Kentish Express Ashford & District
Pupils’ agonising wait ends as results revealed
It was the day thousands of teenagers had been waiting for with a mix of nerves and excitement - A-level results day.
Pupils across the Ashford district found out how they had fared on Thursday after two years of studying.
While the proportion of entries awarded an A grade or higher fell to the lowest for more than a decade across the country, the overall pass rate remained the same as last year at 97.6%.
Staff and pupils at Towers School were in celebratory mood after the results set a record for the school.
Every leaver achieved A* to E grades, with Towers seeing its highest ever number of As.
BTEC results also increased from last year, as well high achievements in the school’s first cohort of students taking the International Baccalaureate career programme.
Particular highlights included Alexandra Thurston’s A, A, B and Jaz East who got a double Distinction*, B and a 6 and a 5 in her International Baccalaureate subjects.
At Highworth Grammar School, almost 90% of grades received by the students were C or above.
Head teacher Paul Danielsen says he was delighted with the results.
He said: “Overall, almost 70% of all grades were A*, A, B; there were a number of outstanding performances, with 35 students securing all A* to A grades and almost half of all students achieving grades A* to B in all their examinations.”
Hannah McCann, who got three A*s on her way to reading history at the University of Sheffield, said: “I’m excited and relieved, but I wasn’t too nervous because we found out our university placement online beforehand.
“If you put the work in at the beginning, it’s a lot easier.”
A remarkable effort from 18-year-old Ralph Battle saw him get five A*s - more than enough to secure him a spot on the natural sciences course at Cambridge.
The John Wallis Academy celebrated an increase in the top grades achieved by its students, with 2% more getting A* to E graded A-levels or equivalent qualifications.
With the majority of leavers setting off to their first choice university, of particular note were Renee Akpojewa, who attained an A*, A and C, and head girl Ellen O’Keefe with A, A, B.
Lewis Banks, who got two As and a C and plans to become a psychology teacher, said: “It was really stressful - a very emotional mental rollercoaster - but I managed to get through it.”
Principal John McParland said: “I am very proud of how our students have adapted to the challenges of a more demanding traditional exam-based system.”
Benenden School had a stunning results day, with 19% of all grades at A* while more than half (53%) were A* or A.
Nineteen students gained two or more A* grades, four of whom achieved three A*s and an A each.
Sixty students gained A, B, B or above and 80% of grades were A* to B.
Of the leavers, 90% will be going to their first or second choice universities, including the likes of Yale in America and McGill University in Canada.
A positive upward trend was confirmed at Homewood School in Tenterden as it again improved on previous years’ performances.
A* to B grades accounted for 35% of the returned tests, and 59% were A* to C.
Virtually all students leaving Homewood have a confirmed place at university, college or in employment with training.
Top performing subjects were the graphics A-level, in which 89% of students achieved an A or A* grade and travel and tourism - where 75% of students achieved Distinction*.
Principal Sally Lees said: “I feel very proud of our students who have risen to the challenge of the new two-year A-level and reformed BTEC qualifications with resilience, hard work and determination.”
The North School saw strong results, with 75% of the 58 leavers getting A* to C grades or equivalent marks in different qualifications.
Top scorer Sebin Jose picked up four Distinctions in his diplomas spanning health and social care and applied science.
Josh Huntley is taking up an apprenticeship with food company Brakes after competing with students at neighbouring schools for the opportunity, while Sean Trumper is heading to the US to take up a basketball scholarship at Huntington Prep, having excelled at the North’s respected basketball academy.
Head teacher Anna Lawrence said: “I am proud of our hard-working students and what they have achieved against the background of increasingly demanding examinations.”
Ashford School met its high expectations, as 40% of the school’s grades were placed between A* and A.
Two thirds of all the independent school’s grades were A* to B.
Michael Hall, head teacher of Ashford School, said: “Despite this year’s changes to the A-level specifications, I’m delighted that many of our students have gained acceptances to their university of choice.”
Included in the higher education subjects set to be studied are biomedical science and architecture.
Norton Knatchbull School saw an uptake in the number of highest grades achieved by its students.
Top learners included Kieran Drury, who’s leaving for the University of Warwick after scoring three A*s and a Distinction in his maths advanced extension award.
Harry Temple, Dison Limbu, George Hinkley and Stephen Bejide all earned at least two A*s and an A each.
A spokeswoman said: “The hard work has resulted in a significant improvement in the percentage of top grades achieved.”