Students from St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook receiving their A Level results from Principal, Mr Oliver Mooney and Head of Year 14, Ms Christine Fearon.

The release of A Level results by the various examining boards last Thursday brought news of further success to St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook.

Principal of St Paul’s High School, Mr Oliver Mooney, speaking after the publication of A Level results, congratulated the students, their parents and the staff of the school in the role they all played in the exceptional performance of this year’s cohort of A level students.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors and staff of St Paul’s, I congratulate all our students who have achieved so much at A2 and AS Level in public examinations this year.  We celebrate, as always, their achievements and their efforts and are proud of their various successes.”

“I and the staff of St Paul’s,” said Mr Mooney, “take great pride in the achievements of this year’s students. We are pleased that our students’ exceptional achievements have made it yet another great year for us, and that their efforts and superb results have ensured that a record number of them have gained entry to the university courses of their choice. This is particularly significant at a time when university places are at a premium.”

“Our priority is to ensure our students realise their full potential, gain places at the university of their choice and fulfil their dreams and aspirations.”

“I realise that such impressive results at St Paul’s High School can only be achieved by our students’ dedicated application to study. I commend and thank them all, and their parents and families for their support, commitment and co-operation.  I must also express my gratitude and appreciation to the teachers of so many A Level and vocational subjects here at St Paul’s High School who with their enthusiastic and committed teaching and encouragement, have done so much to help our students perform so successfully again this year.”

Mr Mooney expressed his delight that the overall pass rate in the school was, once again, very impressive. “Our students have, this year, maintained the excellent standards of recent years.”

“2013 has seen the largest ever cohort of A level students in St Paul’s and it is worth noting that the vast majority of these students have spent the last seven years in a non academically selective, co-educational environment and have shown beyond doubt that there is no need to academically select children at age 11 to ensure their success in A level examinations. Every subject on offer in St Paul’s achieved a 100% pass rate at A2 level.”

“I am delighted to learn from Mrs Kearney in our Careers Department that nearly 100% of this year’s A Level students should gain entry to third level courses of their choice in universities and colleges in Northern Ireland, in Dublin and throughout the UK.  The important thing to recognise is that so many students have given of their best and achieved so much in their individual A Level subjects and I have no doubt that the work ethic that the school has fostered in these students will stand them in good stead in their university courses and beyond.”