact that we are an allgirls school, where girls can reach their potential in all subjects, especially mathematics and science, which are sometimes wrongly seen as male areas.”

Oarsome effort from British rower Andrew

A STUDENT is celebrating a string of top grades after successfully juggling his studies while rowing for Great Britain.

Andrew Brown, of Kirklevington, near Stockton, earned A* grades in physics and design and technology, A grades in chemistry and maths and a B in further maths while studying at Yarm School.

He recently competed in the Junior Rowing World Championships, and will study engineering at Durham University.

He said: “I know engineering will be a tough course, but I will just have to continue to work hard whilst focusing on rowing.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Dover, who received a scholarship to study A-levels at Yarm School, is celebrating success.

He was awarded the Ogden Trust Science Scholarship after displaying a natural talent for science. Matthew, from Park End, Middlesbrough, earned three A* grades in maths, chemistry and physics and an A in further maths.

He said: “I am really pleased, I think I am still taking it all in.”

He will study physics at Manchester University.

The number of A* grades at the school rose 18 per cent, with 84 per cent reaching A* to B grades.

Philippa to aim for university

A BEAUTY queen has vowed to knuckle down to her studies after receiving her AS-level results.

Miss Sunderland Philippa Attle, 17, earned C grades in English and history and a D in product design.

Philippa, who studies at Park View School, in her home town of Chester-le- Street, said: “I did a bit better than I thought and the main thing is that I passed so I can go on to next year.

“Although I did put work in, I will have to knuckle down next year.”

She hopes to study design and is considering which universities to apply to.

She said: “I want to go somewhere that is chilled out with a good nightlife.”

Double delight for twins

IDENTICAL twins Rebecca and Victoria Smith will both study the same subject at the same university.

The pair, from St Bede’s Sixth Form College, Lanchester, County Durham, earned Bs in biology, but Rebecca received an A in geography and a B in maths, while Victoria received an A in maths and a B in geography.

They will both study geography at Durham University.

Rebecca said: “I was not expecting it, but I am really pleased.”

Victoria said: “We are competitive and that is what has kept us going.”

The girls live in Hamsterley Colliery. Their grandmother, Enid Turner, said: “They are the first in the family to go to university. I am really proud.”

Meanwhile, two brothers both picked up good results, but are looking to different futures.

Dominic Younger gained A* grades in history and religious studies and an A in law, while Callum earned an A in sociology, a B in drama and a C in music.

Callum plays the drums, violin and piano and will study folk music at Newcastle University, while Dominic hopes to study history at Dundee.

They studied at St Robert of Newminster Sixth Form College, in Washington, Wearside.

Results tribute to tragic teacher

ART students have dedicated their exam success to the memory of a former teacher who inspired them to excel.

Hannah Robertson, Sophie Thompson, and Katy Fraser, of Barnard Castle School, attributed their A grade A-level success in art and design to the enthusiasm of former head of art Suzanne Cuthbertson, who died during the summer holidays.

Mrs Cuthbertson, 59, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in the spring, continued to teach to the end of the summer term, despite her illness.

Hannah, 18, of Melsonby, North Yorkshire, who has been given a place at Royal Holloway, London, to study drama, said: “I was not going to take art as an A-level, but it was Mrs Cuthbertson who encouraged me to do something I loved.

“She was always so passionate about art and that really rubbed off on us.

“She never let her illness show and it is still such a shock that she is not here to celebrate in our success.”

Sophie Thompson, 18, of Darlington, who will study architecture at Canterbury University, said: “I hope she would be really proud of what we have all achieved.”

Mrs Cuthbertson lived in Darlington and had a husband and two grown sons.