Cambridge Success For Merthyr Tydfil Student

College Merthyr Tydfil student Rachel McKeown is celebrating after securing a place at Cambridge University. Rachel, who achieved A* A* A* and A grades in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics has been accepted to study a BA Natural Sciences Degree at St Catherine’s College. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rachel, who previously studied at Afon Taf High School, has excelled during her time at the college. Not only has she obtained these phenomenal results, but over the last two years she has successfully gained a place on the Sutton Trust summer school programme at Cambridge University, received commendation from the International Biology Olympiad and participated in a Nuffield Laboratory Placement at Cardiff University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rachel who lives in Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil, commented “I am elated to have received these results. I can’t thank the college and my former school, Afon Taf, enough for all of the help and support they have given me to pursue my ambition to read Natural Sciences at Cambridge University.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rachel’s success is also particularly pertinent as it is the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster and it’s lovely to see someone from the village achieve this kind of success. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mark Richards, Head of Science and Mathematics at the college, commented “We are all so proud of Rachel’s success. We offer an excellent science enrichment programme and Rachel has taken up every opportunity to participate in this programme and enhance her academic studies. She has also embraced all of the bespoke activities we designed to help her through her studies and the application and interview process at Cambridge University. Our enrichment programme, together with our state of the art laboratories and first class teaching provides the perfect learning environment for students wishing to progress into a career in science or mathematics. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year we have achieved excellent Science success rates, with 17 students achieving A’s and 13 achieving A* grades across Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics and Applied Science. A number of these students will now progress on to degree programmes at major universities across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​