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Pupils at Abbey Grammar School in Newry are today celebrating their excellent A Level Examination achievements. 30% of the school's A level students attained a minimum of 3 or 4 A*/A grades at A level.
Abbey Principal Mr Sean Sloan congratulated all the leavers on their results. He indicated that virtually every boy achieved his first choice university place. He was also delighted with the Lower Sixth performance in their AS examinations. He paid tribute first and foremost to the students on the results of their hard work and endeavours. He also thanked parents, families and the whole school staff for the dedication and support to the students to allow them to fulfil their individual potential.
Careers Advice from Department for the Economy
Justin Kerr, Head of Careers Service at the Department for the Economy, is advising young people receiving their results, and their parents, to make use of the free impartial advice and guidance offered by the Department’s Careers Service.
Justin said: “For many young people, receiving their exam results today will be the culmination of years of hard work, some of which will have been extremely challenging during the pandemic. This day marks the next step in their career journey and the need to take sound decisions will be of vital importance to their effective career planning.
“There will be those receiving results today who will be delighted with what they have achieved and will have a clear pathway for their next steps. I know that there will also be others who may be facing disappointment and be unsure of where to turn for advice on the best way forward. I want to reassure everyone that advice and guidance is available and the Careers Service is ready to help you access the path best suited to realise your career ambitions.”
Justin continued: “The Careers Service can offer impartial advice and guidance on career pathways including further and higher education, training and employment including apprenticeships, higher level apprenticeships and traineeships as well as help and guidance on applying for employment, either full-time or whilst studying."
For immediate advice and guidance contact the Careers Service by calling 0300 200 7820, lines are open 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Careers Advisers can also be contacted by webchat or email by going to nidirect at www.nidirect.gov.uk
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Southern Regional College students achieved outstanding results this year with a 93.4% overall pass rate in A-Levels, with students performing highly in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Over 250 students completed A-Level examinations this year at the Armagh Campus and the results are exceptional.
Successful A-Level students include:
Not to be outshone, AS-Level students performed highly with a 100% achievement rate in the subjects of Digital Technology, English Literature, Geography, Nutrition and Food Science and Religious Studies. All AS-Level students also performed strongly in STEM subjects.
Some successful AS-Level students include:
Stephen Rogan, Head of Faculty for Computing, Design and Academic Studies at Southern Regional College commented “The excellent A-Level results achieved by our students at the College reflects the effort and commitment they have made to their learning, under the guidance and support of staff.
Students faced a continuously evolving and challenging learning environment, and all have adapted in order to achieve these wonderful results. I am very proud of our students’ achievements, and it is a real testament to the hard work and effort of the staff and students that we have performed so well again this year.”
Southern Regional College offers a vast range of A-Level subjects at its ‘A-Level Academy’ on the state-of-the-art Armagh Campus. The College welcomes students who are studying A-Levels for the first time as well as those who wish to repeat one or more AS or A-Level.
If you are interested in studying at Southern Regional College’s A-Level Academy and have not yet applied, you should visit www.src.ac.uk, apply for the subjects which interest you and upload your GCSE results once you receive them. Staff will then be in contact to discuss your options.
You can also contact the admissions team on 0300 123 1223 or visit the College’s Facebook page www.facebook.com for further information.
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Teachers and pupils at St Paul's High School, Bessbrook are in a jubilant mood yesterday with outstanding A Level results both AS and A2 announced.
Top achievers in the A2 year include the following pupils:
Chloe McNally, a past pupil of Jonesborough Primary School with A*AAA in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Professional Business Services.
Caoimhin O’Neill, a past pupil of Dromintee Primary School, with A*AAA in History, Geography, Maths and Professional Business Services.
Damien Johnston, a past pupil of St Patrick’s PS Crossmaglen, with AAAA in Geography, History, Government & Politics and Religion.
Dominick Szablonski, a past pupil of St Malachy’s Primary School Camlough, with A* A* A* in Digital Technology, Maths & Physics.
Ryan McStay, a past pupil of St Patrick’s PS Newry, with A* A* A in Geography, History and Religion.
Saoirsé O’Brien with A* A* A in Sociology, Religion and Health & Social Care.
Turlough O’Hagan, a past pupil of St Mary’s PS Mullaghbawn, with A*AA in Geography, Maths and Biology.
Kate McCrink, a past pupil of Dromintee Primary School, with A*AA in Digital Technology, Health & Social Care and Maths.
