A LEVEL pupils at Harrogate’s Ashville College were praised after most of the Class of 2023 were awarded places at their preferred universities, from London to Toronto, Edinburgh to Florida.
As the school celebrates its 40th year of co-education, the results also shone a spotlight on the academic skills of its Sixth Form girls who performed outstandingly with the number of A* and A grades they achieved. Ashville’s girls defied a national trend reported yesterday by The Times that suggested female pupils were hit hardest by grade deflation.
This year’s set of results enable Ashville pupils to pursue their chosen undergraduate degrees, which range from Aeronautics and Astronautics to Medicine and also include Archaeology and Ancient Civilisation, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Finance and Management, Mechanical Engineering, Modern Foreign Languages, Physics, Physiotherapy, and Sports Management.
Destinations include some of the UK’s top universities including King’s College London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Durham, Newcastle, Birmingham, Southampton, and Bristol.
A number of pupils will embark on the exciting next chapter of their lives by commencing their studies around the globe, securing places at the prestigious Toronto University in Canada, as well as in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Others are heading off to a wide range of excellent universities in the United States, including the Ivy League institution Cornell, the University of Virginia, University of Colorado, University of Central Florida and the US top Art and Design College, which is in Savannah, Georgia.
A total of 78 per cent of Ashville graduates were awarded places at their first choice of university, with a further 15 per cent have secured entry to their second-choice university.
One of the top-performing pupils, joint Head of School Fleur Croft, who achieved a set of three A* grades, said: “My results have exceeded my expectations.
“The sense of the unknown made me nervous in the run-up. I am delighted to be heading to Edinburgh to study History. It’s a good university and a lovely city that is fairly new to me so it’s the start of a new chapter. I have a lot to do in the next few weeks to get prepared! 
“I would advise pupils doing A Levels next year to work hard – consistently. The teachers are amazing. I could not have done this without them!”
Fellow joint Head of School Toby Sinclair-Morris is now looking forward to studying Aeronautical Engineering at Leeds University after being awarded A*, A and B. He said: “I am pleased and very relieved to get into the university I wanted and hope to one day join the RAF.
“Ashville’s support was outstanding – I could not have asked for more. I have to mention Mr Mahawes Alem for his continued support, but in reality, every single one of my teachers have been fantastic.
“I have been privileged to have been a Head of School this year, so my parting words to upcoming A Level candidates would be that of course A Levels are important, and you have to work hard, but at the end of the day, they are letters on a piece of paper.
“You must not sacrifice your wellbeing because of them.”
Head of Ashville College, Rhiannon Wilkinson, said: “Results day belongs to our pupils – and I am delighted to see what their hard work over the past two years in Sixth Form has achieved. They are a credit to our school.
“Once again, there have been so many individual success stories which have filled the Ashville family with pride.
“We wish every member of this tremendous year group every success in their new lives and look forward to watching their progress as they continue their studies or indeed start their careers.”
