BRAINTREE Sixth Form bosses have praised students for their endeavour with many achieving A-Level grades they needed despite last minute Government changes.

Year 13 students at the Notley Road college were due to take exams this summer, but they were all cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, teenagers' results have been decided exam boards, based on information supplied by the college.

To award the final grades, the exam boards have then applied their own calculations, taking account of performance in previous years, to generate each individual student’s final grades.

School bosses have criticised a last minute announcement by the Government which says pupils can choose between mock exam grades, awarded grades or taking fresh tests in the autumn.

And Braintree Sixth Form said it wouldn't be publishing the usual benchmark data as comparisons with 2019 did not have any validity.

Rob James, executive headteacher at Braintree Sixth Form, said: "This has been a very challenging time for students, many of whom were disappointed at losing out on the opportunity to prove themselves in the exam hall, and who have endured several months of waiting to find out what grades they would have been awarded.

"However, at last, students at Braintree Sixth Form are celebrating the end of their school careers with successes which allow them to go on to take up the opportunities to study further at university or in further education and take up apprenticeships and employment offers which they have been so looking forward to.

"We wish them all best wishes and good luck for their future.”

Amongst the top achievers at the college was Chloe Oxford, who have been offered a highly-coveted degree apprenticeship with GSK.

Chloe had offer from a number of top unis, but chose the degree apprenticeship route as it will allow her to study for a degree in Biological Sciences while being fully funded by GSK and obtaining a wide range of work experience throughout the apprenticeship.

Her offer was unconditional, but Chloe is nonetheless celebrating A Levels in Biology, Mathematics and Religious Education.

Rebecca More will be studying medicine at the University of East Anglia after picking up A-Levels in Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology.

A large number of students join her in studying medical sciences, including Poppy Summers, who will begin her degree in Midwifery at Kingston University having completed the Extended Project Qualification alongside A levels in Psychology, Geography, Sociology and BTEC Sport.

Ben Truman will study Law with European Legal Systems at the University of East Anglia.

He has been awarded A Levels in Biology, Mathematics and Psychology as well as completing the Extended Project Qualification, an examination of the US Constitution.

Vikesh Patel will study Mathematics at the University of Nottingham having achieved A Levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics.

Cordelia Gillan is travelling the furtherest of all students to begin studying Scottish and English Law at the University of Strathclyde.

She picked up A-Levels in English Literature, History, Law and Religious Education.

Melanie Townsend, assistant headteacher and head of Braintree Sixth Form, said: “We are proud of the way in which the students have responded to these difficult circumstances and are delighted to celebrate the achievements of so many students.”

Enrolment at Braintree Sixth Form for Year 12 2020 begins on 20 August this year. Please see the school website for details.