It’s ‘sum’ achievement for the top ‘A’ level students at St John’s, Marlborough this year with excellent results achieved across the board, but particularly in Maths, History and English Literature.
It’s the first year of a new tougher exam climate (rendering direct year-on-year comparisons relatively redundant) with more linear A-levels based entirely on exams at the end of the two years’ study. In spite of the new system, twenty students managed to achieve top ‘A’ or ‘A*’ grades in three subjects.
“It was a bit of a leap in the dark” said St John’s Principal Nicky Edmondson. ”But we are really pleased with the results which have been excellent” she added.
There were some top class achievements by individual students in Further Maths. Ruthie Bentley, stalwart of the school basketball team and Lucy Sumner-Twisk, an aspiring Maths teacher each bagged the top ‘A*’ grade in Maths and Further Maths, with Ruthie also achieving an ‘A*’ in Biology and Lucy an ‘A’ in Physics as well.
Four more students: Marcus Bond, James Ibbetson, Jasmine Elliott and Joe Lindley also landed ‘A*’ in Maths.
In English Literature there were further superb achievements, with seven students – Heather Ford, Charlie Hole, Anna Jepson (pictured), Tom Legge, Nick Moore, Eve Tarring and Ellen Trevaskiss (lead pic) each getting ‘A*’ grades whilst amassing a total of sixteen ‘A*’ and ‘A’ grades across all of their subjects. Next year Anna will start at Sussex University reading English Literature, whilst Ellen will be at Sheffield reading English and Theatre.
Early indications are that almost all students have secured their first choice university places, such as one of last year’s top achievers, Jake Owen, who will study Biological Sciences at Oxford. On the back of achieving three ‘A’s and a ‘B’ Ellie Davis has just secured a place at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge where she will study Geography.
Not all students will be going straight on to further education. Some will be embarking on a gap year, such as Finn Halsall (pictured), who will spend a year in India and Nepal before reading Conservation, Ecology and Biology at Exeter University in September ’18 having achieved ‘A*’, ‘A’ and ‘B’ in his three subjects.
The secret of this success for St John’s students against an unpredictable backdrop of toughened exams? Inspirational teachers, focused and dedicated students with the backing and support of their parents. ”It’s all down to teamwork” stated Assistant Head Dan Rogan, a simple yet very appropriate summary to another successful year of achievements for St John’s students.
