Nervous students joined together to find out their A Level results and whether they would be going on to their choices of further education yesterday (August 15).
Champagne celebration
Many from the Western Wards – and across the country – were up at the crack of dawn checking online to see if they had achieved their desired results.
Some pupils at Barton Peveril Sixth Form College went to the site in Eastleigh to celebrate their successes with friends and family – and a few bottles of champagne.
Former Brookfield pupil Katie Hodgkinson got top marks with an A* in biology and As in chemistry, maths and further maths. She will be going on to study medicine at University College London in the hope of working on a hospital paediatric ward.
“I was refreshing all night online to check. It said 8 o’clock, but I thought 3 o’clock was close,” joked the 18-year-old of Woodpecker Copse in Locks Heath. “I got an A* and three As so I’m obviously pumped.
“I haven’t slept in weeks! The summer holidays haven’t really felt like they’ve started because I was so panicky about it.
“I just want to do the best I can for as many patients as possible. I just want to do the best for them, so if that means changing things, it’s all the best for them.”
Dan Avery, 18, from Woolston was less happy with his results in law, history, archaeology and English literature because he had hoped to go on to study American history at Kent University.
Barton Peveril students celebrate their successful A Level results
He said: “I got all Bs. It’s not what I wanted. I needed an ABB. It’s looking like I’ve not got in.
“I’ll probably have to give them a ring tonight.”
But he has a fall back offer of studying medieval history at Winchester.
Meanwhile Alice Winter, 18, got a distinction – equivalent to two As – in an OCR Level 3 national diploma in business studies and an A in drama. She is going on to take an apprenticeship with Boots at its headquarters in Nottingham, after having worked with them already for two years.
“I was looking for sponsored degree programmes and someone at work mentioned the one at head office,” said Alice, from Hedge End.
Katie Hodgkinson
“It’s well worth going through the apprenticeship route. You’ve got a guaranteed job at the end. I’m really excited now.”
Paris Wheeler from Southampton, got an A* in media and As in film, sociology and citizenship and is going on to study sociology at the University of Southampton.
The 18-year-old who suffers cerebral palsy said she thrives on a challenge to prove wrong those people who think her disability means she may not achieve as well as others.
She said: “I like to be underestimated. I like to prove them wrong. That’s why I’ve worked so hard.”
Laura Collins, 18, from Rownhams got A*s in biology and chemistry and As in maths and philosophy. She will be going on to study biochemistry at Oxford University – which she said she was very excited about.
Joe Venables, 18 from Southampton, achieved A*s in history and economics and As in history and French. He will be heading to UCL to study a degree in English.
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