Students and staff from a specialist art and design college in the north east are celebrating after achieving a series of fantastic results in A-levels and BTEC Extended Diplomas.
Cleveland College of Art & Design in Middlesbrough has maintained its record of a 100 per cent BTEC pass rate for more than 10 successive years, and 63 percent of its BTEC Extended Diploma students gained a triple distinction(DDD) or above, which is the equivalent of three As at A-Level.
Among the outstanding results for this year are the Extended Diplomas in Interior, Architecture and Product Design (3D) which saw 83 percent of its students achieve DDD or above, and Fine Art, which had 72 percent of its students get grades of DDDs or higher.
A-Level results have also have had a successful year at the college, with 100% of A-Level students who applied for university, successfully offered a place with their first choice.
Heather Carr, 19, from Norton in Stockton achieved three As for her A-levels in Fine Art, History of Art and Textiles, beating her predicted results of two As and one B. She is now going on to study a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at CCAD, in preparation for her degree in Fine Art at Newcastle University.
The student, a former pupil at St Michael’s RC School in Billingham, was delighted with her results, which were better than expected. She said: “I opened my results email first thing this morning and was a little nervous, as there was such a lot going on it, and I did not know what to expect. So I just got up, had a bit of a look and then called my Mum and said I’ve done it, I’m in!
“The courses at CCAD have been really good and I have really enjoyed it, it’s been awesome. As I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do a foundation diploma or go straight to university, I applied to do both. I was delighted to be accepted at Newcastle University but I decided to do the diploma first as it would be more useful for me, so I have deferred until next year.”
Heather’s Mum, who also came along to collect her official results, said: “I am very proud, all the hard work is worthwhile and she has got her just rewards.”
Heather is hoping to develop a career as an artist and work in a gallery, as well as building on her love of historical art.
Fellow A-level student Jessica Martin, from Seaton Carew in Hartlepool, also gained excellent results, with two As and one B in Fine Art, Textiles and History of Art, after previously studying A-levels at Hartlepool Sixth Form College, and was over the moon with her results.
The 20-year-old student, a former pupil at Dyke house School in Hartlepool, said: “Although I knew my predicted grades, they are never guaranteed so I was a bit nervous and excited. My Mam burst into my room at 7.45am and said ‘wake up, you have to read your email’! I was really happy with my results, especially after the disappointment of the first time, and have been texting all my friends.
“I really enjoyed the freedom of the courses at CCAD and how accepting the tutors were of your own decisions. We could choose an idea and study what we wanted and they would never say no, we could always try them out. The tutors would push your own creativity as an individual person rather than as a group. Being a little bit older has also helped. I have really enjoyed the course, especially developing my own portfolio and it is sad to go somewhere else!”
Jessica, who was offered an unconditional place to study a degree in fashion at Northumbria University based on her predicted grades, hopes to become a fashion buyer or marketer after graduating. ”I am now going shopping with Mum for university stuff, then a meal with friends and celebrate on Saturday! It is great fun planning for University and I am really excited and a little nervous about having to look after myself!