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Vocational, Technical and T Level Students Celebrate Exam Success

Exeter College students on technical and vocational advanced level programmes are celebrating another year of excellent results. Adding to the celebrations, the country's first cohort of T Level learners have also received their results today.

These students, alongside lots of other vocational learners, use technical or vocational subjects as their passport to university, to an apprenticeship, to their next level of study or directly into employment.

Students have achieved excellent results across a spectacular range of programmes from Aerospace Engineering to Art and Design.

John Laramy CBE, Principal and Chief Executive, said;

“I am absolutely delighted with this year’s results in technical and vocational disciplines. Students have had additional challenges to overcome during the last two years, for example trying to develop technical skills while navigating periods of lockdown and enforced isolation. Once again, our students have shown the excellence that I see every day as I visit different areas of the College. Our first cohort of T Level learners have been true pioneers and achieved amazing results. I would like to congratulate the students and thank the staff who have worked so diligently to enable students at the College to learn and thrive.”

Jade Otty, Vice Principal, said;

“I am delighted for our vocational and technical learners. They have not only mastered practical skills, but alongside our academic learners they too took the first national exams they have ever sat this summer. We are so proud of the range and standard of our vocational and technical offer. It means that whatever technical profession or trade you aspire to join we have a brilliant course, teacher and facility for you. This is only possible because of our fantastic highly-skilled vocational teaching staff. I want to thank them so much for how hard they work to pass on their industry insights to our learners alongside the academic support they give.”

The College’s Art and Design learners truly excelled in their UAL Extended Diploma in Creative Practice. 72% achieved a high grade (merit/distinction), with 28% achieving the very top grade of distinction, enabling a record number of students to progress to top London Art Schools.

In the BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science 25% of students got the very top grade of a triple Distinction*, with 84% of students gaining top grades of three Distinctions, or higher.

In the BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering, 47% of students achieved at least one Distinction, and in the specialist Aeronautical pathway taught in the College’s Future Skills Centre over half of the students achieved at least one Distinction.

Harley Stuckey took a BTEC in Public Services and achieved triple Distinction*. He is now progressing to Durham University to study Criminology.

"My time on the course at Exeter College has been a memorable journey, with the transition from school to college being made easy by staff. The decision to take a BTEC course was an excellent choice, equating to three A Levels and supplying me with extensive knowledge in a field society depends on - Public Services. The use of coursework assessment has developed my personal qualities, particularly self-discipline and communication. In addition to this, the Jazz Project Enrichment helped me to become more social through my passion for music. I have been accepted to study Criminology at Durham University and I am applying to the UOTC (University Officers Training Corps) Northumbia as a part time job. I will then wait for career opportunities, made available from the degree completion."

First T Level results in the country

This year sees the first-ever set of results for T Level learners, a new type of technical programme. Exeter College is the largest provider of T Levels in England and was hand-picked by the Department of Education to be the only provider in Devon that was permitted to deliver T Levels in 2020.

T Level learners have achieved truly excellent results, with a 96% pass rate across the three subject areas currently being delivered, significantly ahead of the national pass rate for T Levels of 92%. This is an impressive feat considering these new rigorous qualifications were launched during the pandemic and require the equivalent of a day a week working in industry.

Sam Hillman, Assistant Principal, responsible for technical and vocational programmes, said;

“I am exceptionally proud of our T Level learners today. They have excelled in a demanding course that has required academic prowess alongside an industry placement that has given them meaningful experience of their future profession. They have navigated this alongside the challenges of covid. A great many of them have so impressed during their industry placement that they had already been offered jobs even before the brilliant exam results they received today.

“A huge thank you to all our amazing staff who have admirably risen to the challenge of delivering this brand-new qualification and also to our amazing employers, who continue to support us on our T Level journey.”

In the Construction T Level, which focuses on Design, Surveying and Planning, every student achieved the full T Level qualification, with two students doing so well that they have secured graduate placements with Willmott Dixon.

Josh Dyer collected his T Level results today for Digital Production, Design and Development. He was one of the top performers nationally, achieving the highest possible grade of Distinction* on this T Level. Speaking about the course he said;

“It’s an amazing course, all the teachers are very open and supportive. The way they teach the T Levels is so different, it’s been a really good way of teaching for me. I have dyslexia and the way it is taught is very hands on which has really suited me.

“I’m currently working at Teignbridge Propellors as a Junior Software Developer who offered me the role after my placement. From here I hope to build my CV up and get a few years under my belt.”