Oxford place and four straight A*s among A Level results day student success at Hartlepool Sixth Form College

The Mail joined a small number of students invited into Hartlepool Sixth Form College to cheer their grades despite their exams being cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the star performers were Cory Winter who is off to Oxford and Daniel Liddell who got four A stars.

Mark Hughes, Head of Hartlepool Sixth Form described it as an ‘unprecedented’ year following the closure of the college back in March.

The college calculated grades based on students’ performance and how they were predicted to perform if they had sat the exams and submitted them to the awarding organisation which also took into account previous year’s results.

National reports about grades being downgraded left many of the students uncertain as to what their results would be.

Daniel, 18, of West Park, who achieved A* in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry, said: “It was really strange not siting the exams.

"It made it very uncertain over the last few months not knowing how they are going to be calculated and whether they were going to be marked down.”

He is now looking forward to studying maths at Durham University.

Cory, 19, from Seaham, is Oxford bound after getting A* for biology, and As in geography and chemistry.

She said: “It's been really stressful. I didn’t know what to expect with the talk the night before the results came out of possibly being downgraded.

"I’m just so relieved and happy.”

Ellie Crossman, 18, of Throston, who got As in biology, chemistry and physics, said she is going to ask if any of her grades were downgraded.

"I thought I was going to get at least one A star," she said.

But Ellie, who is going to The University of Sheffield and hopes to become a dentist, added: “I can’t complain really. I cried with joy this morning.”

Emma Londesbrough, 18, who got an A* in psychology and A in English literature and sociology, said: “I feel like I was less nervous because I knew how I had done in previous tests.

"I was expecting an A and Bs so I’m really glad with them.”

She will study psychology at Lancaster University.

Holly Clarke, 18, got a triple Distinction* in her Triple BTEC Sport Diploma and will take up an apprenticeship in the sports department at High Tunstall Collage of Science.

And Elizabeth Skidmore, also 18, was happy to get an A in PE, B for psychology and C in sociology.

She is off Durham University to study sports science.

Mr Hughes said the college's results reflected previous years’ good performances.

He said: "We’re really pleased. I’m delighted for these students. It has been a tough year.”

Hartlepool Sixth Form College, which is part of Education Partnership North East, is due to reopen in September and has plans in place in the event of another lockdown.

It also hopes to hold an awards night in December to celebrate students’ achievements and present special awards.

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