Results News 2010

Contrary to press speculation that state schools would miss out on the new A* grade, students at St. Mary's College have gained a superb total of 33 with seven students notching up a fantastic 15 A*s and 9 grade As between them!

Peter Clayton (18) of Blackburn gained an amazing 3 A*s in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. Peter will be going to Durham University to read Mathematics.

Six further students gained at least 2 grade A*s:
 

Patrick Scott (18) of Whalley gained 2 A*s in History and English Language and Literature plus 3 A grades in Mathematics, Physics and Critical Thinking. Patrick is off to Worcester College, Oxford University to read English.

John Bolton (18) of Burnley gained 2A*s in Mathematics and Further Mathematics with an extra A grade in Computing AND an A grade for Mathematics in his Advanced Extension Award.
 

Sajeel Khan (18) of Blackburn: 2 A*s in Chemistry and Information and Communication Technology PLUS a further 2 A grades in Biology and Mathematics.

Peter Kellaway (18) of Whalley also gained 2 A*s in Mathematics and Further Mathematics PLUS an A grade in Economics. Peter will go to Durham University to read Natural Sciences.
 

Mohammed Rafiq from Blackburn gained 2 A*s in Chemistry and Mathematics PLUS an A grade in Mathematics. Mohammed is going to Manchester University to take Pharmacy.
 

Tom Waddington (18) of Blackburn gained 2 A*s in Graphics and Digital Photography with another A grade in Physics. Tom is off to Liverpool University to study Architecture.

THIRTY FIVE of our Vocational students gained Distinctions giving the equivalent of 82 grade As between them with the following gaining MAXIMUM marks:

Faye Johnson (Health and Social Care)

Charlotte Caffrey (Children's Care Learning and Development)

Sophie Holden not pictured (Children's Care Learning and Development)

Aisha Ahmed (Children's Care Learning and Development)

Bethany Dilworth (Children's Care Learning and Development)

Naima Sabiramodo (Children's Care Learning and Development)

Rebecca Kemp (Sport)

Overall, St. Mary's has had another OUTSTANDING year with an A Level pass rate of 99.4 and a PERFECT vocational A Level pass rate of 100%.

Mr Kevin McMahon, Principal of St. Mary's College said "These are wonderful results enabling our students to meet the challenge of this year's higher entry requirements to university. I am so proud of all our students and their hard work, and the dedication and support from our staff."

More Results stories coming soon in our RESULTS NEWSLETTER

Physics Trip to Royal Blackburn

Hospital

On May 20th, early evening, a group of A Level physics students, visited Blackburn Royal Hospital to learn of the diagnostic imaging facilities there.

The trip included visits to the CT scanners, MRI, ultrasound and nuclear physics facilities. This provided an excellent way of reviewing medical physics which figures in our year 13 physics work.

A couple of our students had there-and-then ultrasound scans, revealing what they had eaten earlier! We learnt about the gamma camera's used in nuclear medicine, about the risks involved with CT scans and nuclear medicine, alongside their immense benefits. We were also shown the very powerful magnetic field strength of the supercooled magnets associated with the multi-million pound MRI scanner. It was all inspiring and reinforced the needed knowledge the students require for their forthcoming modular exam.

2Young2Die campaign competition

A group of our A2 graphic design students (Bradley Rhodes, Kobir Miah, Victoria Cooper, Tom Waddington, Natalie Hadfield, and Paul Oxton) have been working extremely hard designing and running a campaign around college aiming to encourage young drivers to drive more carefully.

The campaign is part of a national competition we have entered, run by BRAKE, the road safety charity. The students have to raise at least £100 for the charity on top of submitting their campaign. The winning team will be invited to the Houses of Parliament for a reception and ceremony.

Rugby Tournament WINNERS!

Blackpool Panthers staged their 2nd College Super 9s rugby league tournament at Stanley Park, with over 70 participates taking part. It was a repeat of last year's Grand Final between Blackpool Sixth From and St Mary's College. The result wasn't the same as St Mary's defeated Blackpool Sixth Form RL team 22-10 to clinch the tournament title. Four other Lancashire college teams entered; Blackpool Sixth Form RU, Blackpool and The Fylde College, Runshaw RL and Runshaw RU. In the first semi-final Blackpool Sixth Form RL defeated Runshaw RU 22-20. In the second semi-final Runshaw RL lost to the winner of the competition St Mary's College 16-20.

See the photos here: http://www.blackpoolpanthers-rlfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224:college-super-9s&catid=30:community-projects&Itemid=30

League Champions

On 5th May 2010, St Mary's College 2nd Football team were crowned North West College Football League Champions after beating a strong Carmel side 1-0 at Salford City Football Club courtesy of a solitary strike from Callum Coyne.
St Mary's College 2nd team had previously beaten Winstanley and St Thomas Aquinas in the North/South division play off quarter and semi finals respectively.

Resort Reps head off to Cyprus

St. Mary's students on the Resort Representatives and Airline Cabin Crew enhancement courses have just returned from an educational visit to Paphos, Cyprus. Students carried out welcome meetings and health and safety audits at the hotel, as well as observing airline safety procedures/demonstrations.
During their visit to Paphos students took the opportunity to visit the harbour and the Tomb of the Kings.

Physics Trip to CERN

Physics Trip to CERN 9th - 11th March 2010
A group of our Physics students travelled out to Geneva on Tuesday 9th March to reinforce and enhance their knowledge of particle physics. CERN is the home of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research and is the world's largest particle physics laboratory. Students stayed at the CERN hostel and dined at the CERN restaurant, where scientists-in-residence also dine and debate about particle physics issues of the day! Wednesday morning was spent at an interactive museum ‘MICROCOSM' and then on to the highlight of the trip, a tour of the Large Hadron Collider (the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator). An evening meal and sightseeing followed, with a final visit on Thursday to the International Red Cross's museum before flying home.

