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School Book Prize


The Geological Society's A Level/Scottish Higher Prize


For several years The Geological Society has taken a keen interest in acknowledging and rewarding those students (and their teachers!) who achieve the highest mark in A level Geology for their examining board. A list of past winners can be found in the list below.

The Following exam boards currently provide A level Geology; OCR - Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations, SQA - Scottish qualifications authority and WJEC - Welsh Joint Education Committee.

2010

  • Henry Philips of Kings Canterbury School, taught by Mr M Lacelles (WJEC)
  • Sam Bailey of Bishop Wordsworth's School, taught by Mr S Smallwood (OCR)
  • Samuel Shaw of Alness Academy, taught by Mr A Ferrie (SQA)


2009

  • Jack Judd of Bishop Wordsworth’s School, jointly taught by Mr S Smallwood & Mrs F Stratton (South Wilts Girls Grammar)
  • Catherine Matthews of Stockton Riverside College, taught by Mr E Anderson
     

2008

  • Daniel Collins of King Edward VI College, taught by Mr P Trower
  • Ryan MacFarlane of Arbroath High School, taught by Mr Iain Orr
     

2007

  • Charlotte Vie
  • Fiona Bell
  • Christopher Jones
who were the top scorers under the Oxford and Cambridge/RSA Examinations (OCR), Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) respectively.

Winners received either The Geology of England and Wales or The Geology of Scotland. The volumes, inscribed by the President, were also awarded to South Wilts Grammar School for Girls/Bishop Wordsworth’s School (Salisbury), Cumnock Academy (Ayrshire), and Gorseinon College, Swansea. The winning pupils’ teachers (Mrs Frances Stratton/Dr S Smallwood, Mr Roy Lee, and Dr Chris Walley) were awarded a year’s free Fellowship of the Society.

2006 

  • Adam Higginson of Eltham College, taught by Mr Paul McCartney (OCR)
  • Claire Loptson of Perth High School, taught by Mrs Margot Watt (SQA)
  • Hannah Finnigan of St Bede’s College (Manchester), taught by Mr Peter Loader (WJEC)

2005

  • Nicola Horsburgh of Dundee College, taught by Ms Sheila Bigham (SQA)
  • Orlando Browne of Radley College (Abingdon), taught by Dr C M Bedford  (OCR)
  • Emily Lunn of The King’s School (Canterbury), taught by Mr R Churcher (WJEC)

2004

No awards made

2003

  • David Al-Attar of Altrincham Grammar School, taught by Dr Kevin Stephen and (WJEC)
  • Daniel Neill of Bishop Stopford School, taught by Mr Paul Starr (SQA)
  • Iain Neill of Dingwall Academy, taught by Mr George Strachan (OCR)

2002

  • J Alexander Brearley of Bradford Grammar School, taught by Mr A G Smith (OCR)
  • Sophie Matthews of Solihull 6th Form College (WJEC).
  • Paul Blackhurst of Cumnock Academy, taught by Mr Roy Lee (SQA).

2001

  • Sarah E Smith of Cumnock Academy, taught by Mr Roy Lee (SQA)
  • Claire M O’Kane of Methodist College, Belfast, taught by Mrs Karen Parks (NICCEA)
  • Katy Jane Whear of Truro School, taught by Mr Ian Kenyon (Edexcel)
  • Laura M Hicks of John Leggott College, (Scunthorpe) taught by Dr Debbie Armstrong (OCR)
  • Julie Earnshaw of Greenhead College (Huddersfield), taught by Ms Alison Quarterman (AQA Modular syllabus)
  • Beadry E Kock of King’s School, Canterbury taught by Mr Dick Churcher (AQA Linear syllabus)
  • Hannah Lucy J Grant of Worcester 6th Form College, taught by Dr Phil Redfern (WJEC)

1999

  • Catherine J Pratt of Richmond Upon Thames College, taught by Mr Michael Wright (Edexcel)
  • Lorna K Gillies of Perth Academy. (SQA)
  • Richard D Fisher of William Hulme’s Grammar School (Manchester) taught by Mr H N Veevers (AQA Modular syllabus)
  • Carl S Elliott of Methodist College (Belfast), taught by Mrs Karen Parks (NICCEA)
  • Eleanor H John of St Martins Comprehensive School (WJEC).
  • Rebecca A Ramsden of Franklin College (Grimsby), taught by Ms Morag Duff; jointly with…
  • Miles N Tackett of Arnold School (Blackpool) taught by Mr Tom Brown and Mr Ian Winterflood (both OCR)

1998

  • Mr Ian McCandless of Coleraine Academical Institution, taught by Mr A S Lee (NICCEA)
  • Karen Phillips of Penglais Comprehensive School (Aberystwyth), taught by Mr Peter Hendry and Mr Brian Clissold (Edexcel)
  • Andrew Clifford of Sir Thomas Rich’s School (Gloucestershire), taught by Mr D F Green (OCR)
  • Eleanor Ruth Whiteman of Lewis Girls’ Comprehensive School (Ystrad Mynach), taught by Mr G Mills (WJEC)
  • James Fraser of Arbroath High School, taught by Mr Paul Ewing (SQA)
  • Nicola McLoughlin of William Howard School (Cumbria), taught by Mrs R A Sockett (NEAB Modular syllabus)
  • Robert J Duncan of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, taught by Dr Kevin Stephen; jointly with…
  • Martin Rigby of Preston College, taught by Mr Michael Gosling (NEAB Linear syllabus)


Abbreviations of examination boards

AQA - Assessment & Qualifications Alliance
OCR - Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations
NICCEA - Northern Ireland Council for the curriculum examinations and assessment
NEAB - Northern Examinations & Assessment Board
SQA - Scottish qualifications authority
WJEC - Welsh Joint Education Committee