NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS CELEBRATE A LEVEL/LEVEL 3 SUCCESS

It's A Level Results Day and New College are celebrating success!

Headline statistics:

• 98% overall A Level pass rate for 16-18 students (up from 97% in 2018)
• 41% grades (438 entries) were at A*-B (up from 40% last year), with 61 students achieving at least three A*-B grades
• 166 students sat A Levels in English and Maths, with a 97% pass rate
• 231 entries for STEM subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths) with a 98% pass rate
• 171 BTEC Extended Diploma entries – 58% gained Distinction grades
• 27 subjects with a 100% pass rate

16-18 year old students at New College Swindon have plenty of cause to celebrate – the overall A Level pass rate increased by 1pp to 98% from last year. New College has the largest number of A-level learners in Swindon and Wiltshire and this year there were 1038 successful exam entries. These great pass rates indicate that once again, our students have achieved highly. New College students believe that this will stand them in good stead for a bright future and in the competition for jobs and university places.

27 subjects had a 100% pass rate as follows: Accounting; Art & Design: Art Craft & Design; Art & Design: Fine Art; Art & Design:Historical Practice; Art & Design:Photography; Art & Design:Textiles & Fashion; Biology; Chemistry; Classical Civilisation; Drama & Theatre Studies; Economics; English Language; English Language & Literature; Extended Project Qualification (EPQ); Film Studies; French; German; Government & Politics; History (Ancient); History (Tudors & Stuarts); Italian; Further Mathematics; Media Studies; Music; Religious Studies; Spanish; Turkish.

With the Government’s continuing emphasis on the importance of English and Maths, backed by employer organisations like the Confederation of British Industry, it’s good to report that 166 students sat for English and Maths A-levels, with a pass rate of 97%.

For the following subjects, over 50% of students achieved an A*, A or B: Accounting; Art & Design: Fine Art; Art & Design: Graphic Design & Illustration; Art & Design: Historical Practice; Economics; Extended Project Qualification (EPQ); French; History (European & British 20th Cent); Italian; Further Mathematics; Physics; Spanish; Turkish.

Lily Starling achieved A*A*A*A in Biology, Maths, Extended Project Qualification and Chemistry and is off to the University of Exeter to study Medicine. She said,

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone at New College for supporting me through this A Level journey and through all the hard work I’ve put in over the last two years. My experience has been amazing and has given me the independence to feel confident going to university next year. I am so excited for the next part of my life!”

Michael Chiu achieved A*A*AA in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics and will take up a place at University College London to study Medicine. He said,

“I’m delighted to have achieved these results. New College has good teaching and facilities and these have really helped.”

Adult students (those aged 19+) often return to education after several years, to study for A Levels. 19+ students achieved an overall pass rate of 96% (up from 94% last year), with 32 out of 36 subjects having a 100% pass rate.

New College's first year students also sat AS Level examinations, achieving very high grades. 12.5% entries achieved an A grade (up from 10.2% in 2018) whilst 27.6% achieved an A or B grade (up from 24.5% in 2018).

For professional and vocational programmes, 171 New College students (16-18) have taken BTEC Extended Diplomas with 99 or 58% gaining distinctions. The BTEC Extended Diploma is equivalent to three A levels and a distinction is equivalent to top A-level grades. Students did particularly well in several subject areas, with 100% achieving distinctions in Creative Media; 91% in Health & Social Care; 89% in Performing Arts (Dance) and 83% in Sport.

In all, there were 1157 (16-18) entries for Level 3 vocational studies, with a 100% pass rate across all qualifications taken in the following subject areas: Journalism; Hair & Beauty; Photography; Public Services; Science and Sports. Many of these learners have worked part-time whilst at New College and have picked up the skills and work ethic that employers are demanding through participation in additional activities such as extended placements, employability courses and business mentoring with local companies such as Intel.

New College is predicting that, once again, a high number of students will gain university places following these results. In Autumn 2018, over 500 New College students won places at university and other higher education providers.

New College Principal & CEO, Carole Kitching, added:

“I’m very proud of all our students who continue to go from strength to strength. The very high pass rates and increasing numbers of high grades are a testament to their hard work and determination. This will stand them in very good stead as they move on to Higher Education, apprenticeships or employment.

I would like to thank all my colleagues at New College who have worked so hard to support our students and to wish all the students who gave received their results today every success for the future.”

Find out more about studying at New College here!