Conyers students cook up, engineer and dance their way to GCSE success
Keen cook Megan Parker will be hoping to use her culinary skills to mix ingredients as she pursues her love of science after achieving a baker’s dozen of GCSEs.
The 16-year-old, from Yarm, achieved 13 GCSEs at grade 8 and 9 and will now stay at Conyers Sixth Form to study maths, further maths, chemistry and geography, before studying maths or science at university.
“I started cooking during lockdown and still like to do meals for the family every week,” she said. “I like problem-solving and things which are black and white. I enjoy mixing things together in chemistry and also when I bake cakes. I’d love to be a chemical engineer and was really impressed when I visited GSK in Barnard Castle.”
An Egyptian student, who couldn’t speak English when he relocated to Teesside, is engineering a bright future after securing top grades.
Cairo-born Ismail Ibrahim gained 13 GCSEs at grade 7+ and will now stay on at Conyers Sixth Form to study A levels in science, with a view to reading a chemical engineering degree at Manchester University.
The 16-year-old pupil, who now lives in Yarm, was just six when he arrived in the UK where his father took up a job as a doctor and Ismail later joined Conyers School.
“I couldn’t speak English when I arrived in the UK and it was difficult at first to understand,” he said. “But I managed to learn English by watching Disney shows and people here were very supportive, especially the teachers.
“I have enjoyed my time at Conyers where you get the freedom to explore the subjects you like doing, which is maths for me. I enjoy figuring out how things work.”
Dancer Lois Fox was leaping for joy after achieving 11 GCSEs including eight top grades. The 16-year-old, of Thornaby, is now planning to study A levels in business, sociology and media, hoping to secure a degree apprenticeship one day.
A keen dancer from the age of six, she is a member of Heritage Dance School, in Stockton, and has had to balance her studies with practising routines in the run up to her next show of musicals.
“I love rehearsals and the build-up to a big show,” she said. “I’d love to start my own business one day but will definitely continue dancing.”
Staff and pupils at Conyers School were once again celebrating a ‘fantastic set of results’ for their Year 11 students who performed well across all subjects, with 25 per cent of grades at 7+ and over 60 per cent of grades at 5, allowing students to go on to study a variety of level 3 courses.
Head of school Chris Coleman said: “We are very proud of our students who have worked so hard, shown real perseverance and made sacrifices to achieve these excellent results. Their commitment and resilience has yielded incredible results. These outcomes are a credit to our students, the dedication of our staff and the support of families. Many will now continue their journey at Conyers Sixth Form while others take up opportunities across the region, including further education and apprenticeships. We wish all students the very best and every success in the next chapter of their lives.”