A-level students jump for joy

THERE were lots of happy faces at Ripon Grammar School as students’ hard work paid off with an outstanding set of A-level results.

With 81 per cent of grades awarded at A*/B, and more than 60 per cent of all grades at A*/A, most students have secured their first-choice degree courses.

Following a difficult 18 months, students were delighted to be rewarded for their efforts and motivation throughout the challenges imposed by the pandemic.

An impressive 22 students achieved three A*s or more, with the school’s 147 A-level students receiving a total of 133 A*s.

High grades secured students places on a diverse range of highly competitive courses, from aeronautical engineering, architecture and astrophysics to dentistry, fashion, medicine, music and philosophy.

They will be studying in all corners of the country and all over the world, from Ivy League American universities to Oxbridge, with the majority securing places at elite Russell Group universities.

Among the top performers at the school, which consistently tops the A-level results table for North Yorkshire, were Molly Cushing, Jake Hewison, Poppy Harrison, Matthew Morrice and Ben Rickard, who all achieved five A*s.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said the Class of 2021 had been an incredibly hardworking and motivated year group: “As always, our students have worked extremely hard and with great resilience and so I hope their grades represent an accurate reflection of abilities and efforts.

“Results are never an end in themselves but merely act as the necessary passport to the next destination in one’s life.

“Congratulations to all who have secured their chosen course at the institution of their choice. We will be working closely to support those who may be disappointed to ultimately pass on to the next phase in a path of life-long learning.”

He added that students at RGS, where the overall pass mark was 99.8%, had undergone a rigorous and fair process of assessment: “These are an excellent set of results after what has been a difficult two years for our students."