City of Bristol College students flocked to the College Green centre on A Level results day, Thursday 15 August, with their fingers crossed for strong results after months of hard work and dedication, hoping to achieve grades needed to progress to their chosen university destinations.
Two thirds of the College’s A Level students secured a 100% overall pass rate in 14 subjects including: art and design, photography, business studies, English language, English literature, film studies, further maths, geography, history, media studies, physics, religious studies, politics and Spanish.
City of Bristol College’s Acting Principal and Chief Executive Richard Harris said: “The hard work and dedication that our students have shown throughout the year is reflected in today’s A Level results. We encourage all our students to take pride in their work and to have the ambition and determination to progress and take that all important next step into the working world or further study into higher education.
“Today is an occasion for our students to recognise their own achievements and successes, and to look forward to the opportunities that are ahead. We are pleased that a number of our students will be coming back to study with us again next year and embark on higher education at the college.”
City of Bristol College student, Millie Ferguson, is set to follow her new-found dreams and study fashion photography at university. The 19-year-old came to the college from a Level 1 course after struggling with her GCSEs. With the support of her teachers she found a love of photography and after achieving an A* in her A Level photography today, she is excited to be continuing her studies at university.
She said: “I’m so happy with my results today – they are better than I imagined. Before I joined college I had never picked up a camera before in my life and didn’t know any of the settings – I didn’t even know where the ‘on’ button was! After an incredible learning experience at college and some amazing teachers I’m continuing my journey with an A*. My teachers made me realise it was my passion and I was supported throughout my two years – I’m so thankful to them. I can’t wait to learn more about fashion photography at university.”
Ioana Anescu, 19, from Romania moved to the UK two years ago with her parents in order to continue her education in England. Studying A2 Sociology, Media and Religious Studies she is celebrating her well-earned grade C results today along with her friends.
Here’s what she had to say about her experience at college: “I jumped in at the deep end when I arrived in England as I was only here a few weeks before starting my A Levels. I am quite a shy person so it took me a while to settle in but after making friends and the fantastic support and advice from my teachers I started to get over my shyness and progress. I received extra support from the Study Plus team who helped me improve my writing skills which made a big difference to my grades. I had a conditional offer at Coventry University so I was a bit nervous this morning but now I’m so excited that my results has secured my place. I want to thank all my teachers who have supported me”.
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Creating a city of hope where everyone has the chance to succeed is our vision for Bristol, so A-level results day is a great opportunity to remind young people there are so many options available to them. While many will go on to continue their academic studies, others may choose to look at other options.
“In Bristol there is a wide choice of high quality apprenticeships, entry-level jobs as well as university and college places on offer, and I am confident that with hard work and commitment – exam results aside – there are great opportunities in our city to help all young people get on. I wish everyone much success and interest as they embark on the next stage of their lives.”
Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “Well done to all the young people in Bristol who took their A-levels this year, and to their families and carers who have supported them.
“I know results day can be a stressful and uncertain time for students and for school and college staff, who also put a huge amount of effort into preparing for this time of year, and in supporting students.
City of Bristol College offers a variety of A Level subjects and a range of pathways enabling students to choose right subject combinations to aid their progress into university and specific careers. Around 200 students choose to study A Levels at the college each year.
The college also offers a variety of professional and technical higher education courses, including higher and degree apprenticeships provided in partnership with reputable universities such as the University of the West of England, Bath Spa University and Plymouth University. The college’s University Centre holds the Silver TEF Award which is a government-backed assessment of undergraduate teaching quality across all higher education institutions in England. Students at the college’s University Centre benefit from smaller class sizes, expert tutors who are para-professionals in their subject fields as well as lower tuition fees.
To find out more, visit City of Bristol College for the Higher Education and Adult Information Event at College Green on Friday 16 August 10am-4pm. Alternatively, call the Higher Education Cleaning hotline on 0117 312 5171.
Enrolment for A Levels and higher education starts from Thursday 22 August.
