A-level smiles as Bridgend county beats Welsh average
SCHOOLS across Bridgend county are celebrating what has been called significant improvements in the number of students achieving A* and A grades at A-level.
While the overall proportion of Welsh students achieving top A-level grades fell to its lowest level since 2002 at 22.7%, in Bridgend county 23.8% of pupils gained an A* or A.
Across Wales, the A* to E pass rate was 97.3%, while Bridgend county schools achieved 98.3%.
The proportion of students achieving A* to C grades was 76.6% in Bridgend county – again beating the Welsh average of 73.8%.
As Education Secretary Kirsty Williams noted in her visit to Maesteg Comprehensive School as the results were handed out last Thursday: “The number achieving the highest grades is encouraging. We can be proud of our pupils’ performance in maths and the progress when it comes to the Welsh Baccalaureate.”
Deborah McMillan, director of education and family support at Bridgend County Borough Council, agreed.
She said: “This is particularly true across Bridgend County Borough, where significant improvements in higher grades, maths and the Welsh Baccalaureate are all evident this year. Our focus on pupil wellbeing and high ambition for all of our learners has helped students to enjoy high success and entry to the top university courses across the UK.”
Here’s how each school performed: Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School While schools across Bridgend county reported significant improvements in the proportion of students gaining A* and A grades, Archbishop McGrath in Brackla, Bridgend, “posted an impressive 31.7%”, said a council spokesman.
A total of 99% of students also got A* to E grades, with 86% getting A* to C.
The school Tweeted: “Awesome performance by our Year 13 pupils.”
And Councillor Huw David, Bridgend County Borough Council’s deputy leader, also Tweeted: “Amazing students @archbishopmghs have achieved amazing results. 31.7% of grades were A-A*.” Brynteg School The school’s top performers included Madison Smith, Lloyd Francis, Hannah Newberry, Lucy Elliott, Aimee Evans, Peighton Thomas, Rebecca Chappell, Elis Harrington, Kate Keohane, Hannah Messham, Eve Morgan, Christian Smith, Sophie Wellington, Callum Yaw, Alys Jackson, Chloe McKew, Rhiannon Morris, Scott Woodward, Katie Bishop and Rhys Felton.
Rhys Felton achieved three A* grades in English literature, French and geography and will be studying French at Warwick University in September.
Head teacher David Jenkins said: “We are delighted with this year’s results, which reflect the hard work of students and staff at Brynteg. We have improved on last year’s excellent achievements.
“We congratulate 84 students who achieved an A* or A grade. Continuing with the tradition of excellence at Brynteg, the vast majority of our students are now looking forward to attend their first choice of university. We wish all of our students every success for the future.” Bryntirion Comprehensive School Head teacher Nick Brain said the school had enjoyed a record set of Alevel results. The highest-achieving students were Kate Davies, Sophie Goodall, Emily Lloyd, Kieran Meaton, Danyaal Mohamed, Aqib Tarafdar, Steven Bendell, Megan Gamble, Georgia Ralph and Christopher Williams.
“Each of the students listed above has achieved at least three As,” said Mr Brain.
He added that 100% of Bryntirion students entered achieved the prestigious Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification reflecting the success of the year group and 30% of the examinations sat by the students achieved an A* or A grade, while 83% of entries achieved A* to C grade. Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen Mr Brain, who is also the head teacher at CCYD, said: “The school community is celebrating an outstanding set of results. All the commitment, hard work and dedication from students has culminated in the excellent results achieved.”
These include: Ellie Baldwin 1A*, 1A, 1B, 1C; Thomas Dare 1A*, 1B, 1C; Sophie Davies 2A*, 1A, 1C; Chloe Dent 2A, 1B, 1C; Zack Edwards 2A*, 1A, 2B; Nia Gronnow 1A*, 3B; Victoria Howells 1A*, 3A; Natalie Jones 1A*, 1A, 1B, 1C; Ben Page 1A*, 1A, 2B; Chloe Richards 1A*, 3B; Catrin Thomas 2A, 2B; Ellie White 2A*, 2B. With 20% of grades achieved at A* or A and 75% of grades at A* to C, these results represent an outstanding performance from our students,” he added. Cynffig Comprehensive School Head teacher Hannah Castle said: “Cynffig is overjoyed to be celebrating excellent A-level results with 99% of students achieving A* to E grades. The results are representative of hard work, diligence and tireless commitment.
