A-level Results Day: Bedford schools celebrate as students collect their exam results

The results are in – here’s how schools in Bedford are celebrating the day
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After an anxious wait, students across Bedford have been collecting their A-level results.

The class of 2022 has been the one most hit by the pandemic – with many not having sat public exams, until this year, since they were at primary school.

Nationally, the top grades for A-level results have fallen since last year, with with 36.4% of all grades marked at A* or A.

Students from The Bedford Sixth FormStudents from The Bedford Sixth Form
Students from The Bedford Sixth Form

But this is still more than in 2019, the last time results were based on students taking exams instead of teacher assessments.

And the number of youngsters achieving a place at their first choice university is also up.

Here’s how Bedford students did:

Bedford School: Bedford School 2022 leavers are today celebrating a superb set of A-Level results which will see them go on to study at a mix of league-topping universities

Bedford School students celebrate their A-level resultsBedford School students celebrate their A-level results
Bedford School students celebrate their A-level results

Their achievements join those of the school’s IB students, who also received outstanding results earlier in the summer.

Almost all leavers starting their courses this year secured their place at their firm choice university – with some taking up places at universities in the USA, one heading to take up an organ scholarship at St David’s Cathedral in Wales, one beginning a degree apprenticeship with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and one who has already begun playing rugby for Scotland U20s.

Head master, James Hodgson said: “I am hugely proud of this year’s leavers. They truly are a group of fine young men who have distinguished themselves across all areas of school life and capped their achievements with a superb set of results. We wish them well as they head their various ways (and look forward to staying in touch as Old Bedfordians).”

Top performers include Reuben Glenville who achieved five A* grades and will study Engineering at the University of Cambridge; James Deardon who gained five A* grades who will read Chemical Engineering at Edinburgh University; Dylan Swain who received three A* and two A grades and is off to the University of St Andrews to read

Celebrations at Mark Rutherford SchoolCelebrations at Mark Rutherford School
Celebrations at Mark Rutherford School

Classics; and Rugby Scholar Callum Smyth,who is off to represent Scotland U20s and play for Scottish premiership team Southern Knights – despite originally planning to become a farmer!

Meanwhile Anish Katechia’s three A* grades secured his offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers where he will begin a degree apprenticeship on their prestigious ‘Flying Start’ programme, and Olaoluwa Apesin who bagged four A grades and one A* and is one of eight medics from this year’s cohort – set to read medicine at Queen Mary University of London.

Twins James and Alex Moffat will go their separate ways after securing a superb set of results between them. James who gained A*,A*,A, B will study Philosophy at Durham University, while Alex who was thrilled will A*, A, A has chosen to take a gap year working in his old Prep School, Aldwickbury, as a teaching assistant and sports coach.

The Bedford Sixth Form:The Bedford Sixth Form is celebrating the highest range of A* and A Grade A-level results since it opened ten years ago.

Sharnbrook Academy students. Top, L to R: Natalie Mutiswa; Melissa Gregory and Simon Keenan; Stephanie Perryman. Bottom, L to R: Ava-Maria Chand; Penny Mitchell; Ryan Wignall.Sharnbrook Academy students. Top, L to R: Natalie Mutiswa; Melissa Gregory and Simon Keenan; Stephanie Perryman. Bottom, L to R: Ava-Maria Chand; Penny Mitchell; Ryan Wignall.
Sharnbrook Academy students. Top, L to R: Natalie Mutiswa; Melissa Gregory and Simon Keenan; Stephanie Perryman. Bottom, L to R: Ava-Maria Chand; Penny Mitchell; Ryan Wignall.

Standards have consistently risen and this year more than 22.8% gained those top grades compared to 16.5% when examinations were last taken in 2019.

Headteacher Helen Smith said: “I am so proud of our staff and students who have achieved such positive results during such challenging times.”

Students won first choice places at the best universities in the country: Oxford, Cambridge, York, East Anglia UEA, Durham, Exeter, Liverpool, Northampton, Kent, Nottingham, Bristol and Kings College and Royal Holloway in London, as well as the closer to home University of Bedfordshire.

Successes also included Diplomas (equivalent to 3 A Levels) such as Charlotte Fisher, of Clapham and Isabella Hayes-Templeton, of Biddehnham, who both achieved Triple Distinctions in Health and Social Care and are both off to Brighton University to study Paramedic Science.

Millie Burnapp, of Ampthill, is off to study Zoology at Exeter after gaining a B Grade A Level in Biology in just a year, alongside a Diploma in Forensics and Criminology. Millie of Kempston started off doing Maths and Photography courses but realised during lockdown she wanted to work with animals, won a work opportunity at a local vets and is now looking forward to university.

Jake Swift is off to study Criminology at Keele University after travelling by train from Central Beds to The Bedford Sixth Form to take A Levels in Law, History and Psychology.

Top row, L to R: Kimbolton School's Ishan Sarker and his mother, Koli, overjoyed at his results;  Holly Orchard, Grace Sanderson, Will Powell, Harrison Kemp, Will Paul and Sophie Faulkner; Luke Hookham being congratulated by his father, David
Bottom row: Kimbolton students celebrating in front of the castleTop row, L to R: Kimbolton School's Ishan Sarker and his mother, Koli, overjoyed at his results;  Holly Orchard, Grace Sanderson, Will Powell, Harrison Kemp, Will Paul and Sophie Faulkner; Luke Hookham being congratulated by his father, David
Bottom row: Kimbolton students celebrating in front of the castle
Top row, L to R: Kimbolton School's Ishan Sarker and his mother, Koli, overjoyed at his results; Holly Orchard, Grace Sanderson, Will Powell, Harrison Kemp, Will Paul and Sophie Faulkner; Luke Hookham being congratulated by his father, David Bottom row: Kimbolton students celebrating in front of the castle

Zipporah Korangteng, of Bedford, is heading for a course in Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire after passing three A Levels. She said: “The staff here have been amazing and worked so hard to help us all during Covid.”

