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Students celebrate excellent results

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An outstanding set of A-level grades are being celebrated today by students at Cornwall College in St Austell and Camborne as over 400 students collected their exam results.

St Austell twins Grace and Chloe Liddicoat, 18, celebrated identical results in identical subjects. They each achieved an A and three B grades in Communications & Culture, Law, Sociology and Psychology, and sailed into their chosen university courses. Both will be staying on the right side of the law at Plymouth University. Grace hopes for a career in the police force by studying Criminology and Criminal Justice and Chloe hopes to become a solicitor after a law degree.

Grace said: "I can’t believe we got the same grades. We both got what we needed to get into Plymouth University."

Chloe added: "We’re really excited, we’ve already got a house sorted out and I’ve now got a transfer from B&Q to work part-time in Plymouth which I didn’t think was possible before. Our parents are really pleased for us."

Mature student Hugh Jones from Truro returned to college after a 40 year career as a top record producer working with the likes of Paul McCartney, Queen and the Bee Gees. He decided to retire from the music industry and return to his love of writing at the age of 58. Hugh has now gained an A-star grade in English Literature and has been accepted onto an English degree at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall campus.

Hugh said: "I was really worried in the exam that my mind would go blank but it obviously didn’t and I’m really happy with the result. My lecturer Roisin is a brilliant teacher and if I had more teachers like her in the past I would have done more at an earlier age. I really enjoy writing short stories and I hope to build on these skills to eventually write a novel, something which I look forward to doing at university."

St Austell English lecturer Roisin Higgins said: "Hugh is a truly inspirational learner with a colourful and curious history and a future that promises even more accolades to come showering upon him. I’m excited to watch his academic career unfold and inspire other mature learners who feared it might be too late to realise their potential."

Jane Hesling, 26 from Point, returned to study A-levels in the sciences at Cornwall College’s Camborne campus. After completing a drama degree she wanted a change of direction and has seen fantastic results getting A* grades for Electronics and Physics and A grades in Maths and Further Maths: "My time and experience here has been brilliant. I’m so glad I came to Cornwall College, I really am! Now I’m off to the University of Bristol to do an MSci in Physics with Astrophysics."

Top performing subjects were Communications and Culture at St Austell where 18 students gained A-star or A grades. At Camborne Electronics students were celebrating a host of A-star grades.

Dave Linnell, Principal of Cornwall College, said: "Our students have excelled in their achievements this year and I am extremely proud of them. Their excellent results have contributed to a 100 per cent pass rate in a huge number of subjects; testament to the dedication of students and staff alike. I wish them the best of luck and I look forward to hearing from them in the future to see how they progress in their careers."

Most students study A-levels as a progression route to higher education and Cornwall College still has clearing places available on some of its degree-level programmes, approved by Plymouth University. A dedicated hotline is open, manned by the College’s specialist staff on 0845 22 32 567.

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