Press Release
Date: Tuesday 14 March 2006 (NR/07/06)
CCEA celebrates GCSE high fliers
The elite of Northern Ireland ’s GCSE students were honoured today at a special awards ceremony hosted by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).
CCEA’s ‘Celebrating Excellence’ awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of 54 young people who achieved overall first place in their subject in CCEA’s summer 2005 GCSE examinations.
The ceremony brings together the top performing students with parents, principals, heads of departments and subject teachers. Representatives from the Education and Library Boards, Department of Education and appropriate subject bodies will also be in attendance.
Alan Lennon, Chairman of CCEA, congratulated the students on their accomplishments, saying:
“Today we are in the company of some very special young people who have reached the highest levels of performance in CCEA GCSE examinations in the highest performing region of the UK . CCEA is delighted to honour their achievements and proud to be associated with the educational excellence they represent. My congratulations go to one and all.
Summer 2005 saw CCEA students notch up a phenomenal 97% pass rate. 6.7% of entries achieved the coveted A* grade, compared to the national figure of 5.9%, and at A* to C grades, 70.5% of CCEA entries made the grade compared to 61.2% nationally.
I would urge all of our young achievers to continue their hard work in education or training so that they can play a leading role in the development of strong, dynamic and enterprising communities.”
CCEA’s Celebrating Excellence GCSE Award Ceremonies will take place at CCEA, 29 Clarendon Road , Clarendon Dock, Belfast , on Tuesday 14 th March 2006 at 10.00am and 1.30pm.
Programme: Morning Ceremony
10.00am Refreshments
10.30am Opening remarks
10.40am Alan Lennon - Award Ceremony
11.20am Mr Gavin Boyd - Closing remarks
11.30am TC Photographs and refreshments
Programme: Afternoon Ceremony
1.30pm Refreshments
2.00pm Opening remarks
2.10pm Dr Alan Lennon - Award Ceremony
2.50pm Mr Gavin Boyd - Closing remarks
3.00pm TC Photographs and refreshments
GCSE Celebrating Excellence Award Winners Morning Ceremony
Subject |
Name |
Centre |
Applied Art and Design |
Patrick T D Wright |
St Brigid's, Armagh |
Business Studies |
Paula D Davison |
Cambridge House Grammar School |
Business Studies (B) |
Selina Ali |
Sutton Coldfield Grammar |
Business Studies (B) |
Laura Elizabeth Coatsworth |
Wales High School |
Construction |
Ryan McAtavey |
St Patrick's High School, Armagh |
Drama |
Rosanna C Aldworth |
Rathmore |
Economics |
David M J Kelly |
St Patrick's Grammar Armagh |
French |
Ciara F Power |
Aquinas Grammar School |
French |
Sarah A Cameron |
Omagh Academy |
Gaeilge |
Sean Michael O Heachain |
Colaiste Feirste |
German |
Louise Jane Dilworth |
Dungannon Royal |
Information Communication Technology |
Ronan F O'Flagherty |
Lumen Christie College |
Information Communication Technology (B) (Full Course) |
Jennifer Mason Laws |
The King's School |
Information Communication Technology (B) (Short Course) |
Adam Irvine Whyte |
The Royal Latin School |
Irish |
Conor McLaughlin |
Lumen Christie |
Irish |
Caoimhe Marie McKearney |
St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon |
Journalism |
Catherine McCartan |
St Patrick's, Banbridge |
Leisure and Tourism |
James E Feeney |
St Joseph 's, Londonderry |
Mathematics |
Jamie Humphries |
Wallace High |
Music |
Deborah G Hannaway |
Lumen Christie |
Science Double Award (Non-Modular) |
Caoimhe Marie McKearney |
St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon |
Science Double Award (Non-Modular) |
Graeme Martin Greenfield |
Wallace High |
Science Double Award (Non-Modular) |
Sarah Scott |
Wallace High |
Science: Biology |
Nicola L Richardson |
Rainey Endowed, Magherafelt |
Science: Chemistry |
Andrew J Shanks |
Regent House |
Social and Environmental Studies |
Maria E L Warren |
St Louis , Ballymena |
Spanish |
Amy Kathryn Mulvenna |
St Macnissi's, Carnlough |
Technology and Design |
John G Haaijer |
Protora Royal, Enniskillen |
Morning Top Candidate Additional Information
Ciara Power, Aquinas Grammar achieved joint first place in French with Sarah Cameron, Omagh Academy . Both girls are commended for taking the GCSE examination early. In June 2005 Ciara was aged 11 a Year 8 student, while Sarah was in Year 9, aged 13.
