Students across the south look to future after opening results
Those attending Bournemouth School for Girls were allowed into their classroom at 08:00 BST, after queuing patiently outside the building.Around 10% of this year's cohort are taking a different route to university, instead choosing to do an apprenticeship or take a gap year.Faith Cornish has decided to get a job as a primary school teaching assistant, before looking at higher education options."I'm going to a different classroom," she said, explaining it had been "a rough two years"."I've really struggled at school. I want to be able to help children who are a bit different."Meanwhile her friend Orelia Baker is off to Queens University Belfast to study medicine and wants to specialise in sexual and womens' health, she said: "It's a field I've always been interested in and so important."
In Hampshire, students at Arnewood Sixth Form, New Milton were celebrating. A school spokesperson said 84% of students secured places at their first-choice university, or higher education destination.Head of sixth form, Mark Colman, said: "These results reflect more than just academic success. Our students leave Arnewood as confident, compassionate young people ready to make their mark."The impact our Year 12 and 13s have across the wider school is something we're hugely proud of."
Reading College said 28% of its students gained an A* or A grade in their A levels, but a lot of students were pursuing different choices.Faculty director, Dan Neil, said: "We are seeing a higher proportion of learners going onto apprenticeships."Our own apprenticeship faculty is really valuable, sometimes students needs a bit of a break. I have some students today who are deferring their university places to go travelling for a year."Tawana Mandebvu, 19, said she is heading to Oxford Brookes University to study midwifery."It feels like all the hard work paid off. I'm happy I studied as much as I did and put in all my efforts. Hard efforts pay off," she explained.
Ofqual stats for grades A and A* revealed
Data from Ofqual revealed the percentage of A level entries graded A or A* across each county in comparison to 2024.Subjects with grades awarded to more than 2,500 students were the only ones to be included in the data.In Hampshire, 29.4% of grades awarded were an A or A*, compared to 28.8% last year.The Isle of Wight had a slightly bigger increase, with 2025 figures showing 17.6% compared to last year's 15.9%. However, it still has the lowest figure in England.In Dorset, the number dropped to 24.8% after reaching 27.1% in 2024.Meanwhile, Oxfordshire figures remained steady at 33.5%, compared to 33.4% last year.Berkshire figures showed a slight increase of 32.7% in 2025, compared to 31.3% the previous year.
The Isle of Wight may have the lowest percentage of A* and A grades for A levels, but students at Cowes Sixth Form College achieved high scores.Alfie Glover secured a place studying engineering at the University of Cambridge, after achieving three A*s and one A. Meanwhile Blake Poerscout-Edgerton achieved three A*s, one A and gained an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), securing himself a scholarship at Emory University in Atlanta, USA.Principal Rachel Kitley said: "We are incredibly proud of the achievements of our sixth form students, they have worked hard and today celebrate their much-deserved success."
There were lots of happy faces at Bartholomew School in Witney, Oxfordshire, after students gained top grades.Director of sixth form, Helen von der Osten said: "We are delighted these results have enabled so many to secure their university places, apprenticeships, and other exciting next steps."Twins Florence and Alice Bolton were home schooled until they joined Headington Rye Oxford for sixth form. They are both now headed to the University of Cambridge, Florence to study Anglo Saxon, Norse and Celtic at St John's College and Alice to study music at Emmanuel College. Florence said: "I have really enjoyed my time here – I loved home education too so I feel like I have had the best of both worlds."Alice added: "We would have never been able to come to the school if we didn't have the generous bursaries that we got. It's meant we have had a very happy time the last two years."
