Published at 12:08, Thursday, 16 August 2012

Students nervously anticipating their A-level results found out their grades this morning.

Frances Prudham cries with happiness at Trinity School, Carlisle

Results were given out at schools across Cumbria, with pupils lining up from the early hours to find out how well they had done.

And the early indications show that there are plenty of success stories.

“We are very pleased so far,” said Alan Mottershead, who is the headteacher at Trinity School in Carlisle, as he was sorting through his pupils’ grades.

“We’ve got lots of students with straight A*s or As and other students who I think are going to be pleased with their results.”

Trinity pupil Lucy Meekley got an A*, and two As. She is going to study English Literature at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

She said this morning: “I feel like I’m going to faint, I’m so happy.”

Lucy said she was going to celebrate by having a meal with her family and then going out with her friend Jessica Adams, 18.

Jessica was also successful and achieved three As. She is going to study English Literature at Lancaster University.

She said: “I don’t know how I feel, its just sinking in at the moment and I guess I can enjoy the summer now.”

Also celebrating was Natalie Farmer, 18, of Lowry Hill.

She got two A* and three As and is going to study natural science at Durham University. “I am very happy,” she said.

“I will spend tonight with my mates.”

Dale Callaghan, 18, of Garlands, Carlisle, did better than expected. He got three As and one A*. He was going to study environmental science but is now looking to study law at Sheffield University. “I am absolutely ecstatic,” he said.

John McAuley, headteacher at Newman School, was also full of praise.

He said: “Once again, many of our year 13 students will be heading off to university, college or employment with excellent A-level grades. We are thrilled with their success. There are some first-rate individual results and also high performance in specific subjects.”

Mr McAuley added that there had been good AS level results for his year 12s. “There is a lot of pressure on young people to do well, and I am always impressed by how they cope with this and continue to achieve success,” he also commented.

Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton also had plenty to celebrate.

Janet Downes, headteacher, said: “We are delighted with our results and our students have achieved some excellent grades once again, with around a quarter of all entries being A or A*.

“Early indications are that the majority of our students have been successful in securing their offers for university, apprenticeships or work related training.”

Richard Rose Academy saw record results at both its Central and Morton campuses.

In particular, it has seen a 16 per cent increase in pupils getting grade C or above – from 83 per cent in 2011 to 98 per cent this year. It is the fourth consecutive year of increased performance.

Katie Robinson, headteacher at Richard Rose Morton Academy, said: “We are really pleased, there have been increases in every threshold condition we have looked at.”

She also said the results were an endorsement of the way students are taught across two campuses, which gives students access to a range of courses.

Alongside this, she also believes the school’s links with local businesses means pupils have a good idea of how to apply their education and qualifications once they have left school.

Russ Wallace, outgoing headteacher at Richard Rose Central Academy, said his pupils’ successes were the ideal way for him to mark his retirement from the profession next week.

He said: “It’s a fantastic send off and I am walking away with my head held very high.”

Mike Gibbons, chief executive of the academies, said: “I am absolutely delighted for all of our students.

“We have tried to create a multitude of learning environments and opportunities and it has paid off. Every individual learns and is motivated by different environments and our ‘Pathways’ approach provides that flexibility, particularly as it involves two campuses and double the subject matter confident that the GCSEs will follow the same pattern.”

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk