A Level Celebration of Achievement

A Level COA 2024

The Aquinas Prize Evening for the academic year, 2023-24 took place this year on Tuesday evening, 17 December for A2 Awards and Wednesday morning, 18 December for the GCSE Awards.

In her speech our Principal, Dr Marie Dowling, emphasised that qualifications is a first step in getting a job, the next step is about the person. She went on to publicly congratulate the GCSE and A’ Level students on their achievements giving details of their impressive grade statistics. Their families and teachers are understandably very proud of their success. Dr Dowling also commended the hard work of the staff in getting the best out of the students.

Our guest of honour for the A2 Celebration was Professor Tim Brown, Consultant Transplant Surgeon in the Belfast City Hospital. In his speech, he commended the outstanding achievement of our past students and encouraged them to keep exploring and using the variety of talents inherent in each of them.

Heads of Departments were in attendance on each of the two Prize events and presented pupils who scored the highest in the year group with specific subject trophies.

During the A2 Prize Giving, the three milestone awards were presented by Dr Dowling. The first one, the Paula Grant Award for Endeavour, was awarded to Aoife Byrne; the Monsignor Bartley Award for Academic Achievement was won by James McLaughlin and the Bishop Walsh, Spirit of Aquinas Award was won by Lorcan Cooney. These prizes are highly valued, hard earned and the recipients fully deserved them for all their efforts.

During the GCSE Prize Giving, the pupils were also congratulated from the stage on their achievements with the landmark award for GCSE, the Monsignor Bartley Award for academic achievement, won by Megan Magee who achieved eleven A* grades in her GCSEs.

Music for both events was beautifully performed by our own pupils and Father Grant brought the event to a close with a prayer and reflection.

Both events finished with pupils, past-pupils, families, teachers and guests enjoying refreshments in the Mall in a true mood of celebration. Many congratulations to all.

Click here to view the achievements online.

Or download them below: