Boys are top of the class! Teenagers celebrate as they get A-level marks... and lads do better than girls at getting A* grades

8% of boys' papers score top grade, compared with 7.9% of girls'

But girls record more grades of A and above

Number of grades of A or above awarded falls for first time in 21 years



In total 26.6% of exams were given an A or A*, down from 27% in 2011

Maths and sciences gain popularity but exam boards warn of 'crisis' in modern languages, with falling entries in French, Spanish and German



Cost of taking a three-year university course estimated at £53,000



Boys have done better than girls at achieving the highest grade at A-level, results showed today as thousands of students learned whether they had secured places at university.



Eight per cent of papers sat by boys scored the top A* grade, compared to only 7.9 per cent for girls.



It is the first time that boys have fared better than girls at achieving the A* since the grade was introduced to reward the brightest students in 2010.

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Achievement: Theodore Zorbas, Rob Johns, Garth Williams, Callum Cockbill and Sam Crossland jump in the air after picking up their results at Hillsborough College, Sheffield. Boys have outperformed girls in achieving A* results for the first time since the grade was introduced

Brainy brothers: Twins Alec (left) and Jack (right) Trigger got the same A-level results and are both enrolling to an Oxford University engineering course However, the results showed that girls were still more successful overall as they attained a higher number of qualifications at grade A and above. Across both sexes, the proportion of A-level papers scoring A or A* dropped for the first time in 21 years. In total, 26.6 per cent of exams were given one of the two highest grades, down from 27 per cent last year - believed to be the biggest drop since the qualification was introduced in the 1950s. The last time the proportion of A-levels scoring the top grade dropped was in 1991, when 11.9 per cent of papers were awarded an A compared to 12 per cent in 1990. Students celebrating today included: Leora Taratula-Lyons, from Brighton, East Sussex, who secured a place at Cambridge after helping to care for her partially-blind mother Fiona

Max Bertrand, also from Brighton, who gained five A* grades in maths and sciences. He had to take a total of 28 exams and will study natural sciences at Cambridge

Triplets Johannes, Finn and Lisa Neumann, from St Davids, Pembrokeshire, who achieved two A* and eight A grades between them



Joanne Hewitson, a blind pupil from Hartlepool, County Durham, who has a place at Teesside University after studying for her exams using Braille

Identical twins Jai and Krishan Patel, of Oxford, who were awarded eight A* grades between them and will study at Imperial College, London, and Cambridge respectively

Twins Jack and Alec Trigger, who attended Wellington College and will both study engineering at Oxford after being awarded identical grades

Twin sisters Kirstie and Zoe Green, of Thorne, near Doncaster, who have become the first students from their town to secure Cambridge places in more than 30 years

Four siblings who fled war-torn Afghanistan and notched up a string of top A-levels between them

Experts said the increase in A* grades for boys showed that schools had focused on raising males' achievement. But boys still have some work to do to close the gap with girls overall. Twenty-seven per cent of all girls' entries got grades of A or above compared with 25.8 per cent given to boys' entries. The gap between the genders is even more noticeable when looking at grades of A* to B, with 54.7 per cent of girls' exams achieving that level and 50.2 per cent of boys' papers.

Off to university: Pupils at Brighton College in East Sussex celebrate after 100 students at the school got either an A* or A in each exam they took. The proportion of A-level papers scoring at least an A grade has fallen for the first time in 21 years

Well done: Brighton College pupils (left to right) Holly Mizer-Jones, Abby Latham, Bethany Welch and Nico Howell-Green celebrate earning places at their first-choice universities

Jumping for joy: Sarah Norris and Libby Miller celebrate their A-level results at Plymouth College in Devon Big day: Lizzie Hickey, 18, and Tess Charnley, 18, check their A-level results at The Red Maids' School in Bristol Double delight: Twins Kelly (left) and Shelly (right) Rajput, 18, from Birmingham, were awarded almost identical grades in identical subjects

The subjects with the highest proportion of female entrants were - in order - performing arts, Welsh, sociology, art and design subjects and communication studies. Those attracting the highest proportion of boys were computing, physics, other sciences, further mathematics and economics. Andrew Hall, chief executive of exam board AQA, said: 'The girls are still outperforming boys - but the gap is narrowing.' He noted that for B grades 'there has always been a much bigger gap, and it's widened this year'. Fewer A-level exams achieved an A* this year. Around one in 12 exams (7.9 per cent) were given the top grade, which is awarded for the third time this summer, down from 8.2 per cent in 2011. The overall A* to E pass rate has risen for the 30th year in a row. Some 98 per cent of exams achieved at least an E, compared to 97.8 per cent last year. About 335,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level results today.

Achiever: Chelsea Lenny, who attended Merchant Taylor's All Girls School in Crosby, Liverpool, was awarded three A* grades wand will read medicine at university Proud: Orrin Lancaster, from Nottingham, holds up his A-level results

Top marks: Chelmsford County High School for Girls pupils Lavinia Dunsmore (left) and Claire Parker (right) are to study at Cambridge after scoring nine A* grades between them. But the proportion of A-levels scoring at least an A grade has fallen for the first time since 1991

But while many will be celebrating, others still face a scramble to secure a university place.

Initial figures from UCAS show almost a 7 per cent drop in the numbers of students who have already had their places confirmed.

As of midnight, a total of 357,915 applicants had had their places confirmed, down from 384,649 at the same point in 2011 - a fall of 6.95 per cent.

Successful applicants included twins Kirstie and Zoe Green, who have become the first students from their home town to secure places at Cambridge in more than 30 years.

The sisters, 18, from Thorne, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, took the same subjects and will study English literature at the same college, Homerton.

They will become the first set of identical twins to study the same subject at the college.

A HIGH-FLIER: STUDENT GETS THE GRADES SHE NEEDS TO BECOME A HELICOPTER PILOT WITH THE RAF



A-level student Emily Wilson is on course for a high-flying career after she got the grades she needed to become an RAF helicopter pilot.

The 18-year-old, from Newcastle, who achieved an A* in biology and an A in chemistry and physics, has been accepted to study biology at the University of Edinburgh and will then head to Sandhurst for her military training.

Miss Wilson, who attended Central Newcastle High School, said she originally wanted to be a vet but had a change of mind during the year.

While studying for her exams, Miss Wilson has been busy passing tests that are necessary for her to fulfil her flying dreams.

She said: 'I originally got interested in flying through the cadets and it's definitely the excitement and the variety that drew me in.

'I will go to university first and then Sandhurst and by the time I'm 25 years old I could be flying an Apache and my family are really happy.'

Their achievement is all the more remarkable because they were born 11 weeks prematurely with holes in their hearts.

The girls said they struggled with reading and writing at school, but they were inspired by a primary teacher, Gwyneth Harrison, and their head of English at Trinity Academy in Thorne, Mandy Smyth.

Kirstie said: 'We could easily have given up because we were bottom of the class, but we were very determined.



'When we got to Trinity Academy we just took off. Mrs Smyth was the one who suggested we apply for Cambridge; she never once said we couldn’t do it.

Zoe said: 'We are the first people in our family to go to university, never mind Cambridge.



'We went for two days of tests and just fell in love with the place.



'Our parents and the school really believed in us. Our mum was adamant we’d get there, and she’s always right.'



Leora Taratula-Lyons secured a place at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, after she gained A* grades in geography, dance and religious studies and an A in English literature.

She studied for the exams while helping to care for her mother Fiona, who has keratoconus, a condition which affects eyesight and causes vertigo.

The 18-year-old, who attended Brighton College in East Sussex, will read English.

She said: ‘I did not expect to do quite so well but I am absolutely ecstatic.



‘I dropped Biology at AS level and taught myself the whole Geography course in a year with the support of my teachers so I am really pleased.’

Her mother said: ‘I am so proud. She has been absolutely brilliant and I knew she would do well.’

Twins Jack and Alec Trigger revised together, competed together and will now go to university together after being awarded identical grades.

The 18-year-olds, who attended Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, each achieved one A* grade and three As. They will both study engineering at Oxford.

They were given places at the famous boarding school through a foundation set up to support children who have lost a parent who served in the military.

Their father, Richard ‘Dick’ Trigger MBE, was in the Parachute Regiment for 26 years but died of viral pneumonia in 2000 when the boys were only six.

The boys' mother Claire, an artist and property developer, said: 'I’m incredibly proud and I know their father would have been too.'

Jack said: 'It just a relief more than anything. The whole of your education and school has led up to this moment.

'We’ve finally got there and it feels great. It’s kind of surreal. I think it will probably hit home tomorrow.

'It’s strange that we got the same grades but it’s nice that we can share the same achievements and there’s not one of us that’s performed at a higher level than the other one.'

Alec said: 'It feels really, really good to get the grades. We’re really pleased.

'It was hard work but I just enjoyed the subjects I took.

'Once we’re at university we won’t hang out together though, definitely not.'

Also celebrating were identical twins Jai and Krishan Patel, who attained eight A* grades between them.

The brothers, who studied at the prestigious Magdalene College School in Oxford, hugged each other when they learned their results.

Jai, who was awarded five A* grades in biology, chemistry, physics, maths and further maths, will head to Imperial College in London to study medicine.

Making the grade: A-level student Jack Perkins, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, shows off his results

Krishan, who achieved three A* grades and two A grades, was offered a place at Cambridge University to study natural sciences.

Jai said: 'We are absolutely over the moon. We couldn't believe it when we opened the envelopes.

'Eight A* grades between us, we must be the brainiest twins in the country.

'We opened them with our parents, they are really proud of us.'

Blind candidate Joanne Hewitson, who used Braille during her studies, got the grades she needed to secure a place at Teesside University.

The 18-year-old from Hartlepool will study psychology after getting a B in the subject at A-level.

She also gained qualifications in health and social care at King's Academy in Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough.

Joanne, who started to lose her sight at the age of 11, will be helped at university by her new guide dog, Bubbles.

Delighted: Blind student Joanne Hewitson, pictured with her guide dog Bubbles, is to study psychology at Teesside University

She said: 'I did better than I expected and I'm really pleased to have got enough to go to university.

'It's been hard and I couldn't have done it without the help and the facilities at The King's Academy.

'I had support in all my lessons from Years 7 to 11. In the sixth form I was more independent but there was always help there when I needed it.

'My mum is my carer and she's very proud.'

Triplets Johannes, Finn and Lisa Neumann, 18, from St Davids, Pembrokeshire, achieved two A* and eight A grades between them.

Finn said having his brother and sister as competition spurred him on to A-Level success.

He said: 'The good thing about being triplets is that we help each other out.

'If one was stuck with revision we would just turn to the other.

'The pressure of competition makes us work harder and thankfully helped us to achieve our goals.'

Johannes said: 'Having my brother and sister go through this with me at the same time is a bit of pressure because we have natural rivalry between us.

'If you are doing the same subjects you all fire each other on and push each other on.'

The teenagers were among the best performers in Dewi Sant High School - the smallest secondary in Pembrokeshire.

Finn achieved straight As in history, German and religious studies and will go to Exeter to study modern languages and business.

Johannes scored an A* in religious studies and As in history and German. He will take a gap year before heading to Exeter to study law and German law.

Lisa will also take a year out, having achieved an A* in physical education and As in French, biology and religious studies.

Another family celebrating was the Siddiques, after their four siblings who fled war-torn Afghanistan notched up a string of top A-levels between them.

The brother and three sisters, who arrived in 2007 hoping for a better education and future, have passed their exams with top grades.



Abdul Wasi Siddique, 24, who is studying at Uxbridge College in west London alongside his sisters, said: 'It has not been easy for us.



Mr Siddique has gained As in maths, biology and chemistry and a B in physics.



He wanted to study medicine at Imperial College but did not receive an offer.



Inspired: Pupils from Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, Hertfordshire, copy Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt's customary post-race celebration after receiving their A Level results

Brilliant: Sixth-form college student Sarah Robinson, from Newcastle, looks delighted with her results

But he is happy for his sisters, who have all received the grades they were hoping for.



Fellow Uxbridge student Emre Dincer, from Turkey, said it was the urge to pursue his father’s profession that has motivated him to succeed.



Mr Dincer was awarded A grades in maths and further maths and a C in physics after learning English by watching cartoons and US TV shows.