A student's perspective of the trip;

"The trip summarised in one word: inspiring. Being around and with the scientists of today whilst they work made me see it's possible for me, of course with much hard work and determination, to become one of the leading scientists of tomorrow, picking up where they left off. This will mean going to university and studying physics which is what I intend to do after attending CERN in March 2010."

Highlights;

SMC Media goes to the Big Apple!

At the end of February, Media and Film students visited ‘New York, New York' to sample the sights and sounds of this bustling city, which is a first time experience for the Department!

Throughout the five day trip the students were treated to a NBC Studios Tour, a TV and Movie Location tour and a visit on Broadway to see the all singing, all dancing Mary Poppins production - which was a feast for the eyes!

Of course sight-seeing is a must when in the Big Apple, so a trip to the Empire State Building and a ride on the Liberty Island Ferry were also on the to-do list.

If that wasn't enough, there was a trip to the cinema one evening were some students watched a screening of the horror zombie flick ‘The Crazies', and others opted for ‘Shutter Island' starring Leonardo Di Caprio and directed by Martin Scorsese.

Also, the opportunity to do a bit of souvenir shopping in and around Times Square was not missed, and it was fair to say that quite a few suitcases weighed heavier on the journey home!

The trip itself has replaced the annual three day Media and Film London visit which has been going on for over 15 years. Hopefully, New York will prove just as popular and just as exciting for years to come. In fact, New York 2011 is already in the pipeline!

Raising Awareness

Recent cheque presentations were made at college, to representatives from CAFOD and the NSPCC.
CAFOD were presented with a cheque for £690 collected during an advent reflection and will go towards healthcare training in the third world and the NSPCC were presented with £390, raised from the proceeds of our Christmas Talent Show.

Oxbridge Offer

Congratulations to Patrick Scott who has received a conditional offer from Oxford university. Patrick has secured a place to read English at Worcester College, Oxford. Interestingly, he is our first St. Mary's entrant to Worcester College however he will join a long tradition of students who have progressed on to Oxbridge colleges. We currently have students at Oxford Balliol, Keble, and Queens colleges, and we also have students at Cambridge colleges, Downing and Emmanuel.

Dancing Success

Two of our Dance students have been selected from a fierce, national field for an elite and exclusive dancing opportunity. Sammie Storey and Jen Smith have both been chosen to join only ten successful applicants from the whole of the country, for the Young Creatives Project which is run by Youth Dance England. Both girls won through a gruelling selection process where they had to apply, then audition at the Royal Opera House at the beginning of January. They have just heard that they have won through and will now work with a professional choreographer to devise a piece of work which will be showcased at the Royal Opera House.

St. Marys Students win Award for

Social Enterprise.

Lancaster University Volunteering Unit (LUVU) hosted a gala event at Ewood Park on Thursday 28th January. Eleven teams from around the county competed and our students came away with the award for sustainability with their recycling project. The students created shoulder bags out of donated curtaining and furnishing fabric and new bracelets and necklaces made from old jewellery. £200 worth of goods have been sold in 6 just weeks. The aim now is to sponsor a Rwandan orphan through university.

St. Mary's College Prize Night and Music For Christmas

St. Mary's hosted its Annual Prize Night and Music for Christmas at King Georges Hall on Tuesday 15th December '09.

The evening was attended by Prize winners and family, V.I.P. guests including the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn, Head Teachers from Partner schools and our guest speaker Professor Kevin Kendal BSc, PhD, FRS, Director of the Birmingham Fuel Cells Group, School of Engineering, Birmingham University. Chairman of Governors, Mr Paul Reynolds delivered opening remarks followed by an annual report from Principal, Mr Kevin McMahon. The Brass group played a range of Christmas Music and Student Governor, Rebekah Mason offered a vote of thanks.

Click here to open our Prize Night Souvenir Booklet

Click here to open our Prize Night Programme

Click here to read the Principal's speech

Click here to read about our Farley's Sports Award winners

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 A LEVEL RESULTS NEWS '09

St. Mary's College has hit new heights with superb A Level and Vocational results this year.

The A Level pass rate has risen to a phenomenal 99.5% This is particularly impressive because the College is the largest provider of A Levels in East Lancashire with nearly 1400 entries. 38 subjects gained a perfect 100% pass rate and the Vocational Diploma pass rate has also remained at a perfect 100% for the second year with a significant number of those students gaining a Distinction which is the equivalent of three grade As at A Level.

Click here to read our full Results Publication

SPORTS REVIEW 2008/09

The 2008/09 season has been another successful campaign for all of our Sports Academy teams here at St. Mary's College. Our Football Academy retained the BCS North West Premier A league title for a second year running, beating the likes of Runshaw, Myerscough, Blackpool 6th Form and Lancaster & Morecambe over the course of the season. The same team also had a decent ESFA cup run, beating Barrow 6th Form and Riverside College along the way before being knocked out in the fourth round.

Following a successful Awards For All bid, St Mary's College have set up a Rugby Academy and have had a tremendous first season, finishing 3rd out of 5 Colleges in the BCS North West North league. The Rugby team, led by Coach Dino Radice, also competed in several tournaments over the course of the year. They won the Blackpool 6th Form College Seaside 10's tournament, beating Preston College in the final. They reached the final of the Blackpool Panthers Rugby League 9's tournament but were narrowly beaten.

Click here to read our full Sports Review for 2008/09

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