Eighteen-year-old Bobi Jones from Newcastle Emlyn, Wales, is among thousands of students receiving A-level and vocational qualification results on Thursday. Jones combined studying for his A-levels in business and sport, along with the Welsh Baccalaureate, with responding to recent wildfires.
He described himself as "quite relaxed" about his grades, citing the demands of his firefighting duties. Jones's school, Ysgol Bro Teifi, provided flexibility, allowing him to leave class for emergency calls as long as he completed missed work. "The past few months have been very busy with exams and also the fire brigade. We've been really busy with fires and wildfires," Jones said.
While the wildfire situation in his immediate area was not as severe as in some other regions, he regularly responded to grass fires that spread rapidly. Jones plans to pursue an apprenticeship with a local electrician while continuing on-call shifts with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Last year, A* grades accounted for 10.5% of results, with 29.5% achieving A or A* grades, a slight decrease from the previous year. Data from the end of June indicated that 32.8% of 18-year-olds in Wales had applied for university places, a marginal increase from the prior year but lower than in other parts of the UK. A-level results become available from 8:00 AM BST, with specific distribution times varying by institution.