A SIXTH form student from the Forest has been awarded a £1,000 a year university entrance scholarship for academic achievement.

But A-level student Jake Williams, who studies at Gloucestershire College’s Forest of Dean Campus in Berry Hill, might not take it up, as he is striving towards A-level grades to go to another university.

The former Lakers student had to sit two rigorous exams in Maths and Biology to compete for one of 50 entrance scholarships awarded by Aberystwyth University.

The candidates with the highest total scores win scholarships of £1,000 for each year of their course, plus an unconditional offer of a place at the university with guaranteed accommodation in halls of residence.

Jake was among the top candidates who sat the tests, achieving an impressive 83 per cent mark in his maths exam which earned him a guaranteed place to study physics, although it’s not his first choice university.

He said: “I’m so happy to be awarded a scholarship, it has really given me confidence going into my A Level exams this summer. I found out about the scholarship myself and applied, then Gloucestershire College (GC) arranged for me to take the exams on campus under exam conditions and with an invigilator present.

“It’s great to know I have an unconditional place at Aberystwyth, but I’m striving towards the grades I need to get into Bristol University, which is my first choice.”

Seventeen-year-old Jake is doing A Levels in Physics, Maths and Biology at GC Sixth Form.

Maths lecturer, Daniel Osoba said: “Bravo to Jake! His work in the mathematics exam was outstanding.”

GC sixth form students benefit from small class sizes, a mature campus environment and the support of a personal tutor throughout their time at college.

Students at the Forest Sixth Form achieve consistently impressive results in their A Levels, with a 99.1 per cent pass rate attained in 2016.

The Forest campus are holding an open evening in May, where prospective students can meet GC lecturers and find out more about the wide variety of A Level courses available.