With the Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Newry still celebrating its outstanding A-Level results, 127 GCSE pupils were informed that they had also excelled.

‘Top of the class’ was Damian Mc Parland from Newry who achieved a new school record with 12 A* grades. He had scooped Irish and Mathematics A* last year and excelled this year in Additional Maths, English Language, English Literature, French, History, RE, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Spanish. Another 7 pupils obtained 11 A*/A grades. These were Stephen Campbell, Martin Davidson, Fergal Mc Alinden, Ronan Mc Donald, John Paul O’Hare, Homesh Sayal and Conor Sweeney. Other top performers were Philip Mc Clory and Adrian Mc Namee with 10 A*/A grades, Michael Boyle, Conor Mc Guigan, Aiden Murphy and Vincent O’Rourke with 9 A*/A grades, Conor Bell, Kevin Holsgrove, Michael Lynch, and Ruairi Williamson with 8 A*/A grades.

Students will choose three or four A Levels from a range of 28 subjects available. New subjects are on offer to lower 6th students for the first time. These are A Levels in English Language and Accounts and Vocational qualifications including Applied ICT and Construction. This will be complemented by lower 6th students adding to their AS studies in the next academic year with accredited vocational enrichment programmes across the range of subject areas including Consumer and Employment Law, Business Enterprise, Electronics Manufacturing, Website Design, Sports Injuries, Practical Caring Skills and Information Technology.

A delighted Headmaster, Mr Dermot Mc Govern, thanked staff and parents and congratulated all the pupils who received GCSE results – not only the boys who had done exceptionally well but also the boys who had done as well as they possibly could. He believes that a number of factors have combined to help with this year’s success, including a very dedicated, committed and highly professional staff who got the best out of this year’s group. The most valuable gift any teacher can give a pupil in the Abbey is their own time, and this was given in abundance.

Support from parents was another area highlighted by Mr Mc Govern that facilitated these results, working in harmony with the Abbey by attending parent/teacher meetings and helping to implement recommendations that were agreed at ‘Progress Meetings’ that were set up to support pupils.