Outstanding A Level results for Devon's outstanding college

Mary Youlden
Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 2:41pm

A Level students and staff at Exeter College, have continued a year of outstanding news with today's announcement of a 99.5% pass rate.

Over 780 students from across Exeter, Devon and Torbay received their A2 results today at the college and half have achieved the high grades A*, A and B grades, enabling them to progress to top universities in the future.

With these results Exeter will continue to rank amongst the country's top Sixth Form Colleges, as illustrated by an impressive 114 A* grades at A Level.

Students taking the very popular traditional subjects of Maths and English Literature, for example, particularly excelled.  Over 68% of the 136 A level Maths students gained impressive high grades A* A or B grades and 24% gained the highest A* grade.  In English Literature 56% of the 188 students achieved high grades which are demanded by the top universities.

Other key results include high grades for Modern Foreign Languages (67%), Physics (63%) and Economics (56%).

All the Art A levels recorded 100% pass rate with the college increasing the number of its A level subjects celebrating 100% pass rates to 30 this year out of a total of 38 subjects. 

Richard Atkins, Principal said: "Today's results are exceptional. We are particularly proud of the continued increase in the percentage of students getting the very high grades that are in such demand.

"This year Ofsted praised our commitment to supporting the progress of all our students through a balance of outstanding teaching and learning and the enormous range of our enrichment activities.

"These results are a further reminder of the hard work of our students and staff, which means that our students are ideally placed to progress to the UK's top competitive universities as well as taking up exciting and challenging job opportunities."

Commenting on the significant successes in particular subjects, Richard Atkins continued: "We are delighted with the results across the college but the Maths and Science results particularly endorses our decision to invest in this crucial curriculum area with the development of an outstanding A level Maths and Science Centre in the centre of the city due to open next year.

"The city's reputation as a centre for Maths excellence is further enhanced by our work with the University of Exeter and the opening this autumn of the new Exeter Mathematics School."

Individual success stories span from Holsworthy to Torquay, and from Honiton to Barnstaple with straight A grade students excelling regardless of travel journey times to college.  Many of these students are now planning to progress to prestigious universities across the UK.

Emma Fielding, the College's Assistant Principal responsible for A levels joined Exeter College from a 6th form college in Sussex last year.  

"I am very impressed with these results," said Emma.

"Students here at Exeter College join both an academically rich programme and can take additional opportunities such as the Extended Project which, with a record of 73% A*, A or B grades this year, greatly enhances their chances in the race for the top university places. 

"We also have a very strong enrichment programme that helps students test out new interests, community activities and skills that are an essential part of preparing them for their university and career applications. Our dedicated progression teams and tutors have worked with A level, vocational and Access to HE students throughout the year to support their next steps into employment or higher education and a higher number have applied to university this year as a result of this support.

"We hope that these excellent results will mean our students can fulfil their ambitions whatever they may be. However, if their plans change, we have the support here to help them."

"I'd like to congratulate all the students and staff at Exeter College who have worked so hard this year," said Richard Atkins. 

"Today is about A level results, but we continue to demonstrate inclusivity in the range of students we attract from across the city and the county and the wealth of subjects we offer.

"We celebrated excellent International Baccalaureate results in July and approximately 750 students are awaiting their level 3 BTEC vocational results, which will be their essential passport to continue on to the universities or employers of their choice. 

"These results are a culmination of a truly exceptional year for the college with our Ofsted inspection in January acknowledging the college as Outstanding in all aspects and with our very recent award of BTEC College of the Year.  Most importantly today we celebrate with individual students from across Exeter, Devon and Torbay who have fulfilled, and in many cases, exceeded expectations and we wish them all well in the next stage of their careers."

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