Exam results. Advice and support in York

Another successful year for A level students in York

Provisional results for York schools’ sixth forms and York College show that the very high standards of previous years have been maintained, and indicate that A Level results in the city remain consistently amongst the best in the country.

York school sixth forms – All Saints RC, Archbishop Holgate’s CE, Fulford, Huntington and Joseph Rowntree – and York College – are reporting strong results including ‘best ever’ performances.

Overall results are showing increases in the number of students achieving the highest grades, the overall A*-E pass rate is above the national average and both the proportion of students achieving A* and A grades and the overall A*-E pass rate are above the national averages reported today.

Early results for the schools show that across the board young people will be able to get to the universities of their choice, including those applying to Oxford and Cambridge universities and medical courses.

With A-Level and GCSE results days approaching, City of York Council is reminding young people across the city that there are several sources of support throughout this exciting yet challenging time.

There is support for people who may be seeking an apprenticeship or other employment opportunity, or who want to move into full time education. Young people who are concerned that their personal circumstances may make accessing education, employment or training more difficult could also benefit from advice.

People can find support across the city from:

  • Careers Advisers employed by our local sixth forms and colleges – help will be available when results are collected
  • City of York Council Learning and Work Advisers in our Young People’s Service at 30 Clarence Street; extra appointment slots and drop-ins are available and Advisers can support with searching for vacancies, developing your CV, completing applications and preparing for interviews. Tel: 01904 555400; www.yor-zone.org.uk/someone-to-help.htm
  • Council-led ‘York Apprenticeship Hub’ – find us on Facebook (York Apprenticeships) and Twitter (@York Apprentices); email us at York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk; T: 01904 553732 for local apprenticeship vacancies; there are still around 100 opportunities in the city, and many more in  the region, across a range of sectors and job roles.
  • National Careers Service – for local employment and training opportunities; drop in to the York office at 18-19 Colliergate or call the national help-line 0800 100 900

Supporting local construction businesses in York

City of York Council is encouraging local construction businesses to bid for, and win, a contract to become a supplier with the council.

Local suppliers can find out more about the procurement process and how to tender for work with the council, through a free workshop taking place on Monday 19 August at West Offices.

Cllr Andrew Waller, Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning, at City of York Council, said: “This is a great opportunity for local construction businesses to find out about the procurement process and how they can access the council contracts.”

The procurement team will be on hand to talk through the procurement processes and how to tender for work including, information on:

  • Yortender, how to use the system
  • quality elements, what information we look out for
  • general procurement support
  • construction Line
  • upcoming work

The workshop will be split in two sessions, morning and afternoon. The morning session will begin at 9.30 till 12 noon and the afternoon session will begin at 1.30pm till 4pm.

Suppliers can either drop in at any time, or book a place with chloe.wilcox@york.gov.uk

Subcontractors can also attend but please email their details across in advance so the team is able to contact them and provide them the information of the event.

“Mares tail” arrives in west York

Thanks to Osbaldwick Councillor Mark Waters – a professional horticulturalist – we have identified one of the weeds that is damaging road and footpath surfaces on the west of the City

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense), often called mare’s tail, is an invasive, deep-rooted perennial weed that will spread quickly to form a dense carpet of foliage, crowding out less vigorous plants in beds and borders.

The RHS says that horsetail “is persistent, and several applications of a strong weed killer  – possibly over a number of years – may be necessary to completely eradicate the problem”

Horsetail has appeared in several areas in west York. These include the Council garage areas on Kingsway West and on little Green Lane.  It is already doing considerable damage to the  recently bitmaced forecourt access road at Green Lane.

We will now be formally submitting an official complaint about lack of action on weed growth in several areas. For example, weeds reported in early May on the Beaconsfield Street back lane have still not been cut back. It is a similar picture at many traffic islands