VIDEO: Stars shine bright at Petroc Tiverton on A level results day

PETROC’s

Tiverton campus enjoyed another year of results to be proud of with the new A* grade shining brightly on results sheets.

Overall,

nearly a quarter of teenagers at the College have been awarded top marks, with

7.23% of students achieving the new A* grade, which is designed to reward the

country’s most able students.

One of

them was Lorna Flint who achieved two A*s in Biology and Maths and another A

grade in Further Maths: “They’re really good and better than I had expected.

Now I’ll be able to go and study maths at Warwick.

“The

build up to results day was very stressful, but tonight I can relax and have a

drink with some friends who have also done well.”

Jamie

Wilson also managed to get an A* in Biology as well as As in Maths, Further

Maths, Physics and Chemistry. He said : “I feel pretty good. It’s better than I

thought as I didn’t think I’d get an A*, and now I can go to Bristol Uni to

study physics.

“I was

more nervous about getting my place at university, but now I have that the good

grades is a bonus.”

Sarah

Zitney’s main concern was her university place, and with here C in Biology and

Bs in Geography and English she will be going to Bath Spa to study journalism.

She said: “The main thing is that I got my offer at university. There’s a lot

of stress, but it’s really relieving to get the grades.

“It’s

good that we can all come and pick up our results together, so are happy so are

sad, but it’s mainly happy faces around here today.”

Former Tiverton High School student, Chris Corley

is off to Cambridge University to do an Engineering degree after achieving and

A* in Maths, A’s in ICT & Physics and A’s for AS Levels in Further Maths

and English. 

“I’ve enjoyed being at Petroc,” said Chris: “The

lecturers have been really good and it’s been a fantastic stepping stone to get

me to Cambridge.”

Former Cullompton Community College student, Sarah

Bloomfield got an A* in Business Studies, A in Geography and B in Maths. Now

she’s looking forward to a degree in Business Studies at UWE in Bristol.

“My time at Petroc has been brilliant,” she said.

“I came here after a year at another college and I’ve found it a very friendly

place to be.

“The lecturers have been amazing.” 

Students also achieved A* grades in Sociology and

Business Studies.

All of the campus’s Biology and Chemistry students

achieved grades A to C, with seven subjects scoring a 100% pass rate (A-E) and

an overall pass rate of 89.16%.

Head of college activity Penny Prior was pleased

with the staff and student’s efforts: “We’re very pleased yet again with our

results at Tiverton. Our students have done well. As I was coming in this

morning the radio said they were predicting 7% A* grades across the country,

and here at Petroc we have 7.2% A*.

“Overall the staff and students have worked hard

and if you work hard you should get results to look forward to.

“We also appreciate all the work that

takes place at our local schools before students come to Petroc.”

Teacher

Russell North also joined his students in celebrating the results with his

pupils. He said: “Most are happy about their grades, and it’s a really nice

environment here today. This is what you work all year for to see them pick up

their results.

“I don’t

think they are getting easier. The stringency and level of detail that markers

now look for is higher. Skills that are tested now are a lot harder than when I

took my own A-levels many years ago.”

College staff are available to advise students on

their options, post A Level. For more information, call 01884 235330.

Connexions advisor Tony Badcott was providing

advice to students who were either disappointed with their grades, or perhaps

had failed to secure a university place. He said: “The main thing is to

remember that all is not lost, do not panic, and best of all seek guidance and

advice from your family, or pop into your local Connexions centre.

“There are a number of different things that can be

contemplated. You can do foundation or part time degrees if you wish to stay in

education and want to go through clearing.

“If those options aren’t available, there’s the

option of a gap year, volunteering or an apprenticeship. You can retake some

exams to get a better grade and perhaps reapply next year.”

Petroc is also holding an advice, guidance and

support event for school pupils who get their GCSE results on Tuesday 24

August.

Places are still available on many of the Tiverton

Campus’s A Levels and other courses, starting next month, and the College is

open on Wednesday August 25 from 10am to 3pm, to help prospective students

decide what to do next.