Sheppey student Samuel Bird has set his sights sky-high.

The Oasis Academy Year 13 pupil is about to begin training as an aerospace engineer.

After collecting his results at the Academy's sixth form campus in Sheerness this morning (Tuesday), Samuel,18, from Minster said: "I am so excited and can't wait to start my new job in aerospace engineering."

He picked up a C for his A-level in criminology and achieved a D* and D in BTEC psychology and law.

Fellow pupil Amber Brend, 17, from Minster achieved D* D* D* in BTEC art and design and is off to study fine art at university. She hopes to become a secondary school teacher specialising in art. She said: "I felt really happy this morning. All my nerves left me."

She added: “As someone who has worked her way through the school from year 7 to year 13, I have enjoyed every second. I particularly thank my teachers who helped me find my passion and prepare my future career in education.”

Also achieving distinction grades in art and design were Kennedi Hubbard and Hermione Ralph. Hermione will go on to study illustration and animation at the University for Creative Arts and Kennedi has accepted a place at Canterbury Christ Church to study forensic investigation.

Best friends Shax Islam and Vinnie Palmer, both 17 and from Minster, achieved a B, two As, a C and two merits in applied law between them. They are both off to Brighton University to study business management and finance.

Their finance teacher Stevielee Cairns said: "I could not be prouder of my amazing Year 13s. They have worked incredibly hard and sat 50% of their exams which were externally assessed.

"To have still achieved such outstanding grades during the covid disruption is great. They are a real credit to themselves for all their hard work and dedication."

Oasis Academy principal Tina Lee said: “This year’s results day was very different to previous celebrations but it was a wonderful set of results for our sixth form students.

"We are deeply proud of their successes this year which are among the best we have ever had. Students arrived incredibly happy and proud of their achievements and secure in their choices of destinations.

"They leave us with the qualifications they need to go on to university or into work, confident in the fantastic grades they have achieved. We wish them all the very best for in their future endeavours.”

She also paid credit to her staff and the sixth form team led by Helen Curran.

Among the other A-level pupils doing well was Paige Ashby Clarke who excelled with a Distinction* in applied law, A* in biology and A* in psychology.

Paige plans to study biomedical sciences with an integrated masters at the University of Manchester. She said she was "chuffed" and added: “I’m sad to leave as I have built relationships here with my teachers and other students.”

Samuel Jeffery has received a place at Anglia Ruskin University to study psychology with clinical psychology. Other destinations include Canterbury Christ Church University with Brandon-Francis Loveridge and Ellie Wynne-Bird studying sports therapy and rehabilitation. Brooke Charman will study sociology.

Jasmine Boosey successfully secured a place at the University of Kent to study criminology.

Other non-university destinations include Holly Haddy who will join the RAF as an intelligence analyst. She achieved Distinction* in law, B in criminology and C in psychology. Deana Stanley-Lawry leaves with ambitions to join the fire service having achieved an A in criminology, B in biology and C in psychology.

Teenagers expecting GCSE results will get them in two days time on Thursday.

Pupils should check with their school or college whether they are still required to pick up their results in person or whether they will be sent out by email or post instead.

As there were no exams this year because of coronavirus lockdown results are based on teacher assessments.

They have taken into account mock exams, coursework and in-class assessments using questions set by exam boards.

Headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that they believed the grades to be accurate.

Schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected as part of quality assurance checks.

Random and targeted sample checks were also carried out after grades were submitted.

In some cases, where the evidence did not support the grades submitted, schools and colleges have been asked to review their grades.

Last summer thousands of A-level students had their results downgraded from school estimates by a controversial algorithm before the education watchdog Ofqual announced a U-turn. This year, no algorithm has been used.

Pupils who want to appeal against their grade must first ask their school or college reviews whether an administrative or procedural error was made.

If the school rules no error was made students can appeal to the exam boards. The deadline to appeal is Friday, September 17.

Teenagers unhappy with their A-level or GCSE grades can take AS and A-level exams in October and GCSE exams in November and December.

Ministers hope exams will go ahead as normal next summer after two years of being cancelled.

News from our universities, local primary and secondary schools including Ofsted inspections and league tables can be found here.

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey