A-levels: North-East pupils planning bright futures

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Photo gallery: Delight and surprise as students collect their results 

The North-East had the highest overall pass rate in the country at 98.5 per cent, while the number of pupils achieving a grade A fell slightly by 0.1 per cent - the same as the overall figure for the UK.

However, data from university admissions organisation UCAS shows the North-East comes bottom in terms of university applications for the January deadline 2015, with only 31.1 per cent of pupils applying for higher education.

Schools and colleges received the results on Wednesday and quickly analysed how their students performed before the grades were handed out yesterday morning.

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, achieved a 99 per cent pass rate, with 53 per cent gaining A*, A and B grades.

Budding Army medic, 18-year-old Alex Harris, pictured above, from Barnard Castle, was the only student at the college to achieve five A* grades and will study medicine at Nottingham University.

Jasmin Guy, Bethan Hacker and Alexandra Wall each gained one A* and four A grades and will study law at Durham University, geography at Durham, and history at Oxford University, respectively.

Darlington Young Citizen of the Year, Kasia Polkoszek, who moved to England from Poland three years ago, also achieved top grades and is pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor after being accepted into Exeter University to study medicine.

Meanwhile Savannah Birch, from Richmond, fought off competition from 8,000 applicants to win a civil service apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defence, and Jess Adamson, from Leyburn, will begin an apprenticeship with Hays Travel, in Ripon.

Principal Tim Fisher said he was delighted with this year’s results.

“These students are going away from QE with a fantastic future ahead of them.”

Caitlin Gowland from King James Academy, Bishop Auckland was over the moon to discover she had achieved grades A*, A, B and will be reading Japanese Studies at Durham University in the autumn.

Head of Sixth Form and Assistant Head-teacher, David Shearer said he was delighted with exceptionally high results in a wide range of subjects.

Out of all final year students, 45% achieved A* grades making this the best set of ‘A’ level results in the academy’s history, with 63% of students achieving at least one A* to A grade.

He added: “We would like to pay tribute to the hard work of our students and to the parents and teachers who have contributed to this year’s success.”

It was another record year at St Bede’s Catholic Sixth Form College in Lanchester, with 57 per cent of entries attaining A* to B grades and an overall pass rate of 100 per cent.

Simon Biasi achieved 4 A*s in History, English Literature, French and Maths, with an additional A* for his extended project qualification.

Simon is following a family tradition as his elder brother and sister, Tim and Enrica, also went to Oxford.

He said: “I was hoping they would be good, but obviously I wasn’t sure. I worked hard for them."

Alex Norman and Greg Leonard, who both got three As in maths, biology and chemistry, have secured places to study medicine with Alex going to Birmingham University and Greg heading for Imperial College, London.

North Durham Academy, in Stanley, which opened in September 2013, following the merger of Stanley School of Technology and Greencroft Business and Enterprise Community School, celebrated its first set of A-level results with a pass rate of 98.2 per cent.

Andrew Short, who has secured a place at Durham University to do education studies with English after getting an A*, A and two Bs.

Among the parents supporting their children as they collected their results at Yarm School was Newcastle Utd manager Steve McClaren, pictured below, whose son Josh attends the school.

Stockton Riverside College’s Bede Sixth Form achieved a 98 per cent pass rate with 100 per cent success in 18 out of 24 subjects.

Vocational results at the college also proved outstanding with 58 per cent of students receiving a distinction or a distinction star, the highest possible grades.

Yarm’s Conyers School achieved its best ever results, with 61 per cent of students achieving three or more A*/B grades while 14 students attained straight A*/A grades, including Andrew Camsell and Adam Dadvar, who secured their places to study chemical engineering at Cambridge.

Among the exceptional success stories at Teesside High School were Lucia Holdhusen, with A* in Maths, Further Maths and Physics; Mark Horton, A* in Maths and As in Physics and Chemistry; and Heather Steele, As in Biology, Chemistry and History.

Middlesbrough College said it had enjoyed an "exceptional year" with 20 subjects achieving a 100 per cent pass rate.

Richmond School and Sixth Form College also reported some impressive results.

Straight A* and A grade students included Paolo Osorio, who will now study biochemistry at Oxford University.

Also going to Oxford are Claire Heseltine who will read classics and Grant Dalton, history, while Samya Kelly will read human, social and political sciences at Cambridge University.

Among the star performers at Northallerton School and Sixth Form College was Rhiannon Hinton. The three A*s she achieved will allow her to pursue her dream career in cosmetic science.

The 18-year-old, of Northallerton, will now read chemistry at Leeds University with a view to working to produce the next generation of safe and radiant beauty products.

High-flying student Dominic Jacques achieved two A*s and an A, securing his place to read history at Cambridge University. The 18-year-old, of RAF Leeming, hopes one day to join the RAF as an officer.

Students from Durham Johnston collect their A-level results. Picture: TOM BANKS

Durham Johnston School achieved a 100 per cent pass rate and 44 per cent of entries gained A* or A. Six youngsters achieved four A*s or better. Headteacher Michael Wardle said: “Seeing so many students buzzing with pride in their success is absolutely wonderful.”

Durham High School for Girls also achieved a 100 per cent pass rate, with 56 per cent at A* or A. Tamsin Morton achieved three A*s and one A and will study classics at Oxford, while Hannah Kentridge gained two A*s and one A and will study Japanese at Oxford.

New College Durham gained a 99 per cent pass rate. Sarah Lisgo, of Washington, achieved one A* and two As and will study English Literature at York.

The pass rate was 98.2 per cent at East Durham College. Principal Suzanne Duncan said: “It’s always a bit nervous waiting for your A-level results. However, following all the exceptional work put in last year, we were quietly confident the students would o well and reach their potential.”

Across Sunderland’s colleges and sixth form, the pass rate was 98 per cent.