A-level results day: Stratton Upper School celebrates 'superb' set of grades and individual achievements

Staff and students at Biggleswade's Stratton Upper School are celebrating a "superb set of A Level results" with some "fantastic individual achievements".

Principal Roz Hodges took the opportunity to praise the pupils for their success during what has been an "unprecedented" two years, while Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust told the newspaper that it admired the students' "strength and determination".

Delighted pupils opened their results this morning (August 10) and many have exciting plans for the road ahead.

A spokeswoman for Stratton Upper School told the newspaper: "Students of note to achieve excellent results this year include top performers Keeley Burgess, Tilly Finch and Alicia who all achieved an incredible four A* grades.

"Keeley is going on to study Physiotherapy at the University of Salford, Tilly will go to York University to study Mathematics and Alicia will study Modern History with Economics at the University of Manchester.

"Caitlin Allen, James Buckley, Sam Lower, Lucy Paget and Mia Wright all achieved at least three A* grades.

"Caitlin is going on to study Architecture and Landscape at the University of Sheffield, James will Read Mathematics at the University of York, Sam is going to the University of Birmingham to study Chemical Engineering, Lucy will read Law at the University of Cambridge and Mia will study Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds.

"We are also delighted with the following students who all achieved grades at A* and A: Kye Barwell, Hannah Boswell, Josh Bugg, Fin Chapman, Cameron Godfrey, Amy Kendrick, Jovan Krstic and Olivia Stebbing.

"The following students achieved all grades at B and above: Chloe Adnitt, Lucy Bacon, Sean Blackburn, Erin Brewer, Cath Brown, Jacob King, Allana Lewis, Emma Metcalfe, Aaron Oliver-Palmer, Jessie Parkes, Ebenezer Sarpong, Gemma Scholes, Indra Sritharan, Tabitha Stevenson, Polly Swinburne and Alisha Wyatt.

"Many of our students are going on to really interesting opportunities such as Chloe Dessent who will study Bio-veterinary Sciences at the Royal Veterinary College. Thomas Sennett will study Forensic Investigation with a placement year at Staffordshire University and Dan Smith will soon be starting specialist training with the police as he embarks on a career in service."

The government announced earlier this year that students taking A-levels would be awarded grades on an assessment by their teachers.

The "robust assessment" has used a variety of methods including mock exams, homework and work completed as part of students’ courses, such as essays or in-class tests, as well as coursework.

Roz Hodges, Principal at Stratton Upper School, said: “The last two years have been the most unprecedented and challenging for any young person working toward A-Levels and

other Level 3 qualifications, but we could not be more proud of our students’ achievements.

“They have remained dedicated and resilient throughout repeated lockdowns, remote learning and having to complete more assessments than they would during a normal exam year. They have grasped every opportunity and their commitment to learning has paid off for all of them.

“Schools have had a considerable responsibility to ensure that students are credited with what they have achieved and that assessments of students’ learning have been accurately measured.

"At Stratton, we have undergone rigorous assessment and marking procedures which we have been standardised and moderated with the other secondary schools in the CMAT family so we can be certain that the grades awarded to our students are both fair and accurate.

“We are therefore delighted with the outcomes of our students this year and congratulate them all on their achievements.”

Andy Daly, Executive Principal at Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust, added: “It has been a pleasure to celebrate the success of students at Stratton Upper School today. The strength and determination this cohort has shown has been truly admirable and they should be proud of what they have accomplished.

“Since joining the CMAT family, Stratton Upper School have extended the Trusts values of delivering a high-quality learning environment and promoting achievement for all, and it has been a joy to see this reflected in the students’ results.”

For more information about Stratton Upper School, please visit: http://www.stratton.beds.sch.uk/