A level results 2011

110 students from the college’s Leamington centre today received their A level results, with a pass rate of 97%, in line with the national pass rate of 97.8 %. A total of 68 % of Leamington students’ results were at the top grades of  A* to C.

Happy students picking up their results included Callum Ramsay from Rugby who studied at the Leamington centre.

Callum took the bold step of taking A level Business in just one year after narrowly missing out on his preferred university place the year before. He needed a B in either business or his media retake to get the BBB he needed to go to Birmingham University to study Sociology – and he was delighted to get ABB.

Callum, who is 19 tomorrow (19 August), said: “I was disappointed to miss out on my university place last year by just a few marks and decided to take A Level business in just a year to give myself a better chance. The college were flexible enough to allow me to take Business Studies in a year as well as retaking my Media A level.

I have chosen to study Sociology at university as I found it interesting to look at all the different aspects of society – the subject was very varied and stimulating. I am thoroughly looking forward to studying it at university.

I really enjoyed my time at college, I enjoyed an excellent relationship with my tutors and really appreciated the freedom the college offered.”

Other high achievers included:

Becky Sewell, aged 19, from Coventry, who took A levels in Business, Psychology and Sociology and needed three As to get her place at Birmingham University to study Law, which she achieved.

Becky said: “I chose law because I wanted a subject which would give me a really good start in my career.

“I did a year of A levels at school but I came to college because I really needed a change. College is very different to school, you have much more freedom and the independent learning style really suited me – it’s a good stepping stone to university.”

Happy couple Grant Baker and Bethan Irvine, both 20, were going flat hunting in Birmingham after picking up their results.

There were screams from Bethan as she opened her envelope to find she had A* in psychology, A in sociology and A in health and social care. She said: “I didn’t expect an A*! I am going to uni in Birmingham to study sociology. It’s been really good here, fantastic – everyone has been very supportive.”

Bethan came back to A levels after initially studying at Moreton Morrell then having a year out “doing nothing”. Bethan and boyfriend Grant Baker decided to come back to college to do A levels together.

Grant got an A* and two Bs and is hoping to study business in Birmingham. He said: “I went to Warwick School then Castle Sixth Form and did AS Levels there but I didn’t enjoy it there so I left and came here, it’s a nicer environment and nicer teachers – there’s nothing I could fault here.”

Nicky Henderson, aged 28, from Nuneaton was another successful older student. She was delighted to achieve A* in maths, A in further maths and A in business and is going to Loughborough to study civil engineering.

Nicky said: “I worked in a bakery but I wanted to do something else and came here and it’s been brilliant, it was the best decision I ever made.”

Laveen Vashisht, aged 18, also got As in biology and sociology and A* in psychology, and is going to Sheffield to study psychology.

She said: “It was really good, it was lovely here. I could have gone to sixth form but I decided to come here and meet different people and the teachers are great.”

Mel Colley, Programme Area Manager for A Levels, said: “We are really pleased with another good set of results which is a testament to the students' hard work and dedication over the past two years. We wish them all the best for the future."

At the new Rugby Centre where A levels were only reintroduced two years ago the first cohort of more than 20 students picked up their results. The overall pass rate was 88%, with 50% of grades at A* to C.  Mel Colley added: “This is the first year of our A level results and we are hoping to grow and increase the number of subjects we offer gradually.”

For help and advice

Warwickshire College has help and advice available to all students, whatever their grades. Anyone concerned about their results should ring Student Services on 0300 45 600 48.

In addition, the college has spaces left on some of its Higher Education courses, starting September 2011, for those who have yet to secure a place.  For details of the courses available, see our clearing page or call admissions on 0300 45 600 45.

At the Rugby centre you can mix and match some A level options with vocational awards in art and design, textiles, business and ICT, ICT and media, sport and exercise. For more information call 01926 318231.