Students set to embark on next chapter following A Level results day

Across Bristol students are poised to embark on the next chapter after receiving their A-level results today (18 August). The marks come following two years of hard work, with many success stories about pupils who’ve achieved excellent grades.

This year provisional results show that 96% of students have achieved at least two A-levels or substantial level three qualifications, which are equivalent vocational subjects.* This consolidates last year’s results and is up from 89% in 2014. This is the last year that A-levels will follow the current curriculum, with changes already in place for AS levels, which now do not contribute to the final A-level grade.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said:

“I’d like to congratulate our students on their results today and acknowledge the dedication of teachers and families in supporting our young people. Whether students are going onto higher education, apprenticeships or looking for jobs, Bristol is a good place to enter the workforce or continue studying. Part of our commitment to being a Learning City involves working with partners in education and business to develop an inclusive approach to learning. This is a priority for me; one of my manifesto pledges is to make sure every young person has access to good quality work experience and if they choose, the opportunity of an apprenticeship. This is something I’m passionate about and look forward to achieving with our partners.”

Some key successes this year include St Mary Redcliffe and Temple Sixth Form which saw 98% of pupils achieve at least two A-levels or equivalent and 29 pupils achieved three A-levels at grades A* – A. Six students are going on to study at Oxford or Cambridge universities.

Elisabeth Gilpin, headteacher at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple Sixth Form, said:

“We are delighted with this year’s A-level results. We have a 99% pass rate and an 80% pass at grade C or above. As well as the impressive number of students who gained A* and A results, we are also very proud of our students who battled against tough circumstances to get grades that were a real achievement for them. Like Team GB in the Olympics it is great to see young people achieving personal bests when it matters and shedding tears of joy and sharing hugs. We also feel we build on the good teaching that these students have had in their previous schools where they studied GCSEs and we want to pay tribute to the teachers there as well as our own staff.”

St Brendan’s Sixth Form College is celebrating its best ever A-Level results with a 97.4% pass rate and 69.3% of students achieving A* – C grades in their exams. In total 19 of the college’s students were awarded A* or A grades for three or more of their A-level subjects.

City of Bristol College is also celebrating its best results yet, with an overall pass rate of 98% on A2 Level subjects, which is almost a 4% increase on last year.

Lee Probert, Principal and Chief Executive at City of Bristol College, commented:

“These superb results reflect and reward the dedication and talent of our students and staff. Everyone at the College is very proud of this achievement. Each year we strive to equip students with the skills they need to successfully progress onto further study or to launch their intended career. We are extremely proud of each of our students and I wish them all every success for the future. These results also reflect the general positive direction of travel in our improvements.”

Cllr Claire Hiscott, Cabinet Member for education and skills, said:

“Results day can be a very stressful time with a large amount of pressure on students. For many, the hard work will have paid off and they will be looking forward to the next chapter of their lives. However, some students may be disappointed with their results so it’s important to know that teachers and other professionals can provide advice and support about the different options available and how to move forward.”

St Bede’s Catholic College and Colston Girls School both saw a high percentage of students achieving the top marks. North Bristol Post 16 Centre enjoyed a strong year with the percentage of students achieving the highest grades above the national average of 25.8%.

Marian Curran, director at the North Bristol Post 16 Centre, said:

“I am proud and humbled by our students’ achievements and also delighted for their families who have supported them throughout their Post 16 journey and staff at the Centre who have worked tirelessly to make these achievements a reality. In the context of the well-documented and greater challenge in A-levels and BTECs, to have held our strong position and seen an increase in the highest grades is truly outstanding. We are equally proud of the fact that we support a very broad range of students, including those with modest starting points, making these outcomes and the progress our students make, all the more impressive.”

The OFSTED rating of schools in Bristol has been improving steadily over the past few years, with 95% of secondary schools now rated as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.

Bristol’s Learning City partnership is focused on improving education in the city’s schools and colleges and will continue looking at ways to ensure all students get a strong start in life from our schools.

*Level 3 totals exclude City of Bristol College and St Brendans Sixth Form College as vocational results are not yet complete.