Local learners mark success on Level 3 results day
Students at Harrogate College have been celebrating their Level 3 technical qualifications, with a number of learners achieving top grades and confirming routes into higher education and vocational careers.
Among the candidates recognised were Carmen Ronda Perez, 19, who achieved a merit on the T Level in Education and Childcare and will move on to Bradford College to study Primary Education, and Jasmine Barrett, 20, who secured a distinction in the same T Level – the first distinction in that subject recorded by a Harrogate College student.
“I had quite a few challenges before coming to college and I’ve always struggled with learning due to my additional needs. My autism meant that I struggled to find a place where I enjoyed learning, and I’m so glad Harrogate College could be that place.”
Jasmine, who returned to education after leaving school at 14 amid mental health difficulties, described the T Level route as one that allowed her to refocus on a vocational ambition. She has secured a place on an Education Studies degree at Leeds Beckett University from September and intends to pursue a master’s degree specialising in conservation and sustainability education.
Another learner, Joe Quinaguano, 20, who arrived in the UK from Ecuador in 2022 without English, progressed through an ESOL course before completing Level 1 and Level 2 Electrical Installation in successive years and now passing his Level 3 qualification.
What the results tell us about local provision
The outcomes underline two features of Harrogate’s further education landscape: the availability of technical routes such as T Levels, and the college’s support for learners with additional needs or interrupted school careers.
- Technical qualifications are providing direct routes into both higher education and vocational employment.
- College-based learning is supporting learners who struggled in mainstream school settings, including those with autism or mental health challenges.
- Provision for adult and ESOL learners is enabling rapid progression into trade qualifications and Level 3 completion.
Harrogate College has been expanding its portfolio of vocational courses in recent years; these results will be watched by local employers and universities as indicators of the region’s skills pipeline.
Students’ next steps
The success stories illustrate a variety of onward pathways:
| Student | Course | Result | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmen Ronda Perez (19) | T Level in Education and Childcare | Merit | Bradford College — Primary Education |
| Jasmine Barrett (20) | T Level in Education and Childcare | Distinction | Leeds Beckett University — Education Studies (then master’s) |
| Joe Quinaguano (20) | Electrical Installation (Level 1–3; ESOL background) | Level 3 passed | Pursuing employment/apprenticeship opportunities in electrical trades |
College staff and students say tailored support and course choice were decisive factors in these outcomes. The accounts highlight how different starting points — interrupted schooling, additional learning needs, or learning English as an adult — can still lead to Level 3 achievement when appropriate provision and pastoral care are in place.
“The best thing about studying at Harrogate College was being able to find a course that suited my interests. Not everywhere offers T Levels, and I think they’re a fantastic option for people who want to go into a specific vocation or continue studying in that area.”
For Harrogate employers, the cohort offers potential new recruits with technical skills in education and electrical installation. For schools and universities locally, the students moving on to Bradford College and Leeds Beckett underline links between further and higher education in the region.
As colleges and training providers across Yorkshire respond to labour market needs, these individual stories from Harrogate show the tangible benefits of routes other than traditional A-levels for learners seeking both academic and vocational futures.
