Shipley College celebrates fantastic Level 3 results as students take their next steps

Students and staff at Shipley College are celebrating following a fantastic set of Level 3 results, with learners securing university places, progressing into employment and taking the next steps towards their future careers.

The College welcomed students back to campus this morning to collect results from a range of Level 3 qualifications, including T Levels, BTECs and other vocational programmes.

The results show significant year-on-year improvement across Shipley College’s Level 3 provision, with many students achieving high grades alongside a host of individual success stories.

Principal Martin Silverwood said the atmosphere at the College reflected the hard work and commitment students had shown throughout their studies.

“The results are fantastic. Our Level 3 outcomes as a College have improved on the previous year, and lots of students have been successful in taking their next steps.

“What is particularly pleasing is that so many of our students have not only achieved their qualifications, but have achieved them with really high grades. That is massively important because it sets them up so well for their future.

“For many students, today marks the moment they take that step from College to university, employment, a higher-level apprenticeship or further study. It is a really exciting day and we are incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”

Among those celebrating was Finlay Whitehead, who completed a Level 3 Business programme and has secured a place at Leeds Beckett University to study Counselling and Mental Health.

Finlay described opening his results as a moment of enormous relief and pride.

“I felt relieved. I didn’t have to go through Clearing or rely on anything else – I got in on my own. That was probably the biggest sense of pride I’ve felt in a while. I did that.”

He credited Shipley College with helping him see opportunities he had not considered when he first arrived.

“When I started, my original idea wasn’t to go to university. Shipley College helped me understand the UCAS system and made me realise there was so much more I could be doing.

“The quality of learning is good and the teachers genuinely want to help you. If you have an issue, you aren’t pushed aside. There’s a real sense of belonging.”

Also celebrating was Leah Paige Broadport, who completed a T Level in Health and is now progressing to university to study Diagnostic Radiography.

“I’m really happy that I got in. I was nervous, but I was confident at the same time because I knew I’d put so much hard work into it.

“Shipley College has played a massive part in helping me get where I am. The teachers have been really helpful and motivated us to learn everything we needed. They gave us so much support with the exams and pushed us to do the best we could.”

Leah admitted that university had not originally been part of her plans when she left school.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school. I never thought I’d end up getting into university and going on to study Diagnostic Radiography.”

Caoimhe Middleton achieved an outstanding result in her T Level in Health and is progressing to the University of Liverpool to study Occupational Therapy.

Caoimhe said she was “really happy” and “a bit in shock” after discovering what she had achieved.

Her T Level also gave her valuable practical experience in a healthcare environment.

“I’ve been out on the wards at Bradford Royal Infirmary and I’ve managed to get experience that probably many first-year Occupational Therapy students won’t have had.

“It gave me a really good insight into what I’m going into and confirmed that this is what I want to do.”

Caoimhe said the range of opportunities available at Shipley College meant young people could find a route suited to their ambitions.

“There are loads of courses on offer, so even if you don’t get onto the course you originally wanted, there are always other options with different levels.”

The students’ individual successes are reflected in the College’s headline Level 3 results, which show a significant improvement on the previous year.

For 16–18 study programme students, the achievement rate for regulated Level 3 qualifications stands at 88%, rising to 90% when all students completing their Level 3 qualifications are included.

Compared with last year, achievement across all Level 3 qualifications has increased by 5.5 percentage points, while achievement in regulated Level 3 qualifications has risen by 10 percentage points.

The strength of performance was also reflected across individual curriculum areas, with 50% of the College’s Level 3 courses recording achievement rates above 90%.

The celebrations come ahead of GCSE Results Day next week, when Shipley College will once again welcome young people considering their next steps.

Mr Silverwood said:

“From the mocks, assessments and everything we saw leading up to the exams, we’re expecting another tranche of positive results for students.

“We won’t know for certain until Results Day itself, but we’re really looking forward to celebrating their achievements and seeing what their next steps will be. Many of those learners will be progressing onto Level 3 qualifications, so it will be another really exciting day.”