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Leeds congratulates students on first post-pandemic A Level Results Day
"To say that the last couple of years has been challenging for everyone in schools and other learning settings would be an understatement".
Leeds City Council has shared its congratulations with all those recieving results today.
Across the country marks an occasion that young people sitting their A Level and post-16 examinations are unlikely to forget anytime soon.
Marking the first return of face-to-face exams since pre-pandemic times, this was a year group that has faced a number of unique challenges that span far greater than the usual maths questions and A-Level exam worries.
Both A Levels and equivalent vocational exams were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Instead, grades were generated by schools based on internal assessment and work produced over the course of study by pupils.
Therefore, this led to another unique set of results that is very difficult to compare to previous years.
On the whole, Leeds City Council reports that grades in 2020 and 2021 were generally higher than they were in 2019 due to the different assessment system used. This year, exam boards set grades at a midpoint between summer 2019 and 2021.
Noting that pupils sitting exams this year had their education disrupted by the pandemic, they were given additional support in most exams such as information in advance on the area of focus. Pupils in maths and physics had formulae tables rather than being expected to learn them off by heart.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council's executive board member for economy, culture and education has commented on the results: “I’d like to congratulate everyone on the results they have received today, which as always, are the outcome of a lot of hard work, effort and determination, as well as the high quality of teaching in our schools and colleges.
“To say that the last couple of years has been challenging for everyone in schools and other learning settings would be an understatement. Pupils across the system have shown remarkable resilience in overcoming the challenges to their education caused by the pandemic.”
"Schools and colleges are on hand to offer additional advice and guidance, and I want to thank all those staff for the support they are providing to young people in the city as they consider their next steps."
For all students, regardless of their results, this marks an emotional day that finalises their past years of study- and each should be proud of their achievements.
Feature Image- Leeds City Council
News
Here’s how you can get FREE Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea in Leeds next week
Clementine Hall
In honour of National Chocolate Week, two big brands are joining forces.
Fancy a freebie? Silly question, of course you do.
Tony’s Chocolonely and Yorkshire Tea have joined forces for National Chocolate Week to ask Brits to declare themselves a ‘Melt’...yes, really.
It comes after the brands discovering a new Gen Z dunking trend, with research finding that 80% of 18–24-year-olds say chocolate is their preferred tea-dunking treat.
To understand why the perculiar pairing has become so popular, the brands recruited Associate Professor of Psychobiology, Dr Lorenzo Stafford, to investigate what happens when tea and chocolate come together.
Associate Professor, Dr Lorenzo Stafford said: "It's fascinating to see how much thought Brits put into what makes a great dunk. Flavour, texture and temperature all shape how we experience food, and the combination of hot tea with melting chocolate creates a particularly enjoyable sensory experience.
"When it comes to dunking, tea and chocolate have great chemistry so it’s no surprise young people have embraced it."
If you want to try it out for yourself, then you can for free - but there is one catch.
From Monday 19 to Friday 23 October, anyone who walks into one of Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds and says ‘I'm a Melt’ will get a free mug of Yorkshire Tea and bar of Tony's Chocolonely.
Not only that, but the first 100 customers will also get a limited-edition ‘Melt’ cap.
Yorkshire Tea & Tony’s Chocolonely said of the partnership, “Brits love their tea and their chocolate and now the science shows why. This National Chocolate Week, we’re inviting everyone to give it a go, embrace their inner Melt and discover just how well chunky chocolate and a proper brew can work together.”
Read more: A 1970s-inspired cocktail bar is coming to Leeds this month from the team behind some of the city’s best bars
‘This recognition belongs to you’ – Leeds restaurant added to the Michelin Guide just months after opening
Featured image - Supplied
News
Leeds Bradford Airport strikes will NOT go ahead following ‘late offer’ over pay
Clementine Hall
This weekend's strikes at Leeds Bradford Airport have been cancelled.
Around 130 workers were set to walk out this weekend, Unite said, but this has been suspended to allow air traffic controllers to consider a new pay offer.
The Unite members planning on to go on strike were a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute had recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity which led to the decision to strike.
However, as of yesterday 15 October, the workers have been given new pay offers from the airport and the strikes will not take place to allow a ballot on the offers.
Air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff are being balloted separately on their respective offers.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "After receiving offers from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have suspended this week’s strike action in good faith to allow members to vote on pay deals.”
In a statement, Leeds Bradford Airport said: "While the ballot process continues with certain members of our frontline colleagues, we remain hopeful that a positive outcome can be achieved and that an agreement can be reached which works for everyone involved.
"Regardless of the outcome of this ballot, LBA has a robust contingency plan in place and will be operating as normal this weekend.
"Our focus remains on supporting a smooth and reliable experience for customers while maintaining safe and efficient airport operations."
Read more:
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Sophie Smith -
18th August 2022 