Niamh Lennon with A*AA in Biology, Chemistry and History.
Patrick Fearon with AA & Distinction in Design & Technology, History and BTEC Construction.
Sienna Grant, a past pupil of St Mary’s PS Mullaghbawn, with AAA in Biology, Professional Business Services and Health & Social Care.
Aoife Byrne, a past pupil of St Malachy’s PS Camlough, with AAA in Maths, Food & Nutrition and Health & Social Care.
Rose Boden, a past pupil of Dromintee Primary School, with Distinction* AA in BTEC Sport, Irish and Spanish.
Katie Crawley, a past pupil of St Malachy’s PS Camlough, with Distinction AA in BTEC Sport, Maths and Irish.
Tiarnan Grant with Distinction* Distinction Distinction in BTEC Double Construction and Sport.
Mark McDonnell, a past pupil of St Mary’s PS Mullaghbawn, with Distinction Distinction Distinction in BTEC Double Construction and Cambridge Business.
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Our Lady’s Grammar School in Newry are celebrating a very successful year, with A Level students achieving superb results. 56% of A Level grades in Our Lady’s were awarded at at A*-A, 85% at A*-B and 96% at A*-C. 42 students in the year group attained 3 or more A/A* grades.
Pupils congregated at the school earlier today for photographs but more importantly to catch up and share results.
Principal, Mrs Fiona McAlinden, expressed her congratulations. “We are deighted to celebrate our A Level students’ success. They have demonstrated dedication and resilience and we wish them well as they venture into various paths whether in higher of further education, going directly into employment or pursuing other passions."
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Northern Ireland Screen has announced an innovative partnership with NextGen Skills Academy, aimed at bolstering Games, Animation, and Visual Effects expertise in three Northern Ireland Further Education colleges.
The two-year pilot programme will facilitate direct industry engagement from a range of international and local creative studios, improving students' employability prospects in the creative industries. The Department for Communities (DfC) estimates the number of people in creative employment in 2020 in Northern Ireland at 33,000 or 3.9% of the local workforce so it is a sizeable industry.
Notable partners in this venture include Industrial Light & Magic, renowned for their visual effects work in franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as Creative Assembly, the creative force behind international gaming franchises like Total War, and Blue Zoo, the animation studio responsible for family favourites such as Numberblocks and The Adventures of Paddington.
From this September, Southern Regional College, Belfast Met and Northern Regional College and will offer courses in conjunction with NextGen Skills Academy. Each college will deliver a Level 3 vocational course, equivalent to three A Levels, aimed at school leavers who have a passion for games, animation and visual effects (VFX). Prospective applicants can access the course information via each college’s website.
This initiative will enable students to work on live industry projects, receive feedback from employers, and sharpen their skills to professional standards.
Welcoming the initiative, Marcia Deakin, Co-Founder of NextGen said "NextGen Skills Academy is excited and proud to collaborate with Northern Ireland Screen to enhance the Further Education provision in Northern Ireland. The screen industries are vibrant across Northern Ireland, and we look forward to working closely with local studios to create an Employer Steering Group. Through this work and our industry engagement opportunities, students will gain valuable exposure to current best practices, boosting their confidence and employability skills, thus laying a strong foundation for their creative careers."
Richard Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Ireland Screen commented “Embracing the power of collaboration, we are thrilled to announce our visionary partnership with NextGen Skills Academy, united in our mission to nurture and elevate the future of Games, Animation, and Visual Effects expertise within Northern Ireland. The partnership will empower students in three Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland, fostering a generation of trailblazers, armed with the skills, knowledge, and inspiration to leave an indelible mark on the global stage of digital creativity, and further harnessing innovation and elevating Northern Ireland's creative potential."
Stephen Rogan, Head of Faculty for Computing, Design and Academic Studies at Southern Regional College further commented:
“With the support of Northern Ireland Screen and NextGen Skills Academy we are delighted to once more be offering students the opportunity to gain skills relevant to employers’ needs.
We live in a rapidly changing environment, so to offer students the chance to work on live projects and gain relevant industry feedback, alongside lecturer coaching and mentoring support will without doubt set students up for success in their future career path.
Students can apply for the Level 3 Games, Animation and Visual Effects course via our website at www.src.ac.uk with courses starting in September at either the Newry or Banbridge campus’.”
Applications are open for courses commencing in September 2023. For further information and to make an application for Level 3 Extended Diploma visit the College’s website.
