Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, and with their studies being delivered via guided home learning for much of the year, our Year 13s have continued to demonstrate resilience and determination. They have worked hard and achieved the results required for these students to take their places to study a truly diverse range of subjects at top universities.

With 88% of students achieving their first choice of university, their destinations are as varied as the subjects they are choosing to study. UCL was one of the girls’ most popular choices this year where 5 students are set to take up places to study Medicine, Biochemistry, French with Management Studies, Economics and Information Management. Other students have achieved places at top universities including Durham, Warwick, Cardiff, and Birmingham.

STEM and Health subjects were well represented with 28% of students going on to study related subjects. In STEM, students took up places to study subjects in Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Biomedical Sciences Economics, Computer Science, and Psychology. Other students won places on highly competitive courses following paths to become the medics of the future, including Mathura Kathirgamanathan, Bethany Ede and Natasha Low who will take Medicine at university, and one Tegan Rowlands, who will take Veterinary Medicine.

Languages were also a strength with 16% of students going on to study a range of language related degrees including Olivia Lancaster, who is studying Law with Hispanic Law and Spanish.

Imogen Rafferty achieved a full set of A* grades will study Classics at Exeter after being accepted onto a highly competitive Army scholarship programme which involved assessment, interviews and a physical selection process.

Honor Weaver, a highly entrepreneurial student will focus on building what began as a lockdown project and transforming it further into a growing business. The company www.nearhome.net allows customers to source independent food producers in their local area.

Hadrian Briggs, Deputy Head (Academic) said: “We are very proud of the resilience and dedication our students have shown over the past two years, their excellent results and diverse destinations show what an engaging year group we have had the good fortune to work with. A special tribute must also go to our teaching staff who swiftly built a robust and rigorous process to ensure our students were fairly assessed and received the excellent grades they deserved.”

Joining Mr Briggs in his praise of the students was Mrs Reynolds, Head: “These exceptional students are set to make their mark on the world beyond school and we wish them every success and happiness as they move forward onto the next steps in their academic careers.”