A-LEVEL results were causing a great deal of excitement at Newport Free Grammar School today (Thursday August 19).

With two thirds of students exceeding their target grades, headteacher Sean O’Hagan described the results as “a great demonstration of the hard work and effort of the students and staff during the last two years”.

Overall results were excellent, with an overall pass rate of 98.4 per cent of which 42 per cent of grades were A*, A or B – a 5 per cent improvement on last year’s results.

The average point score per candidate was 255, an improvement of roughly half a grade per student compared with last year.

Former head boy Ben McNally achieved three A* grades and will study natural sciences at Cambridge University.

Former head girl Daisy Hardcastle will progress to Durham University to also study natural sciences after achieving an A* and two A grades.

Ammar Alibhai intends to study dentistry at Dundee University after achieving two A* grades and an A.

Other achievements include those of Robyn Dane, who will study biomedical science at Queen Mary College, University of London, Tom Smith who will study physics at Birmingham University and Matt Roberson who will also progress to Birmingham to study maths.

All the staff at Newport Free Grammar School would like to congratulate all their students on their success and wish them all the best as they move on to the next stage of their lives, be it in work or on university courses across the country.

PIC: Fay Pitcher, Nick Wright, Daisy Hardcastle, Ben McNally, Matt Roberson and Fiona Rigler