DELIGHTED students from Witham Sixth Form are looking forward to bright futures after picking up their A-level results.

Despite more students than ever from the combined Maltings Academy and new Rickstones Academy centre being offered university places, the results achieved were slightly lower than the high levels set last year.

A total of 53 per cent of students’ A-level results at the combined Maltings Academy and New Rickstones Academy college were between the top grades of A* and C.

The percentage of results between grades A* to E fell from 97 per cent last year to 90 per cent on Thursday.

However total of 70 per cent of the combined results, in both A-level subjects and other equivalents, were A* to C grades.

The same percentage of students managed the feat last year.

Major changes have been implemented to A-levels like English language and biology by the government.

The results last Thursday were the first grades awarded in 13 subjects that have been reformed, with a move away from coursework, modular exams throughout the course and the decoupling of AS-levels, making them more challenging for students.

Debbie Kershaw, director of Witham Sixth Forms, said: “At Witham Sixth Forms, we are pleased with our students’ results which are testament to their hard work and determination.

“This is reflected in an increased number of university places being offered.

“We pride ourselves on offering the correct courses for the young people of Witham so we are especially happy with the results of the applied courses.

“These results will see our students accessing the right universities or employment for them which is what we are about.

“As the exam boards have said, the pass grades are now more difficult to achieve and, with that in mind, we are really pleased with these outcomes.”

Some students marks still stood out however, with soon-to-be Bank of England apprentice James Collier achieving two A*s and two As and new London accounting apprentice Leanne Sayers picked up an A*, a B and a C.

This year the school also marked a noted movement towards more applied courses and results in these were said impressive.

In these applied courses - level 3 BTEC qualifications such as business studies, ICT, sport, performing arts, media and personal business finance – 100 per cent of the grades were A* to C.

BTEC students like new University of Northampton student Lucky Tshielon received two distinction*s and a distinction and Elisha Lacey achieved three distinction*s.

Figures from across the country show that the proportion of students achieving the very highest grades in their A-level results has risen for the first time in six years.

National figures show that more than one in four, 26.3 per cent, of A-level entries scored an A* or A this summer, up 0.5 percentage points on 2016.

Boys also pulled ahead of girls for the first time in terms of achieving A* and A grades.

Students collected their A-level results at the Witham Sixth Forms centre, at New Rickstones Academy, in Conrad Road, last Thursday.