You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Raac-hit St Leonard's and Prudhoe students see A-level success
Pupils had their studies seriously affected by crumbling concrete in their school buildings are celebrating an "outstanding" set of A-level at St Leonard's Catholic School in Durham were forced to take lessons remotely and in other venues after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in 2023. The school is currently being Thursday, it announced 34% of all grades were A* or A, while 83% of all grades were awarded at A*-C and 99.4% of students passed all more than a quarter of A-level grades at Raac-hit Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland were A or A*, despite students being taught miles away in a different town. St Leonard's was forced to close in September 2023 after Raac was found, with students being taught in temporary classrooms. The unsafe buildings are being demolished with the redevelopment due to be finished by 2027. But following confirmation of their A-level results, five students will be heading to Oxford or Cambridge and 60% are going to Russell Group universities - including eight to Durham which is on St Leonard's doorstep. 'Immensely proud' Pupil Ruaridh McEwen got three A* grades and is now heading to study history at Wadham College, said: "As students we got our heads down and did the best we could."After a while a very unusual situation just became the norm and that's thanks to the teachers - they were brilliant in terms of the measures they put in place." The school's head David Simmons said: "These results are a reflection of the hard work, resilience and excellence we see in our students every day."We are immensely proud of what they have achieved and confident they will go on to thrive in whatever path they choose next." Students at Prudhoe Community High School, in Northumberland, have also been praised for their results after facing similar have been taught at Sunderland College's Washington Campus, 16 miles (25.7km) away, in recent months after cracks were discovered in the Prudhoe school said 26% of all A-level grades were A* or A, with 88% of students having secured their first choice of university."After what has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us... we could not be more proud of our Year 13 students today," it said in a statement."This amazing year group have been stars throughout their time with us." Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Berkshire marks 80th anniversary of VJ Day
Events are being held across Berkshire to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, is commemorated on 15 August each year, and marks the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending World War is hosting a commemorative service on the anniversary of VJ Day, which mayor David Harman said "marked the final victory in a war that reshaped the world".Other communities are holding events to reflect on hostilities drawing to a close in 1945. A commemorative service is being held at Newbury's War Memorial at 11:00 BST, offering a time for the community to pay their respects to those who served and sacrificed during the conflict. Following the service, there will be a reception and exhibition in Newbury Town Hall, featuring stories and memories from local people on the war in the Far East and its Saturday the Royal British Legion in the town will host a day of activities at its Pelican Lane club, including military vehicle displays, historical exhibitions, and Mayor of Newbury, David Harman said, "VJ Day marked the final victory in a war that reshaped the world, but it came at great cost. "Those who served in the Far East displayed immense courage in the face of unimaginable hardship. "As we gather to commemorate this anniversary, we honour their sacrifice and reaffirm our duty to keep their memory alive for future generations."Elsewhere, in Windsor, a service of commemoration on VJ Day is being held at Holy Trinity Parish and Garrison Church at 12: Royal British Legion in Crowthorne is hosting a tea dance from 14:00 followed by an evening quiz with a VJ day of other events taking place in Berkshire can be found on the VE/VJ Day 80 website. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
VJ Day anniversary marked in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Events are being held across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, is commemorated on 15 August each year, and marks the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending World War the months that followed, thousands came home through Southampton's port - 80 years on, the city is commemorating its wartime role and the sacrifice of those who did not communities are holding events to reflect on hostilities drawing to a close in 1945. Southampton Southampton was a landmark in the homecoming of men and woman who had been prisoners of war and civilian internees in South East the months that followed the war, more than 22,000 people were repatriated through the then town's and families of those who served in Asia will board Cunard's Queen Mary 2 for a commemorative lunch hosted by the Lord Mayor of Southampton on August 1945, the original Queen Mary was in port and joined other ships in sounding her whistle to mark the end of the war. The same whistle is now fitted to Queen Mary 2 and it will sound again just after the national two minutes' silence at 12:00 20:30 a beacon will be lit at Holyrood Church in the city. The church, badly damaged during the Blitz, now stands as a memorial to the Merchant Saturday, a commemorative service and wreath laying at the Cenotaph at 11: will be followed by a veterans' march through East Park into Palmerston Park which will later hold a Picnic in the Park with live music, military and heritage Winning, leader of the city council, said Southampton's role in VJ Day and the months that followed was "a powerful testament to our city's resilience"."As we mark the 80th anniversary, it is important we honour the sacrifices made, remember the stories of those who returned home, and ensure their legacy is never forgotten."More on Southampton's VJ events on Visit Southampton. Isle of Wight On the Isle of Wight, East Cowes Esplanade is hosting a Victory over Japan Day on Friday with an afternoon and evening of live music, a dog show, and beacon town council said it would be a "meaningful community celebration by the sea". Totton Totton is staging a weekend of remembrance and reflection to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day and the end of the war.A memorial service is being held at the town's war memorial at 18: will be followed by Reading for Reflections - an outdoor performance of a collection of poetry and prose looking at different perspectives of World War 2 and events around VJ Day in the Town Park performance area.A Lamps of Peace parade begins at 20:45 and is followed by music at the Totton and Eling Community Centre. Aldershot The Royal Garrison Church in Aldershot is holding a commemoration service with the themes of conflict and hoped-for church gardens will be open from 1700 for bring your own picnic, with the service starting at 1830. The service finishes ahead of the lighting of the beacon in Manor the lead up to the beacon lighting, there will be music with a Vera Lynn tribute act, a short talk from local historian Paul Vickers, other readings and memories of the so-called forgotten army who fought in Asia.A parade of veterans associations and uniformed youth groups and cadets will march to the beacon before it is lit. Details of other events taking place in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can be found on the VE/VJ Day 80 website. You can follow BBC Hampshire and Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