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Students at Southern Regional College’s Newry Campus were recently joined on GCSE results day by Officials from Department for the Economy (DfE) Skills and Education Group and Careers Service.
The group congratulated students on their results and discussed the range of part-time and full-time A-Level and A-Level equivalent courses available to school leavers at Northern Ireland’s Further Education Colleges.
Visit www.src.ac.uk for further information on all the career options at Southern Regional College.
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Newry High School is celebrating excellent resuts this week from both their GCSE and A Level students. One GCSE student alone achieved 9 A*'s.
Following yesterdays GCSE announcements Principal Iestyn Brown said “As a school we are delighted that once again our students have produced an excellent set of GCSE results. Our inclusive ethos has allowed students of all abilities to achieve outstanding results and add considerable value to their achievement. This is a very rewarding way to finish this academic year and places the school in the top 25% for similar
NI schools. These results prove the students’ skills and commitment, and we are so proud of them all.”
There were some outstanding performances from individuals:
Many other students achievements were also particularly worthy of mention, including:
In their A Levels 100% of students achieved A*- E grades at A2 level and 87% of students achieved A*- C grades, an increase from last year.
Reflecting on these results Principal, Mr. Iestyn Brown, said “These results give real cause for celebration, and we are all proud of the successes which we have seen in our Post-16 examination performance this year. The results are particularly rewarding when analysed against students’ prior attainment and reflect positively on the opportunities offered by the school to a wide range of students of all abilities. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of our students on their considerable achievements and to thank our team of dedicated teachers and support staff who have worked incredibly hard in order to bring about these successes”.
A delighted Head of Sixth Form, Mrs. Sinead Young, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank students, parents and staff for all their efforts and would wish all our students the very best for the future. I am so happy that all the hard work put in by everyone has come to fruition.”
Some of the outstanding student successes at Newry High School include:
Lauren Clements - A*,A & Distinction*
Ryan McCone - A*, A*, Distinction* & B
Daniel Wilson - A, A & A
Owen MacLeod - A, B, & Distinction*
Katie Adams - Distinction, B & C
Shane Grimley - B, C & Distinction
Filip Kilmas - A, B,& Distinction*
Sarah Holohan - B, B, & Distinction
Abbey Hanna - B, B & Distinction*
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St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook is very proud of the GCSE outcomes of all its pupils, with this year’s large cohort surpassing previous high statistics of both 5+ and 7+ GCSE including English and Maths.
Principal Mr Jarlath Burns said "A record breaking 24 pupils achieved straight A*/A grades in their 9/10 subjects and, of particular note, were Kym Ward and Erin McCullough, past pupils of St Teresa’s Tullyherron and St Malachy’s Carnagat, who were among the top achievers and achieved 9A* and 1A each."
The principal continued "However, it’s important to note that, as a non selective school, we are also very proud of the pupils who achieved B and C grades. Furthermore, for children who have barriers to learning, for them to have achieved D grades in subjects also equates success. To this end, we continue to aspire to provide a quality education for all our pupils and are mindful for the different levels of success for children of a wide range of abilities.
He concluded "In all the discussion about pupil outcomes, homage must be paid to the entire staff of St Paul’s - teaching and non teaching. Without them, and our supportive parents, these days simply wouldn’t happen."
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Northern Ireland’s six Further Education Colleges including the SRC in Newry have announced details of up to 2,000 new NI Traineeship places now available for both school leavers and adults.
Available across 27 professions, the novel NI Traineeships enable school-leavers and adults to gain a qualification equivalent to five GCSEs (Level 2), while also gaining valuable work experience in the sector they are interested in.
Applications are now open across all six FE Colleges for September ‘23 entry, with further details of what’s on offer at each College available online by searching ‘Traineeships’ on the NI Direct website.
The NI Traineeships are supported by the Department for the Economy, in line with its 10X Economic Vision and associated Skills Strategy, to offer a further accessible route to further study and employment, including apprenticeships.
A Traineeship typically takes up to two years to complete on a full-time basis. Students can then progress to Level 3 FE courses or Apprenticeships, both of which offer progression to Higher Education including degrees and Higher-Level Apprenticeships.
Available across 27 professions
Among the 27 professions covered by the NI Traineeships are engineering, auto electrics, joinery, animal care, professional chef, hospitality and tourism, travel and tourism, and childcare and early years.