Conor McLoughlin, Lumen Christie College achieved first place in Irish. Conor completed this GCSE in Year 10 two years ahead of time.
GCSE Celebrating Excellence Award Winners Afternoon Ceremony
Subject |
Name |
Centre |
English |
Kevin Edward O'Reilly |
Abbey Grammar, Newry |
Additional Mathematics |
Rebecca J Stevenson |
Ballymena Academy |
Additional Mathematics |
Andrew Brian Cairns |
Banbridge Academy |
Applied Business B (Double Award) |
Eleanor Ward |
Ripley John Flamsteed |
Applied Information and Communication Technology B (Double Award) |
Laura Elizabeth Robinson |
The Ridgeway High School |
Business and Communication Systems (B) |
Timothy J Lane |
Bathurst Roman Catholic High School |
Design and Technology: Product Design (B) (Full) |
Victoria Gillard |
Colyton Grammar School |
English Literature |
Austin Samuel Josef Irwin |
Royal Belfast Academical Institution |
Geography |
Andrew Brian Cairns |
Banbridge Academy |
Health and Social Care |
Clare Murphy |
St Pius', Magherafelt |
History |
Kevin Edward O'Reilly |
Abbey Grammar, Newry |
Home Economics |
Natalie McKee |
Carrickfergus Grammar |
Home Economics |
Dessislava S Malinova |
Methodist College |
Home Economics |
Natalie L R McCloskey |
Strathearn |
Home Economics Child Development |
Sarah Milliken |
Ulidia College , Carrickfergus |
ICT Short Course |
Helen F Caldwell |
Coleraine High |
ICT Short Course |
Sophie R Funston |
Foyle and Londonderry College |
ICT Short Course |
Victoria E Graham |
Foyle and Londonderry College |
Motor Vehicle and Road Users Studies |
Jonathan A J Potter |
Fivemiletown High |
Physical Education |
Sarah-Louise Noble |
Erne Integrated College |
Physical Education |
Daniel William Mullan |
St Columbs College |
Religious Studies |
Rachael R Cresswell |
Dalriada, Ballymoney |
Religious Studies Short Course |
Sarah R J Knowles |
Ballymena Academy |
Religious Studies Short Course |
Andrea C A Hanna |
Kilkeel High School |
Religious Studies Short Course |
Claire Forde |
Strathearn |
Science Double Award (Modular) |
Kevin Edward O'Reilly |
Abbey Grammar, Newry |
Science Double Award (Modular) |
Andrew R W Lecky |
Foyle and Londonderry College |
Science Single Award (Non-Modular) |
Deborah L Farmer |
Strathearn |
Science: Physics |
Timothy W Rocks |
Ballymena Academy |
Science: Physics |
Andrew Brian Cairns |
Banbridge Academy |
Science: Physics |
David A Smyth |
Limavady Grammar |
Afternoon Top Candidate Additional Information
Kevin O’Reilly, Abbey Grammar Newry collected 3 Top Candidate Awards for History, English and Science Double Award (modular). Kevin is now studying 5 A levels Spanish, Chemistry, Biology, ICT and Further Maths. He completed his 'A' level Maths in Year 12 while taking his GCSE examinations. His future career will focus on maths / science. He was also Runner up in BT/ESAT Young Scientist RDS Dublin.
Andrew Cairns, Banbridge Academy collected 3 Top Candidate Awards for Additional Mathematics, Geography and Physics. Andrew is now studying A levels in Mathematics, English Literature, Physics and Chemistry. He also finds time to study Japanese.
Top Candidates from outside Northern Ireland
There are a number of students from schools in England included in the list of CCEA top candidates. In 2005 we had almost 35,000 entries from schools and colleges in England . This reflects the growing popularity of CCEA examinations throughout the UK . The students from England in attendance at today’s award ceremony were: (overleaf)
Jennifer Mason Laws |
Information Communication Technology (B) (Full Course) |
The King's School |
Adam Irvine Whyte |
Information Communication Technology (B) (Short Course) |
The Royal Latin School |
Eleanor Ward |
Applied Business B (Double Award) |
Ripley John Flamsteed |
Victoria Gillard |
Design and Technology: Product Design (B) (Full) |
Colyton Grammar School |
Timothy J Lane |
Business and Communication Systems (B) |
Bathurst Roman Catholic High School |
Media enquiries to Ruth Maguire on (028) 9026 1216, Mobile 07796947993. E mail rhmaguire@ccea.org.uk
ENDS
Note to Editors
CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"
What we do
CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.
Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.
Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.
Awarding Qualifications
– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.
- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.
