Students who excelled in their GCSE results are pictured along side Principal, Mr Jarlath Burns and Year Head, Mr Brendan McArdle. 

There were great scenes of excitement and delight in St Paul’s on Thursday 21st August, as GCSE students and parents collected results and called to enrol for post 16 Studies. Twenty-eight students achieved a minimum of five plus A*/A grades in their GCSE results, an increase from previous years, with many students attaining straight A*/A grades.

Principal, Mr Jarlath Burns, expressed great pride regarding the achievements of this entire year group. He explained, ‘while we are ecstatic about the incredible number of students achieving these A*/A grades, we are equally as proud of the student who has worked to the full of their ability and achieved five C grades.’

He went on, ‘we are a non-selective, all ability school and value the achievements of all our students. There are many students in this year group who sat a transfer test five years ago and were disappointed with the content of the slip of paper that arrived in their door at the end of January 2009. However, the content of that slip of paper has had no currency here in St Paul’s, where staff have worked tirelessly with all students. The evidence of the shared commitment of staff, students and parents is what we see here in front of us today.’

St Paul’s prides itself on its innovative approach to learning and teaching. The high level of monitoring and target setting, led by Vice-Principal Mrs Una McNulty, has had a very positive impact on the performance of students. As a result, this year’s numbers entering AS studies is expected to exceed the two hundred mark.

Among the top achievers were Joseph Mee and Niamh Cluett. Joseph was over the moon with the 9A* 3A that he attained in his GCSE Studies. Niamh was equally happy with the 7A* 3A that she was awarded. Both students were congratulated by Year Head, Mr Brendan McArdle, who praised their positive approach to life in St Paul’s and wished them well as they embarked on the next stage of their educational journey.