90% for Coláiste Feirste’s GCSE pupils
August 24, 2012
Coláiste Feirste, Belfast’s fast-growing Irish-medium College, have bucked the trend of declining exam results elsewhere. This year an incredible 90% of Year 12 pupils achieved the benchmark 5 or more GCSEs with a significant rise in the number of students achieving A* and A grades in all subjects. No pupil gained less than 4 good grades at GCSE and many achieved 10 top grades. The vast majority of these pupils will be returning to 6th Form next week to continue their Irish-medium education for the next two years.
Year Head Pádraig Mac Cathail said, “On behalf of the Key Stage 4 team I would like to congratulate the students and their parents on an excellent set of results. It has been a pleasure to work with these young Gaels over the last two years, and I can say with confidence that not only have they been highly motivated students but they have developed into mature and rounded young adults. This is a great day for our school community.”
There were numerous individual successes. Déaglán Mac Conmhaoil and Nuala Meascaigh, for example, achieved 10 straight A* and A grades. Many of the departments in the school boasted 100% pass-rates including French, Drama, Motor Vehicle Studies, Health and Social Care, Science and Geography while the Maths Department doubled the number of students who achieved A*-C grades in GCSE Maths.
School Principal, Micheál Mac Giolla Ghunna congratulated the students, staff and parents. “These results follow on the tremendous A-level results last week. Today’s success is the culmination of lots of hard work over the last 5 years. I would like to pay tribute to our feeder primary schools, the bunscoileanna, who laid robust foundations for our staff to build on. Over the last number of years Coláiste Feirste has implemented an Improvement Plan that strives to ensure that each and every student achieves their full potential and with the dedication and leadership of the Key Stage 4 teachers, it has been a resounding success. We have nurtured another generation of talented and highly educated young Gaels not only for the Irish language community but for this city.
“Coláiste Feirste has come of age and the decision of the Department of Education to invest £11.9 million in our success story has been proven right. With our state of the art new building and sports facilities we look forward to more success next year and in the future.”
