Hard work pays off at St Philip Howard in Barnham

Eloise Carter was among the sixth formers at St Philip Howard Catholic High School in Barnham celebrating A level exam success this morning.
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She achieved A*s in chemistry, biology, maths and an extended project and is going to Oxford university to study chemistry.

She checked the UCAS website at 7.30am so knew she had secured her place, but did not know the overall result.

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Eloise said she was ‘very happy’, adding: “It was what I was hoping for but after the exams I was a bit unsure.”

Students at St Philip Howard celebrate on results dayStudents at St Philip Howard celebrate on results day
Students at St Philip Howard celebrate on results day

Her mum Jackie, who was with her, added: “We knew she had some A*s but we didn’t know how many.”

The school, on Elm Grove South, says overall 60 per cent of all grades were A* to B, with 26 per cent either an A* or A grade. It says it achieved a 99 per cent A* to E pass rate and an 87 per cent A* to B pass rate.

Of its cohort of 91 students, it says 12 earned three A grades or better and 39 gained at least one A grade.

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Other top performers included Emily Broadhurst with three A*s, Olivia Iden with two A*s and an A, Holly Leal with one A* and two As, Holly Tarleton with two A*s and an A, Oliver Button with one A* and two As, Connor Cruicks with two A*s and an A, Charlotte Elliott, with one A*, two As and a B, Bibi Jones with three As, Harry McCirrick with three As, Solene Declas with three As, and Constance Hurr with one A and two Bs.

Head of the sixth form, Leon Hogan said: “The successes we have seen today are based on the hard work of our students, our excellent teachers and the support we receive from the families of our students.

“The delight we witness every year as our students and their families collect their results, allowing them to start the next stage of their journey to achieving great things is rewarding.

“The staff and families have again gone above and beyond in supporting our students to ensure they had every opportunity to succeed.”

“Results like this are a real team effort,” he added.

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Emily Broadhurst’s three A*s – in biology, chemistry and maths – has secured her a place to read medicine at University College London. She said: “It’s just really surreal.”

She was accompanied by ‘proud’ mum Tai, who said: “I could not be more proud of her. She has worked incredibly, incredibly hard. It’s, you know, just not something that has come easy.

“She really has worked for it. I’m so proud of her,” she added.

Connor Cruicks’ result has secured him a place at Durham University to read engineering, which he said he is ‘looking forward to’, while Charlotte Elliott will be reading English and history at the University of Leeds.

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Holly Tarleton was ‘over the moon’ with her A* in maths, A* in further maths and A in history. “I have been worried for so long – the whole summer. I can’t believe the work actually paid off,” she added.

She will now go on to read mathematics and economics at the London School of Economics.

With her as she opened the results was mum Jackie who said she was ‘very emotional’. She said: “It’s an amazing school and the teachers have been so supportive.”

Bibi Jones’s three As were in psychology, English language and English literature. “I’m ecstatic. I didn’t know what to expect. I’m just so happy,” she said.

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The result was particularly significant after illness saw her take five GCSEs at home following six months in hospital.

“I got quite unwell during GCSEs. I was battling some stuff.

“I was in hospital for six months and then I came out and sat my GCSEs in my living room.

Her GCSEs were in maths, English and science and were invigilated by teachers at the school.

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“I was allowed to continue on into sixth form here with support from staff and fellow students. I came to sixth form really nervous.

“It’s quite wonderful really – considering the circumstances I’ve done pretty well,” she added on the result.

Bibi, who says she was thinking of deferring a year, needed three Bs to get into Cardiff University to study English literature, journalism and media.

“I have got more than I needed now – it’s time to go and celebrate,” she added.

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Solene Dicas, who plans to take a gap year before going to university, said she was ‘shocked’ with her three As. “I just hate opening papers – I hate results.”

Paddy Burnett who achieved a B in geography, a C in PE and a C in psychology, will be working with the school next year as a teaching assistant and PE technician. He had an unconditional offer from St Mary’s University in London to study sports science but with his result has been able to defer for a year.

At AS level, James Angus, Quinn Bolger, Hannah Boylin, Katherine Greenaway, Rebecca Holland and Zach Hollis all gained four A grades. The school has 103 students in year 12, with not all sitting AS exams.

Shane Fitzgibbon achieved Bs in history, sociology, religious education and media at AS level and plans to drop media as he moves forward with his studies.

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Speaking of the results, he said: “I’m really happy with them. I tried as hard as I could in the exams. I’m happy, really happy.

David Carter, the headteacher of St Philip Howard, said: “Congratulations to all the students picking up their A Level results.

“We are very proud of all their achievements during their time at SPH. We thank them for everything they have contributed to our community and wish them well in the future.

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