Students at Shrewsbury Colleges Group were celebrating an excellent set of results today, with those results confirming the college’s reputation for academic excellence.
This year more than 750 students took 2200 A Level exams with Shrewsbury Colleges Group. Students were welcomed to the English Bridge Campus this morning to collect their results, alongside the option for the students to get their results online if they were unable to make the trip.
In total, 80 students achieved AAA or better, with 15 students taking up places at Oxbridge and 150 students heading off to Russell Group universities, as well as specialist universities for Art, Music, Sport and Drama. There were also outstanding results on the college’s BTEC courses, with 87% of all grades being Distinction Stars - the equivalent of A* at A Level.
This is the first time the College has provided the results online, allowing the students to log on at home from 6am. College opened at 8.30am so students could collect their results in person if they preferred, as well as meeting up with friends to share their success.
Nationally the A Level pass rate fell this year, as did the proportion of students achieving high grades, but the college bucked the trend in achieving their best set of results for six years. The pass rate was 99% compared with 98% nationally, with 56% of all the grades awarded being high grades.
The top achievers were Connor Bennett, John Lewis, Richard Parsons and Rose Laurie, who each gained four A* grades. Connor joined the college from William Brookes School in Much Wenlock, whilst John, Richard and Rosie were all former pupils of Church Stretton School. All four students will now progress to Oxbridge courses, with Connor studying Maths, Richard studying Engineering and Rosie studying Computer Science, all at the University of Cambridge, and John studying Geography at the University of Oxford.
Student Daniel Webb, 18, from Shrewsbury gained the grades he was hoping for from his four A Levels in Economics, French, Maths and Politics so he can take up his place at University of Cambridge, to read Law. He said: "It is nerve-racking thinking about results as the entry requirements and exams have been tougher this year. However, I am so pleased I got into my first choice university, Cambridge.
“I took advantage of seeing my results online before I came into College. A lot of people are doing both, it was too tempting to wait for the College to open and not look online. If I hadn’t got the results I wanted I would have had time to figure out a plan and then come in to speak to my tutors.”
Amy Ritchie, 18, from Shrewsbury achieved the grades from her three A Levels in Biology, English Literature and German so she can study German and Italian at Bristol University. She said: “I’m excited to start at Bristol University; I have never studied Italian before, so that will be a new experience. I was terrified about viewing my results though, but I’m so pleased with the outcome.”
James Staniforth, Principal of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, said “Our students have excelled and we are proud of each and every one of them. A Levels are more demanding now than at any time in nearly twenty years because of the reforms to the courses; but our students have risen to these new demands. As the largest A Level provider in the county, and one of the largest in the country, we are well placed to help students meet the challenges because our teachers and student support team are all specialists in working on A Levels and BTEC courses. These results reflect the hours of hard-work from students, and from our teachers and student support teams who regularly go the extra mile to ensure the best possible future for each of our students.”
The student support and exams team were on hand to help students who had achieved better than they had expected so they could upgrade their university offer, as well as to help students find alternative courses if necessary.
To find out more about courses at SCG come to an Advice Event or call 01743 342411