Morecambe Bay Academy Students celebrate excellent A Level results

Students from Morecambe Bay Academy (@MBayAcademy) and Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy (@ripleystthomas) in Lancaster are celebrating a successful year of excellent A Level results.

Over 250 students from the two schools received their A Level results this morning, with both academies improving on the number of high-level passes from the last comparable year in 2019. This year’s A Levels were the first since 2019 to be assessed on exams, rather than teacher evaluation.

Both schools are part of The Bay Learning Trust community of schools, which also includes Carnforth High School and Central Lancaster High School.

At Ripley St Thomas, 185 students received their A Level results, with 27.5 per cent of grades achieved either an A* or A, up from 14 per cent in 2019.

Additionally, students at the school achieved a total of 57 A* grades this year, a rise from 13 in 2019.

For Lukas Walls, his four A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Product Design have helped secure his place to study Physics at Durham University.

He said: “It’s been a long hard wait for the results but we can all relax now and I can’t wait to get to university. I know that sometimes there are negatives about the costs of studying nowadays but I feel it will be worth it all in the end.”

Cambridge-bound Jasmine Austin will study Veterinary Medicine at Churchill College after receiving three A*s and one A in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Biology, plus an A* in her Extended Project Qualification. She added: “It’s an emotional time for everyone and here I am in my final Ripley photograph after so many Science Olympiads over the years.”

Catherine Walmsley, Principal at Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy, said: “This cohort of Year 13 had a particularly disrupted time at GCSE due to COVID and therefore this summer was their first experience of sitting formal examinations.

“They have shown remarkable resilience and determination and they have worked incredibly hard. We are very proud of them and congratulate them on their very well-deserved A Level results.

“Additionally, I would like to thank the whole staff team at Ripley for working tirelessly to support pupils both academically and pastorally throughout their time in our Sixth Form and also our parents and carers for their ongoing involvement and support.

“We wish all our students the best for their futures, and we look forward to hearing how they get on in the years to come.”

At Morecambe Bay Academy, 78 pupils received their results this morning, with an overall pass rate up from 2019’s results to 92 per cent, and a top rate pass level of 15 per cent A* or A grades achieved.

Gavin Gomersall, Principal at Morecambe Bay Academy, said: “We are delighted that, after two difficult years, the hard work of students and staff have been rewarded by another good set of results.  “We are most proud of the outcomes, which for some pupils have been exceptional, allowing them to progress to their university of choice, apprenticeships or employment.

“Many pupils wishing to continue their academic studies at university have been successful in getting the required grades and will be taking up their offers at universities like Lancaster, Manchester, Durham and York.”

The Bay Learning Trust manages four schools across Lancaster and Morecambe; Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy, Central Lancaster High School, Morecambe Bay Academy and Carnforth High School.