Catholic schools in both the state and private sectors recorded another exceptional set of A level results yesterday, with many citing students achieving top grades and securing places at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge to continue their studies.

In a separate development, there was  a significant drop of 22.8 per cent in the number of young people taking Religious Studies at A level in England and Wales.

The Oxbridge tradition continued at New Hall with the Head Girl & Deputy Head Girl among those getting the results they needed to take up their offers and a record average UCAS point score per student equating to AAB, More than one third of students there achieved A*-A and more than nine in ten, A*-C. The highest number ever of pupils also secured competitive apprenticeship places, including with top London firms.

Principal, Katherine Jeffrey, said: “We are extremely proud of all our students today. Their hard work and persistence throughout their time at New Hall, along with that of their teachers, has paid off. The university places and apprenticeships that New Hall students have gained reflect the holistic education that the school offers.  Successes range from humanities to veterinary medicine, vocational theatre school places to modern languages. We are also proud to share news of the continued tradition of Oxbridge success at New Hall, with New Hallians achieving places to read Biochemistry, History and Mathematics.  This brings the number of New Hallians currently at Oxbridge to 18.”

Constance Day, Head Girl, scholar and boarder, achieved A*A*A, plus an A* in the Extended Project (EPQ) and will read History at Trinity College, Cambridge.  Elizabeth Skells, Deputy Head Girl, scholar and boarder, achieved A*AA, together with an A* in the EPQ and A in an AS Level, and will read Biochemistry at Hertford College, Oxford.  New Hallian scholar, Lucy Greenwood, former student of New Hall Preparatory and Senior Divisions, is also celebrating outstanding results, with A*A*A*A*A*, and will read Mathematics at St Peter’s College, Oxford.

Also celebrating are Rose McQuillan, who received an unconditional offer to read English Literature at the University of Birmingham, and achieved A*AA, together with an A* in the EPQ; Charles Mabbutt, outgoing Deputy Head Boy, who achieved A*AA, plus an A in an EPQ, and will read Politics at the University of Durham; Natalie Chan, who achieved A*A*AA and will read Philosophy at UCL; Jake Powell, who achieved AAA and will read Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College; James Beagley, who achieved A*AA and will read Spanish & Arabic at the University of Durham; Matthew McCarthy, who achieved AAA and will read Politics at the University of Leeds; Jake Wakelin, who achieved AAA and will read Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Leeds; and Oluwaferanmi Aloko, who achieved AAA and will read Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.

Among those securing apprenticeship places are Drew Mead, outgoing Head Boy, who is celebrating outstanding results that have secured his place on an apprenticeship course with RSM UK in Business & Finance; Henry Hall, who is taking up an apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying with Mott McDonald; Henry Webster, who will be undertaking an apprenticeship in investment banking with UBS; Thomas Clayton, who has an apprenticeship with AON Insurance; and Elliot Swallow, who will be a management trainee with Weston Homes.

Head Girl, Constance Day, pictured above with Deputy Head Girl, Elizabeth Skells, told The Tablet that her success was down to sheer hard work. The temptation with the new A levels for some is to leave it to the last minute to "cram", because of the removal of course work and AS levels, she said. But Constance, who knew she was aiming for Cambridge, planned a schedule of hard work throughout the sixth form in her three A levels of history, English literature and theology.

Her Catholic faith also helped. "The nature of New Hall inevitably means that faith played a significant role," she said. "Anyone who goes through A levels understands there are low points. In that way, faith was always there as a comfort.' 

Four in ten of the Oratory School pupils achieved A*-A, showing gains on last year's results.

High achievers included Harry Davies and Sai Muvvala who met and exceeded their offers for Medicine at Sheffield and Economics at UCL respectively, with both achieving 3 A*s; other high achievers included Matthaeus Gemmingen-Hornberg with 3 As (Philosophy at Edinburgh); Jack Radford with A* and 3 As (Computer Science at Surrey); Will Sudding with A* and 2 As (Civil Engineering at Bristol); Ryan Sprules with A* and 2 As (gap year); and Luke Thomson with 3 As (Classics at Durham); there were many other personal success stories on the day and many students arrived at school to pick up their results and celebrate with the members of staff present.

Particularly outstanding once again were the results for Art & Design with 8 A*s and 1 A and Photography with 3 A*s and 2 As, demonstrating once more The Oratory School’s strength in these disciplines. In other areas there were excellent departmental performances in: Classics where there were 100% A*-B grades in Latin and Greek; History and Economics where over 80% of pupils achieved A*-B grades and Maths in which over 70% of grades were at A*-B.

The Head Master, Joseph Smith, said: “We are delighted with these results, which show another significant increase in the percentages of A*-A and A*- B grades achieved on the last two years’ results. This is in line with our goal to ensure that every boy achieves his academic potential at The Oratory, whatever that might be. For a school with a broad intake and spread of ability these are results to be proud of, for our pupils, their parents and their teachers.”

St Thomas More Catholic School pupils in north London achieved their best ever A level results.

Martin Tissot, Executive Headteacher said: “These results will propel the school into the top 5 per cent of college performers”. Initial estimates show a rise in the pass rate with half of the students achieving A*- B Grades (39 per cent last year).

Mark Rowland, Head of School, said that he was particularly pleased with the 99 per cent pass rate at A Level: “This is particularly impressive as A Levels this time around were the new, tougher, revamped linear qualifications.”

