A LEVEL results day had a very different fell this year with many teenagers getting their results via email but the euphoria of success was still high among those who got the grades needed for university or chosen career.

St John’s School in Marlborough took the decision to welcome all Year 13 students into school on Thursday morning at 9am to get their results and get advice if needed.

A spokesman said: “This year, more than ever before, we were pleased that we made the decision to open the school up, as our staff were able to welcome, advise and reassure our students in person, at a time when this additional support is of critical importance.

Principal, Ian Tucker was delighted with what St John’s students achieved. He said: “Each and every one of our students epitomises our Sixth Form core values of challenge, resilience and independence. The overwhelming majority of our students will be entering university or apprenticeships and we are delighted to see many of our students moving to Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities in September.”

Mr Tucker also had a message for all the students leaving Year 13.

“We are so proud of you! Your teachers who have worked hard and supported you at every step want to congratulate you and wish you every success as you move on to the next chapter of your exciting lives.”

At Abbeyfield School in Chippenham there were a lot of smiling faces as students collected their results.

Headteacher Nick Norgrove said: “The positive approach that students had taken to their studies throughout the past two years had really paid off for the Year 13 students.

“Although this academic year had been affected it is only right and proper that the individuals get the outcomes that they deserve and have worked so hard for. Many students will be smiling from ear to ear this morning and rightly so.”

“Several students have, justly, received outstanding results and many more are going onto very prestigious universities: Livia Hamblin – A*, A*, A, B; Ed Horton – A*, A, B; Adam Powell – A, A, B; Ines Vaso – A, A, B; Katy Adams – B, B, B; Ellie Weston – Dist, Dist, C.

At Hardenhuish School, Chippenham students were praised as ‘a credit to themselves, their parents and the staff’.

Lisa Percy, Headteacher said: “I am proud of each and every one of our Year 13, their achievements maturity and resilience through what has been a challenging two years for them. I am confident that the results of these wonderful young people and their resilience and continued hard work will lead them on to even greater achievements in the future”.

She added that their work ethic, determination, maturity and support of each other throughout the last two years has resulted in fantastic A level results with the vast majority of students achieving what they needed and more to enable them to access their next steps.

“They have achieved results which they can all be very proud of and alongside this have made significant contributions to the wider school life and have developed skills and attributes which will serve them well as they progress on the next steps of their academic or working life.”

At Sheldon School in Chippenham many pupils were celebrating some excellent results this morning, including eleven with straight A*/A grades.

A further 17 students achieved two or more top grades in their crop.

Four students gained straight A* grades; Tahmin Ahmed, who is now off to study Biomedical Science at Cardiff University, James Reynolds who will Computer Science at Bristol University, Joe Saunders Aerospace Engineering also at Bristol University and Milly Webber will go to Birmingham University with a year abroad to study Criminology.

Additionally, Sheldon has maintained its record of sending at least one student to Oxbridge each year with Hannah Warby set to study Geography at Oxford.

Headteacher, Neil Spurdell, was keen to focus on the students’ successes in what has been a challenging year for everyone up and down the country.

“We are very pleased to have seen so many students achieve the excellent grades they deserve from right across the ability range and, for the majority, they will now be able to progress to the university of their choice,” he said.

“Nevertheless, we have a lot to digest following very late decisions made by the government and there are definitely some students who will be incredibly frustrated and disappointed with their outcomes.

“For some, where we believe there have been genuine mistakes made in Ofqual’s standardisation process, we will do whatever we can to make sure these wrongs are righted and, as always, be fully supporting all students who need it, as well as sharing in the happiness of the majority who have done incredibly well.”