Spotlight on Vocational Success

Vocational results for Barnet students came in on 14 August and we are proud to celebrate some fantastic results and share some amazing destinations for vocational students from Barnet and Southgate College and a range of schools across Barnet.

2025 saw the first students complete T Levels in Barnet, T Levels are the government’s gold standard qualification designed in collaboration with employers – offering students a unique blend of classroom study and industry placements.

This year’s T Level graduates from Barnet and Southgate College have already completed placements with major industry partners including UCLH and Royal Free Hospital and students are going on to further studies at Warwick and Nottingham Universities. Also among the success stories are Matthew who studied T Level in Plumbing and Heating Engineering who secured a job placement as Trainee Site Manager with Taylor Wimpey.

Macie-Leigh, a Saracens High School student, had the ambition of becoming a midwife so the T Level Health course, with a specialism in midwifery was the perfect course. Macie-Leigh and her family were delighted with her Merit grade, which is equivalent to three B grades at A Level. As part of the Barnet Lifelong Learning agreement, devised by BELS and Middlesex University for Barnet schools, Macie-Leigh benefitted from a T level Insight Hours Programme at the university, therefore it was a natural choice for her to continue her training there. Two other T Level Health students will also be following this pathway.

Barnet and Southgate College and Saracens High School offer a wide range of T Levels- course information is available on their websites. T Levels | Barnet and Southgate College and  T Levels – Saracens High School.

Schools in Barnet also offer alternative vocational options (Applied Generals and Technical Levels), courses which are equivalent to A Levels. We saw some schools reporting their highest number of Distinctions* and Distinctions. We are delighted to see so many Distinction and Distinction grades across schools in Barnet (equivalent to A and A at A Level).

From The Compton School, Xhoana received a Distinction* Distinction in BTEC Business and an A* in A-level Sociology. Her friend Chiara got a Distinction* Distinction in BTEC Business and an A in A-level Sociology. They will both now go to City University to study Law. Scarlett achieved Distinction* Distinction* Distinction*, she secured an apprenticeship with Aventum in Speciality Insurance.    

Copthall vocational students also achieved fantastic results and many progress to university including Morsal who achieved a Distinction in Applied Science and will be studying Psychology at King's College London and Nadera will also be studying at King’s College London completing a Nursing degree having achieved a Distinction in Applied Science. Sheikha achieved 2 Distinction grades in Health and Social Care and a Distinction in Applied Science and will be studying Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiography at City University.

Vocational students at St James’ Catholic school achieved great results and have secured places at university, their destinations include: Britony and Leo who are going to King’s College London to study Nursing. Ronan and Callum are going to Middlesex university to study Business Management.

Abdulrahman from Hendon School achieved a Distinction in a vocational Business qualification is progressing to a Level 6 Economics apprenticeship with Oxford Economics.

A large number of students from JCoSS achieved a string of Distinction* and Distinction grades are moving onto their chosen universities, with many off to Russell Group universities, to study a diverse range of subjects while others embark on apprenticeships.

Neil Marlow, BELS Chief Executive and Director of Education and Learning said:

“For a long time Barnet schools and their Year 13 students have excelled in their A Level qualifications. It is fantastic this year to see that there has been a huge increase in attainment in vocational qualifications with students getting the required grades to continue their learning or enter the world of work.”