THIS morning the anxious wait comes to an end as students across South Cumbria collect their all-important A-Level results - with Barrow Sixth Form College reporting their "best ever" pass rate.

Eighteen-year-olds will be ripping open their A-Level results envelopes to reveal the grades they have worked so hard to achieve. University, apprenticeship and higher apprenticeship places are riding on their results.

This morning the Evening Mail team are reporting from Barrow Sixth Form College, Chetwynde School, Millom School, Ulverston Victoria and The Lakes School.

Barrow Sixth Form College

Barrow Sixth Form College is reporting a 99.1 per cent pass rate - the college's best ever. The college says over 50 per cent A*AB and over 20 per cent A*A. Ex principal David Batten says it's "superb".

Millom School has reported an 81 per cent pass rate while Ulverston Victoria High School recorded a 99 per cent pass rate.

Around 200 students from Barrow Sixth Form College will be heading off to university to study sought-after degree courses. Others were delighted to secure their places on higher apprenticeship schemes and apprenticeships with employers including BAE Systems, Sellafield and GSK.

It was smiles all round as the students gathered at the Rating Lane campus to collect their grades, speak to tutors who were on hand to celebrate and advise on next steps and to enjoy a breakfast barbecue.

The highest achieving student with four A*s was Alice Hewson alongside Robbie Simpson who secured 3 A*s.

Alice said she was ‘surprised and delighted’ at her grades while Robbie said he was ‘really happy’.

“I didn’t think I’d get three A*s,” he said. “I’m really pleased with that.”

With her grades leaving all options open to her, Alice has decided to take a gap year as she plans to apply for St Andrews University while Robbie has opted for a higher apprenticeship at BAE Systems.

Both students had achieved their offer for Cambridge University alongside James Gallagher who also got top grades.

“It was close but I’ve always knew that I’d go for BAE because you can do a degree and get experience as well,” said Robbie.

His friend Sophie Newsham, who is going to study history at Manchester Metropolitan University, described him as ‘superhuman’. Among the other top achievers were Alyah Saltiga A*A*A, who will study biochemistry at Manchester University.

“I’m really happy,” she said. “It has been challenging but obviously the hard work has paid off.”

Euan Lee secured A*AA and Jennifer Managh secured A*AA and is heading for university while Joseph Bell, India Grace and Tyler Bircher also got a string of A*s and As.

Chloe Rowe achieved 4 As and will go to Newcastle University to study biomedicine, Aina Mercant Osuna got 3As and a B, Ben Turnough secured AAAB and takes up a higher apprenticeship in nuclear at BAE while Jackson Readett’s 2 As and 2 Bs mean he will take up a scientific apprenticeship at Sellafield from September.

Adult student Ellen Wilkinson, 23, said her distinction*/distinction in health and social care and B in English Language means she has achieved her dream of heading to Leicester de Montfort University.

“I’m so happy,” she said.

“I have always wanted to go to university and now I’m really glad I took the decision to come back to college, it has been really good and the tutors are brilliant.”

Former Principal David Batten returned for results day to congratulate the students on a superb set of results that pave the way for bright futures full of opportunity.

“We always have high expectations of our students and they have delivered an amazing set of results that will be a springboard for their futures," he said.

“The students now have the choice of where they want to go and the academic qualifications and valuable skills they need to excel – whether that’s a university degree course, higher apprenticeship or a good job. In addition, the AS results were also excellent which bodes really well for next year.

“This is an inspirational place to learn and these results are the best yet and a testament to the hard work of students and staff.”

The sixth form college, which is rated by the Department for Education as a top tier college for achievement at A-Level, merged with Furness College earlier this month and new Principal Andrew Wren said the results were extremely impressive.

He said: “The results reflect the high-quality learning environment here at sixth form and the hard work of students and staff. You can see that students really enjoy their time here and progress with the qualifications and skills to succeed at university, on higher level vocational courses or in the workplace.

“As a merged college we now have an excellent educational route and a broad range of opportunities to help young people throughout Cumbria achieve their career goals.”

Ulverston Victoria High School

STUDENTS from Ulverston Victoria High School also revelled in A-Level success as they ripped open envelopes to find fantastic sets of results.

Catriona Fraser was one of the school's high achievers as she bagged A*A*A*A to get into the prestigious University of Oxford to study English Literature.

She said: "I am pretty happy and quite surprised at how well I've done, I was not expecting to do so well. Oxford has a really great three-year English course and I just can't wait to get started now and experience university life."

Singer Ben Lewis also achieved a great set of results, securing the same grades as Catriona to assure a place at the Guildford School of Acting.

Eighteen-year-old Ben juggled revision with singing in front of hundreds across the Furness region, but he admitted that performing helped him to balance his life during what was a stressful period.

He said: "The singing really did help to balance things. It was a bit of a juggling act from time to time but on the whole it worked out really well and I am really happy with the results that I got."

One of the proudest moments of the day came when 18-year-old Adam Lenartowicz opened his results to raptures of applause from staff and students as he secured an A* in mathematics against all the odds.

Adam, who suffers from cerebral palsy and uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to interact with people, thanked the maths department for being "fantastic" in helping him achieve his standout grade.

Lin McIntosh, who has taught Adam for six years, said: "He had to work really hard to be able to secure that grade. He absolutely loves maths so this is a huge payoff for him. He has done done unbelievably well."

Across the board, the school reported a 99 per cent pass rate with three quarters of students securing a place at their first-choice university.

Thirty-three percent of Year 13 pupils bagged a place at Russell Group universities with four in particular securing places at Cambridge, Oxford and Durham universities.

A lot of students have also taken up apprenticeships at BAE Systems and accountancy firm J.F. Hornby.

Head of school, Matthew Hardwick, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the results that UVHS students have achieved this year. The achievements of our students reflect not only their own hard work and commitment, but also the dedication and quality of our teaching staff and the superb support given by parents and families."

Millom School

EXCITEMENT filled the air at Millom School as sixth formers arrived to receive their A-Level results

Staff and students are toasting their hard work as they enjoy another grest set of results.

The school, in Salthouse Road, saw a pass rate of 81 per cent (A* to E grades) and 18 per cent for A* to B.

Matt Savidge, headteacher of Millom School, was thrilled by this year's results.

He said: "We are delighted with this year's A-Level results and we are very proud of the individual achievements and collective success of our students.

"A-Levels are the culmination of seven years study at Millom School and provide students with the opportunity to go to university or onto an apprenticeship.

"This year students will be going to study at universities such as Lancaster, Bradford, Sheffield Hallam and Cumbria to study a range of courses including bio-medical science, psychology, law, sport rehabilitation and international business.

"We hope that students draw confidence from their success as they move on to a new phase in their lives and I offer congratulations to them all."

  • Tomorrow the Evening Mail will publish an eight-page A-Level special with news, photos and results.