Real-world challenges
Developed alongside industry, the NI Traineeships include project-based learning and skills training. The Traineeship package offers students a more dynamic and relevant vocational programme of learning than traditional academic pathways.
While undertaking their Traineeship, students will explore real-world challenges developed by local employers and complete a period of structured work-related learning with an employer. Students will also have the opportunity to achieve additional qualifications deemed necessary for work within their chosen sector, as well as skills valued by employers including problem-solving, teamwork, time management, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking about the opportunities provided by the NI Traineeships, Leo Murphy, Chair of the College Principals’ Group and Principal and Chief Executive of North West Regional College (NWRC), said “These NI Traineeships offer young people and adults a fantastic chance to begin a new and exciting chapter in their lives. If you are a school leaver, are unemployed, or currently have a desire to work in a certain sector, then I urge you to find out more about the NI Traineeships now on offer in your local Further Education College.
“Utilising the world-class facilities available in our FE Colleges, these NI Traineeships provide our students with accessible, really enjoyable, high-quality vocational education and training, and working relationships with leading employers that often lead to fulfilling careers.
“These Traineeships also highlight the value employers now place on the use of Traineeship as a route to Apprenticeships, with many hundreds of young people progressing to employment in key sectors. The exciting work-based training options highlight the vital role FE plays in the creation of a vibrant Northern Ireland economy.”
Libby Shackels, Director of Curriculum at Southern Regional College commented “The NI Traineeship is now the flagship level 2 programme that provides young people with a high-quality vocational education across twenty-seven skills areas. If you are 16 years of age, leaving school and you aspire to work in a practical environment and gain experience in the workplace, through the College’s extensive links with employers, then the NI Traineeship is for you! Traineeships are equivalent to five GCSEs, providing students with the progression pathway to a Level 3 Vocational qualification or Apprenticeship, and indeed a Higher Education qualification in the future.
Here at Southern Regional College, we want students to have the tools they need for a successful career, with Traineeships being the first step. With many young people coming out with GCSE results and unsure of their next steps, I would urge you to look into traineeships to see what they can offer you.”
Andrew McVarnock from Southern Regional College is one student undertaking an NI Professional Chef Traineeship. Encouraging others to explore the opportunities they offer, Andrew said:
“I first became aware of the Traineeship by attending the College Open Day last year. At the event lecturers provided me with lots of information about the Traineeship and I began to realise how the course would help develop my skills and lead to lots of job opportunities.
I’ve learnt lots both in College and on my work placements. When I reflect on the experience, I can see how much I’ve learnt and how my skills have improved. I’ve been able to work in a Michelin starred restaurant over summer and am looking forward to progressing with the Level 3 Apprenticeship. I would definitely say take a look at the NI Traineeships on offer at your nearest college.”
Clement Athanasiou, Director of Apprenticeships, Careers and Vocational Education at the Department for the Economy, added “Developing the local skills base is a key priority for the Department. Our 10X Economic Vision and associated Skills Strategy sets out how we want to equip people with the skills they need for the constantly evolving jobs market. Traineeships have a vital role to play in making this a reality.”
“The opportunity provided by a Traineeship for those who are not in employment to gain Level 2 qualifications can unlock their chosen career path, or set them up to progress to higher levels of education, such as through an Apprenticeship. Participants on a Traineeship will also learn valuable skills for employment by taking part in work-based learning which is a great way to develop the wider transversal skills that are so important in the world of work. This is a fantastic and accessible new route to learning and I would encourage all those interested and eligible to look at the wide range of training options available through their local FE college.”
Participants of the NI Traineeships may be eligible for financial support through Education Maintenance Allowance or FE Grants. Hardship funds, free school meals, equipment, and travel passes may also be available. Further information is available online at NI Direct.
From September 2023, Traineeships will be available in the following occupational areas:
brickwork carpentry and joinery
childcare and early years electrical installation (electrician's mate)
engineering health and social care
ICT land-based engineering
motor vehicle (light) motor vehicle (heavy)
vehicle body repair vehicle paint refinishing
hairdressing horticulture
agriculture plastering and dry wall lining
plumbing (plumber's mate) retail
floor and wall tiling painting and decorating
butchery auto electrics
vehicle fitting professional chef
hospitality and tourism team member travel and tourism
animal care
Applicants must hold a minimum of a Level 1 qualification, defined as four GCSEs at grades D to G, including Maths and English grades D to E, or equivalent.
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