Kwaku Amoah, aged 22, of Milton Keynes gained an A Grade in Maths, and Bs in Chemistry and Physics. The results secure his apprenticeship with Deloitte as a Data and AI Analyst. He achieved his results despite a diagnosis of bilateral profound hearing loss.

He said: “It was great at The Bedford Sixth Form, I had an amazing experience. The teachers were truly helpful and supportive.”

Mark Rutherford School:Mark Rutherford School is very proud of its Year 13 students who have achieved some outstanding results in their A Levels or equivalent subjects.

Mrs Foster, headteacher said: "We are very pleased with our A-level results this year. Students have worked incredibly hard to be prepared for their exams having not sat their GCSEs in the same way; they were well supported by their teachers too after a disrupted first year to their courses. Students are progressing onto a wide range of pathways and we are excited for them!”

Those moving on to university have secured a number of competitive places to read a wide range of subjects, including Geography at Cambridge and Medicine at Bath.

The percentage of A* and A grades is in line with the national average. Students who achieved the highest grades across all their subjects include: Amber – D*, D*, D (BTEC Sport and Exercise Science); Chloe – D*, A, A, A (BTEC Sport and Exercise Science, Biology, Psychology and Core Maths); Ethan – A*, A*, A, A (Computer Science, Cyber EPQ, Maths and Physics); Jake – A*, A, A, B (Maths, History, Physics and English Language); Jasmin – A, A, Distinction (Fine Art, Criminology and BTEC Business Studies); Kayden – D*, D*, D (BTEC Sport and Exercise Science); Mia – A*, A*, A* (Business Studies, English Language and Psychology); Orla – A*, A*, A (English Literature, History and Geography); Shaan – A, A, A (Business Studies, English Literature and History); and Sophie – A*, A*, A*, A* (Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics)

Mrs Foster added: “One of the highlights of the academic year is seeing students open their results and celebrate their achievements with their friends and teachers. We always look forward to hearing from the students and their successes once they have started the next phase of their journey as confident and independent young adults.”

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Sharnbrook Academy:Sharnbrook Academy enjoyed a celebration breakfast provided by the Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores in Bedford as students collected their results.

A spokesman for the school said: “The resilience and effort shown by students at Sharnbrook Academy, part of Meridian Trust, to meet these challenges head-on was reflected in the results that they achieved, and the opportunities they are now able to pursue via university, apprenticeships and employment.

Amongst the outstanding results across the year group, there were many exceptional individual performances: Natalie Mutiswa achieved one A* grade and two As. She is now heading to the University of Cambridge to read geography. Ava-Maria Chand achieved 3 A grades and is off to the University of Birmingham to study physiotherapy. Lucy Cooper achieved 2 A* grades and 1A. She is off to the University of Birmingham to read medicine. Simon Keenan achieved 3 A grades. Simon is going to the University of Sheffield to read Chemistry. Penny Mitchell achieved one A* and two A grades. Penny is off to the University of Newcastle to read law. Frankie Valentino-Karara achieved 2 A* grades and 1 A. Frankie is off to the University of Nottingham to read law. Harvey Parker achieved an A* grade and 2 As. Harvey is going to read law at the University of Nottingham.

The Director of Sixth Form, Daniel Baxby, said: “We are extremely pleased and proud of the results our students have achieved. The determination they have shown to meet the challenges of the last two years has been rightly rewarded.

“We have students going to a range of destinations including the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, as well as other universities across the UK and abroad.”

Clare Raku, Principal at Sharnbrook Academy added: “On behalf of all staff at Sharnbrook Academy, we wish our students the very best for the future and the next part of their exciting journey to come. We are immensely proud of what our sixth form students have achieved, and the challenges they have overcome.”

Richard Spencer, Executive Principal at Meridian Trust, said: “Congratulations to all of the students securing results today. Special congratulations to their families who will have provided them with so much support over recent years.

“These results reflect a huge amount of hard work from the staff at Sharnbrook Academy and the students themselves.”

Kimbolton School:Kimbolton School is celebrating as 45% of its students results were at A* or A – 73% at A* to B.

Twenty-eight students, 27% of the year group, gained at least three A*/As.

Among the top performing students, and achieving a full sweet of A*s, was Olivia Cann from Bedford.

While the school expects the vast majority of the year group to join their universities of choice, some have elected to apply for apprenticeships, enter employment or take a gap year.

Jonathan Belbin, headmaster, said: “I am delighted to see such a strong set of results and am proud of each and every one of these departing students. They have made the most of their sixth form years, despite all the pandemic difficulties, achieving much more than these results portray and gaining so many life skills beyond the classroom.

"They have demonstrated real resilience and fortitude in the run up to the exams and deserve every success in the future.”

Of the 104 students in the year group, 18% achieved all A*s, 45% achieved A* to As, 73% achieved A* to B, 89% A* to C, and 99% received passing grades.

> Any school wanting to share their results with us can email [email protected]

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