Record breakers at Lurgan College

He said: “The class of 2013 have put ‘the icing on the cake’ on what has been an outstanding year for the College after the ‘very good’ inspection ETI report in January and the clinching of the Ulster and All-Ireland Hockey titles in March. For an incredible twelfth year in a row, the 114 Y14 pupils of Lurgan College recorded an over 99.7% pass rate in all subjects offered at A Level, which compares very favourably with the NI Grammar School average pass rate of 98.2%. Grades A*, A and B accounted for 72.5% of all grades achieved compared to the NI Grammar School average of just 61.8%. The 94.4% of A*-C grades (a new school record) is also well in excess of the NI Grammar School average of just 83.5%.

“The most significant statistic of all in terms of benchmarking data used by the Department of Education is the record-breaking 87% of the pupils who secured 3 A Levels at A*-C which is likely to be over 10% above the NI Grammar School average and which will once again see the school listed as one of the top 10 performing Grammar schools in whole of the province at this level. These pleasing A Level results have already seen the College placed among the very top schools throughout the UK according to surveys carried by out a number of national newspapers.

“While all of these statistics are, of course, most gratifying for us as a school, the most pleasing aspect of these excellent results by far for me is, of course, that, once again, the vast majority of our pupils are now looking forward to taking up their places in their chosen universities throughout the United Kingdom and further afield. These young people are a credit to their school, their community and their families”.

Worthy of particular mention is Bethany Barr (Waringstown PS) who achieved an outstanding three straight A* grades in her A Levels – a tremendous achievement by any standard.

Head Girl and straight A student Laura King will be taking up her place next year at Oxford University to read Law.

18 pupils in total recorded at least three straight grade As in their subjects and a further 13 pupils obtained at least two grade As.

The students with three straight grade As were Bethany Barr (Waringstown PS), Serena Barr (Waringstown PS), Aimee Cairns (Waringstown PS), Laura Fulton (King’s Park PS), Hannah Girvan (King’s Park PS), Jordan Hutton (Waringstown PS), Matthew Johnston (King’s Park PS), Rachel Kennedy (King’s Park PS), Jason Ki (Waringstown PS), Laura King (King’s Park PS), Victoria Kinkaid (King’s Park PS), Lauren McKay (Moira PS), Lauren McKeown (King’s Park PS), Ellen Mullen (King’s Park PS), Jack Patterson (King’s Park PS), Renwick Sharp (Newtownabbey Independent Christian School), Iain Wilson (Waringstown PS) and Leah Wylie (King’s Park PS).

The students achieving at least two grade As were Danielle Bann (King’s Park PS), Amy Blakely (King’s Park PS), Rebecca Cromie (Waringstown PS), Amy Dickson (King’s Park PS), Louise Emerson (Ardmore PS), Karissa Glenn (King’s Park PS), Michelle Hand (King’s Park PS), Danielle Mathers (Dickson PS), Alexandra McCarthy (King’s Park PS), Stephanie McGown (King’s Park PS), Sherrie Percy (Bleary PS), Sophie Smyth (Ballycarrickmaddy PS) and Katie Webster (King’s Park PS).

The College’s top performer at AS Level this year was Jonathan Ellis (Waringstown PS) who achieved an amazing five straight As.

The students with four straight As in their subjects were Lauren Murray (Carrick PS), Jillian Reid (Ballinderry PS) and Bonnie Staines (Model PS).

The students with three A grades were Hannah Bailey (Maralin PS), Fiona McShane (Maralin PS) and Julie Morrow (King’s Park PS).

The following pupils achieved two grade As: Luke Adams (Waringstown PS), Ashleigh Barnes (Waringstown PS), Sarah Castles (Donaghcloney PS), Matthew Ellis (Waringstown PS), Jessica Gracey (Bleary PS), Suzanne Mackenzie (King’s Park PS), Claire Martin (Moira PS), Rebecca McLoughlin (Maralin PS), Benjamin Murtagh (Moira PS), Alicia Newton (Waringstown PS), Kyle Parks (King’s Park PS), Zara Peden (King’s Park PS), Andrew Prentice (Carrick PS), Jodie Rankin (King’s Park PS), Rebekah Robinson (Waringstown PS), Olivia Russell (King’s Park PS), Charlotte Sproule (Moira PS) and Lauren Toland (King’s Park PS).