Varndean College celebrates 98 per cent A level pass rate

Varndean College pupils and staff celebrated an overall pass rate of 98 per cent with 100 per cent pass rates recorded in two thirds of subjects.

The sixth form college said that 49 per cent of pupils achieved passes at A* to B and 76 per cent at A* to C.

The college also recorded an AS pass rate of 87.2 per cent, adding: “All visual arts courses (fine art, graphic design, 3D design, textiles and photography) achieved 100 per cent pass rates at both AS and A2, with over 90 per cent of A level students achieving A* to C grades at A level.

Felicia Fischer

“This follows on from the ‘outstanding’ grade for visual arts from Ofsted when the college was inspected in 2012.

“Visual arts courses had 430 exam entries this year.

“As well as achieving strong A level results, Varndean College chemistry students this year reached the national final of the Schools’ Analyst Competition and achieved a fantastic third place, having won the south east region stage of the competition.”

The college’s principal Philip Harland said: “I would like to congratulate all of our students. They have been a delight to teach and thoroughly deserve their success.

“I would also like to thank my staff for their hard work in helping students to achieve these excellent results, particularly against a backdrop of reductions to funding.

“Behind these figures lie countless individual student success stories at all levels.

“Varndean College looks set to have outstanding value-added again this year.”

Dr Harland added: “Record numbers of young people have applied to come to us this year, to share in this success and benefit from the additional classrooms and study space that we have built.”

The A level success follows equally impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) results in July.

Varndean College is the only college designated by the government to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma in Brighton and Hove and is now in its seventh year of running the international alternative to A levels.

Haydn Francis

Forty-six students sat the qualification which requires them to study English, maths, science and three other subjects alongside a range of other activities.

The college received its highest marks, with an average score of more than 36 points, equivalent to at least three A grades at A level for university entry.

There is a strong international focus in the IB Diploma. One pupil, Felicia Fischer, won a scholarship to study digital media at Vancouver Island University in Canada.

Another IB student, Haydn Francis, has a place to read natural sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Varndean’s IB co-ordinator Sean McEvoy said: “We have some great teachers here and a really well-motivated and lively group of young people from local schools.

“They have done brilliantly.”

Dr McEvoy added: “We are a state college that can match the achievements of independent schools in a tough international exam.

“We have over 70 applicants to start the IB in September, too.”