Gifted siblings make success a family affair

Twins Sophie and Xavier Edmonds-Allen were among the top performers at Bootham School in York, as they achieved eight A* and A grades between them.

Headmaster Jonathan Taylor paid tribute to the twins, who each achieved four A*s or As, for excelling in all aspects of school life.

He said: “Sophie and Xavier have been a credit to Bootham throughout their seven years at the school.

“Not only are they gifted and hardworking academically, but each has entered into the full life of the school – keen athletes, they were captains of the swimming teams, as musicians, they were members of the various orchestra, choir and music groups; Xavier was deputy head boy and Sophie was a leading light in the technology and design department.”

Sophie now plans to study industrial design and technology at Brunel University, while Xavier will study politics, philosophy and economics at Warwick.

At The Grammar School in Leeds, triplets Felicity, Ian and David Jordan celebrated clocking up two A*s and seven A grades between them.

The siblings are now preparing to live apart for the first time. Felicity and Ian are planning to study at Birmingham University while David is heading to Southampton.

David, 18, scored straight As in design technology, maths and physics and will study ship science, yacht and small craft at university.

He told the Yorkshire Post that three-week holidays were the longest the triplets had spent apart in the past.

He added: “It is going to be nice to get some space but it is also going to be upsetting and weird.”

Ian picked up an A* at English literature and A grades in both history and psychology and will now go on to read the latter at Birmingham University.

He said the pressure had been on students this year as those securing a place at university would be the last to get into higher education before the new higher fees came into force.

Felicity who achieved an A* in religious studies along with As in geography and psychology, said: “I felt there was more pressure but that has given me the incentive to work hard. “ She will now read law at Birmingham.

Identical twin sisters Isobel and Thea Dickens have achieved straight As in their A levels after their 20 straight A grades at GCSE at Sheffield High School.

They both achieved As in biology and chemistry, Thea achieved another A in geography while Isobel picked up an A* in physical education.

They also shared their straight A success with their teammates on the school netball team.

Jordan Keogh, Katie Wensley, Maria Swann, Kate Rundle, Lauren Potter and the Dickens sisters picked up seven A*s and 16 As between them at the independent girls school.