Students at Richmond Sixth Form College are celebrating outstanding A-level results at the end of an academic year like no other. There were notable successes with many students exceeding their predicted grades and securing outstanding destinations at university and degree apprenticeships.
Uchenna Anyadiegwu, James Longstaff and Sam Potter achieved straight A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics. The students have known each other since they were toddlers and have been firm friends throughout their seven years at Richmond School and Sixth Form College. James is heading to Cambridge to read Natural Sciences, Sam will read Maths at Edinburgh and Uchenna, former Headboy, will study Mechanical Engineering at Leeds.
With a trio of A*s, former Headgirl, Joely Weston, is looking forward to reading Marketing and Management at Durham. Former Deputy Headgirls Millie Aston and Katie Wood have also done exceptionally well. With three A*s and an A, Millie is delighted to be going to Oxford to read Chemistry and Katie, with two A*s and an A, is heading to Leeds to study Economics. Lola Cross achieved three A*s and a B and will read Physics at University College London (UCL).
Following in the legal footsteps of Baroness Hale, alumna and former President of the Supreme Court, four students, Kaelan Richards, Erin Bell, Campbell Warren and Cristina Vaidos are studying Law at Newcastle, Liverpool, East Anglia and Manchester Met respectively. For Cristina, this is an amazing achievement. Her resilience, incredible hard work and determination have been outstanding, as when she joined Richmond School in Year 9, she couldn’t speak any English.
A number of students have secured highly competitive apprenticeships. Charlotte Addison gained three A*s and has accepted a five-year Chartered Accountancy apprenticeship with the NAO in Newcastle. Josephine Cooper achieved two A*s and a B and her degree apprenticeship is in Product Design with DS Smith Packaging. Jess Kelly is starting a Level 3 Dental Nursing apprenticeship with Phillips & Co in Darlington and Daniel Norton is joining the Merchant Navy and doing his training with Clyde Training.
Alongside their A-levels, some students also took the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which demands huge commitment and independent study. Betsie Scott Hall achieved an A* in her EPQ and two A*s and two As in her A-levels and will be studying Chemistry at York. With two A*s, an A, plus an A in his EPQ, Jacob Marshall will read Politics and Sociology at Manchester and Zoe Tizzard, with an EPQ grade A and three As at A-level will be studying Linguistics at Lancaster.
There have been some outstanding Distinction and Distinction* results in the Performing Arts CTEC qualification which will see Charlotte Harrison and Kassie Jeffels take up unconditional offers in Dance Practices at Middlesex and Musical Theatre at the University of Lincoln. Archie Forbes is heading to Liverpool Hope to study Music and Music Production and Rosie Jowett will study Drama at Manchester.
There have been huge celebrations for students who joined Richmond after their GCSEs at Bedale, SFX, Risedale and Wensleydale, including: Eleanor Donaghy, whose three As have gained her a place to study Psychology at York; Naomi Baird, with three As and an EPQ A, is studying Medicine at Sunderland; Tom Prime, with an A* and two As, will study Economics and Finance at Leeds; Tiar Mackenzie, with two A*s and a B, will read Psychology at Newcastle; Hannah Hodgson, with three As, will study Classics at Durham; Liam McCarthy, former Headboy at Risedale, achieved A* and two As and will read Computer Science at Durham; Lucy Moss, with A*, A, C and an EPQ C, will study Nursing at Nottingham; Katie Oliver, with an A and two Bs, will read Engineering at York.
Richard Crane, CEO of the Areté Learning Trust, said: “Despite all of the challenges that students and staff have faced during the last academic year, we are delighted to celebrate their achievements and success in terms of what they have attained. I would like to thank the students and teachers for all of their hard work, and parents, carers and families for the unfaltering support they have provided for our students throughout their time at Richmond Sixth Form College. We wish all of Year 13 every success for the future”.
Jenna Potter, Headteacher, concluded: “This is a superb set of results for our students and I am immensely proud of their achievements, despite the unprecedented challenges they have faced over the last 18 months. They have shown high levels of maturity, tenacity and commitment to their studies to not only achieve so much in their exams but to prepare themselves for the next chapter of their lives.”