Students jumping for joy at A-level success

As pupils nervously opened their Advanced and AS-level results last week, official figures revealed that Pembrokeshire's secondary schools maintained the high levels of last year and remained significantly above the national average.

The overall Pembrokeshire pass rate at A-Level (grades A to E) was maintained at an admirable 99%, compared with the Wales national average of 96.8%.

The percentage of pupils gaining an A grade in Pembrokeshire was 27% compared to a Welsh average of 23.7%.

And the overall Pembrokeshire pass rate at AS-level this year was 95% compared to the National average of 87.6%.

The percentage of students gaining A grades was 22%, well above the Welsh average of 18.3%.

Gareth Mills, Pembrokeshire County Council's change manager for education and lifelong learning, welcomed the results.

He said: "Pembrokeshire's students can be proud of the fact that their results are among the best across Wales.

"It gives a clear indication of our continuing high standards at both A and AS levels in the county."

IT WAS another excellent year for A-levels at Pembrokeshire College, with 98% of under 19-year-old students sitting exams achieving A-E grades, which is above the Welsh and UK average.

"The A-level teaching team is extremely pleased with the results," said faculty manager Sian Thompson.

"The results reflect both the hard work of students and the high quality support and teaching at the college's Advanced Level Centre."

Students who achieved particular success this year, were: Gemma Morse, who got an AVCE ICT (A and B), one A and one B; Emma Hayes, who achieved three As; Daniel Jenkins, who achieved two AS level As and two Bs; Carmen Lewis, who also achieved two As and two Bs, and Agnes Orbach, who achieved one A and two A*s.

At Sir Thomas Picton School, headteacher, Dr George Davies, said: "There are a lot of happy students at the school. We have had excellent results and it is a credit to everyone concerned, pupils, staff and parents, for supporting them.

"The pass rate this year was 98%, which includes vocational and AS results. There were also some outstanding individual results, with six students achieving a full house of As and the number of students achieving grades A to C was around 75%."

He added that a large number of pupils would be going to university or entering into employment with very good grades. "We have maintained high standards and we are very, very happy," he said.

At Pembroke School, the A-level pass rate was over 99% and the overall point scores rose by 10% to a new record high.

Headteacher Frank Ciccotti commended all students on their hard work. He said that there were many exceptional individual results.

Most students had gained places at their chosen higher education institutions and staff were helping and advising the few who narrowly missed their targets, he added.

At Pembroke School, girls had done 10% better than the boys in their A-level exams. School staff said that this was an encouraging development in the school's drive to improve girls' achievement.

Huw Morris, headteacher at Netherwood School, was thrilled with the results, as the school maintained its 100% pass rate for the third year running, with 50% of the results being grade As.

"One pupil I would like to mention is Ayumi Hamaguchi, from Japan, who was sitting her A levels through her second language. She got two As, a B and a D, which I think is outstanding.

"We have only been doing A levels for three years. We have maintained a 100% pass rate. Obviously this year will be no exception and follows the pattern.

"We are also happy with AS levels. We had another girl from Japan who only came over for a one-year arts course. We persuaded Asako to sit AS exams in art and Japanese and she got an A in both. It doesn't get much better. It is little miracle time."

Huw Morris, headteacher at Netherwood School, was thrilled with the results, as the school maintained its 100% pass rate for the third year running, with 50% of the results being grade As.

"One pupil I would like to mention is Ayumi Hamaguchi, from Japan, who was sitting her A levels through her second language. She got two As, a B and a D, which I think is outstanding.

"We have only been doing A levels for three years. We have maintained a 100% pass rate. Obviously this year will be no exception and follows the pattern.

"We are also happy with AS levels. We had another girl from Japan who only came over for a one-year arts course. We persuaded Asako to sit AS exams in art and Japanese and she got an A in both. It doesn't get much better. It is little miracle time."

High standards were sustained at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf with 96% of students gaining grades A to E and 56% gaining A to C.

Headteacher Robert Newsome said: "The school wishes to congratulate students on their success. These students have shown both dedication and perseverance in their studies throughout their time at Dyffryn Taf and deserve the accolade associated with such success.

