A Levels: A day of celebration and commiseration at Doncaster schools as results are revealed

The exams regulator, Ofqual, launched a plan to tackle grade inflation, and 26.5 per cent of all entries were awarded A or A*, compared with 25.2 per cent in 2019.

Here’s how students across Doncaster got on.

Outwood Academy Adwick Celebrates Successful Post-16 Results Day

Students from Outwood Academy Adwick are celebrating after receiving their A-Level and vocational results.

Despite the disruption to their GCSE years due to the pandemic, students entered post-16 education with a fantastic work ethic and A-Level results day marked the culmination of their efforts.

Andy Scruby, Principal at Outwood Academy Adwick, said: “We are extremely proud of students and staff for attaining fantastic results. It is pleasing to see students heading onto

their intended destinations and next steps be it university, apprenticeships or employment.

“These outcomes are a testament to the hard work and dedication of students over a 7-year secondary education journey with us. Today we can celebrate their achievements and we look forward to hearing about their future endeavours.”

One of the standout student success stories was Jacob McClen, who achieved a grade A in History and will go on to study History at the University of York.

Nathaniel Sheppard, a student that achieved a grade A in Sociology and Distinction in Sport, will go on to study Sport & Exercise Science at the University of York St John.

Callum Potts who achieved a Distinction, Distinction in Engineering will study an Apprenticeship.

Callum Moss will be studying Law, both in the UK and overseas.

Patrick Westerman, who is planning on going to the University of Hull to study Criminology with Forensic Science, said: “I have enjoyed studying A-Levels at Adwick and I’m really

happy with my results. I am looking forward to starting my new course in September.”

In recent years, the academy has expanded the courses on offer and has been able to deliver a diverse range of A-level and vocational courses, resulting in excellent outcomes

across the breadth of subjects.

Julie Slater, Chief Executive Principal (Secondary) at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said: “We extend huge congratulations to our students receiving their A-Level and Level 3

Vocational results today. Our students have worked so incredibly hard over the past two years and should be incredibly proud of themselves; we certainly are!

“Students have secured destinations which will lead to great future careers and we wish the very best of luck for their future studies and employment.

“At Outwood, we pride ourselves on being a Family of Schools and when students, staff, parents/carers and wider stakeholders work together as one we can achieve great things. It is an absolute privilege to serve our communities.”

Outwood Academy Danum Celebrates Successful A-Level Results Day

Students from Outwood Academy Danum are celebrating after receiving their A-Level results.

Despite the disruption to their GCSE years due to the pandemic, students entered post-16 education with a fantastic work ethic and A-Level results day marked the culmination of their efforts.

There were highlights for the Doncaster-based academy in Engineering, where 100% of the pupils achieved either a double Distinction or Distinction*, putting them in an incredible

position for further study, with many securing apprenticeships in the industry already due to the fantastic support and teaching in this area.

Mandy Crane, Principal at Outwood Academy Danum, said: “I know how much specialist support and teaching goes on in the Engineering department, but it’s fantastic to see that

this has translated into excellent outcomes for students who are now in a great position to make this a career of their choice. Some have already started their apprentice journey and are making a great first impression with their employers due to their knowledge and experience so far.”

One of the standout student success stories was Anastasia Sandulescu, who achieved A*AB as a result of a fantastic attitude to study. Anastasia has secured her university place to study Psychology. Owen Shutt also achieved fantastic results; A* in Photography, a Distinction in Engineering and a B in Graphics. Owen plans to go into full-time employment

in the engineering sector.

Maths also did incredibly well as a subject, with a number of pupils achieving A grades – some outperforming their targets. The maths department has worked very hard with the

students to achieve these excellent grades and the support received was second to none.

Julie Slater, Chief Executive Principal (Secondary) at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said: “We extend huge congratulations to our students receiving their A-Level and Level 3

Vocational results today. Our students have worked so incredibly hard over the past two years and should be incredibly proud of themselves; we certainly are!

“Students have secured destinations which will lead to great future careers and we wish the very best of luck for their future studies and employment.

