3:12pm Thursday 19th August 2010
By Neil Skinner
Shouts of joy and tears of disappointment filled school halls across the area today as students opened their A-Level results.
Hundreds of expectant teenagers gathered with friends, family and teachers to open the envelopes that could determine the rest of their educational lives.
Many will now prepare for university life. Others, however, will miss out, as a record number of students – spurred on by a dwindling jobs market – apply for places.
At Parmiter’s School , in High Elms Lane, retiring headmaster Brian Coulshed expressed his pride at a 20 per cent A* pass rate – well above the eight per cent national average in the first year of the award.
Beaming 18-year-old pupil Jo Reynolds, who will now study Geo-Physics at University College London, was one of those to make the new grade after achieving two As and an A* in physics, geography and maths.
She said: “I was really nervous coming in this morning but I’m so relieved now I know my results. I’m very happy.”
Mr Coulshed said: “I am very proud of what the students have achieved, this is the perfect way for me to bow out.”
Other schools also celebrated a record set of results.
Watford Grammar School for Boys saw 82 per cent of completed exams rewarded at grades A* to B.
Headmaster Martin Post said: “I am delighted for the boys, many of whom will now take up top university places, and for their teachers who have achieved such splendid academic outcomes.”
Students at the Francis Combe Academy , meanwhile, were also looking forward to taking up university places.
An emotional Nicole Hollingsworth, 19, achieved the grades she needed to study Applied Biomedical Sciences at Nottingham Trent University. She said: “I’m so relieved. I’ve been so stressed about it in the last few days so this has been a massive relief. I can’t wait to start university.”
Friend Natasha Douglas was also celebrating after achieving two B grades and a C. She said: “I’ve been accepted to Anglia Ruskin University to study Child Nursing. I don’t start until March but I’m really looking forward to it. Until then I;m going to get a job to save money."
Commenting on the record numbers of students applying for university places across the country, Head of Sixth Form Phil Harley reported a huge increase in applicants from his school. He said: “In this school alone we’ve tripled our numbers of applicants this year. With the jobs situation as it is more of them are opting for further training.” As a result Mr Harley said he expected more students to miss out in the “clearing” system – where students who don’t achieve the necessary grades apply for spare places.
He also rejected the repeated suggestion from some quarters that the exams were getting easier. He added: “It’s an absolute myth. Results are improving because there is so much more help and support available to pupils. A lot of these exams are really very hard.”
Elsewhere, more than 31 per cent of boys at Merchant Taylors’ School achived A* grades, with 99.4 per cent achieving all A to C grades.
The girls of St Margaret’s School, in Merry Hill Road, Bushey, also excelled with 78 per cent of grades recorded between A* and B.
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