Dame Allan’s pupils celebrate A-level success and bright futures
Dame Allan’s Schools is celebrating another robust set of A Level results as pupils prepare to head to leading universities across the UK, including Oxford and LSE, while others opt for degree apprenticeships and studies abroad.
With a talented cohort of pupils achieving top A* and A grades – and 90 per cent of all grades awarded at A* to C – this year’s leavers include a high number of boys and girls heading into engineering and STEM, alongside others taking up places on competitive courses in economics, law, sciences and humanities.
Thirty-three pupils also completed the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) – an independent research project that develops university-style skills including research, critical thinking and academic writing – with 82 per cent achieving top grades A* to B.
Will Scott, Principal at Dame Allan’s, said: “It’s great to see pupils celebrating their high academic achievements, and rightly so, but our ambition here is not only to prepare them for their exams but for life beyond school. To give them the confidence and experience to make the most of the opportunities that come their way.
“That is why days like today are so special. We’re seeing happy young people who have worked incredibly hard, achieved results they can be proud of and, most importantly, are excited about what comes next. We want them to leave Dame Allan’s ready to make the most of life – and that is what we are celebrating today.”
Among them is Cerys Soutar, from Gateshead, who achieved an outstanding four A* grades in Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths. She secured her place to study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Sheffield.
She said: “I’m really happy with my grades. I was surprised because the Physics paper was particularly difficult! I’m excited to study aerospace engineering. I’ve always been fascinated by space, especially more recently with the bigger space missions, like Artemis, and I’d love to be part of that industry in the future.”
Other high flyers include Polly Matthews, from Benton, who will take Combined Honours in Social Sciences at Durham University after achieving A* grades in A-level Economics, Maths and Spanish, and Eddie Seery, from Gosforth, who will now take up his place at Oxford to study History and Spanish after achieving straight A*s in Economics, History and Spanish.
Eddie, 18, who has attended Dame Allan’s since nursery, said: “It feels amazing to achieve these grades, I’m so relieved. I’ve loved my time at Dame Allan’s, over the years I’ve definitely become resilient, more open minded and I’ve learnt how important it is to grasp every opportunity on offer.”
Head boy James Braithwaite, from Gateshead, achieved A* grades in Maths and History and an A in Politics and will now study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
He said: “It’s not just about the grades at Dame Allan’s – although yes, it’s great to come away with these results – it’s genuinely feeling like you’re a good person, you’re kind and you have inner confidence.”
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