The 20-year-old came to the UK in 2009 with his mother and little brother, determined to become a mechanical engineer, like his father.



He said: 'I regularly watched English cartoons, episodes of Futurama and House. Speaking to friends in broken English also helped me pick up the language.'



Bright young things: Celebrating students at Clifton College in Bristol (left to right) Zoe Ward, who got 2A*s and an A; Jonny Whitaker, who also got 2A*s and an A; and Vittoria Vergani who achieved 3 A*s

More pupils are opting to take traditional science and maths subjects at A-level, JCQ figures show.

The number of entries for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM subjects) have risen by almost 30 per cent since 2007.

The statistics are likely to be welcomed by business leaders, who have demanded more well-qualified engineers and scientists.

This year, entries increased by 3.8 per cent for maths, 1.7 per cent for biology, 2.4 per cent for chemistry, and 5 per cent for physics.

Physics remains male-dominated subject with three-and-a-half times as many boys taking it than girls.

Excellence: Alice Thompson and Harry Morgan, who studied at Clifton College in Bristol, both got three A*s in their exams

Jubilant: Clifton College students hold their exam results. Back row standing (left to right): Charlie Moore, Philippa Robinson and Rob Foxall-Smith. Middle row standing (left to right): Jonny Whitaker and James Heaven. Middle row sitting (left to right): Freddie Kalfayan, Philippa Davis and Chris Weale. Front row: Katie McInally

Take-up of modern languages continues to decline, however, with exam boards warning of a 'crisis' in the subject area.

The number of grades awarded in French is down 5.2 per cent from last year, and 13.6 per cent since 2007.

German has seen a 7.6 per cent drop this year, contributing to a 24.3 per cent fall since 2007.

Spanish entries have fallen 3.4 per cent from last year but increased overall by 5.8 per cent since 2007.

Michael Turner, director of the JCQ, which represents exam boards, said: 'Today is about celebrating the successes of our young people and recognising the hard work that has gone in to achieving these results.

'They, and their teachers, can be proud of their achievements.

STUDENTS SHUN PE AND DRAMA IN FAVOUR OF MATHS AND SCIENCE Subjects such as PE, drama and music are becoming less popular as more A-level students turn to traditional qualifications in maths and science.

Figures published by the Joint Council of Qualifications show that further maths saw the biggest rise in candidates this year, with numbers increasing by 7.62 per cent. Classics, physics, communication studies, maths and religious studies also saw significant rises.

Meanwhile, the number of candidates taking critical thinking, general studies, PE and the performing arts fell by more than 10 per cent. Subjects including law, German, ICT, design and technology, drama and music also saw numbers decline.



'The STEM subjects continue to rise, with mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics all in the top 10 most popular subjects. 'Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see if, with the existence of the English Baccalaureate, the continued decline in students taking a foreign language is reversed.' Ziggy Liaquat, managing director of exam board Edexcel, insisted there was a 'very strong set of results' and said that students 'should be very proud'. He added that the fall in A-grades was 'marginal' and said: 'The standard needed to reach an A-grade has not changed.' Mr Liaquat highlighted the increase in the number of students taking STEM subjects. He said: 'I think the focus really is around the pattern of entry. I think that is the strongest thing that comes through. There is a real move towards maths and sciences.' Flying high: Students from Church High School in Newcastle celebrate after receiving their A-Level results

Class act: Student Lauri Chapman, 18, celebrates becoming the first member of her family to go into higher education. She will study law at Sheffield Swept off her feet: A student is congratulated by a friend after collecting her A-level results at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham

Mr Hall said the drop in the number of people taking A-levels in modern foreign languages was 'a real worry'.

He said: 'There is a crisis here in modern foreign languages. We have the euro economy in crisis - I think modern foreign languages are in the same place.'

He said he was 'quite worried' that the fall had been reported 'year on year on year'.

Mr Hall asked: 'Is this going to be like the euro, a risk of going into freefall?'

He said there was no 'magic bullet' to fix the problem but said he was encouraged by the move to introduce modern languages in primary schools.

Mr Lightman said the drop in A grades was a 'minor fluctuation'.