“At Outwood, we pride ourselves on being a Family of Schools and when students, staff, parents/carers and wider stakeholders work together as one we can achieve great things. It is an absolute privilege to serve our communities.”

Trinity Academy, Thorne

Three quarters of students at Trinity Academy in Thorne are going to university after achieving strong results despite national reports of downgrading.

The cohort bore the brunt of the pandemic, having to learn from home and being unable to sit formal, external GCSE exams in 2021, then knowing that the grade inflation of the past two years had ended.

Principal Victoria Gibson said they had shown resilience and great character to keep focused and, with the support of their friends, families and the academy’s dedicated teaching staff, had come through with flying colours.

Mrs Gibson added: “Sixth form students at Trinity Academy are celebrating another year of excellent results, having overcome the effect of the pandemic and sitting external examinations for the first time. Overall grades have remained high, mirroring those achieved prior to the pandemic and continuing the trend of improvement over time. The average grade in A Levels is a C and in vocational qualifications, a distinction.”

The top achieving students were Maisie Hinchliffe who gained A*s in business and psychology and a C in history and will read psychology at Leeds Beckett University;

Jeremy Pike who achieved As in maths, biology and his EPQ and a B in chemistry and has secured a place to study medicine at Edinburgh University;Billy Astill, whose A in maths and Bs in further maths and music mean he can study mathematics at Sheffield University; and Ellie-May Wade who gained distinctions in health and child development and a C in business and will study professional policing at Nottingham Trent University.

Maisie, 18, from Thorne, said she felt very proud. “Honestly, I’ve done a lot better than I thought I would. I doubted myself because we didn’t have that full exam pressure at GCSE and although we did mocks it felt much different doing the real thing and knowing someone else was marking my papers. It was the unknown that made me doubt myself.

“I had a bit of an interest in psychology, but I really enjoyed doing it as an A level with Miss Tindale. It’s very content heavy but it gives you so much insight into society and how the mind works. Even now I’m applying psychology all the time, it really opens your mind.”

She is hoping to put her degree into practice as a counsellor.

Jeremy said: “I was quite nervous about getting my results and the news articles didn’t help saying there were 100,000 fewer As and A*s.

“I don’t feel not doing GCSEs affected me that much because we did so many mocks and sets of papers in school.

“I’m really happy to have got my first choice university. I knew I wanted more of a city university than a campus and Edinburgh is a fantastic city. The university is very well ranked in the league tables, it’s a beautiful city and I had really good experiences at open days.”

Jeremy is the third of three siblings to go to Trinity Academy with his brother and sister both going on to Cambridge University. Jeremy, who has been at Trinity since Year 7, added: “I’ve been able to do what I wanted to do while enjoying all the extracurricular activities. I’ve had fun and made friends what more could you want?”

Attainment on applied general courses at Trinity Academy has improved significantly from 2019. A high point at A Level was technology in which every candidate achieved a grade of A*, A or B.

The remaining 25 per cent of students in Year 13 have secured employment or apprenticeships.

Paul Flint, director of sixth form, added: “It’s great once again to see the effort of our students and staff being recognised in formal exams. This has been a remarkable year group and it is pleasing to see so many of them progressing to their first-choice destinations.

“This speaks volumes about the high standards that we hold them to here at Trinity Sixth Form. I am immensely proud of each of them and it has been a pleasure to work with them.”

Several students who took the health and social care qualification at Trinity Academy have progressed towards degree level courses such as teaching and nursing. The academy has recognised it is a major sector, particularly in the Doncaster area, and is achieving excellent results in the subject in order to support students and to meet the demand in the caring professions.

Hill House

Pupils at Hill House are celebrating as they receive another year of outstanding A levels, despite a significant downturn in grades across England.

An impressive 43% of A levels were graded at A*/A, with 25% of pupils gaining straight As and A*s, and the school securing its sixth consecutive year of a 100% pass rate. A fantastic 69% of results were at grade B and above.

Classicist Elijah Redden is delighted to have won a place at St.Catherine’s College, Cambridge.

An impressive group of scholars will be heading to the highly prestigious colleges of the University of London; Farhan Khan secured 4 A*s and joins University College to study Mathematics, while Sanjeev Singh, with A*A*AA, will attend Imperial College to study Chemical Engineering. Julia Goral heads to Kings College to study Economics and Management while Mitchell Bennett will read Biochemistry at Imperial.

Among those with exciting future routes are Mia Austin, captain of the nationally renowned 1 st XI hockey team, whose A*AA take her to a degree apprenticeship with prestigious law firm Allen & Overy, while Anya Goel, with A*AA, embarks full time on her burgeoning singing career.

Heading north to highly prized places at Durham University, are Sophie Birley (ABB), and Niamh Doody (AAB) both to read Sport and Exercise Science.

Head Boy Kian Tamjidi, with 3A*s and 1 A, wins a place at Warwick University to study Computer Science, Head Girl Rebecca Leggott goes to Exeter to read Law,

while Ishita Singh heads with her 3A*s to study Medicine at Leeds and Ahmad Miraj will study medicine at Manchester.

Achieving A*A*A* were Sienna Lightfoot (Natural Sciences at Leeds) Trixie Morrison-Parry (Law at Bristol) and Bailey Mellor (Law at Nottingham), all of whom joined the school for the Sixth Form.

Headmaster David Holland said ‘despite the reported national reduction in grades this year, these students have excelled. This is a fabulous, well-rounded group who have worked very hard. We should also remember that this is a group of pupils for whom these were their first public examinations, having not sat their GCSEs due to COVID. Warmest congratulations to all pupils, parents and staff.’

Astrea Academy Woodfields

Sixth form students and staff at Astrea Academy Woodfields, part of Astrea Academy Trust, are celebrating today after receiving outstanding BTEC and Vocational results.

It’s been a challenging year for all in education, with the impact of the pandemic still felt in schools across the country, but the Doncaster students have achieved an excellent set of results and are now ready to step into the future – with many accepting places at top universities such as the University of Lincoln, Oxford Brookes and Sheffield Hallam Universities.

Amongst those celebrating today are:· Ebony Bogan who has achieved two distinctions and a starred distinction in her Health and Social Care BTEC Extended Diploma. She will now gain work experience in a school so that she can pursue pastoral working opportunities.

· Will Collingwood who has achieved two distinctions and a starred distinction in his Sport BTEC Extended Diploma. He will take a gap year before taking up a place at a soccer college in the USA.

· Jake Evans who has achieved a triple distinction in his Sport BTEC Extended Diploma. He will take up his place at Leeds Beckett University to study Sports Business Management.

· Aiden Tomes who has achieved a triple distinction in his Sport BTEC Extended Diploma. He will take up his place at Sheffield Hallam University to study Professional Policing.

· Dexter Lewis who has achieved a distinction in his BTEC Extended Certificate in Applied Science. He will take up his place at Leeds Trinity University to study Sport Therapy and Rehabilitation.

David Scales, Principal at Astrea Academy Woodfields, part of Astrea Academy Trust, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the tenacity and scholarship of our staff and scholars has paid off. 68% of the students gained a distinction and 100% of the students passed their qualifications. They are now going to top universities, starting businesses or beginning apprenticeships with the knowledge and experience that they’ve gained with us.

!Against a backdrop of fewer students gaining the top grades this year, we have had one of our best sets of results. It is heartening to see that we are rapidly improving Astrea Academy Woodfields. I wish all our scholars the very best in the next stage of their lives.”

Rowena Hackwood, CEO, Astrea Academy Trust, said: “I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all our Astrea Academy Woodfields students. We have been so impressed by their hard work, determination and resilience throughout their time at sixth-form, and especially during the exam season.

“At Astrea, we are committed to brilliant education, and we want all of our students to learn, thrive and lead successful lives. We hope that all of our students are feeling proud of their achievements, and we wish them all the best as they move onto the next stage of their lives.”

• Photo gallery from all the schools to follow