Record-breaking GCSE results for St Catherine's College

Some of the top Portadown GCSE and AS Level students from St Catherine's College, Armagh pictured with staff. INPT-051

Top student Emily Tiffney, from Portadown, a former pupil of St John the Baptist PS, scored a record-breaking 13 A* grades.

A total of 17 girls were awarded 10 or nine A*/A grades.

Overall, 35 students achieved at least seven A*/A grades.

Among the top achievers are Portadown girls Aoibheann Chambers (eight A*s/ two As); Megan Hamill (five A*s/four As/ two Bs); Cassie Tennyson (three A*s/five As/two Bs).

At AS Level, Jessica Maye achieved three As and Cara Matchett three As.

Cara is a former pupil of Ballyoran PS and the other girls attended St John the Baptist PS.

As an all-ability school, St Catherine’s College has again outperformed many grammar schools with 93 per cent of the year group scoring grades A*-C in at least seven subjects.

In total, 162 pupils sat GCSE examinations at the school this year.

Principal Noeleen Tiffney said, “Once again, we have shown that children can achieve great success in an all-ability school where there are high expectations and a belief in the potential of every young person without the need for academic selection.”

Mrs Tiffney congratulated all who worked so hard for the past five years “to ensure these excellent results”.