He said: 'The important point here is, if you look at the trend of improvements in schools, the numbers now succeeding at GCSE and accessing A-levels has been a success story of our education system.'

Mr Lightman added that there were more people taking A-levels this year and large numbers of students getting 'very good results', and that the fall in the very top grades was not significant.

He said: 'All of these trends are positive. The minor fluctuation is not a significant issue to worry about.

'It is a minor fluctuation which you will get in a system that has so many millions of entries each year.'



It comes after watchdogs introduced tough rules aimed at preventing year-on-year grade rises.

The new approach to grading will intensify the scramble for university places through clearing, as more sixth-formers miss out on the grades they need.

There were concerns that students predicted to achieve two As and a B, but who fell short, could struggle to gain a place.

Under the new system, there is now no limit on the numbers of students with two As and a B at A-level that universities can recruit.

But it means universities are likely to have less flexibility to admit students who just miss this standard, as there is still a strict cap on those who score less than AAB.

Cathy Gilbert, Ucas director of customer strategy, said it was too early to say if this was having an effect on the number of teenagers getting into their university of choice and on the clearing process.

'We haven't seen that starting to have an effect,' she said. 'I think because today is really about the individual, so it's about the individual student making the right decision for them, irrespective of what is going on across the sector, and that's really where Ucas plays a role today, making sure they have that individual advice and guidance.'

The call centre in Cheltenham has around 50 people answering phones between 7am and 7pm along with a team of people answering questions on social media sites. A further 100 trained advisers are based in Liverpool.

Mrs Gilbert said: 'The call centre is busy, lots of people have been asking for information and advice now they have got their results.

'What we would say is there's a lot of people who have got the result that they wanted and are going to the university of their choice, and for them real congratulations, they should be going out and celebrating, but there will be people who either haven't got the results they quite wanted or who are wondering whether they made the right choice, so the call centre is taking calls from them to give them advice.

All smiles: Students congratulate each other react as they pick up their results at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham

'We're also getting a lot of activity across our social media, a real peak in that this year has been people tweeting their questions to us and lots of hits on ucas.com as well, so lots of different places where people are getting advice from us.'

She added that the number of people using social media websites to contact advisers has seen a rise from the same time last year.

'It's a real success story this year, we've worked hard all year on the channels to make sure that we have a range of places were applicants can access us when they need help and advice,' Mrs Gilbert said.

'Not everybody wants to pick the phone up and some people have very simple questions that respond really well through Twitter and if it is more complex then we will refer them to the call centre to have a longer conversation.

'The key thing for a student who doesn't quite get the grades they hoped for is don't panic, it's a really important decision and it's really important that they get the right advice at the moment, so they need to really think about the course they want to study on, the sort of university they want to attend and also the sort of career they wanted at the end, so we're here to give them access to that information so they can make that rounded decision today.'

BOY, 14, SCORES 100% IN PHYSICS AND WILL BECOME ONE OF YOUNGEST UNIVERSITY STUDENTS



A 14-year-old boy who scored 100 per cent in A-level physics will read economics when he becomes one of the UK's youngest ever university students.

Wajih Ahmed picked up the top A* grade in physics and also scored 93 per cent in AS-level economics.

The results, together with previous A* success in A-level maths, further maths and an A in A-level chemistry, have earned him a place at Southampton University.

Wajih, who got an A* in maths GCSE at the age of nine, picked up his results today at Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Admissions staff at Southampton University were so impressed by his exam performances before today that they gave him an unconditional offer, guaranteeing him a place.

Wajih, from Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, is believed to be the youngest pupil the university has ever had.

And if all goes to plan he could have a degree by the time he is 17, after which he plans to move on to do a PHD before starting a career as an actuary.

His father Usman, 46, who works for the Ministry of Defence, said: 'When I look back at my childhood, I couldn’t even have dreamed of gaining the achievements that Wajih has managed.'

Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of university admissions service Ucas, said: “More than 300,000 applicants whose places are dependent on their grades are waiting to hear if they have been accepted today.

'Despite the fall in applications this year, entry to higher education remains competitive and we expect to see an active clearing period.'

More than 25,000 courses currently have vacancies for UK applicants. Last year, more than 50,000 people got a place at university through clearing.

