County's A-level results among best in country (From Western Telegraph)

County's A-level results among best in country

PEMBROKESHIRE students had among the best A-level and AS results in the country. There was an overall pass rate, grades A-E, of 99% compared to the 96.5% national average.

A total of 27% gained A grades, compared with 23.5% nationally.

At AS level, the A-E pass rate was 94% compared with the 87.5% national average. And 23%, compared with the Welsh average of 17.9%, gained A grades.

Pembrokeshire County Council's head of school improvement and inclusion, Mr Graham Longster, said: "Pembrokeshire students can be proud that their results are among the best across Wales. It gives a clear indication of our continuing high standards at both A and AS level in the county."

At Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest, headteacher Dr George Davies said: "The results were excellent and nearly all the pupils got into their first choice. There were some outstanding individual results, with some pupils gaining a full house of which they can be justly proud. First indications are that the overall pass rate is 97% and A-C grades is 75%."

Ysgol Preseli headteacher, Mr Martin Lloyd, is hoping this year's results will keep the Crymych school among the top performing schools in Britain. "The results are truly outstanding again and a credit to pupils, staff and parents," he said. "We had 12 students with three grade As. Our overall pass rate is 98%, with 35% grade As, 59% A and B, and 78% A, B and C."

Ms Christine Wright, headteacher of Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Fishguard, said: "This is the time of year when 'experts' tell the public that schools' results are only improving because the exams are easier than when they sat them. Ysgol Bro Gwaun pupils have worked very hard for two years to achieve an excellent set of results, and studied a broader range of subjects in the sixth-form than many 'experts'. We had some outstanding results."

Pembroke School pupils were celebrating the best set of collective results in recent years, with a significant improvement on last year's performance - 100% of pupils achieved two or more A-level passes and the average points score per pupil increased to a record high of 237.

Headteacher Frank Ciccotti said: "The school is very pleased with the continued upward trend in results.

"These results are richly deserved by the hard work, dedication and commitment of both students and staff. As always, many individual pupils have achieved an outstanding collection of high grades. Most pupils have secured a place in higher education at their first choice institute and every student who applied to enter higher education has secured a place."

Mrs Pamela Munday, headteacher of Milford School, said: "We have kept up with the very good record of A-level results which we achieved in the previous two years. Teachers and students have worked very hard.

"There has been an increase in the number of pupils choosing vocational options but, having said that, it still means they are going to university."

Also pleased with the results achieved by Year 13 pupils was Mr Walter Dash, headteacher of Ysgol Dewi Sant, St Davids. "The hard work of the students, with the support of staff and parents, has resulted in a high level of achievement and success at entry to universities. Every result is worthwhile and marks an important step forward in a student's life. "The school had 100% passes and 88% achieved at least a grade C."

Results at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf, Whitland, are among the school's best-ever, with nearly 65% gaining A-C grades, and head teacher Robert Newsome praised pupils for their 'dedication and perseverance'.

Mr Newsome added: "The school endeavours to produce well-rounded individuals who have a diversity of skills to meet the various demands of higher education and employment. It is hoped that the school's community programme, the post-16 work experience and cultural and competitive opportunities, will further enhance the potential of these students and complement the excellent results achieved."

At Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, Dr Gwynfor Griffiths said the overall pass rate for the traditional and vocational A-level subjects was 96.8% with 74.1% being in the A-C range. He said all the successes could only have been achieved by hard-working partnerships between the students and their teachers.

IT'S been another excellent year for A-levels at Pembrokeshire College with 97% of under 19-year-olds achieving A-E grades, 77% gaining A-C grades and 27% gaining A grades.

"We are extremely pleased with the results," said faculty manager Sian Thompson, "especially when compared to the 69% UK average for A-C grades for all colleges and schools. Pembrokeshire College's 77% pass rate surpassed the average by 8%."

There were some outstanding individual achievements - Laura Davies, Fishguard; Rhiannon Jones, Pembroke; Paul Haggar, Pembroke Dock; Sarah Ryder Owen, Carmarthen; Yi Qiu, China; Sian Russell, Cardigan; Sophie Roberts, New Moat; Agnes Orbach, Newport; Gwen Lewis, Crosswell, and Joel Taylor, Wolfscastle.

AT Tenby's Greenhill School, results matched last year's record year. Said headteacher Chris Noble: "Many students have more than exceeded their predicted grades." Greenhill had one pupil with four straight A grades, a number gaining a trio of straight As, and the average points score per pupil was 21.

Added Mr Noble: "We had a very large entry of nearly 100 students. It has been an excellent year group, and students have gained the results they deserve."