[S]tudents and staff at Barrow Sixth Form College had stars in their eyes as they celebrated another impressive year for A level exam success.
A flurry of top grades, including many A*s, greeted those who went into college early to collect their results.
The sixth form opened its doors for students to find out their grades and to see if they had secured their university place or offer for higher apprenticeships and employment.
Assistant Principal – Head of Sixth Form Jeff Chadd said: “Our students have once again achieved a brilliant set of results that pave the way for exciting futures in the careers they have their hearts set on.
“It means that whether they wish to study at university, secure a job or take the higher apprenticeship route, they are well-placed to succeed having left here not only with the academic qualifications they worked hard for – and deserve – but with the life skills, confidence and maturity a sixth form college education brings.
“We have a wonderful college community here, people enjoy their time with us and our congratulations go not only to the students but to our fantastic staff who have supported them during their time at sixth form.”
There were shouts of joy and hugs as the students gathered at the Rating Lane campus to collect their grades, speak to tutors who were on hand to celebrate and advise on next steps and to enjoy a free breakfast.
Among those celebrating were the highest achieving students Brad Hayton-Mulvey, Beth Postlethwaite and Niall Cameron who secured a clean sweep of 3 A*s each. Brad will now go study a degree in pharmacy at Liverpool, Beth is heading to Leeds University to study maths and biology and Niall will do accountancy at Leeds.
Niall, who travels to college from Hawkshead each day, said he was surprised and very pleased with his results. “When you come from a small school like John Ruskin the college is very different but I’ve really enjoyed it. The exams were hard but these grades will get me a scholarship.”
Ben O’Flynn achieved A*A*AA and will go to Lancaster University to study a degree in biomedical sciences. “I’m so pleased that the hard work has paid off,” he said. “Sixth form has been brilliant, I’ve made such good friends and consolidated friendships that I already had and the tutors have been a great support through it all.”
Danielle Mitchell secured A*A*A and will do law at Durham University while Jess Livesey, Laura Street and Zachariah Briant all secured A*AA.
Charlotte Bethell’s A*ABC means she will go on to a higher apprenticeship at BAE Systems along with Olivia Bradley who also got the grades she needed for a sought-after higher apprenticeship. Katie Moncrief secured ABC and is deciding between offers of a higher apprenticeship at BAE or Sellafield.
Chloe Limitsios achieved ABB and will head to Paris to study a degree in French Studies and International Relations while Aina Mercant Osuna, of Majorca, who studied at sixth form on the Education First programme for overseas students will start a degree in medicine in London in September.
Chloe said: “I’m really, really happy because my grades have got me into uni – and that’s where I wanted to be. Now I can put plans in place to study in Paris.”
The sixth form college, which is rated by the Department for Education as a top tier college for achievement at A level, merged with Furness College last year.
Principal and Chief Executive Andrew Wren said the results were extremely positive and that it had been wonderful to see the students’ reactions when they picked up their envelopes.
“The sixth form has a long tradition of success at A level and today the vast majority of students have achieved the grades they need for their first-choice university or higher apprenticeship. It has been a fantastic day and it’s great to see the varied range of career paths they are going into – from sciences and engineering to languages, business and law.
“The merger means we are the biggest college in Cumbria and there has never been a wider choice of courses to help students get where they want to be.”
