Students in Trafford overcame a number of challenges to receive a stellar set of A-level results.

The class of 2022 were the first ones to sit end-of-year exams since pre-pandemic, and did not even experience their GCSEs to prepare them for the assessments.

At Flixton Girls, where The Messenger went to speak to students and teachers on August 18, there was a sense of pride in those who received their A-level results, but also in those who supported them, in particular over the course of the last two years.

Dorothy Trussell, a teacher at the school on Flixton Road for 18 years and its headteacher for two years, said: "It's my first results as a head. I couldn't be prouder of the work all the operational staff and teaching staff did to get them through to this point.

"They're my girls because I took them from transition in Year Six through to A-level," she added.

READ MORE: AS IT HAPPENED: A-level results day for pupils in Trafford.

According to Mrs Trussell, the results at Flixton Girls were in line with what the school achieved in the last year pre-pandemic, an achievement in itself in the circumstances.

But another cause for celebration was the range of careers under consideration, with girls now well on their way to roles from architect and engineer to scientist and tattooist.

Some eased into their first choice of course, such as Armeen Anas who is off to Manchester University to study Biomedical Sciences with an A* and two As.

While others went through the stress of clearing, such as Xavier Miller who called more than 200 times before securing a place at MMU to study Philosophy.

The headteacher said: "I think they're so brave.

"They're thinking outside the box and they're doing some brave things."

Nationwide, a total of 36.4 per cent entries were awarded A* to A, compared to 34.4 per cent in the North West. The pass rate (A* to E) was 98.4 per cent, compared to 98.8 per cent in the North West.

These statistics were down from last year, but up from the last time there were end-of-year exams.

Elsewhere in Trafford, 40 per cent of entries at Wellington School were awarded A* to A, while at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys it was 76 per cent.

It was around half of entries at St Ambrose, while at Ashton on Mersey the same proportion of students earned three distinctions or above in their BTECs.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. Jack is the reporter for The Messenger and covers anything and everything from within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford.

To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.