St Patrick’s College in top five non-grammar schools

Rathfriland High School and St Patrick’s College, Banbridge, made the grade with the highest percentage of pupils achieving at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C.

The analysis of the 2013 examination results confirms that 64.6% of the pupils in St Patrick’s College achieved five GCSE grades A*-C including GCSE English Language and Maths. At Rathfrilanbd the figure was 71.2%.

St Patrick’s is an all ability, inclusive school which was opened in 1958 to serve the boys and girls of the greater Banbridge area.

Principal Anne Mallon said that she was delighted with the superb academic success enjoyed by St Patrick’s College.

She commented: “These grades are the result of a great partnership; hardworking students, skilled and hardworking teaching staff and outstanding commitment by the parents.”

The principal continued: “Our focus is on learning and teaching and enabling each student to reach their personal best.

“Our aim is excellence through partnership and we can be justifiably proud that we have achieved this goal in 2013.

“The staff and pupils are currently working to capacity to ensure that these standards are maintained.”

The other top non-grammar schools at GCSE were Saint Catherine’s College in Armagh (71.7%), St Patrick’s High in Keady (69.6%) and St Patrick’s Co-Ed Comprehensive in Maghera (68.2%).

A total of 22,580 pupils in Year 12 were eligible for GCSE examination entry in Northern Ireland in 2012/13 – 9,334 in grammar schools and 13,246 in non-grammars.

Overall, including all schools, selective and non-selective, almost 61% of year 12 pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C last year, including English and Maths.