Making the grade

STUDENTS across Gwynedd are jumping for joy after picking up their A- Level results. Hundreds across the county achieved top grades and are now preparing to go on to the next stages of their lives at university or in work.

The overall pass rate for the county was 97.1% – 0.3% lower than the Welsh average for this year.

Nearly a quarter of all entries in Gwynedd – a total of 22.8% – were awarded grades of A* or A – but that’s still 3.5% below the average for Wales.

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd council’s cabinet member for education, said: “We can take pride in the success of our young people.

“The students are to be congratulated for their dedication and perseverance. I would also like to offer my sincere gratitude to the teachers for their hard work during the year and for preparing students so thoroughly for the examinations.

“I would like to wish all the very best to our young people as they make their choices for the next steps in their careers.”

Garem Jackson, head of education for Gwynedd council, added: “I am very pleased with the results in Gwynedd schools again this year. The students and their teachers are to be congratulated warmly on their success.”

Mr Jackson said results were “very good” in Welsh, physics, geography, mathematics, further mathematics, history, chemistry and art and design.

Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen in Caernarfon celebrated some great results with the top performer being Sara Gruffydd who got four A*s.

Other notable performances include Eben Luff with 1 A*, 2As and 1B; Sian Roberts with 1 A*, 3Bs and 1 C; Sara Gwyn with 2 As, 1 B and a C; and Tomos Roscoe with 1 A and 3 Bs.

Learners at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Bangor campus achieved 100% pass rates in nearly all A-Level subjects. Student union president Nathan Davies, from Bangor, gained three A grades in Maths, Biology and Chemistry, and will be going to Liverpool University to study nursing.

More than a quarter of students at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s Dolgellau campus achieved A*-A grades, including Joshua Davies who said he was “delighted” with his results.

Joshua, from Dolgellau, gained four As and is heading to Warwick University to study Maths.

● Syr Hugh Owen pupils Sion Grenet, Ioan Hughes, Eban Huw, William Hughes, Keron Hughes and Osian Jones celebrate their exam success A council is to take over control of the North West Wales Coroner service to ‘streamline’ the service.The coroner’s service, covering Anglesey and Gwynedd, handles inquests relating to deaths due to unknown causes, violent or unnatural deaths and those in custody.While the service was previously provided at arm’s length and jointly funded by Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey councils, it will now be brought in-house under direct Gwynedd Council employment.According to a decision notice authorised by portfolio holder for corporate support Cllr Nia Jeffreys, this was reached with the blessing of Anglesey Council who will continue to contribute financially.The senior coroner, Dewi Pritchard Jones, previously ran the service from a solicitor’s company office in Caernarfon.But following his retirement as a working solicitor, an alternative arrangement has been required.Previously, the Senior Coroner was paid £28,188 a year to pay for his office and staff, including rental costs for office space. Under the new arrangements, the coroner support service will be provided directly by the council from its own offices, with the coroner’s clerk also being transferred to Gwynedd Council employment.IT and office service will also be provided by Gwynedd Council’s existing structure but the status of the senior and assistant coroner will remain unchanged.Inquests will now be held in the main Dafydd Orwig chamber, described as more suitable than Penrallt’s Arfon Chamber (also in Caernarfon), which is used now.