"The performance reflects the efforts and effective partnership that exists between individual students, their parents and the teachers at Dyffryn Taf.

"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.

"On behalf of the students and governors I wish to thank all the staff for their dedication and providing the quality and diversity of educational experiences for all at the school. We wish all the A-level students every success in the future."

The school also noted the individual achievements of Matt Pickup, who gained four As; Tom Powells, who got three As and an A at AS level; Rose Mozdiak, who had three As and an A at AS level, and Lloyd Wells, who gained two As and two Bs.

"Year 12 AS results were also very pleasing with two outstanding performances. Victoria Merriman gained five A grades and Poppy Lewis gained four A grades and one C grade."

Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Fishguard, congratulated all concerned for the excellent A-level results, which headteacher Christine Wright said was the culmination of many years' hard work, in primary and secondary school.

"Pupils and staff have worked very hard to reach an overall pass rate of 98.6%, with an A-C grade pass rate of 80%, which is a superb achievement for a truly comprehensive intake," she said.

The following pupils gained outstanding results: Alis Deason, three As, with As in AS further maths and ICT. She will study physics/chemistry at Cambridge. Oliver Whitby, four As with an A in AS further maths and will study physics at Oxford. Oliver Thomas, three As with an A in AS ICT and will study biology at Imperial College, London. Lisa James, three As with a C in AS Spanish (C). She will study Optometry at Cardiff University. Dafydd Johns, three As with two As in AS further maths and chemistry and will study physics at Imperial College, London. Kate Tannahill, three As and a C. She will study history at University College London. Nicholas Phillips, three As with a C in AS further maths and will study engineering at Cardiff University.

Christine Wright thanked staff, pupils, parents and governors for their efforts and support."

Ysgol Dewi Sant in St Davids achieved a 99% pass rate in A-level and AS levels this year.

Headteacher, Walter Dash said: "Although all grades are important and valuable, 44% of grades achieved were grade As with five students achieving three A grades and a large number achieving two A grades.

"We are very pleased with the results achieved at advanced level at Ysgol Dewi Sant.

"The results represent the hard work and determination of students, with the support of staff and parents. Almost all students here achieved the university places that they wanted."

At Tasker Milward School, headteacher Chris Jones congratulated pupils on another successful year.

He said: "We have done very well, one of our better years. We are very pleased with the results and we have had a good morning placing students in chosen universities. We have a lot of happy students.

"We are very pleased overall with the results, which represent the hard work of pupils and their teachers."

Ysgol Y Preseli, in Crymych, maintained its high standards this year, with nine pupils sweeping the board with grade As.

Headteacher, Martin Lloyd, said: "It's gone excellently this year.

"We have had a 100% pass rate, so with every paper sat pupils succeeded. "We have got 25.9% grade As, 63% A or Bs and 86.4% A, B or C."

Nine students achieving straight As at the school were: Steffan Messenger, who got four As, distinctions in the special paper for geography and Welsh and a merit in English; Owain Gwynn, who achieved four As and merits in the special papers in geography and Welsh; Mair Bell, who had four As; Lucy Collins, who also achieved four As; Bethan James, who achieved three As and will be studying at Newnham College, Cambridge in September; and Ana Sharkey, Gareth James, Edward Williams and Clare Lewis, who also got three As.

"We are absolutely delighted and I really want to congratulate the pupils and staff for all their hard work and the parents for their support and co-operation."

Chris Noble, headteacher of Greenhill School, Tenby, also welcomed the continued success achieved by pupils, with a 98% pass rate and 82% achieving grades A to C. He said: "We were really, really pleased with the A levels and Vocational Certificate of Education results. We have done really well, as good a results as we have had.

"We had ten students who got straight As, which we are very pleased with and 19 pupils who got 360 points or more, which is the equivalent of three As or better.

The consequence of all of that is we only have a small number who didn't get on their first choice university courses, which is the acid test, but I don't think anybody has been left without a course that they didn't want.

"AS levels were also comparable to those achieved by Year 13 last year and we are confident pupils will get the results at the end of the two-year programme."