“This year we see students obtaining places in Bath, East Anglia, Cardiff, Leicester and Swansea universities.”
She added that 100% of pupils entered achieved the Welsh Baccalaureate with a high figure of 62% achieving A* and A in this qualification. In addition the number of pupils achieving A* and A grades across all curriculum areas has doubled this year. Maesteg Comprehensive School Head teacher Helen Jones said: “Pupils achieved a total of 89 A* and A grades between them. We are pleased to see so many of our pupils gaining places at some of the country’s top universities. The Welsh Baccalaureate is a further strength of the school’s sixth form provision with 29 pupils achieving A* and A grades.”
Notable achievers were Kieran Davies – 2 A* and 2 A grades; Jessica Brocklebank achieved 1 A*,
1A, 2Bs; Thomas Braund achieved 1A*, 2As and 1B; Sophie Dimmery achieved 2As, 3Bs; Pavan Patel achieved 2A*s, 1A and 1B; Corey Downey achieved 1A*, 1A and 1B and Olivia John gained 3A*s and 1C. Pencoed Comprehensive School Students are celebrating an excellent set of A-level results once again, with 55 students receiving awards.
There were many smiling faces as virtually all students who applied for higher education places had the grades to confirm their places in September.
The overall pass rate was almost 100%. There were many superb individual sets of results. Christopher Carr gained a full house of top A* and A grades – A* grades in chemistry and mathematics with A grades in physics and further mathematics. Chris also gained a distinction in the Welsh Baccalaureate. Rhoslyn Bryn gained straight A grades in biology, chemistry and mathematics. Alex Curtis achieved A grades in maths and in further maths. Exceptional performances in individual subjects were attained by Aaron Shellard (A* in biology) and Andrew Naisbitt (A* in English). Porthcawl Comprehensive School It’s been a great year for Porthcawl Comprehensive. This year, 124 students sat 360 A-level papers. The A* to E pass rate was 99% with a 30% pass rate in A/A*. Fourteen students gained three As or better at A-level.
Sophie Rees, 18, and her mum Sam Bennet could not stop crying and smiling at the same time when Sophie picked up her results. She achieved A*s in history and RE and an A in geography.
“I never expected them to be that good. I can’t even breathe. It’s been stressful, but I love school,” said Sophie.
Linzi Watson, 18, from Nottage, Porthcawl, is able to pursue her dream of becoming a pharmacist after getting a C in maths, B in chemistry and an A in biology.
An interest in embryology and IVF research led Megan Jones, 18, from Nottage, to study science at A-level. And now with an A in biology, an A in chemistry and an A in geography she can pursue her dream of studying biomedical science at Birmingham University.
Other top achievers included Joseph Conniff-Jenkins, 18, of Church Street, Newton, who got three A*s and is now going on to study industrial design at Loughborough University. Richard Lugg, 18, will be studying phys- ics in Exeter after securing three As and Mathew Dang, 18, from North Cornelly, achieved three As and is off to Reading to study economics and finance. St Clare’s School Students carried on the school’s tradition of achieving strong results with a fantastic 100% overall pass rate with the most A* grades ever. St Clare’s achieved 36% of grades at A*-A. Particular congratulations go to the following straight A students. Deputy head girl, Elen Lloyd, achieved an A* and three As. Elen has already accepted a place at Oxford to read philosophy, politics and economics. Head girl Olivia Thomas achieved an A* and two As and will be going to Bath to read international management and Spanish while deputy head boy Alex Lees also achieved an A* and two As and will be going to Cardiff to read chemistry. Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd The school received its second set of A-level results, with 18% of students gaining at least three A* or A grades.
Head teacher Meurig Jones said: “We are extremely proud of our results this year and wish our students the very best as they continue to either further studies, employment or work-based training.”