Torbay grammar stars look abroad after outstanding A levels

Students at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School (TGGS) are celebrating after a brilliant set of A Level results, with the highest number of students in the school’s history achieving three or more A grades.

Headteacher Ms Forster said: “I am very proud of all of our students – they deserve to celebrate their success today.”

Reflecting on the results, Mrs Gale, Head of Sixth Form, said: “Our Year 13 cohort has been an exceptional group of young people, whose dedication, resilience and commitment to their studies have been truly inspiring.

"They are now embarking on an exciting range of post-18 pathways, and we could not be prouder of all they have achieved.

"As a year group, they have been a tremendous asset to the school community, and we are confident they will go on to accomplish great things in the years ahead.”

Despite the intense competition for places on Medicine, Veterinary, and Dentistry courses, TGGS students secured remarkable success.

• Selina Li, who achieved all A*s, will be taking up her place to study Medicine at Imperial College London.

• Alice Utting, who also achieved an incredible 3 As and an A in her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), will be studying Medicine and Surgery at Newcastle University.

• Matilda Thomas will be using her 3 As and A in her EPQ to study Dentistry at the University of Bristol.

• All of the school’s Veterinary Medicine applicants, each earning straight A*s and As, have secured their places.

A large number of TGGS students are pursuing STEM pathways. Nathalie Balvin, who achieved 3 As, will be studying Chemistry at the University of Bristol, whilst Elizabeth Bryan is off to Exeter to study Physics with Astrophysics.

Katie Simmonds is ‘building’ on her incredible A graded extended project qualification, for which she built a to-scale model of a building with improved earthquake defences, by going to study Architecture at The University of Liverpool.

TGGS also highlighted success in creative subjects. Students have taken up offers to study Art, Film Production and Journalism, where their talent and imagination will shine.

Others are seizing opportunities to study abroad. Julia Lloyd, who achieved all As and an A in her EPQ – evaluating strategies for mitigating the impacts of tourism and invasive species on a Brazilian island – will study Geography with a year abroad. Bethany Chapman will be studying Ecology and Conservation with study abroad through the University of Lancaster.

Business and Economics is another strong pathway this year. Tildy Elliot, who achieved 3 As, will be studying PPE at The University of York, while Lavanya Gupta, who achieved 3 As and an A in the EPQ, will be studying Economics at Warwick.

Several students have secured highly sought-after degree apprenticeships with leading employers, including Amazon, the Civil Service – Department for Work and Pensions, and Kaitlin Parsons, who will be joining Kier Group, one of the UK’s largest construction and infrastructure services companies.