THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 641 19th August 2020 Read by more than 40,000 people each week A-level students praised for their resilience Local students whose studies were interrupted by the sit their summer exams, they’ve also missed out on major pandemic were praised for their resilience as they educational milestones as a result of the pandemic. Parents, received their A-level results last week. carers, students and schools deserve enormous credit for the With exams cancelled, almost 40 cent of grades in England way they have coped with the situation. were lowered from teachers' predictions, data from exam “I would like to congratulate all students on their regulator Ofqual revealed. achievements and I know many students will be going on to On Monday afternoon came a massive Government U-turn, the next steps of their future with optimism. with the announcement that students would after all be able “For those whose results aren’t what you expected please St Brendan’s to use teacher-assessed grades for their A-levels - and the don’t panic or worry, there are lots of options available to first choice university places, but also into employment and GCSE results which are due out tomorrow - instead of the you. Take advantage of the wealth of advice and support apprenticeships. controversial Ofqual algorithm. available – your school or college will be able to signpost Erica Williams, Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills & Both Ofqual and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson you to the most appropriate service for your needs.” Employment, said: “Our thanks go out to all pupils and apologised for the distress caused. South Gloucestershire Council said it was delighted with the school staff for their hard work and dedication to achieve Kevin Guy, Cabinet member for Children’s Services at Bath achievements of students in what have been very different these results this year in what have been extraordinary and North East Somerset Council, said: “This has been an circumstances because of COVID-19, and said all schools circumstances.” incredibly challenging year for A-level students, a year like have highlighted some special achievements and success for And Anna Keen, who is Bristol City Council’s Cabinet lead no other. Not only have they been denied the opportunity to individual students, with many not only progressing to their for Education & Skills, told students: “This has not been an easy year, but you should be proud of what you have achieved and look forward to your next steps in education, employment or training with your new qualifications.” St Brendan’s Sixth Form College at Brislington has the largest cohort of A-level students in the region and 760 young people received their results last Thursday. The majority have progressed onto their chosen destinations in spite of this year’s challenges. More than 400 students have secured their university courses, including three who will be taking up their places to study medicine and another three who have accepted their Oxbridge offers. Continued on page 2 Also in this More fly-tipping Reaction to Kingswood pub Development plans for Remembering problems in Bitton conversion plans Brislington Meadows VJ Day week’s issue . page 3 . page 5 . page 12 . page 13 A-level students praised for their resilience Continued from page 1 Appeal after Popular degree choices for the class of 2020 are Law, Criminology, Psychology and Business. 15% of students have secured apprenticeships in many woman suffers different fields including accounting, law, business and engineering. head injuries Marian Curran, principal at St Brendan’s said. “Whilst there is some concern about the validity of a number of results across the country, no one can underestimate the quality of in attack the students who are leaving us today. Together, our staff and Police have launched an appeal for witnesses and students should take satisfaction in a job well done.” Megan Sullivan from Wellsway School, who is off to Cambridge information after a woman suffered head injuries in an Wellsway Multi Academy Trust (WMAT) said its schools assault in Cecil Road in Kingswood back in May. have seen improved results in A-levels and vocational “Despite the national uncertainty in the process of The woman, who is in her 40s, was punched to the equivalents, with a number of young people achieving determining and awarding A-level and equivalent grades this ground by a man who then walked away. She needed outstanding outcomes. Three students from Wellsway School year, we are delighted with the students' results and pleased hospital treatment for cuts to the back of her head and in Keynsham have secured Oxbridge places - Megan that almost all have been awarded grades that have enabled her face and also suffered bruising. Sullivan and Andrew Dubois at Cambridge and Nathan them to successfully progress.” Coltart at Oxford. Downend School, which is run by Castle School Education Police say they have taken a number of statements and WMAT’s Sir Bernard Lovell Academy in Oldland Common Trust said, it was “immensely proud” of its A-level students followed up several lines of inquiry since the attack, reported that overall results increased significantly in and the results they have received are testament to their hard which happened at about 11pm on Friday 8th May, but comparison with 2019. And IKB Academy in Keynsham, the work over the last two years. “They have shown still need any potential witnesses to come forward. trust’s specialist science, technology, engineering and maths commitment, dedication and more recently great strength of They hope the date of the incident being the VE Day centre, reported excellent results in STEM subjects for a character and resilience during these unprecedented times. Bank Holiday will jog potential witnesses’ memories. fourth successive year. “We are pleased that the results they have received will allow If you saw the assault or have any other information The trust’s director of education Gary Schlick said: “We are them to progress onto the apprenticeship and degree courses which could help the investigation, call 101, quoting extremely proud of the way Year 13 students at all our of their choice; all of our Year 13 students have been able to reference 5220100413. schools have coped with the extraordinary circumstances of take up their first or second place university choices or recent months. planned apprenticeships.” 2 The Week in • Wednesday 19th August 2020 Sabotage attempts reported on Railway Path People are being urged to be alert when using the Bristol & Bath Railway Path after reports of tree trunks and debris being placed across it at night near the old Mangotsfield Station. One cyclist reported that he came flying off his bike at 9pm on Saturday as someone had placed four trunks across the path. He said no major damage was done but he didn’t see in time to react and avoid the blockage. The incident has been reported to the police and the reference number is RAC-QYXAP. The charred fly-tip at Brewery Hill This and similar incidents have been flagged up on Facebook. One person said that while out for an evening run at the end of last week along the same stretch, someone had Fears over fly-tipping laid a large amount of debris and most of an old tree across the path, blocking it entirely. He stopped and as he started clearing it he saw a young on private land boy in a black hoodie run away. Someone also shared a report of three boys aged about There is an increasing problem with collected, prompting a call-out from happened. Never seen so much rubbish 12 or 13 recently seen placing wooden pallets and tree fly-tipping and litter in the lanes Avon Fire & Rescue. dumped in the lanes in the last few trunks on the road at nearby Rodway Hill. around the Bitton and Golden Valley Historically the council has promptly months.” area. cleared fly-tipping in the layby and A truck-load of waste has also been fly- Rubbish, including builders’ waste, even put up a No Fly Tipping sign tipped in a field near Beach. furniture, household items and plastic there. Local councillor Erica Williams said Appeal after housing bags with food packaging in, are However, the council said it had come that Brewery Hill, Golden Valley Lane scheme is refused regularly being found illegally dumped to light that the layby, which is next to and Marshfield Lane are hotspots for by the roadside and in hedgerows. As old nurseries with derelict greenhouses, fly-tippers and has asked the council’s Following South Gloucestershire Council’s refusal to it’s public land, South Gloucestershire is privately owned. StreetCare team to keep an eye on these grant outline planning permission for homes in the Council can remove it, but it is not The council said it had cleared the areas. grounds of a large Victorian property on London Road responsible for fly-tipping on private waste on this occasion while liaising • Meanwhile Oldland Parish Council in Warmley, the applicant has lodged an appeal with the land. with the landowner regarding the future heard last week that there has been a Secretary of State. One of the largest recent fly-tips has maintenance of this layby. problem in recent months with fly- The bid to build four houses in the grounds of Ashlands been in the layby at the bottom of Writing on Facebook one concerned tipping and litter in the park area at was rejected by the council in April. A previous outline Brewery Hill. It was first reported to local resident asked: “If this is now Barrs Court Moat.