MORE students at Monmouthshire’s four comprehensive schools achieved the very highest grades at A-Level and across key measures all the schools showed improvement in many areas.

The overall pass rate at Chepstow School was 99 per cent with 35 per cent of students achieving either A* or A grades and 65 per cent A*-C.

Among the school’s top performers were Emily Oliver who achieved 2 A* distinctions, Courtney Duggan who got three A* and an A, Molly Van Buren with two A* and an A and Christianna Tyson with three A*.

Matthew Sims, Headteacher, said:

Headteacher Mr Matthew Sims said: “I am delighted with the hard work and effort of all students producing outstanding results. Every student has managed to achieve grades for their university choice and next career pathway.

Caldicot School’s acting head, Simon Rees, said there had been improvements across the school.

He said: “We encourage our students to be ambitious and it is wonderful that the majority of them can now begin preparing for the next steps, including many embarking upon a whole range of interesting courses at university.”

Luke Gawthon and Emma Kirby both achieved two A* and two As while Emyr Thomas got two A* and two As.

At Monmouth Comprehensive School, results topped last year’s “fantastic” achievements, said a school spokesperson.

The overall pass rate was 98 per cent of which 43 per cent got the highest A* or A grades and 84 per cent were awarded A*-C.

The school’s director of sixth form studies, Caroline Guest said: Three students have accepted their places at Oxbridge, Jacob Powell, Emily Brown and Head Boy Luke Rogers to read natural sciences, medicine and engineering.

The school’s director of sixth form studies, Caroline Guest said: “Our students are enormously talented and able in so many fields of study and skill.

“It is humbling to watch them grow into fully rounded and ambitious young people who can lead their own lives.”

Monmouth’s two independent schools also celebrated another round of impressive results for students.

The vast majority of students from Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls and Monmouth School for Boys gained either their first or second place at university.

At Monmouth School for Boys, 38.5 per cent of all grades were A* to A – well above the national average of 25.5 per cent - and 66.4 per cent were A* to B, an improvement in the results from 2018.

The A* rate was 11.1 per cent and a total of 83.2 per cent of all grades were A* to C.

Fourteen boys recorded three or more A* and A grades.

At Monmouth School for Girls, 39.3 per cent of all grades were A* to A – again exceeding the national average - and 69.6 per cent - more than two-thirds of all grades – were A* to B.

The A* rate was 10.3 per cent and 87.9 per cent of all grades were A* to C, an improvement in the results from 12 months ago.

Ten girls achieved three or more A* and A grades.

Headmaster at Monmouth School for Boys, Dr Andrew Daniel, said: “This is the first year of the fully reformed and more challenging two-year linear A level examinations and the boys have achieved very strong results.”

Headmistress at Monmouth School for Girls, Mrs Jessica Miles, said: “It is always a relief when the hard work pays off and the girls achieve their personal best.

“An impressive percentage of A* to A grades means that the vast majority of our students’ expectations have been met or exceeded.

Cllr Richard John (Con, Mitchel Troy), Monmouthshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “These results demonstrate how hard students have worked with the support from their families and carers.  The results are also testament to the excellent work undertaken by our teachers and all of the teams across all four of our secondary schools.”