'A weird mix of emotions': how some students are reacting to their A-Level results

Students across the country are receiving their A-Level results, AS-Level and T- Level results as they get ready to progress to the next stage of their lives. 

There has been a lot of anticipation in the lead-up to this year’s results after ministers in England said they want to restore A-level grades to pre-pandemic levels. This has led to a drop in the number of As and A*s achieved, although results are still higher than they were in 2019.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said A-level results on Thursday are a “testament” to the hard work of students who had a “tough time” through the pandemic.

Speaking to reporters at the City of London Academy Islington, in north London, Ms Keegan said: “They’ve definitely had a tough time and they’ve definitely had to show their resilience.

“I mean, they did have teacher assessed grades at GCSE, they did have a lot of disruption during the pandemic, and that’s why I think it’s just our time really to congratulate them. They’ve done so well. They’ve really shown that they can be resilient.”

She added: “I was just talking to some students before, they said they practiced exams so that they could get the feel for what exams were like because they hadn’t done exams before.

“But I think it’s a brilliant, you know, testament really to their hard work and their determination how well they’ve all done.”

But now the question is - how do students feel about their results?

'A weird mix of emotions'

Sam Shakeshaft, 19, got a place at Cambridge to read computer science after getting three A* grades in maths, further maths and psychology and an A in computer science at Shrewsbury College, Shropshire.

Speaking to the PA news agency at the college’s Welsh Bridge campus in Priory Road, Shrewsbury, he said: “I met my offer at Cambridge, I don’t even know what to say to that. I didn’t get an A* in computer science but they don’t seem to mind that.

“I expected to cry but I don’t think it has sunk in yet to be honest. I looked at my results and then immediately came here. It’s a weird mix of emotions. I worked hard and it’s paid off.”

The gap year 

A student with dreams of a career in architecture is to take a year out after being scouted for modelling work at a music festival.

Archie McIntyre, 18, of Loddon, Norfolk, collected his A-level grades at nearby Langley School on Thursday, with Bs in geography and design and technology, and a C in business. “I’ve been wanting to go into architecture basically my whole life but I’m delaying that by a year to just find what I really want to do with everything, have a step back from it all and explore some other career paths,” he said.

“I went to a festival and was scouted by a couple of modelling agencies so I’m going to go this year and hopefully do some shoots for them, go travelling and see my grandad in Australia, end up in India for a couple of weeks, and hopefully do some work for a big company that manufactures engines.”

He said he was scouted while at the We Out Here music festival in Wimborne, Dorset.

Pandemic disruption 

A cricketer who achieved the grades she needs to study physiotherapy said that disruption through the pandemic was hard but teachers “helped us get through it all quite smoothly”.

May Drinkell, 18, of Bungay, Suffolk, collected her grades at Langley School near Loddon in Norfolk on Thursday, achieving a B in A-level chemistry, C in maths and a distinction in BTec sport.

“I was feeling a bit nervous, the build up’s been quite a while, I had the summer to let it marinate but I’m happy with how it went and I’m just glad it’s all over really now,” she said. She said her first choice is to study physiotherapy at UEA in Norwich alongside her cricket training.

Referring to disruption through the pandemic, she said: “It’s been a little bit hard but the teachers have been so good here and they’ve helped us get through it all quite smoothly.”