'Bewilderment' and 'anxiety' - a look at A level results day

Manx students and teachers give mixed reaction to today's outcome

Today hundreds of students across the Isle of Man have received their A level results.

Results were unveiled with bated breath following this week's controversy over the Cambridge International Exam Board's marking, with many IGCSE students receiving grades much lower than they were predicted.

Pupils across the Island have been split today - those who were marked by Cambridge, and those by Ofqual.

Many at Ramsey Grammar School for instance were once again subject to the scrutiny of Cambridge International.

It's seen 82% of A2 Chemistry students having their marks altered, with only 'a very small percentage' seeing a rise.

The same was true for 90% of A2 Maths and Physics students.

"Completely unacceptable"

Annette Baker, Head of Ramsey Grammar, says it's created an 'inequality', and described the reaction amongst students there this morning:

"At the end of the day, it would have been nice to prove I'd done some work"

Today's Ofqual results promised to be slightly fairer.

That held somewhat true, albeit 'anticlimactic' as one student, Rory, put it.

That feeling of anti-climax transferred to many who felt that their grades would have been better, had they been given the chance to sit an exam.

Lewis Foster spoke to sixth form students at Ballakermeen High School:

Headteacher Adrienne Burnett says despite some reduced grades, students overall have done very well, and today should be a cause for celebration:

'Amongst everything else, UCAS has crashed'

The one saving grace of today's outcome is that many UK university's lowered their entry requirements.

Some who were perhaps dissapointed by their results today may still get the chance to go onto further education, although were forced to cling to the edge of their seats whilst the UCAS website came back online.

Ballakermeen student Amy Corlett was one such student:

Furthermore, of its students who applied for university, Castle Rushen High School reports 31 receiving offers from their firm choice, nine from their insurance option, two receiving alternative course offers from their firm choice, and four ultimately going through clearing.

What happens now?

Many Island schools, Ballakermeen and Ramsey Grammar included, have appealled this week's results.

Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson appeared on Manx Radio's Mannin Line on Wednesday, saying he too would be pushing the appeals.