THOUSANDS of students across Dorset are celebrating record-breaking A Level results.
It has been all smiles at Thomas Hardye, Weymouth College and other schools across the Dorset Council area as more students than ever achieved top marks.
READ MORE: More on south Dorset's A Level 2021 results
Exams were cancelled this year for the second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic and replaced with teacher assessed grades. Schools could use a range of evidence for grades, including 'mini exams', coursework and mock exams - with one in five schools having a sample of their grades checked by exam boards.
The government is not publishing performance data for any schools or colleges this year due to the varying impact of the pandemic.
Some of the students at Thomas Hardye revealed what it has been like studying during the pandemic and how they feel about receiving their results.
Elysia Jackson, aged 18, achieved four A* results in maths, further maths, physics, and product design.
Elysia also achieved an A* in an extended project qualification (EPQ) on artificial intelligence.
She said: "Studying during the lockdown was difficult because there was no contact with teachers.
"But I'm very happy with the results and next I'll be heading to The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, in Bristol, to studying engineering."
Josh Prowse, aged 18, achieved four A* in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.
However, the Thomas Hardye student said his mum was told she had cancer at the end of 2019 and he has been juggling his studies with helping his mum.
He said: "I'm extremely happy with my results.
"I think with the results coming from teacher predictions, you're always going to get inflated marks, but everyone has the potential to achieve the highest of results.
"My time during sixth form has been difficult - not just because of the pandemic.
"My mum Emma was diagnosed with cancer during the end of 2019.
"It was tough for her, my dad and my siblings.
"I had to start cooking and taking on the role as the man of house while my dad Andrew was at work.
"It also helped him massively because he's the chief pharmacist at Dorset County Hospital.
"Luckily though I had a lot of help from my friends who got through struggles similar to my own, and my mum is now fully recovered."
Headteacher, Nick Rutherford, who started in April, said: "Huge praise should be given to both students and staff.
"The grades have arrived in a different way compared to previous years but the results are fair.
"The students have stayed positive and determined throughout a difficult time, and the staff have had so much pressure placed on them and risen to the challenge."
There was an atmosphere of excitement and celebration at Budmouth Academy as students enjoyed receiving their A Level and Vocational results.
Principal David Herbert said: "After such an unusual period of time I would like to congratulate all students up and down the country who have received their results today.
"Completing sixth form studies during two national lockdowns is unprecedented and these amazing young people have demonstrated incredible resilience and determination.
"It was wonderful today to see our students so excited about their next adventures and the list and range of destinations they are heading to for degree level study and employment/training is extremely impressive."
Of this year’s Weymouth College A-level cohort, 91 per cent of students applied to university and 100 per cent of those students received offers from their chosen universities.
Head of academic studies at Weymouth College, James Foster, said: “We're really proud of our sixth form (A Level, AS level and BTEC Science) students – and our staff – who have all coped remarkably well over the last year under extremely challenging circumstances. Their ‘can do’ attitude, hard work and diligence has really paid off!
"Our students have shown great resilience and grasped every opportunity to secure their learning and achieve the grades they need for their next step - be that an apprenticeship, employment or university."
On the national scale, top grades for A-level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have reached a record high - with 44.8 per cent getting A* or A grades.
Dorset Council councillor for Education, Andrew Parry said: “I would pay tribute to young people in Dorset getting their results this week.
Thank you to our young people, who’ve made incredible sacrifices for our wider community and have been through another academic year like no other.
"I have a message for young people, who are not sure what they would like to do next or whose grades are not what they hoped for, please do not despair. There are many different routes, from further education, to apprenticeships, work and training, check-out the advice below to find out more.”
The results are in for Thomas Hardye Sixth Form Year 13s.
Here's a few of the stories so far from some of the students starting with 18-year-old Tobias William Diment-Aylott, whose grades were all A* - maths, further maths, chemistry, and biology.
He said: “Admittedly, it’s been a difficult period to study with the pandemic.
“To help the teachers predict my grades I think I’ve done around 30 exams.”
Thomas Hardye student Kerr Jeffery, 18, who is taking home A* results in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry, said: “I’m happy with my results.
“For most of the year, myself and all my classmates have been studying at home.
“I wouldn't necessarily say it's been stressful because there’s less distraction at home, but it’s been bizarre too.
“I’m planning on going to Imperial College London and study chemistry – so maybe I could go on University Challenge.”
Thomas Hardye student Leo Young, aged 18, said he achieved the results he wanted, but there was a lot of uncertainty around December time.
The 18-year-old achieved an A* in economics, and As in chemistry and maths
He said: "There was a lot of uncertainty hovering around December time, but we were told we wouldn't have an official exams - so as students we then knew where we stood.
"Now, I'm planning on accounting and finance at university."
Friends Georgia Atkin (left) and Katie Edgeley share each other's results during the morning at Thomas Hardye.
Georgia, who achieved an A* in applied sciences, B in PE, and C in maths while studying at Thomas Hardye, is set to study Zoology at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.
She said: "I think every student has been nervous about the results but I feel they're a fair reflection.
"It has been rough during lockdown. It was tempting to just go to bed during the day, but I've had to keep myself motivated which has been difficult without the teachers and my friends.
"I'm set to study Zoology at Harper Adams.
"I want to study aspects of conservation after volunteering in Costa Rica in 2019, where I helped build pipeworks and studied population density."
Thomas Hardye student Katie Edgeley, aged 18, who achieved a distinction* in business and an A in Fashion and Textiles. said: "It has been challenging but working from home has personally helped me to focus, but I have missed being class.
"I'm off to Bath Spa University to study fashion and business management."
Thomas Hardye student Carla Wood achieved an A* in art and design, an A in business, and an A in maths.
The 18-year-old said: "Studying throughout the pandemic has had its up and downs.
"There obviously hasn't been the resources at home but it didn't take long to get into my own system of working.
"I'm set to study fashion design at Nottingham Trent University."
Thomas Hardye student Alex Almond-Colomer achieved three A* in maths, further maths and physics.
Alex said studying during lockdown was difficult because he had not seen some of his friends in months.
He said: "You go to sixth form for two reasons: to study a course and get the grades to go into further education, and to stay in contact with friends.
"During lockdown, I hadn't seen some of my friends for months, which was hard at times."
Fellow Thomas Hardye student Daniel Mason achieved four A* in chemistry, physics, maths, and further maths.
Daniel also achieved an A in an extended project he chose called 'can you slice a bullet in half with a katana sword and survive?'
According to Daniel you can slice a pistol bullet in half with a katana sword, but you cannot slice a rifle bullet in half and survive.
He said: "I'm going to study physics at St Catherine's College, in Oxford."
Thomas Hardye student Amélia Nixon picked up four A* including in subjects such as English Language and Classical Civilisations.
She is now set to attend Weymouth College to do an art foundation before she heads to London College of Communication.
Bella Laux achieved three A* in French, German and music technology, and an A in core maths.
She said: "My dad is German so I enjoy using languages to connect to people.
"The concept of learning a language is very interesting to me because it involves rules like mathematics does, such as grammar.
"Durign the pandemic I've actually been paying for lessons privately to keep up to date with language classes and speaking to my French exchange friends, but it's all been worth it."
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