Ms Curnock Cook went on: 'It is important that all students research course requirements thoroughly and think carefully before making a decision that is likely to affect their future career.

'Anyone considering applying again next year can research 2013 courses on our website now.'

Universities Minister David Willetts said the number of students going into higher education would be broadly comparable to previous years.

'There is long-term trend for more and more people to aspire to go to university and for more and more employers to look to employ people with higher education qualifications and I personally don’t think, taking the long view, that trend has suddenly stopped,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

'What we are seeing at the moment is there has actually been a slight decline in the number of 18-year-olds - there is a slight shrinkage in the size of that cohort - so what we are doing is we are maintaining university places broadly flat.

'There are going to be about 350,000 places in English universities this year which is comparable to the last few years.'

Speaking at the UCAS call centre in Cheltenham, Mr Willetts said he was not worried by the 7% drop in the number of students that have been accepted onto their university course compared to the same time last year.

'We'll have to see how things pan out during the day, but my understanding is that we've got almost 300,000 prospective students who have now had their places confirmed and I think that is great progress for this time in the day,' he said.

'We will have to see how things develop, but we're optimistic that the system will work in the way that it will and that through clearing perhaps people that haven't necessarily got their university first choice are still able to secure a place.'

He also insisted that despite this year's dip in applications the number of 18-year-olds applying to go to university was at its second highest level.

'The very big factor (in the drop of applications) is the decline in the number of 18-year-olds, because the number of young people is declining because of a fall in the birth rate about 20 years ago.

Happy: Chelmsford pupils Charlotte McGuinness and Georgia Herron (left), who were both 'Games Makers' during the Olympics in London, gained seven A grades between them, while Sheffield student Garth Williams (right) got the qualifications he neede to secure an apprenticeship with Tata Steel



Relief: Pupils at Ballymena Academy in Northern Ireland celebrate their A-level results

'When you look behind that, you see that the rate of applications amongst 18-year-olds - the crucial group leaving school or college - is its second highest level ever and today here, after all those stories last week about people who weren't applying, I'm afraid the reality today is we are being reminded that getting to university is a competitive process, where there are still more applicants than there are places.'

Reacting to fears bright students may miss out on a place at university following changes to the admissions process, Mr Willetts said he was confident the clearing process would find places for most students hoping to go to university.

He said: 'We will see how the system works out during the day, the clearing system is in place to help people who haven't got the grades that they hoped for and I very much hope that today we will see the UCAS clearing system come into its own and the people who haven't got the grades they were hoping for getting their places in that way.'

Congratulations: Ballymena Academy pupil Helen McKelvey is given a hug after learning her A-level grades

Head teachers urged pupils to ‘be ready to act more swiftly than ever before on A-level results day this year’.

Louise Robinson, president of the Girls’ Schools Association, said: ‘University admissions are more of an unknown quantity this year, so students must be prepared to make quick decisions, pick up the phone and secure themselves a place if their results aren’t quite as expected.

‘Hours, rather than days, will make the difference.’

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, called for university applications to be rescheduled until after results are known.

‘As our young people celebrate the exam successes that mean so much for their future choices, we should recognise that the current system of predictions, quotas and clearing has reached the end of its life,’ he said.

‘There are many obstacles to reform, but we must make sure the system fits the needs of people rather than the other way round.’

Thirty years ago, pupils passed less than 10 per cent of exams at grade A. Since then, pass rates have risen every year. Last year sixth-formers passed 27 per cent of A-levels at grade A, or the A* grade designed to stretch the brightest.

Under the new approach to grading, outlined by exams watchdog Ofqual in guidance to examiners, this year’s A-level results will be matched more closely to the year group’s performance at GCSE in 2010.

Exam boards are being asked to provide much stronger justification for allowing grades and pass rates to stray far out of line with expected performance.

Under the so-called ‘comparable outcomes’ approach, ‘roughly the same proportion of students will achieve each grade as in the previous year’, according to Ofqual’s guidance.



But critics say that grades are being artificially held down – a claim denied by Ofqual.

