The wait finally ended for our Year 12 pupils as they collected their GCSE results from staff in the Assembly Hall from 8.30am. GCSE candidates still need to collect their results in school, so there was a great buzz of anticipation in the hall.

As the envelopes were ripped open, hushed nervous conversation quickly turned to sighs of relief and, in some cases, screams of delight as the full extent of pupil success became apparent. Attainment this year has been excellent. At RSA, 48% of all grades awarded were A* or A, compared to 31.7% across Northern Ireland generally, and 71% of all grades awarded to our pupils were within the A*–B range. Overall, the percentage of pupils achieving at least 7 GCSEs at the top grades, A*-C, including English and mathematics, was 87%. A third of the pupils gained seven or more GCSEs with A* or A grades!

Referring to this remarkable exam success, Mr Montgomery said, “We are delighted with the achievements of all these pupils. These young people transferred here during the Covid disruption, have overcome the challenges and restrictions in their junior school education and they have performed strongly. They thoroughly deserve this success because they have earned it by their hard work.”

“GCSEs are a key stage in the educational journey of individuals. Education is about opening up life opportunities for young people and behind each batch of statistics is a young person who has worked really hard for two years. The support of families is crucial in helping our young people to achieve their potential, as is the input of well-qualified and enthusiastic teachers. It’s a community effort with the young people placed front and centre, and we are delighted for them.
“This impressive achievement will provide an excellent platform for each of these young people to build on as they start their A Levels.”

“The success was shared equally across day and boarding pupils, many of whom speak English as a second language! The fact that the pupils have done so well will ensure that they have a greater range and quality of career pathways, with the vast majority moving seamlessly onto A Level courses that will support their future aspirations.“