Sixth Form students achieve "excellent" results

Thursday 13 August 2020

Grammar School & Sixth Form Students have achieved a 99.5% pass rate for A Levels and 100% for the IB, with more than a half of those grades at A*-B or equivalent.

This year's cohort of 176 students achieved a near perfect pass rate. A quarter of grades were at A*/A (or equivalent), over a half were A*-B and over 80% of grades were in the A*-C range.

There was a buzz of excitement in the air this morning as students picked up their results from the refectory.

"I have done well and got what I wanted to some I’m very happy," said Ivy Botzenhardt, 18, who studied Music, Philosophy and Theatre Studies.

Miss Botzenhardt, who has a place at a Drama School in London, said the last few months had been "crazy".

"The most stressful part was not knowing what was going to happen," she said. "There has been a lot of stress but I am glad it has worked out well for me at least."

Pictured: Headteacher Kieran James said the sixth form centre's results reflect pupils' hard work and exceptional progress over the past two years.

Headteacher Kieran James said that students had excelled despite being unable to sit exams this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"We are delighted that these initial data suggest our students, who come from a wide range of backgrounds, have made progress well-above the national average, thanks to the support they have received from their tutors, teachers, parents and carers."

Reece Kilminster, 18, studied Maths, Music and Theatre Studies.  "I was able to take a lot of stress off because I didn’t need A Levels for my musical theatre course," he said. 

Despite that, he was keen to achieve the best grades possible, even if that has come in a slightly surreal environment. 

"It has been the complete opposite to what we were expecting," he said, reflecting on the year to date. "I was mentally preparing for four to six months of rigorous studying and then it completely turned on its head."

Pictured: The Sixth Form Centre closed in March due to the corona virus pandemic - which hit just as students around the British Isles were gearing up for their Level 3 exams. 

Director of Sixth Form Studies Nicola Papworth said the school's culture of independent learning had served students well during a chaotic year. 

"We are delighted that our students' hard work has been recognised through these excellent results calculated by the exam boards in the absence of examinations," she said. 

There has, however, been a few "anomalous" results, according to Mr James. He said the school will help pupils to challenge those calculated grades, although the appeal process could take up to six weeks. 

"Generally we are pleased as the vast majority of students got their place at university, but there’s a small number who are disappointed and some anomalous results. Some will be appealing their results and we are supporting them with that."