CHRIST COLLEGE – BEST OF FRIENDS TOP THE TABLE

09 Nov 2015

AS CHRIST COLLEGE’S EXCELLENT A LEVEL RESULTS ARE REVEALED TO ITS UPPER SIXTH PUPILS, A REMARKABLE STORY OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP EMERGES.

Close friends Andrew Barry and Neil Wang have been in hot competition with each other for seven years since they joined Christ College Brecon in 2008 as bright, aspiring young scientists. The two friends were in the same boarding house and friendly rivalry spurred them on as they worked towards their A levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics, with Neil also taking Chemistry as a fourth subject. Today they heard that both had achieved straight A*s, with Neil’s 4 A* tally just outstripping Andrew’s 3 A*s for top spot in the race of the scientists. Andrew, from Buckinghamshire is heading for Bristol University to study Engineering Design, while Neil, who lives in Llanelli, has a place at the University of Manchester for a degree in Chemical Engineering.
Overall the school’s results were outstanding, with 56% of all grades at the top A* or A grades, over double the national average of 26% last year. And many of these grades were in challenging academic subjects, with 76% of all grades in Maths and Further Maths at A*/A and 83% of all grades in History at A*/A. No fewer than 20 of the 64 candidates achieved 3 As or better, and over half achieved 2 or more A grades.
Paul Pascall-Jones, from Brecon, has achieved his long-held ambition of studying Medicine, achieving A* in Biology and English, and A in Chemistry to take up his place at Manchester. Three other aspiring medics are also off to university; Jake Brockwell, also from Brecon, who gained his 3 A grades last year, Kemuel Ngu from Hong Kong who is heading for Keele University with 4 As, and Alexander Dereham from Hereford who will take up his medical place at Bristol, also with 4 A grades.
Other local success stories include straight A grades for Freya Felgate, from Hay-on-Wye, who heads to UCL to study Arts and Sciences, and 3 As, too, for her close friend Bronnie Davies from Llangorse, who will study Biochemistry at Exeter. Leonie Halpin, from Brecon, gained A*AA and is off for a gap year before heading to university. Edward Lewis, also from Brecon, achieved 3 As to gain his place to read History at Exeter University, the most popular destination for this year’s leavers.
Head of Christ College, Emma Taylor, commented: ‘These successes are richly deserved by this very fine group of young men and women, who mixed talent with hard work to gain such glittering rewards. Great credit is also due to our hard-working, talented and loyal staff, who put so much into launching these A level candidates into life beyond school.’