Vet dream a step close for Rotherham student who retook A Levels after family tragedy

Charlotte Proctor, a student at Aston Academy, will begin a five-year Veterinary Medicine and Science course at the University of Surrey after achieving her target grades of A in Biology, B in chemistry and B in maths.

She retook her A Levels this year after the sudden death of her mother, Diane, just before last year's exams.

Her success means the 19-year-old is one step closer to realising her dream of caring for sick animals, which was inspired by the plight of her family’s Shitzu-Lhasa Apso-cross, Pippin.

Charlotte said: “I’d wanted to be a vet for a few years, but when I found out you had to euthanise animals it put me off, so then I decided I wanted to become a dance teacher.

“However, while I was studying for my GCSEs, Pippin started having seizures and the feeling of not knowing what to do made me realise that I wanted to help people in the same situation.

“I’ve always loved animals and I know how much people consider them to be part of their family, so I think being a vet and being able to help look after them will be extremely rewarding.”

Charlotte also paid tribute to staff at Aston Academy, who helped her retake her A Levels this year after her mother.

She said: “They’ve been amazing and really supportive to me so I am very grateful to them. I managed to sit my exams last year but I didn’t get the grades I wanted, so although I got accepted on a similar course, I decided to re-sit them and I’m really glad I did.

“I’ve really enjoyed being a student at Aston Academy and the prospect of leaving and living somewhere new is daunting, but I’m ready to go and I’m looking forward to it.”

Aston Academy principal Dominic Curran said that Charlotte’s results were one of a number of successes for students at the school, which is once again celebrating a 100 per cent pass rate across 31 A level and Level 3 vocational courses.

He said: “There were many excellent personal performances this year and we were particularly delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of a number of particularly high achieving students.

“Not only did Charlotte achieve the grades she needed, Emily Dodwell achieved A*, A* and AB and is moving on to study maths at the University of Sheffield, while Emma-Louise Proctor achieved two A*s and an A grade, and will be reading Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences at the University of Exeter.

“It’s exciting to see our students moving on to a broad range of university courses and apprenticeships across the country and we wish them many congratulations and all the very best for their future.”