A level and T level students nervously received their results this morning after months of waiting following exams, with Oldham Sixth Form College students also eagerly opening their results.
Nationally, the proportion of A level entries awarded top grades is down on last year, but still remains above pre-pandemic levels.
The students receiving their A level results this year did not sit GCSE exams and were awarded teacher-assessed grades, due to the pandemic. Students said they found learning through the pandemic difficult.
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Oldham Sixth Form College assistant principal Richard Lee said the school’s results were in line with grades awarded in 2019, adding that while the drop in grades since the pandemic has given some challenges, it wasn’t anything they couldn’t overcome.
Mr Lee said: “We’re really happy with the results.
"Nationwide the government has decided to move grades back towards where they were in 2019, and that seems to be the picture we’re seeing, but thankfully that hasn’t had a really big effect on our students – they’re still coming out with grades that allow them to progress on to really good courses at top universities.
“Some students might not have got into their first choice university, but the vast majority have got places at good universities on courses that they’ll be happy studying.
"There has been a little bit of an effect right at the top end, but students still got good places at university.”
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Two of the college’s students have had places confirmed at Oxford University, with one more student still waiting for their place to be confirmed.
One of the students who got in was Josh Bruton, from Greenfield.
The 18-year-old is off to Oxford University to study maths, after getting A*s in maths, further maths, and physics, alongside a B in politics.
He said: “I was predicted four A*s, so the B is a bit of a drop-off from that, but that’s been at least a college-wide thing and likely a nationwide thing, so these things happen – I can’t let it weigh me down.
“I’m going to Oxford Uni to do Maths for four years, and after that I’m not yet certain – I’m keeping my options open, but that’s the lucky thing with a maths degree, I’m hoping it will keep me on a lot of career paths that hopefully I’ll find one I enjoy and I’m able to pursue.”
Josh said he was "really excited" to go to Oxford, and thanked the college for making Oxford seem possible.
He added: “They make it to the point where you believe that you can, it’s easy coming from Year 11 in a place such as Oldham, you believe that these universities are not for people from round here, and that’s quite disheartening, but the way the college does it and puts it, it makes you believe that we can all achieve these things.
“There are so many people who have gotten into their dream universities, and I think we’ve all had a great day.”
As well as those going to Oxford, the college has seen eight students with a confirmed place on a Medicine course, with a ninth yet to be confirmed.
Students will be studying at a range of universities, including Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Southampton, Lancaster, and Queen Mary University of London.
One student off to study medicine is Aqib Rahman, who achieved an A in biology and chemistry, and an A* in Economics.
Aqib thanked his teacher Rachel for "reigniting his passion in biology" and his economics teacher Adeela for her help.
He said he was set to take his place at Queen Mary University of London following a gap year, where he plans to study Arabic in Egypt.
The young Hathershaw resident said: “There’s a lot going on right now so I haven’t had time to really think about it, but I’m excited, but it’s also daunting as well, moving to London – it’s very fast paced compared to Oldham.
“My family are really proud, my older brother is doing medicine as well at Nottingham, and my brother is doing accounting at Leeds. I’m the last one in the family, so it’s job done now.”
Friend Awais Ahmad was also happy with his results, getting A*s in economics and business, and a B in politics.
He is now off to do business accounting in partnership with PwC at the University of Manchester, and hopes to open his own accountancy firm in Oldham one day.
Umaiya Begum got As all round in biology, chemistry and psychology.
She is now off to study dentistry at the University of Manchester.
Umaiya said she was inspired to go into the profession after seeing her family have issues accessing dentists.
She said: “I haven’t really had dental issues or anything, but my family have and I’ve seen how hard it is for them to get appointments. I feel like we need more dentists, so I want to be a dentist.”
In part due to costs, Umaiya says she’ll be living at home for university, adding: “Doing a course like dentistry, if I was alone during that – I feel like I’d go out of my mind. I never wanted to move out, moving out was never really in my plans anyway.”
Friend Sadia Akhter is taking a year out to consider her next steps after receigin an A* in maths alongside an A in history and psychology.
Student Hubert Frankiewicz received AAA in physics, maths and geography and is now off to do physics at his first choice- University College London, after he was predicted A*, A*, A*.
He said: “We got a lot of information about it being reduced. I’m happy with my grades, it didn’t go down enough to not get me into uni, and we got told in advance.”
Maisie Hutchinson studied PE, psychology and sociology, receiving a B and two Cs. She said she’s now off to Edge Hill University to study sports therapy.
Asked how it was studying GCSEs in lockdown, Maisie said: “It was different from what I expected coming into A levels, we sat our exams in a classroom, so it was different to sitting them in a hall, but you learn to adapt.
“I hope to finish with a degree and then get into a stable job somewhere, I’ve not fully decided what job I’m going into yet.”
Friend Isabelle Lofthouse studied English language, psychology and biology and is now planning to take a gap year, working as an English tutor in high schools.
Like many students, her predicted 3 As ended up slightly lower, at A, B, and C, but she was still happy with her results.
In a press release, Oldham Sixth Form College said that 46 of its courses had achieved a 100 per cent pass rate, with the proportion of students passing said to be above the national average, and the number of students holding university offers at "an all time high".
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