STUDENTS at Barrow Sixth Form College are celebrating achieving a remarkable set of results after having never sat formal exams at school.

The sixth formers returned to the Rating Lane campus for results day to discover their grades and plan exciting futures at university, in higher apprenticeships and in employment.

There were around 200 students marking their achievements in A Levels and CTECs - after missing out on sitting GCSE exams at school due to the pandemic.

The college saw a bumper crop of high grades with top student Toby Wilson securing the maximum 4 A* grades and a place to study medicine at Cambridge University.

The former St Bernard’s pupil, who has been shortlisted for a Golden Apple Education Award for his work to create an online forum to support future medics, thanked his tutors for their help over the past two years.

He said: “I’m a bit overwhelmed really as I wasn’t expecting them to be so good. I was nervous because I haven’t experienced exams before but I am really excited about it now I know where I am going.

“I have a nice group of friends from college, I’ve enjoyed the freedom sixth form gives you. I would say to anyone thinking about Oxbridge just to go for it. I took a bit of a punt and applied and it has worked out. Don’t be put off by stereotypes, believe in yourself.”

The Mail:

An aspiring forensic pathologist, Phoebe Postlethwaite, who joined college from Dowdales, secured her university place to study medicine at Edge Hill after studying A Levels in biology, maths and chemistry.

She said: "I want to become a forensic pathologist - I like silent witness!

"I thought I had done terribly in maths so I am elated and really excited."

The Mail:

Evie McMullen and Luke Beresford are looking forward to higher apprenticeship roles in project management at BAE Systems and Sellafield respectively.

Evie, who went to Ulverston Victoria High School, secured ABC in business, accounting and maths while Luke, who went to Dowdales, achieved AAB.

Gracie Fisher, who was on the first cohort of students on the animal management programme the college runs in partnership with Myerscough College, successfully secured her place to study a degree in Wildlife Conservation with Zoo Biology at the University of Salford.

She said: “I was quite nervous this morning but then I got a text to say I had got in to Salford. It’s been great and I feel great now. I’m really looking forward to going to university and then I plan to travel doing conservation.”

Fellow pupil Adam Boyd secured A*A* and A in business, accounting and maths and a place at Durham University to study business and management and closer to his dream career in finance.

He said: “I’m really relieved, there’s been a lot of stress and it’s been a challenging time for me. My mum cried when I told her. I am the first in my immediate family to go to University, so there are some bragging rights there."

“I’m going to Durham and some of my friends are going too, so it’ll be nice to have friends there. We’re planning to go for a drink to celebrate.”

The Mail:

Head of Sixth Form Helen Gibson said she was delighted with the results, which included an extremely strong set of high grades, and a fantastic pass rate.

She said: “We cannot underestimate the strength these students have shown, their resilience and determination to succeed when faced with an unprecedented upheaval to their education through the pandemic.

“The majority of this cohort of students have never sat a formal exam and others have faced challenges with family circumstances that had the potential to derail their education.

“Yet today, across the board, we are looking at an excellent set of results, a remarkable amount of high grades and the ability for these students to move forward in life and education in whatever direction they wish to choose."