THE head of Downend and Mangotsfield Sixth Form has hailed the “fantastic” A-level results achieved by students this year.
Across England a total of 313,190 students sat A-levels this summer, and 28.2% of the 814,335 grades awarded were at A* or A – up from 27.6% last year, and the highest recorded outside the years from 2020-22, when grading was changed because of the pandemic.
Regulator Ofqual said 77.7% of grades were A*-C. It insists the increase in performance is not due to grade inflation, saying a lower proportion of 18 year olds took A-levels as students make “different choices about what types of qualification suit them”.
At Downend, 63% of students achieved grades A* to C.
The overall A* to E pass rate at Downend was 98% – above the the national average of 97.5% but down slightly on last year’s 99%.
The sixth form, based at Downend School, also teaches former Mangotsfield School students.
Record numbers of A-level candidates were accepted by their first-choice university this year, up from 184,400 in 2024 to 193,510 across England.
Downend students have been offered places at universities including Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Leeds, Southampton, Swansea, Bournemouth and UWE.
Other students have opted for degree-level apprenticeships, with Airbus, accountants Saffrey and the NHS among the organisations offering them the first step into a career.
Head of Downend and Mangotsfield Sixth Form Kate Long said: “Staff and students are celebrating a fantastic set of A-level results this year, reflecting two years of dedication, resilience, and ambition.
“The sixth form continues to deliver strong academic outcomes.
“We are incredibly proud of our students. These results are a testament to their hard work, the unwavering support of our staff, and the strength of our Sixth Form community.
“Our students have not only achieved academically, they have grown as role models and leaders. “Whether heading to university, apprenticeships, or other exciting next steps, they leave us equipped, empowered, and ready to thrive.
“Congratulations to all our students, your achievements are richly deserved.”
*GCSE results were announced after the Voice was published – a report will appear in our October edition.
Daniel Lenton, of Downend, achieved a Merit in his sport BTEC diploma, a C in A-level history and D in geography.
He has a place at Bournemouth University to study sports journalism, but plans to defer for a year.
Daniel said: “I’m going to apply for an apprenticeship and leave the option of university open – I think an apprenticeship might suit me better.
“The results were what I was expecting – I knew I would do well enough to get what I needed.”
Hannah Gamlin, of Emersons Green, will study medicine at Birmingham University after gaining A grades in biology and geography, and a B in chemistry.
Hannah said: “I’m proud of myself, because medicine is so competitive, even to get an offer is hard, so to get a place is amazing.
“I spent my whole Year 12 summer doing the admissions tests, and interviews over Christmas and January – it’s been a lot of hard work to get here.
“It’s been pretty nerve-wracking waiting for the results.”
Lyla Szczelkun, of Downend, achieved A* grades in geography, biology and chemistry and is taking a gap year to work before starting a degree. She is planning to apply to Bristol University.
Lyla said: “I’m really happy because I thought I’d messed up geography.
“I knew I was going to do well – I put a lot of work in – but I got more than I could’ve expected.”
Evie Szczelkun, of Downend, who is Lyla’s twin sister, will study maths at Bath University after gaining A* grades in maths, further maths and chemistry.
Evie said: “It’s way better than I was expecting in the lead-up to the results.
“There was lots of hard work, and lots of effort from my maths teachers – I’m grateful to them.”