Hundreds achieve top exam grades

Aug 15 2008 by Graeme Whitfield, The Journal

THE A-level pass rate rose again in the North East as hundreds of teenagers in the region achieved top grades.

Overall figures showed the national pass rate soaring above 97% for the first time this year, while one in four sixth-formers were awarded A grades (25.9%, up from 25.3% last year). Among the top students was Monib Baber, at King Edward VI School in Morpeth, who won a place at Cambridge with five A grades.

He said: “It has been a lot of hard work and I am looking forward to more of the same at Cambridge. It will be great to be in the place where the smartest people go and I’m sure it will be a fantastic atmosphere.

“I want to do research maths at university and I would eventually like to get into something like banking.’’

Also heading to Cambridge will be Tong Zhao, from Fenham in Newcastle, who spoke no English when she came to the UK seven years ago, but yesterday scored As in maths, biology and music and a B in English literature.

The Sacred Heart School pupil said: “It’s been pretty tough since the beginning but now it’s getting better, I had to start from scratch.

“I was expecting to do well, but seven years ago I didn’t speak a word of English. My family have been really supportive through all my time here.”

All Saints College in Newcastle, which sent its first student to university two years ago, yesterday saw 25 get places in higher education, while Seaton Burn College in North Tyneside celebrated both its best results and its first Oxbridge-bound student, Emily Burnside.

Ceara Howey won a tennis scholarship to the New Orleans University after getting A grades in history, geography and religious studies at Central Newcastle High School.

Coun Simon Reed, Northumberland County Council’s executive member for children’s services, said: “I’m very pleased with these results, which are a testament to the hard work of students and their excellent teachers. I congratulate the young people on their success and wish them the very best in the future.”

Berwick High School headteacher Steve Quinlan said: “There is this obsession in the media that A-levels have got easier, but it does not feel like that here. I am just pleased with the success all our students have achieved.”

But as thousands of North East students collected their A-level results, Olympic swimmer Jemma Lowe is putting her celebrations on ice.

The 18-year-old from Hartlepool does not want to know how she has done in her exams until she returns from Beijing later this month.

Charlotte wins early place at Cambridge

A 17–year-old pupil who sat her exams a year early has won a place at Cambridge University.

Charlotte Squires-Parkin, from Gosforth, Newcastle, has got a place at Trinity College, Cambridge, a year ahead of her peer group after receiving two grade As in her physics and chemistry A-Levels.

The pupil at Newcastle Church High School last year got an A in further maths level at the same time as taking her GCSEs, while she got a top mark in maths three years early at the age of just 15.

She said: "I found out first thing this morning and I’m very excited about going to Cambridge.

"Church High has been really supportive letting me sit exams early and I’m really happy with the school and probably would not have had the same opportunity elsewhere. My parents are really proud of me and have also been a great support."

Church High headmistress Joy Gatenby said: "Charlotte has done exceptionally well and we are very happy that she has won her place at Cambridge to read maths.

"We are also delighted to have once again achieved a 100% pass rate and that such a large number of girls have been awarded the highest possible grades."

Victoria quarantined mid-way through exams

ONE pupil at Monkseaton High School had an extra reason to be delighted with her results.

Victoria Robson, of John Street, Earsdon, North Tyneside, developed a contagious disease half way through her exams and had to sit several at home.

The 18-year-old, who gained an A and three Bs, contracted scarlet fever and was quarantined. She said: "I came out in a rash, it was all over my arms and hands which made it hard to write. I was not allowed into school because I was so contagious.

"I had done a few of my exams before I got the disease but a teacher had to come to my house for the rest and supervise me. It made it feel a little bit strange to be sitting exams in my own home. It made it an even bigger challenge for me.

"Fortunately, I got better for our prom so I was able to go to that."

Victoria will now go on to Northumbria University to study psychology.

Delight for heart op Vicky

A NORTHUMBERLAND student enjoyed the happiest day of her life yesterday, getting top A-level results just 12 months after undergoing open heart surgery.

Vicky Robinson, 18, of Park View, Felton, had an operation at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital this time last year to cure a faulty valve in her heart.

She missed around three months’ lessons at Alnwick’s Duchess’s Community High School, and was advised to re-sit the entire school year.

But she ignored that advice, returning for a few hours of lessons a week and yesterday she was rewarded with A grades in music and food technology, and a B in English language.

The good news came with Vicky having already sealed a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Due to exhaustion after surgery, she had been forced to delay auditions for the academy by several months but was given an unconditional offer.

And with hospital staff happy with her recovery, Vicky said: "This is the happiest day of my life.

"It has been amazing, everything has worked out great.

"I did not think I was going to do well because of all the setbacks."