Students in North Yorkshire have been supported by schools as they receive their calculated A-level results today.
As young people learnt of the grades they had been awarded today, teachers were on hand with information on the next steps for school-leavers.
Results this year have been calculated using teacher predictions of their grades as a starting point, before going through a standardisation process with exam boards.
In North Yorkshire, most have received grades close to those awarded to them by their school. Those who feel that they have received a calculated grade that does not reflect their capabilities can request to sit their exams through their school in the autumn term, or by asking their school to appeal.
Commenting on the A level results in Harrogate and Knaresborough, local MP Andrew Jones, said:
The jobs market is competitive and so good qualifications and appropriate skills give young people an enormous advantage. A levels are an important part of that mix and I would like to congratulate all those who have received their results today.
I also thank the huge team of teachers and support staff behind every pupil. That team have educated and motivated the pupils during the critical years leading up to these exams.
We all know that it has not been easy for pupils and staff throughout the process of compiling these results. Reaching a stage where the vast majority of students have been able to be awarded grades has been significantly more difficult that in an ordinary year. It would be wrong not to acknowledge the very different circumstances compared to previous years and recognise the additional efforts staff have made over the last few months.
It looks like the number of pupils getting into university will increase slightly this year. Even so, some will not have achieved the grades for which they hoped. They will understandably be disappointed but there are still many, many options open to them. They should take their time – along with their parents, teachers and careers service – to look at those options.
Once again well done to everyone and I wish all the very best of luck to all students in whatever they decide to do in the future.
Whilst there remains challenges ahead, students in North Yorkshire should take pride in how they have responded to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic.
Schools, supported by the County Council, will continue working with students over the coming weeks to provide advice and information on university applications and other routes of progression such as apprenticeships, and also answering any questions students may have.
Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Stuart Carlton, said:
Each and every student in North Yorkshire should take pride in how they have responded to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic over the last few months.
We will be working with schools over the coming weeks to help ensure all students are able to progress to the next chapter of their life and get to where they want to be.
Headteacher at Thirsk School and Sixth Form, Emma Lambden, said the majority of students at the school would be going on to their chosen place of education.
Emma Lambden said:
We have had a good day today as a school.
We had some really good results in terms of the whole process, so we have been fortunate. The majority of students will be able to go on to their next steps or place of education.
Headteacher Carl Sugden, Headteacher of King James’s School in Knaresborough said:
Despite the incredible uncertainly this year most of our students have achieved entry to the university of their choice.
We are proud of how our students and teachers have coped with this very challenging year at A Level. However, there have been many grades awarded which we believe does not truly reflect the outcome students would have achieved if they had the chance to sit the exam.
We are now supporting those students as they consider appealing their grade or finding alternative university destinations.
Jenn Plews, Chief Executive of the Northern Star Academies Trust, which includes Harrogate High School and Skipton Girls’ High School, said:
We are very proud of our students and how well they coped in such challenging times. We’re also indebted to the teaching staff who invested a great deal of time and effort in ensuring accuracy and fairness in arriving at the centre-assessed grades.
Our focus now is on supporting every individual student with their progression to the next stage in their life, be it university, apprenticeship, training or work.
The Government has announced it will not hold schools and colleges to account on the basis of exams and assessment data from 2020 and this year’s results cannot be used by organisations such as Ofsted and local authorities to assess the performance or progress of schools and colleges. As a result, this year’s results from schools in North Yorkshire have not been collated by the County Council.
