A LEVELS: South Wiltshire students get their results
It's been an anxious wait for our local students
Students across South Wiltshire have been receiving their A Level results this morning (Thursday 18th August).
Young people have faced a couple of years of disrupted lessons due to the pandemic.
This is the first year that results have returned to exams and coursework, following teacher assessed grades last time around.
Here's how our local schools have got on:
Salisbury 6th Form College
At S6C on Tollgate Road, students have gone 'above and beyond' to achieve their grades.
The vocational qualification grades have maintained some high standards, with the average grade being Distinction.
50% of students have achieved A - B in their A Levels, with 80% achieving A-C and an overall pass rate of 99.6%.
Head of College, Louise Henderson said:
‘’The challenges that Covid has presented have meant staff have gone above and beyond in their love and care for our students and have been there to support them through these complex educational times. The whole community has worked as one to ensure the students have thrived in their college programme. We are exceptionally proud of the young adults leaving us today.
"I would like to personally thank all our teaching and support staff for the roles they have played to ensure our young people can thrive in their new futures. We have fully rounded students leaving us, fully prepared for the next steps in their pathways’’.
South Wilts Grammar School
The girls at SWGS picked up their results from the Stratford Road campus earlier.
Headteacher Michele Chilcott said:
"It was a pleasure to see so many happy and smiling faces at SWGS this morning and be able to share and celebrate Results Day in school with our students.
"This wonderful year group richly deserve their excellent results, which are testament to the remarkable resilience, proactivity and drive that they have displayed through all of the disruptions, complications and worries of the COVID pandemic; the students are an inspiration, and we are delighted that an unprecedentedly high number of students are taking up their first choice of university or degree apprenticeship.
"All of this is testament to the quality of teaching and student support by our staff. They have worked exceptionally hard over the past two years to support the students in often difficult circumstances; the results also reflect their efforts, as well as the strong relationships between staff, students and parents, for whose support we are grateful.
"We are thrilled to celebrate our students’ very special achievements and wish them all the very best for the future.
Bishop Wordsworth's School, Salisbury
Headteacher Dr Stuart Smallwood says the adversity that the students have faced in recent years 'makes the sparkling results even more pleasing to see'. He said:
"I suspect that the 18 year-olds who received their A level results this morning just want to be viewed as a normal group of youngsters, after over two years of strangeness. Covid derailed their GCSE session in a very complicated way, and they have probably been the most disrupted of all over the past three years as successive waves of infection spread through the population.
"They have endured lock downs, online learning and mass testing and their broader education has been a constant battle against adversity. Their A level courses have been anything but normal…and of course huge thanks is due to everyone who has supported them through some difficult times.
"Our biggest ever year group can be very proud of what they have achieved; at 81% A*-B the headline figure is barely changed from last summer (when teacher assessments were given in place of exams) and this represents very significant progress on our last set of A levels stats in summer 2019. The most important thing of all is that the vast majority of Bishop’s girls and boys have got what they need for their destinations – places at prestigious universities across the UK."
Wellington Academy
It's been a busy day at the Tidworth school as well, with students celebrating their successes.
Dave Bissington, Head of Sixth Form, said:
“This is the eleventh results day I have now been a part of at the Wellington Academy and one of the days I am proudest of.
“Having seen their GCSEs cancelled in 2020 and then having to face additional challenges over their two years, the students have shown phenomenal resilience and determination to complete their courses to their best possible standard.
“The range of destinations demonstrates that students really can move into any field they set their heart on and I know all students are well equipped for whatever challenges may come their way moving forward.”
Headteacher Steven Paddock said:
“I take my hat off to each and every Year 13 student. They have come through extremely well as a group, and by developing key attributes such as independence, ambition and inquisitive thinking they can look forward to great futures. Well done all.”
Praise from Wiltshire Council
The local authority has said how proud they are of local students.
They've also let young people know that support is available for those that might not have received the grades they hoped for.
Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said:
“Congratulations to all students finding out their A Level results today. It is a special moment and one you always remember.
“Thanks must also go to the whole school community for the support and hard work through the last few years despite the challenges of COVID.
“For those students who don’t have the results they wanted or are thinking what to do next, don’t worry. There is a whole range of advice out there to help so take your time, use the support and you will come up with a plan that’s right for you.”
There's a dedicated results page on the Work Wiltshire website full of advice and what to do next.
The site also has a range of information including apprenticeship advice for those wanting to consider this route.
The Building Bridges programme can also help those who did not get the results they wanted.
The free programme (funded by the European Social fund and Lottery community Fund) offers 1:1 support from a friendly development worker to help students decide on next steps in getting employment, education, or training.