A-Levels: Pleasant and Positive Results Day

It’s been a lovely day today. The sun shone, and there was a great deal of pride, happiness and relief. After arguably the worst and most stressful year in education in living memory, it was a delight that our students did so well, and that they can move on to the next stage of their lives.

Our top-achieving students include Tom Raeder A*A*A*, who will now read English & History at Bristol University; Chloe Somerwill A*AADist* will study Law at Cardiff University; Gabrielle Johnson A*A*A  goes to Leeds University to study Chemistry & Mathematics; Jaimee Slocombe A*ADist* will study Midwifery at Bournemouth University next year; and JJ Newman A*AA will go to Bristol University to study Mathematics, also in 2022.

Seven further students achieved two A*, A, or starred Distinctions among their results: Toni Baynes, Millie-Jo Elliott, Angel Justus, Will Kilkelly, Jessie Narramore, Benedict Shelley and Matt Wood. As last year, over half of our students will go to universities in the South-West or South Wales; there is a wider spread of degrees across social sciences as well as “STEM” subjects.

It’s a tough year for securing higher education places, but almost all of our university candidates have earned a place at the university or college of their first choice, and the majority of the year group are able to move forward. As I say every year, this is THE most important thing: whether young people can progress to the next stage of their lives. Forward direction, hope and certainty is essential for young people.

This year, after exams were cancelled, grades have been awarded through teacher assessment against a national standard approved and awarded by the exam boards. Due to the variable impact of covid across the country, the government is not publishing league tables or performance data this year. If they did, it would show that Clyst Vale students achieved 100% pass rate with 35% of grades at A or A*, a tremendous achievement.

We like to hold Results Days in person, so that we can chat to parents and students, and wish them well after a seven-year stint at Clyst Vale. Many parents thanked my colleagues for their tireless efforts, often above and beyond, throughout this year, which I would like to echo. It has been an incredibly challenging year, and after all the ups and downs, lockdowns, isolations, remote learning, separation from friends, exam anxiety, today was a very pleasant way to round it off.

Kevin Bawn

Principal