Congratulations to our students and teachers for their outstanding achievements as we again celebrate a year of excellent A level results!
In all key performance measures we have improved on last year, which themselves were an excellent set of results above the national averages. This year we have seen 80% of Level 3 entries achieving grades between A* – C and the overall pass rate continue to be very high at 98%. These high standards will provide an excellent foundation for students as they progress confidently to university, further training and the world of work.
Yet again the number of top A and A* grades that our students achieved has been outstanding with nearly 40% realising these grades in A Levels and equivalent qualifications. High proportions of top grades are evident in Business, Health & Social Care, History, Psychology, Sociology and Law. Our programmes to challenge and support our more able and talented students, including those engaged in the Seren Network, is evidently working well. The Welsh Government flagship qualification – the Welsh Baccalaureate, continues to provide students with the skills and experiences for higher education and world of work with 45% of grades in the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate being at A* and A grade.
We are confident that this year 100% of our students wishing to attend university will be successful – the vast majority at their first choice institution. We have seen a large number of students gain places at Russell Group and other local universities. Many other students have achieved the required grades to move into apprenticeships, further training and employment with many successfully obtaining Higher Apprenticeship in local and national companies.
“I would like to congratulate our students and staff on all their hard work throughout the year. It is delightful to see so many students in today with happy faces and being excited about their next steps. We wish them all the very best.” (Eugene Scourfield, Headteacher)
Our BTEC vocational subject areas continue to achieve excellent results for our students. This year 76% of the grades achieved in our vocational subjects of Business Studies, Health & Social Care, Public Services, Art & Design and Applied Science being at Distinction* and Distinction grades. These students have secured places at Russell Group and local universities as well as practical routes through apprenticeships and employment. These successes and our continuation of our vocational curriculum is particularly important given recent comments made by the CBI in Wales about the positive value BTEC and vocational qualifications have in industry.
“Providing the young people of Port Talbot and other areas of the local authority with high quality sixth form education has always been a special privilege for St. Joseph’s. We are immensely proud of the fantastic results achieved by our students this year and it is with great pleasure today that we wish them well as they embark on their next steps towards achieving their dreams and aspirations for the future.” (Jodie Gow – Head of Sixth Form)
Some of our highest achieving students include Jasmyn Watkins, Holly Camps, Georgia Crosby, Jada Lynch, Coral Morris, Tia Prosser, Joseph Ryan, Imogen Fish, Lauren Ware, Mari James Deane and Daniel Thomas who between them achieved 24A*, 18A and 12B grades.
Special mention to Jasmyn Watkins who achieved an outstanding 5A* grades in Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics and the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate.
