Academic excellence and determination in challenging circumstances took centre stage as students celebrated their A-level and BTEC results at Royal Leamington Spa College and Rugby College.

Across the two colleges, which are part of WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group), a pass rate of 98 per cent was achieved at A-levels, with a perfect 100 per cent pass rateacross 13 courses.

Students are now set to take their next steps in work or education, with many heading on to university, including 19-year-old Will Newton, from Coventry, who secured two As and an A* at Leamington. 

He has turned down a place at Cambridge University and will go on to study a joint honours degree in Film and Art History at St Andrews University. 

Will said: “I was happily surprised to get these grades, I had never expected to get three A's,let alone an A*. This will now open up so many new possibilities for me moving forward. I can truly say that the hard work has definitely paid off.”

Seventeen-year-old Lauren Sharman travelled every day to Leamington from her home near Banbury and was rewarded with triple Distinction* BTEC in Business. She will now head to Liverpool to study Business Management.

She said: “I am really not good at exams and much prefer course work which is why I chose the BTEC as opposed to A-levels and it has worked out really well for me.

“The teaching has been really good and it has been easier to track my progress which has helped me.”

Students have also battled through adversity to get the grades they need, including Tess Fisher, aged 18, from Lutterworth, who was ill with glandular fever for much of her two-year BTEC course.

Tess studied at Rugby College and achieved Distinction*, Distinction* and Distinction in Level 3 Sport. She will now head to Bournemouth University to study Sports Therapy.

She said: “I feel really happy. I was a bit worried about the exam so I’m happy to have got the grades now.

“During my course I was a bit poorly with glandular fever, so it’s been a tough couple of years but to have this at the end is just great and the staff have been really supported.”

At Leamington, 18-year-old Reigan Caden, from Whitnash, was hit by mumps during exam season but still collected B grades in Criminology and Sociology and a C in Business to study Primary Education at Nottingham Trent University.

But it wasn’t just teenagers celebrating on results day. At Rugby College, 42-year-old Esme Higgs completed a successful return to education after 20-years of being a full-time mum with an A in A-level English Language and Literature. 

Esme will now head to Coventry University to study for a degree in English and Teaching English as a foreign language.

She said: "Coming back into education was harder than expected but also much more fun. I really enjoyed learning again and I've always had a love of literature and reading.

"My tutor has been fantastic, kind, supportive and made my studies interesting and relevant. I would definitely recommend returning to education as a mature student.

"Helen Kinghorn, Group Vice Principal at WCG, said: “We are very proud of each and everyone of them and these results are testament to the hard work put in by staff and students over the last year.

“The high standard of tutoring, coupled with the hard work of the students themselves, has led to these extremely strong set of results.”

WCG provides help and advice for all students, whatever their grades. Any student concerned about results should ring Student Services on 0300 456 0048.

To find out more about the range of courses available at WCG visit www.wcg.ac.uk