NEW COLLEGE CLASS OF 2020 STUDENTS CELEBRATE A LEVEL/LEVEL 3 RESULTS SUCCESS

16-18 year old students at New College Swindon have plenty of cause to celebrate – the overall A Level pass rate this year is 97.4%. New College has the largest number of A Level learners in Swindon and Wiltshire and this year there were 906 successful exam entries. These great pass rates indicate that once again, our students have achieved highly, despite the challenging circumstances this year has presented.

Headline statistics:

• 2.5% increase in ‘A’ grades (12.7%) – the highest in 3 years
• 97.4% overall A Level pass rate for 16-18 students
• 43.0% grades (400 entries) at A*-B, with 61 students achieving at least three A*-B grades
• 145 students sat A Levels in English and Maths, with a 98.6.% pass rate
• 221 entries for STEM subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths) with a 97.4% pass rate
• 26 A Level subjects with a 100% pass rate
• 192 BTEC Extended Diploma entries – 60.4% gained Distinction grades
• 12 out of 13 BTEC Extended Diplomas have a 100% pass rate

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.

26 subjects had a 100% pass rate as follows: Accounting; Art & Design: Art Craft & Design; Art & Design: Historical Practice; Art & Design: Textiles & Fashion; Biology; Classical Civilisation; Drama & Theatre Studies; Economics; English Language; English Language & Literature; English Literature; Environmental Studies; Extended Project Qualification (EPQ); Film Studies; French; German; Government & Politics; History (American & British ;20th Cent); Further Mathematics; Media Studies; Music; Philosophy; Polish; 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 positive to report that 145 students sat for English and Maths A Levels, with a pass rate of 98.6%.

For the following 13 subjects, over 50% of students achieved an A*, A or B: Accounting; Art & Design: Art Craft & Design; Art & Design: Historical Practice; Economics; Extended Project Qualification (EPQ); Film Studies; French; Geography; History (Ancient); Media Studies; Polish; Spanish; Turkish.

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 95.7%, with 27 out of 31 subjects having a 100% pass rate.

For professional and vocational programmes, 192 New College students (16-18) have taken BTEC Extended Diplomas with 116 or 60.4% 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 a high number achieving distinctions: 63% in Production Arts; 68% in Media; 78% in Health & Social Care; 82% in Performing Arts; 86% in Dance; 50% in Travel and Tourism; 59% in Public Services; 83% in Sport and Exercise Science and 100% in Sport (Performance and Excellence). 12 out of 13 BTEC Extended Diplomas have a 100% pass rate.

In all, there were 645 (16-18) entries for Level 3 vocational studies this year. 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 2019, over 500 New College students won places at university and other higher education providers.

New College Swindon Principal & CEO, Carole Kitching, said:

“I’m very proud of all our students who have risen to the challenge and achieved such fantastic results, especially with the difficulties that they have had to face this year. There have been no exams this year, but achievement is not just measured by taking exams; the class of 2020 have worked hard for the past two years and that has been recognised in their grades. Their determination and resilience is an example to us all.

Our students continue to go from strength to strength and they have adapted so well to learning from home. The 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.”