Seventy per cent of students at The King’s Academy, in Coulby Newham, achieved their first choice university place following the A Level results, despite increased national competition for fewer places.
Half of the academy’s university applicants received offers from the most prestigious Russell Group universities, including Cambridge, Newcastle, Durham, London and York, while others are going on to the highest quality undergraduate courses, training, employment and apprenticeships.
A third of all results were at least grade A, with half of these (16 per cent of all grades) at A*.
Nationally, medicine has been highlighted as an area of significant competition after the Government capped the number of places, but among the students to secure a place is Chloe Cutler, from Coulby Newham.
Chloe, who turned 18 last week, gained A*s in biology and EPQ and A grades in maths and chemistry and will study medicine at UCL, becoming the first member of her family to go to university.
“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I decided I wanted to do medicine about five years ago. My mum and I just sat down and cried when I got my results. It’s such a shock.
“It’s been lots of determination and setting my mind to it then hoping for the best and getting a lot of support from the people around me. It’s been a very stressful summer and now all the worry’s gone, I’m very happy.”
Another student with much to celebrate is Francis Sayer, of Acklam, who has secured a place at Cambridge University to read natural science after gaining a clean sweep of A*s in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.
He said: “I’ve very pleased but most of all I’m relieved. It’s been a lot of hard work. I had to take a break from my sports and really get my head down. I revised from day one, a little bit every day to keep on top of it.”
Francis, who plays open side flanker with Middlesbrough Rugby Club and for Smiths Dock Cricket Club, set his sights on Cambridge in Year 12. “A couple of months before I did my application is when I really considered it. I had multiple talks with teachers about it, advice across the board in terms of admissions and a couple of mock interviews in preparation for Cambridge, which helped a lot.”
Visually impaired student Megan Dale, who receives sensory support at The King’s, achieved an A in drama, B in English language and C in English literature to secure at place at the Northern School of Art, in Hartlepool, to study acting for stage and screen.
Megan said: “When I was younger I was mesmerised by the theatre and how actors were able to portray different characters. I want to make people happy by doing that. My ambition is to get into the industry and perform in theatre productions for as long as I can.”
In exams, Megan was allowed to work from enlarged print papers, had an aid to read sections out to her and was given 25 per cent more time.
She added: “People have underestimated my abilities which has given me a chance to prove myself. The support I’ve had has always been really good. Over time I’ve got more independent, but support has been there when I’ve needed it at The King’s.”
Five boys at the academy are set to prove their talent in computer science and are heading off to study the subject at Durham, Teesside and Newcastle Universities. Jack Parkes gained three A*s and an A in computer science, maths, further maths and physics; Daniel Gamble achieved top grades in music, psychology and English language and an A for his EPQ; Charbel Ajaka got A*s in computer science and maths and an A in physics; Thomas Gilbey gained As in computer science and geography and a C in maths; and Alix Croves-Jeffrey achieved Bs in biology computer science and maths.
Success in modern languages will see three students pursuing the subject at university: Eszter Kovacs achieved A*s in French and German and a B in textiles; Sam Dodsworth got A*, A and B in German, history and politics respectively; and Bethany Harper gained an A in English literature and Cs in German and psychology.
Other top performing students were Lottie Toogood, whose results in health and social care, psychology and history will take her to York St John to study primary education; Emma Walton who achieved A*s in maths and biology and A in chemistry to read biological science at Durham University; and Emily Probert who will study biochemistry at York University after achieving a clean sweep of A grades in biology, chemistry and psychology.
