A Perth schoolboy awarded a string of As in his Highers is among thousands of pupils celebrating success.
Grant Murray, 17, took top marks in five subjects studied during his fifth year at St John’s Academy.
And he hopes to add to his impressive list, embarking on two Advanced Highers and another Higher this year.
While many young people whose exams were cancelled were distraught to have been awarded grades lower than predicted by their teachers, head boy Grant is among the success stories of 2020, a year which saw overall pass rates increase.
He lives in Letham, one of the more deprived areas of Perth, but worked hard to excel with the encouragement of his proud parents, Alan, who works for the local council, and mum Carla, a secretary.
He said: “They always told me and my brother and sister that we had to work as hard as we could to get qualifications and get on in life.”
Grant hoped for four As and a B and was elated to receive a text from the Scottish Qualifications Authority on Tuesday morning informing him he had a full house of As in maths, English, engineering science, chemistry and physics.
He said: “I was relieved because I had no idea what my results were going to be because we hadn’t sat the exams.”
As a Letham boy, we are really proud of him.”
Councillor John Rebbeck
Grant may follow his older siblings into university but is yet to decide what he wants to study.
His local councillor John Rebbeck congratulated him, stating: “I’m delighted that Grant has done so well. As a Letham boy, we are really proud of him.”
There was more good news at two Perthshire independent schools.
Kilgraston School
All pupils at Kilgraston School who did Advanced Higher courses passed with grades between A and C. At Higher level, 97.1% achieved at least a C.
Headmistress of the Bridge of Earn school, Dorothy MacGinty, said: “I am so proud of our pupils who have achieved these outstanding results and indeed the staff who have supported and nurtured them.
“This is the first time in five years that 100% of our pupils achieved Grade A to C in their Advanced Highers.”
At National 5 level, 96.3% of Kilgraston pupils achieved grades A to C.
However, the school is to request reviews for some students whose grades were lower than teachers’ estimates.
Morrison’s Academy
Morrison’s Academy, in Crieff, also heralded ‘exceptional results’, with all Advanced Higher candidates passing.
Its Higher pass rate was 94% – 100% in S6 – and a quarter of its S5 pupils achieved five As. In National 5s the pass rate was 95%.
Gareth Warren, rector and principal, said: “Our pupils have shown fantastic resilience, creativity and determination to focus on their studies during remote learning and fully deserve the grades they have obtained.”
Retiring assistant rector Peter Lovegrove added: “In a year like no other, which has thrown up very considerable challenges to pupils and staff, it is excellent to see the pupils maintaining the very high academic standards for which the school has always been known.”
