Congratulations to all our young people who have received their A-Level and equivalent results today.  
   
Students across the county have been finding out their grades this morning – either electronically or in person – as they take their next steps into further education or the world of work.  
 

Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Children’s Services, visited The Duchess’s Community High School in Alnwick to meet students as they received their long-awaited results. 
 

He said: “Congratulations to all our students in Northumberland, everyone should be very proud of the grades they’ve achieved.   
 

“It’s been another challenging year for our schools as the pandemic continued to place additional pressures on students and staff, but everyone has shown fantastic dedication and resilience.  
 

“It’s wonderful to be here in Alnwick today and feel the excitement as our young people embark on the next stage of their lives and I wish all students the best of luck with their future, whether they enter higher education or the world of work. 
 

“We are committed to making sure every child in Northumberland has the best start in life and that the county is a great place for our young people to grow up.  
 

“We have fantastic schools, with brilliant staff and supportive parents and carers. We are proud to be investing record amounts in new and refurbished facilities to make sure they get better and better.” 
 

Many students across Northumberland received offers at their first-choice university and others have decided to earn as they learn by opting for a more vocational route including apprenticeships. 
 

Antonia, a student at The Duchess’s Community High School (DCHS) in Alnwick, is heading to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University after gaining 2 A* in Maths and English Literature and a B in Further Maths and Music.  
 

She said: “I’m still in shock to be honest, but I’m really thrilled.” 
 

Ethan, also a student at DCHS is off to Northumbria University to study automative engineering after receiving a B in Geography, a C in English and a merit in engineering. 
 

He said: “I hope to work as a mechanic with an F1 team, so I’m really pleased I got the grades I needed to do my chosen course at Northumbria.” 
 

DCHS Co-headteacher, James Wilson, said: “We are thrilled today for our students and it’s testament to the hard work and resilience they’ve shown. They’ve never sat exams before and come out with incredible results.  
 

“Over 75% got their first place choice of university, 20% got their insurance and the rest are going through clearing. 
 

“We’ve got students going on to lots of exciting places: as well as two students going to Oxford, we’ve got students studying things like app design, graphic design, theatre and drama, as well as many going on to apprenticeships and work placements. We’ve got a great community here in Alnwick supporting our students as they enter the world of work.  
 

“We wish them all the best for the future.” 

Listen to more success stories from DCHS here.
 

Students unsure about what their next steps could be can access advice from the Council’s Careers Advice service.  
 

The team of fully qualified, experienced, and impartial careers advisers and assistants are here to support young people. 

They can help you to: