Students excited for future after A-Level success

Students at Devizes School and Sixth Form were among those to receive their exam results on Thursday

Students across the West had a day of "nervous excitement" as they collected their A-level results.

There were the usual feelings of relief, joy and in some cases disappointment, as students gathered in school halls across the region to find out if they had achieved the grades they had set out to.

Nationally, UCAS said a record number of students had been accepted into their first-choice university, with 28.3% of all grades being marked at A* or A - up from 27.8% last year.

Rob Pearsall, head teacher of Wellsway School in Keynsham, said: "We're delighted with our students, whatever they achieve, whatever their outcome."

Miranda Fay said she was "really ready" to embark on her next chapter

Miranda Fay, a Wellsway School student, said she had secured the necessary grades to study medicine at Cambridge in October.

She said she had woken up early to check her results online after struggling to sleep.

"It's been a very long journey, with lots of different hoops you had to jump through to get there, but I'm really, really pleased," she said.

"It will feel really weird to move away from home, and I've always been at this school. But I'm really ready for it now. I'm excited."

Rob Pearsall said staff looked forward to results day every year

Mr Pearsall said results day consisted largely of "nervous excitement", and was a milestone staff looked forward to each year.

"It's a point that's tinged with sadness but excitement," he said.

"We're doing a job and we want those students to be able to move on to what they want to do with their lives.

"Part of our role is to enable students to follow their dreams and aspirations for the future. Today is about that."

Mr Pearsall said the school's exam results were broadly in line with last year, which he said symbolised "everybody's hard work, determination and resilience".

Amen Akhtar and Hannah Webb celebrated each other's success as they opened their results together

Among the students collecting their results at Devizes School and Sixth Form, Wiltshire, was Amen Akhtar, who said he had breathed a sigh of relief as he realised his place at Exeter University had been secured with an A and two B's.

"I'm feeling very scared but I'm excited for this next chapter," he said.

Beside him, Hannah Webb said: "I'm nervous, we've had to wait such a long time."

The pair laughed and clapped as she discovered her grades of two As and two Ds.

Students at Cheltenham Bournside School patiently waited to collect their results

At Cheltenham Bournside School in Gloucestershire, falling shy of her expected grades came as a blessing for 19-year-old Amy Sinclair.

"I did predict that I wouldn't do as well as I was offered at my firm university, but it's all good," she said.

Amy Sinclair said she was feeling "overwhelmed but excited" at the prospect of landing a place at her preferred university

"I went through clearing as I didn't want to go to my insurance choice, but I did want to go to Manchester Met.

"I decided a few months ago I wanted to change and they let me in. I'm very excited.

"It was a lot of hours of revision but it was worth it," she added.

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Andy Berry said it was "wonderful" to see students in Somerset achieving success

Andy Berry, CEO of University Centre Somerset College Group said it was "wonderful" to see students achieving their aims.

"A-Level results are looking stunning this year. Our offer for higher education right here in Somerset is therefore growing.

"I remember leaving school and thinking 'I don't know what I'm going to do', and now we can provide those pathways for young people."