Carmel College congratulates A-level students

Results day 2020 was very emotional for many with a mixture of outcomes for lots of students both at Carmel College and across the country.

Unfortunately, staff at Carmel College were unable to celebrate with students as normal, but they were still able to provide support for students who needed it. Many students got in touch to share their successes with the college’s team.

Principal, Mike Hill, commented: “This wasn’t the way we wanted to celebrate the end of our students journey through school and college. Rightly, our focus on results day was on supporting those students dealing with disappointing results. But we must not forget to acknowledge and praise the hundreds of Carmel students who were able to complete their studies. They will now embark on a new adventure whether that be a place at university, an apprenticeship or the job they have dreamed of.

“There are still many great results to shout about. Half of our A-level students got the top grades of A*, A or B. Almost 500 A* and A grades were awarded to Carmel students with over 300 students being awarded the highest possible grade of A* or Dist* in their subject. Nearly 80% of all students were awarded the equivalent of A*-C grades.

“For BTEC students, the grading system seems to have been fairer as students had already completed a significant amount of assessed work by the time we reached lockdown. Carmel’s BTEC results this year have been really fantastic, with 100% pass rate and 96% managing to attain a top grade.

“The class of 2020 have had a tough journey. They were the first group ever to do all the new GCSE’s and they have had their final year interrupted by the pandemic. These young people have shown resilience and passion and will have developed life skills, which, alongside their academic skills, should equip them well for whatever the future holds.

“My message to students who were disappointed with their results is to look into the options you have. These include appealing and looking for alternative options in the UCAS Clearing system. Please don’t dwell on what more you could have done; schools, colleges, MP’s and lots of other people are now fighting your case to ensure you are not let down by the ‘system’. It is also important to remember that every year people are disappointed with their results and have to change direction a little bit. For many, this is the start of a fantastic and rewarding career, as was the case for a certain principal!”