Scenes of celebration at New College Swindon as students collect their results

New College Swindon’s students and staff are celebrating A Level, T level and Level 3 vocational results, after reaping the rewards of their hard work and resilience.

The success of these students is impressive considering the adversity they have overcome due to the pandemic. These are the first public exams they have taken as their GCSE grades were teacher-assessed grades in 2021 and their learning has been disrupted by lockdowns.

Reflecting on the past year Carole Kitching, Principal and CEO said:

“We’re very proud of all our students’ achievements whether they were taking A Levels, T-Levels or BTEC and other Level 3 qualifications. We knew this would be a tough year with grades awarded at pre-pandemic levels but despite the severe disruption these students have faced but we have seen 100% pass rate in 18 of our A Level subjects and 35 of our technical and vocational qualifications.”

Over half of all A Level results achieved at the College were at grade A*- C and 18 subjects had a 100% pass rate. These included 99 students on the six A Levels across Art, Design, Textiles and Photography. Criminology with 67 students had 100% pass rate, with 61% of those being A*-B grades. Students also gained fantastic vocational results, with well over half gaining at least one Distinction and over 66% of vocational courses had a 100% pass rate.

Bertie Jaques-Matthias achieved D*D*D* in his BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts and has secured a place at the Liverpool Institute of Arts (LIPA) to study Screen Acting and Digital Media. Speaking of his time at New College he said:

“Personally, the course and facilities distinguished New College Swindon from my other sixth form options. I can confidently say without the support of my lecturers and the wider College community, I would not have been equipped with the skills and experience to have this great opportunity to pursue my dream university place.”

Clarissa Colle achieved BBB in A-level English, Spanish, and Psychology. 

“I am really proud of myself and so happy that I got the results I need to get into my university of choice, City University in London. My advice to other students would be that studying what you enjoy and want you are passionate about is the key to success. My time at New College Swindon has been amazing and I’m excited for the future.”

Sameerah Rahmed achieved D*D*D* Level 3 Extended Diploma in Uniformed Public Services and said:

“I am really happy with the grades I received today. I have really enjoyed my time here at New College Swindon. It has been an absolute joy. I had the opportunity to learn and grow from arrange of different lecturers and staff here at the College. I want to thank everyone at New College Swindon who has made my time here so memorable. I am off to start a Degree-Level Apprenticeship in Policing at Thames Valley. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this fantastic opportunity without the support of everyone around me.”

2023 also sees the first cohort of T-Level students in Swindon and Wiltshire collecting their results. There was excitement all round at the high pass rate confirming that the College is off to a great start with the introduction of this innovative qualification. New College Swindon was one of the first providers selected to offer T-Levels and has overseen a multi-million-pound investment in state-of-the-art facilities to support the new qualification. Introduced as a key part of the Government’s strategy to address the skills gap in various industries, T-Levels include a large work experience component and are equivalent to three A Levels.

The College is predicting that, once again, a high number of students will gain university places, with 471 students holding firm offers through UCAS. Many others are set to go straight into employment or a higher apprenticeship.

Carole said:

“As usual, we have staff available to provide advice and guidance on students’ next steps and to support anyone who is looking to access Clearing. We’re also delighted that many students are following the national trend of studying their university-level courses locally where we still have some places available at our University Centre and the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology.”

A national study, by the Sutton Trust and UCL, found that one in three students starting university this year may opt to live at home. New College Swindon has a long history of providing excellent university-level courses and in June this year, was granted University Centre status, underlying its position as a quality alternative to university, right here in Swindon and Wiltshire. Higher and Degree level apprenticeships are proving to be a great option too as you can earn while you get your degree and there are no tuition fees to pay.

The College is anticipating more success when their GCSE and Level 2 students collect their results next week. It’s also gearing up to welcome thousands of students through the doors for enrolment. With fast-track enrolment now open, there is still time to apply to New College Swindon this September.

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