'SO HAPPY AND RELIEVED': GIRLS GET ON THEIR FIRST-CHOICE COURSES AFTER GETTING UP AT 6.30AM TO CHECK WEB FOR UNIVERSITY PLACES





Three school leavers are celebrating after achieving six A*s and three As between them in their A-levels.

Katie Winter (centre), 17, Hannah Jovey (right), 18, and Rachel Peacock (left), 18, all succeeded in getting the grades they needed and will be heading off to their first-choice universities in September.

All three girls, who are from Newcastle and attended Church High School, said they were up early this morning nervously checking the Ucas website.

Katie, who got A*s in history and English and an A in Spanish, is going to the University of York to study history and English.

She said: “It’s been really nerve-wracking and I was up and on the internet at 6.30am this morning.

'I feel so happy and relieved that’s it all done now. I’m a bit scared about going to university but I know it’s going to be great.'

Hannah, who achieved an A* in history and As in French and maths, will be studying French and history at Durham University.

She said: 'I feel really relieved as I was so scared and I wasn’t sure if my grades were possible.

'I also got up at 6.30am to check on the internet and we were emailing each other seeing if anything had come through.'

Rachel has been accepted to study medicine at Lancaster University after achieving A*s in chemistry, biology and geography.

'I had actually been travelling just before the results so I came back to get them,' she said.

'I’m really looking forward to university and I’m just so happy and relieved that it’s turned out OK.'

Joy Gatenby, head of Newcastle Church High School, said she was delighted with the results as 25% of the students had achieved all A*s or As.

'It is terrific news to see that so many of our girls have achieved top grades.” she said.

'A very high proportion of the year group will go on to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the country and this fills the teaching staff at Church High with much pride.

'The girls have excelled themselves once again and I know a bright future lies ahead for them.'

Moment of truth: Charlotte Kemp, from Beeston, Nottinghamshire, was among some 335,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who learned their A-Level results

Explaining the policy earlier this year Glenys Stacey, who leads Ofqual, admitted achievement had not previously been measured ‘in the most rigorous way’.

AN EXPENSIVE EDUCATION

The total cost of a three-year university degree will hit £53,330 for students starting courses next month, according to research.

Tuition fees alone will average £26,310 while £12,478 will be spent on student digs and £4,319 on food.

Socialising and leisure over the three years is expected to cost the average student £3,933, according to an analysis by finance giant LV=, which surveyed 2,000 parents.

The remaining £6,290 will be made up of energy bills, clothes and books.

One in five parents say they will foot the bill for their children’s university education, with 28 per cent saying they will fund part of the cost.

The sharp increase in the cost of university follows the near-tripling of tuition fees from next month, from a maximum of £3,375 to £9,000 a year.

Separate research has already shown that average government-backed student debt on graduation is expected to reach £37,658 under the new fees regime.

Scottish students attending Scottish universities can expect to spend £23,216 on average because they are not required to pay tuition fees.

‘We have a new way of securing standards. Attainment at A-level, and in new GCSEs, stayed steady last year. Indeed, we’ll see what happens this year,’ she said.

‘Making the measurements of attainment more rigorous and robust will not make us popular. We do not aim for popularity. But I hope we will be respected.’

The first effects of the new policy were glimpsed last year when results edged up only slightly at grades A* and E, and stayed the same at grade A. The proportion of exams awarded other grades rose more sharply.

Professor Alan Smithers, an education expert at Buckingham University, said: ‘We know that what Ofqual is intending is that the pattern of results this year should be more or less the same as last year.

‘Other things being equal, they’ll be asking the exam boards stiff questions if there’s a big movement from the results last year.’

A series of major reforms to A-levels, which will increase the involvement of universities in question-setting and do away with a resitting culture, will be introduced from September 2013.

Research suggests that students at sixth-form colleges are significantly more likely to achieve top grades at A-Level than those who stay on at their schools.

Teenagers at colleges were 7 per cent more likely to be awarded A* or A, academics at Southampton University found.

Daniel Mujis, who led the research, told the Times that sixth-form colleges provided specialist teaching and offered a wider choice of subjects.



On the eve of results day, the Adecco Group released findings of a survey of 1,114 office workers which found two thirds believe the A-level ‘gold standard’ is failing to prepare young people for the workplace.

Students receive A-level results