Students collect their AS, A level and vocational and technical qualifications
Students are today collecting their AS, A level and vocational and technical qualifications, enabling them to progress to the next stage of their education or working life.
As the unprecedented disruption the coronavirus pandemic has caused to education, grades have once again been determined by teachers. Students were assessed only on what they had been taught and were assessed on multiple pieces of work, giving them their best possible chance to show what they can do.
There was also a quality assurance process in place, with all grades being checked by schools – and one in five schools having a sample of their grades checked by exam boards – helping to give students, parents, colleges, universities and employers confidence in grades.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Students have worked very hard in what has been an extraordinary and challenging year, and each and every one of them should feel incredibly proud of their achievements. We should all celebrate their resilience and ability to overcome adversity."
Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:
“Congratulations to all the students for their great effort and determination given the difficult circumstances that they have had to contend with, including being unable to sit their exams this year. We hope they have achieved results which will give them every success in the future as they continue their education or move into the world of work.
“We would like to thank everyone involved in Shropshire’s schools and colleges community. This includes our skilled and dedicated teachers, headteachers and college principals, governors, support staff, people who contribute voluntarily and, of course, parents and carers who play such an important supportive role. We pay tribute to how our schools and colleges staff have worked so tirelessly throughout the year, and acknowledge the incredible amount of work that was undertaken to generate teacher assessed grades.’’
Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
“Congratulations to all students, everyone should be very proud of the results achieved.
“A big Thank You to all our staff in schools and colleges for their continuous hard work and support to our young people in another challenging year caused by the pandemic.
“I am very pleased to say that our borough continues to have a high proportion of students who have passed A-Levels or equivalent qualifications, with improvements being seen on last year’s results.
“I wish all students the best of luck with their future, whether they enter higher education or the world of work.
“For anyone who needs information, advice and guidance on career and future planning, our FutureFocus service can support."
Telford College celebrates improved set of results
Telford College is celebrating another improved set of A Level results, outperforming the national average and including a record-breaking percentage of high grades.
The college’s 7th Form has seen an overall 11% rise in high grades this year, with 100% pass rates across three quarters of its curriculum areas, including English language and literature, further maths, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, economics, business studies, law, psychology, and computer science.
Principal and chief executive Graham Guest said: “We know how hard our students have worked over the past year in these challenging times, so it’s a real pleasure to see their efforts being rightly rewarded.
“We’ve been determined to ensure that no Telford College students are left behind as a result of the pandemic, and it’s been a real team effort.
“It is satisfying to see overall achievement for our AS and A levels continue to rise, once again running comfortably above the national average.”
Shrewsbury Colleges Group results
Students at Shrewsbury Colleges have received their results by email after the college experienced issues with students accessing their results.
Students and parents faced technical issues with accessing the ProPortal platform which is the system by which students and parents could get their grades.
The college had taken steps to ensure that the technical infrastructure was robust, but unfortunately a software issue meant that a small number of students and parents were unable to access the grades this morning.
Sir John Talbot’s Sixth Form reap reward from a year of being resilient
Students at Sir John Talbot’s Sixth Form are celebrating their excellent A level results following an extremely challenging year. Throughout their A level courses, students have had a mix of face-to-face and remote learning and their grades have been determined using a mix of assessments, across the course of study, to ensure fair results. The results represent the hard work, determination and resilience of students and staff over the previous 2 years.
Jo Haycock, Head of Sixth Form commented: “Students and staff have worked incredibly hard and due to us being a smaller Sixth Form, we really have been able to offer specialist support for our students with many transitioning from Sir John Talbot’s School which offers continuous study. Well done to all of our students and I look forward to hearing how they succeed as they move to the next chapter of their lives.”
Head of School for Sir John Talbot’s Sixth Form, Tim Stonall added: “This has been another year of uncertainty, but our staff and students have worked in harmony to ensure the very best outcomes. We have moved swiftly between face to face and remote learning ensuring students are supported. We want to wish all of our students every success for the future.”
The Marches School delighted for Sixth Form Students
The Marches School today said it is absolutely delighted for its students receiving their results, with those leaving this year most affected by the global pandemic, over both of their two years of study.
The school said students have shown their resilience to see it through against a backdrop of late and mixed national messages about their education and exams.
Sarah Peacock, Key Stage 5 Raising Standards Leader commented: “Well done to all of our students and staff for their excellent achievements and their determination to succeed this year. We are all immensely proud as they move on to their exciting futures.”
Headteacher of The Marches School, Alison Pearson added: “The work by students and staff and support from home has been significant in this challenging year. All have worked incredibly hard to adapt which has been seen in the results today. Everyone in our school community could not be more pleased with the outcomes.”
Newport Girls High School maintains 100% pass rate
At Newport Girls High School this year, 85% of A-levels were graded A*-B with 65% of these A*-A. 34 students achieved all of their A-level results graded A* or A and the school maintained its pass rate of 100%.
Michael Scott, Headteacher at Newport Girls High School paid tribute to the class of 2021 and their teachers:
“When this cohort moved into Year 12, no-one could have foreseen the difficulties they would have to face in three national lockdowns.
“The resolve of our Year 13s to battle on regardless and to continue producing work of exceptional quality is why we are delighted to be celebrating with them today.
“Their teachers have also gone way above and beyond what would normally be expected to grade and moderate set pieces of work.”
Success for The Grove Sixth Form after challenging year
Students at The Grove Sixth Form are celebrating outstanding achievements after working incredibly hard and showing great strength of character, resilience, adaptability and determination.
Andy Rayner, Head of Sixth Form commented: “Our fantastic facility has adapted to meet the needs of all of our students during a difficult year. They have shown resilience and adaptability experiencing both face-to-face learning and remote lessons. The results are a testament to how they have transitioned between the two. Many of our students have moved from The Grove School and all benefit from continuous study. Well done to all of our students.”
Headteacher of The Grove School, Sonia Taylor added: “We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students, especially after such a difficult and disrupted year. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure students are all able to progress onto further education and study, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”
Moreton Hall students celebrate stellar set of results
Moreton Hall students are once again celebrating a stellar set of results.
During the lockdown period, nearly all aspects of school life were transferred online with lessons, tutorials, pastoral care, wellbeing and activities continuing remotely. The school remained open for a small number of students and staff provided hybrid lessons for those learning remotely from the other side of the world allowing them to participate with their classmates back in the UK.
Principal George Budd reflected ‘In an unparalleled year, I am hugely proud of all of our families, staff and students who overcame the challenges facing them and responded with admirable stoicism and creativity to ensure that they remained on track and our students were able to achieve the results they deserved.’
Shrewsbury High students achieve superb set of results
Shrewsbury High students are celebrating having achieved outstanding and well deserved results reflecting two years of hard work from both students and their teachers who supported them throughout.
Ms Sharrock, Shrewsbury High Headteacher said: "I am so proud of the achievements of all of our students, during what has been a challenging and unpredictable year. Whether learning from home or learning in school these students, supported by our superb teachers, have worked so hard to complete their A Level courses and cover the full specifications.
"Not once have they allowed themselves to be undone by the disruption, setbacks and abrupt changes of direction that have taken place over their two years of A Level study. These young women have held their nerve, remained calm and alongside their academic work found time to advocate for change on important social and environmental issues whilst pursuing a whole host of other interests and pursuits.
"Our Year 13 are truly mighty in spirit, courage, intellect, ambition, and social conscience and I am thrilled that today they receive superb results which they thoroughly deserve, and which reflect their talent and endeavour. They can now get excited about the bright futures that lie ahead. These wonderful young women and their teachers have faced the challenges of the pandemic with tremendous courage, empathy and positivity and been an inspiration to us all."
Wrekin College students earn well deserved grades
Wrekin College headteacher Mr Tim Firth said today that he was very pleased with A’Level results stressing that students had achieved the grades they deserved and rightly earned.
"The fact that in these exams, Wrekin has done very well beating most of its past records is not what matters: what counts is whether every pupil got his or her highest possible grade for them, and it is the fact that so very many of them did that we are celebrating this week," he said.
But he added that this should be expected at a school like Wrekin where they had stepped up efforts to ensure they had weathered the pandemic with minimal disruption.
“From early in 2020 we were able and willing to put into place measures which staff embraced to allow us to continue with a full timetable of online lessons throughout each lockdown and we understand that was not always possible at every school .”
Mr Firth said that while he congratulated his students on their individual success and good results it would be unfair to discuss the school’s achievements in terms of more specific exam statistics this year in particular.
“Not every school was in the same position that we were and for various reasons. Many may have also suffered much more disruption to us due to larger bubbles having to repeatedly self-isolate.”
He said he felt as much pride when it came to other things youngsters had achieved this year and thanked staff who had gone above and beyond to ensure other aspects of life at school had continued as near to normal as possible.
Ellesmere College celebrate results
Ellesmere College students are celebrating today with 100% pass rate at A level and BTEC Diploma.
The results this year are testament to how well students and teaching staff have coped and adapted to increased levels of uncertainty, new methods of teaching, remote learning andself-management of their learning and teaching schedules.
University places have been secured that cover the length and breadth of the UK and around the world, and a number of students secured an impressive A*/A in all subjects with some completing 5 A levels at A*.
The Lower Sixth added to the celebrations with excellent results in their Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) - all students have the opportunity to do this qualification in their first year and it carries a maximum of 28 UCAS points (half an A Level).
Brendan Wignall, Headmaster, said: “It is a pleasure to see how well pupils have achieved and they are commended for their positive approach to our online lessons when the country went into lockdown.
“We continued teaching our full timetable using Microsoft Teams for remote learning and were pleased to welcome most students back for the final term, although some had to continue working online due to the pandemic. “These results are a testament to their hard work and determination, to the diligence of their teachers and the constant support of parents.”
