‘Dreams coming true’ for Belfast student after A-level results

A Belfast student has described how her dreams are coming true after her A-level results brought her one step closer to her ambition to become a teacher.

There were celebrations at schools across Northern Ireland on Thursday morning as students discovered their A-level grades.

At Belfast High School, Emma Harris was celebrating after getting an A* in History and As in English Literature and Health and Social Care.

Emma Harris receiving her A-level results at Belfast High School (Liam McBurney/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Liam McBurney

She intends to go to Stranmillis University College in Belfast and said she is planning to celebrate with her best friend by getting milkshakes.

“I was sort of expecting an A* in English Literature as well, I think I must have been very close to it but I’m still really happy about it,” she said.

“I’m hoping to go on and become a primary school teacher, I have always wanted to be a primary school teacher and so this feels like my dreams are coming true.

“I have just always really loved working with younger children. I have done a lot of work experience. Just last week I was working in a summer scheme, that was with primary school-aged kids and I absolutely loved it. I love getting to know them, they all have really individual personalities and I just think it’s a job that is going to make me really happy.”

AS-level students were also celebrating results.

At Hazelwood Integrated College in north Belfast, Shane Bunting said he was excited to move on to the future.

Year 14 student Shane Bunting, who was awarded two As and a C in his A-levels, holds two inflatable As in celebration at his college, Hazelwood Integrated in Newtownabbey, Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Liam McBurney

He received an A* in hospitality, an A in Sports Studies and a C in Business Studies, and is set to go on to an apprenticeship.

“I had to study a lot but it’s worth it now,” he said.

“Looking forward to getting to relax now.”

Belfast High School principal Charlotte Weir said it was a lovely day to see a “sea of smiling faces” among the students she had known since they first came to the school at the age of 11.

With the exams process completing the transition from the mitigations put in place during the coronavirus pandemic, Ms Weir said this cohort of students has enjoyed getting the full school experience.

Education Secretary Paul Given joins students at Belfast High School as they receive their A-level results (Liam McBurney/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Liam McBurney

That included all the extracurricular activities, including sports teams and school trips to the US and to China with the Confucius Institute.

“Those coming through exams now don’t remember what it was like pre-pandemic because they’ve been living with the pandemic for most of the years they have been at the school, but I think they have enjoyed this year feeling they are back on an even keel, full exams but also the opportunity to do all of the other things that were denied to them,” she said.

“All of the pupils in the school really grasped this year, the uptake in our extracurricular this year, uptake on school trips.

“We’ve never had so many people being so involved and it’s been a very vibrant year for the school in all aspects. It’s back to what school should be like.”