Dean Saunders, Head of Sixth Form, paid testimony to the hard work of both teachers and students and said that the school’s University preparation programme was clearly very effective. He said that the percentage going on to University at 93 per cent of Year 13 was at an all-time high with 16 per cent of these going to Russell Group Universities.

Top performers this year were: Mary Habtes A - Biology, A - Mathematics, A - Geography Dimitrios Mylonas A - Mathematics (pictured above with Mary Habtes), A - Further Maths, A - Physics Amma Blankson A - Economics, A - Business Studies, B - Maths Adrian Raymond** A* - Maths, B - Further Maths, B - Physics **

Mr Rowland said that Adrian’s achievement was particularly laudable as he came from a school in the borough that was closed in 2013 - John Loughborough - and consequently had a lot of ground to make up when he joined the school as a Year 10 pupil. In one of his core Mathematics papers, Adrian was in the top few percent of the country securing full (100 per cent) marks. 

A Level students at Ratcliffe College gained an overall pass rate of 99 per cent, with 87 per cent of all grades C or better and 40 per cent of grades A or A*.  At the top end, 15 per cent of students achieved grades of A, A, A* or better. All students who applied for university courses gained places with the overwhelming majority securing their first choice, many of which are coveted courses at Russell Group and Oxbridge universities, with 10 per cent attending Durham University this year.

Headmaster Jonathan Reddin said: “Our Year 13 students have been exemplary in every way. Throughout their Ratcliffe careers, they have given freely and generously of their time to the College community both in and out of the classroom.  I am confident that each and every one of them has benefitted immeasurably from his/her time at Ratcliffe, not only by achieving these excellent grades but also through the co-curricular programme.  I know that they have been inspired by their teachers as well as one another, and that their experiences at Ratcliffe have helped to mould them into fine young people who epitomise our inclusive ethos.  I am delighted that their dedicated work ethic has been rewarded with demonstrable academic success.  We are especially pleased that, at the time of writing, the overwhelming majority of applicants have secured places at their first choice university.”

Matthew Ward, who joined Ratcliffe College Nursery, was both relieved and delighted with 3 A*s which takes him to Durham University to read Geography.  He said: “I will be joining my brother, who started there last year to read Law”.

At St George’s Weybridge more than 50 per cent of all papers were awarded an A* or A grade – a figure that increases to 83 per cent awarded A* to B grades.

“This Upper Sixth year were among the best students I’ve ever had the privilege to look after,” said Mandy Smith, who is retiring from her role of Head of Sixth Form.  “They truly deserve their excellent results.”

Francesca May, Deputy Head Academic, said: “Ellie and Demi, Head Girl and Head Boy, easily matched their potential. Ellie was awarded A* in Biology, Chemistry and Maths and Demi achieved A*s in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and the EPQ. Ellie has already started her course in Neurobiology at Harvard. Two other students have also opted to study abroad, both at Dutch Universities. Meanwhile Demi will be heading up to Churchill College, Cambridge to read Engineering. He will be joined by Ethan, reading Computer Science, and Alex and Harry, both of whom will be reading Natural Sciences.”

Headmistress Rachel Owens,said: “In line with the ‘perfectly balanced’ heart of the school, the range of subjects achieving over 50 per cent A*/A grades goes from Art to Computer Science, English Literature to Music and Economics to both French and Spanish – to name but a few! It’s been a very good year and these excellent results are a tribute to both our exceptional students and our dedicated – and equally exceptional – teachers.”

All three students who applied to read medicine have had their places confirmed, while six more are off to top art foundation courses, two will be going on to study music courses and, in a new departure, two will be reading Japanese studies. At the same time, all nine Lower Sixth students taking the A Level a year early achieved an A*.

At Our Lady's High School Hackney, Jenna Colaco, who achieved the results she needed to secure her place at Oxford, said: "My seven years at Our Lady’s has certainly gone quickly. It seems so bizarre to actually be leaving school and leaving home. I’ve had the privilege of some wonderful teachers who inspired me greatly, especially my English teacher Mrs Detain. I’ve really loved studying Shakespeare and Chaucer as well as classical texts such as the Iliad and Aeneid, it helped reaffirm my choice of studying literature to degree level. Next month I’m really excited to be starting at the University of Oxford to read Classics and English." Here grades were AAA in Classical Civilisation, English Literature and History, and A* in extended project.

Other successes were Diana Sufaj, A*BC in English Literature, Fine Art and History; Mandy Tan, A*A*A in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. She will be studying Medicine at UCL; Mary Karayel A*AB in English Literature, Geography and Politics, and A* for her extended project in "How Disney changed the Grimm fairy tales". She will be studying English at York University and wants to go into either publishing or journalism; Angela Takyi, AABB in History, Politics, Sociology and Extended Project. She will be studying Law at Brunel; Marie Tighe, A*A for English Literature and Fine Art and a merit in Health and Social Care.

It was also another successful year for Ampleforth with almost three quarters of our students achieving A*-B grades across the board.

Alice Shen (A) was amongst one of our highest achieving students with three A*s, one A and a B in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Chinese and Physics, and will be studying Mathematics at University.  Joshua Dutin (T), who will be heading to University College, Oxford to study History and Politics, and Gabriela Grobelny (B), who will be studying Economics and Management Science at Edinburgh University, also excelled with three A*s and an A each and Serene Yik (B) was awarded four straight As.