St Mary’s College celebrates excellent GCSE results

Students and staff at St Mary’s College in Crosby are celebrating another excellent set of GCSE results this year, the first to feature a new grading system in some subjects.

As in 2016, the outstanding feature of this summer’s performances at St Mary’s is the large number of pupils who have achieved multiple passes at the highest levels, which this year can include a pass at 9-7 grades in English and Mathematics.

The new 9-1, highest-to-lowest GCSE grading structure will be phased in to other subjects over the next two years.

In this summer’s exams almost a fifth of St Mary’s candidates (18%) achieved ten or more A*, A or 9-7 grades, and close to a third (30%) achieved seven or more passes at these levels.

Overall, almost half (48%) of all the GCSE passes at St Mary’s this year were at the highest grades.

In terms of individual performances, the college’s top trio of Adam Bennett from Aughton, Hannah Briant from Crosby and Georgia Shirley from Kirkby achieved a staggering 37 top-level passes between them, 30 of which were at the highest A* or 9 grade.

However, of these pupils it was Hannah who proved herself to be top of the class, achieving the highest possible grades in all 13 of her GCSE subjects, including three 9 grades in English language, English literature and mathematics as well as an A* with distinction – a so-called ‘super grade’ – in further mathematics.

Hannah commented: “I was amazed when I opened my results and saw that I got A* and 9 grades in all my 13 subjects. I’m absolutely over the moon and really pleased that all my hard work has paid off.

“I’ve loved every minute of my time at St. Mary’s, which is why I’m staying on in the sixth form to study biology, chemistry, maths and RE.”

St Mary’s College Principal, Mike Kennedy, said: “I am delighted with these results which reflect all the hard work of our pupils, and the support they have received from staff and their families, throughout their time at the school.

“The high percentage of passes at the highest grades is particularly pleasing, and shows that our students have the academic strength in depth to do well in future at A-level, at university and in their chosen careers.

“All our students and their parents should be very proud of what they have achieved in these important GCSE examinations, and rightly I am sure they will be celebrating their many successes over the next few days,” added Mr Kennedy.