City students set for future with grades
The next generation of legal eagles, doctors and researchers were among high flyers to collect some of the best-ever results for Sunderland College.
Law and criminology students were among those to collect strong A-level grades from the college.
Kieron Spoors, from Ford Estate, is heading for Homerton College at Cambridge University to study law with a view to going to pursue a career in criminal law or human rights.
The 18-year-old credits lecturer Claire Watts for inspiring him in his studies, with his parents Fiona, 44, and Ian, 45, and brother Kyle, 13, delighted after he exceeded his expected grades with an A* in law and psychology and an A in English Literature.
He also got an A in an extended project, which saw him write a 5,000-word essay on the law surrounding antiterrorism.
“I opened them with a mixture of excitement and cautious confidence, just in case,” said Kieron, who volunteers at the shop at St Benedict’s Hospice.
“When I saw the grades, I was over the moon, especially because my grades were better than expected.
“I think I enjoy law because I like analysing and looking at the different principals.
“I hope to become a solicitor or a barrister.
“I learned about Cambridge and Oxford at an event in Newcastle and that’s when I decided to apply, and the staff were very supportive during the process.
“I went down and had a look around and I think it’ll really suit my learning, and it’s a fantastic place that’s historic and modern and it’s a good atmosphere to be in.”
Sara Robson, 18, who lives with mum Susan, 57, and dad Russ, 56. Hendon, is to head to Surrey University after gaining an A* in psychology, an A in criminology and a B in biology, taking her best subject at a degree level.
The former Southmoor Academy student said: “It’s something with lots of variation in it.
“At the moment I’m thinking about going into forensic psychology or criminal psychology.
“My nanna was always watching crime programmes when I was little, so I think it started there.”
Nathan Beckett, 18, from Red House, is preparing to start a degree in medicine at Newcastle University after gaining A*s in biology and chemistry and an A in physics.
He said: “I was really happy and really didn’t think I would get A*s, so to get two was a huge relief.
“I want to do a career where I can help people.
“I went to a careers fair ran by the hospital and I got to speak to people there and found out more.
“I’m quite interested in neurology and the brain, and the other field is oncology.
“Having had a look around Newcastle, I saw they’d done some research work, it was really welcoming and it came across as one of the best.”
He said mum Suzanne Bates and dad Clive Beckett were delighted when he called to tell them the news.
Alisha Gibbs, 18, from Seaham, is set to study a four-year degree in bio-medicine at Newcastle, which will see her also gain a masters.
She said: “It’s a subject I love learning about it, about the human body, it’s really interesting because there’s so much to do.
“I wanted to go to a Russell Group university and a good one, as well as stay locally.”
She said mum Michelle, 46, dad Adrian, 47, and sister Abbie, 20, were proud of her grades.