Results at Bishop Challoner up for third year running

There were celebratory scenes at Bishop Challoner school after the standard of results increased for the third year running.

78 per cent of students achieved A*-C grades - an improvement of 8 per cent on last year’s figures. Many students were looking forward to embarking on further study at university in September.

Craig Arthur was eventually told that his application to study cinema and photography at Leeds university had been successful. Earlier in the morning, UCAS had told him he had missed out on the required grades, but this proved to be erroneous, and he had in fact achieved the two Bs and one C required for the course.

He said: “It’s be a surreal day, more than anything. I was nervous when I read that I had been unsuccessful on the UCAS website, but I’m very happy now. I’m looking forward to going away and experiencing new things, rather than resting on my laurels - to be going away to university is really exciting.”

Another student, Zenab Jobber, narrowly mised out on the grades she needed to study history at York University, despite achieving an A in History and two Bs in English and Psychology. Instead, she will go to Leicester, her insurance option, but she was disappointed with her grades.

“I felt like I let people down - my parents expected me to get into York,” she said. “But I got the best grades anybody in my family has, so they’re still proud.”

John O’Hara, one of the Vice Principals of the school, said: “The results are really positive. It’s a significant improvement on last year, so the staff are buoyant about that. We’ve had lots of happy faces, and a few sad ones, but we have been turning those around throughout the day.”