A-level result day: Peter Symonds students celebrate grades

Peter Symonds leavers were overjoyed with their results, with many of them receiving As and A*s, with several managing to secure places at Oxbridge.

According to the college, the pass rate for A Level is more than 98 per cent, with 32 per cent of the grades at A or A*. This is a slight drop from last year, where Peter Symonds had 40 per cent of students receiving top marks, in line with a reported national drop.

READ MORE: A-level results day 2023: Live updates from Winchester

Ilkin Mengusoglu, who got A*s in biology, chemistry, maths and further maths, will be heading to UCL to study medicine. He said: “They were tighter than I expected. I was hoping I had done a bit better, but I got all A*s in the end.

Ilkin Mengusoglu (Image: Chris Atkinson)“I am surprised that the grade boundaries were quite high this year, they were quite tight!”

Tilly Wake said that she had received a distinction* in BTEC Business Studies, A* in an Extended Project Qualification, B in English language, B in classical civilisation.”

Tilly Wake was celebrating her results (Image: Stuart Martin)She continued: “I'm going to Exeter to do marketing management. I’m really pleased with my results, I didn’t care as long as I got in.”

C.J. Hoyle will be heading to Cardiff School of Arts to study ceramics. She said: “I got two A*s and an A in 3D sculpture and design, film studies and product design. I am really pleased with my results, I’m happy.”

C.J. Hoyle is planning to study ceramics at Cardiff School of Arts (Image: Chris Atkinson)Twins Felix and Thom Yates were also overjoyed with their results.

Felix said: “I am really pleased! I got into Southampton, which was my top choice, to do computer science. I was just blown away when I went there, and it just felt right. I had my heart set on it and I got in!”

Felix and Thom Yates were happy with their results (Image: Chris Atkinson)Thom said that he is heading to Oxford Brookes to study Japanese studies. He said: “I am really looking forward to it because it’s a four-year course and in the third year you study at a Japanese university for the whole year.”

Elizabeth David and Ethan Chong are both heading to Oxford to study medicine after achieving three A* results each. Ethan said that he feels “really happy” with his results.

Ethan Chong (Image: Chris Atkinson)SEE ALSO: First visit of Chinese students to university since Covid

Elizabeth added: “I guess you feel a bit in awe when you first see it, but I’m really relieved that it’s over!”

Elizabeth David (Image: Chris Atkinson)Speaking to the Chronicle, Peter Symonds head Sara Russell said: “I am incredibly proud of all of our students' results. As usual, they are absolutely fantastic. Obviously, we know that Symonds has a long tradition of students doing incredibly well, but I think it is really important to recognise the context that these students took their exams in. While they weren’t disrupted here at Symonds, in year 10 and 11 they had a lot of disruptions and lockdowns, and this is the first time they have sat exams, so to do as well as they have done is incredible.

“They have done themselves proud and they have done the college proud.”

Other colleges across the Winchester area have also celebrated their students results, with St Swithun’s announcing that 86 per cent of A Levels were graded A* to B, with half of the upper sixth girls achieving AAA or higher, 61 per cent AAB or above and 73 per cent ABB or better.

Barton Peveril, in Eastleigh, reported that 28 per cent of students achieved A to A*, while 82 per cent received A* to C.

Meanwhile, Winchester College said that 77.9 per cent of grades awarded this year were either As or A*s, with 15 pupils achieving four of more A*s.

Director of Studies Dr Tom Thomas said: "These excellent results are a testament to the hard work of Year 13 throughout their A-level studies."