SCHOOL leaders in Oxford have praised their students after picking up their A level results following an education disrupted by the pandemic.
Hundreds of thousands of students across the country sat exams this summer for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak, with grades dropping from the pandemic highs.
Girls still outperformed boys, while university admissions fell compared to last year, but are the second highest on record, according to UCAS.
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) reported that the overall pass rate – the proportion of entries graded A*-E – fell from 99.5 per cent in 2021 to 98.4 per cent this year.
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Jackie Watson, head of sixth form at Oxford Spires Academy, said it had been a ‘tough year for everyone’ but was ‘delighted’ her students had done so well.
She said: “These were their first external exams, because of Covid, and they proved to themselves they could do it.”
Qasem Amirkaveh, 18, acknowledged that the last two and a half years had been tough for his peers, but struck a positive note, saying: “We pushed through it and we did well.”
Kate McCabe, assistant headteacher at St Gregory the Great Catholic School, said she was ‘really proud’ of the students who had made it through pandemic learning.
“We thought they responded really well. They really stepped up to the challenge,” she said.
Out of a cohort of 105 students at Wheatley Park School, 31 per cent of grades were A*-A and 61 per cent were A*-B.
Graham West, head of sixth form, said: “Our students have shown true grit and steely determination to overcome the significant challenges caused by the pandemic and achieve richly deserved successes.
“This year is very much about celebrating the extraordinary resilience and positivity Wheatley Park students have demonstrated in the face of adversity.”
Ten of the 18 A level subjects at City of Oxford College secured 100 per cent pass rates.
Cheri Ashby, deputy chief executive officer at Activate Learning – which oversees City of Oxford College – said: “What our students have achieved today is nothing short of amazing given the disruption they have experienced to their education during the pandemic.
“They have demonstrated incredible levels of resilience and commitment to their studies.
“Unfortunately, there will be some of our students who have not done as well as expected today. For these students, we will be working with them to find a solution and make sure they are able to progress onto something they want to do.”
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This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.
Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice
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