Two sisters from Beverley received academic awards from celebrity chef Brian Turner at a prize-giving ceremony for Hymers College.
Catherine and Penny Willoughby were among hundreds of pupils rewarded for their achievements in the classroom as well as their contribution to the school and wider community.
Catherine gained her award for achieving five A-levels at grades A and A*. She is now off to Murray Edwards, Cambridge, to study Classics.
Penny, 17, came away from the evening, held at Hull City Hall, with the Robert Wilkinson Award For Enterprise.
Other students from Beverley winning awards were Lucy Sweeney, who won the JM Young Modern Language Award; Giulia Merolli, who won the Alasdair Blucke Memorial Prize; Harriet Habergham and Benjamin Robinson both won awards for Outstanding Results In Public Examinations as they gained ten or more GCSE passes at grades A* or A.
This year, Hymers gained its best A-level result to date. Of the 107 pupils taking A-levels, 84.5 percent got a B grade or better – compared with the previous college best of 78 percent. Some 55.4 percent of pupils achieved A grade or higher, and 19.5 percent of pupils scoring A*.
With GCSEs, 71 per cent of students achieved As or better. A little more than 98 per cent of 111 pupils gained Cs or higher, with 91 per cent achieving B or better. A total of 36 per cent gained A*s. All pupils achieved C or higher in English, while 99 per cent gained C or better in maths.
Headmaster David Elstone said:
“The results this year are unbelievable. The students have done incredibly well and we are very proud of what they have achieved. Everyone involved – the pupils, parents, staff – should be very, very proud.
“There is so much more to education than just results, and that’s something we try to embody at Hymers. Which is why on nights such as this we recognise sportsmanship, contribution, community work, as well as academic achievement.”
Brian Turner spoke to the audience about his career, the opportunities he had along the way and the moments which defined his professional life.
Brian said:
“I would like to congratulate all the pupils at Hymers College for their hard work and dedication. It is so encouraging to meet so many young people as they embark on their adult lives with enthusiasm and optimism.
“Throughout my career I’ve tried to create opportunities for myself and also take the chances which come my way. It’s important to try recognise the moments which could change your professional life and grasp those chances with both hands. Hard work will help those opportunities come along.”
Brian appeared in his capacity as an ambassador for Yorkshire Bank, which has a long-standing relationship with Hymers College.
Families are invited to an open day at the college on Saturday, October 18th, from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Call 01482 343555 for more details.
