STUDENTS at Matravers School have been celebrating as GCSE, A-level, and AS-level results were released, with some of the best results for the school achieved.
This year, Matravers have seen a strong set of results at GCSE, including their best results for students achieving 5A*-C grades, their best results for students achieving 5A*-C grades (including English and maths), and their best points score, which is calculated from the grades received overall.
70.5% of students gained 5A*-C grades, compared to 55% in 2010. 48.5% gained 5A*-C in subjects which included English and maths, up 6% on 2010. The average points score per pupil was 48, meeting the school’s target and moving up from 39 in 2010. The school also achieved their best English and maths results, with 66% of students gaining a A*-C grade in English, up 14% on last year, and 57% achieving an A*-C in maths.
Headteacher Chris Dark said, “These results are a real credit to students who have worked tirelessly to get the results they deserve. We’re really pleased on behalf of the students and the teachers have also worked very hard to get these results.
“We’ve done a huge amount with the students – Easter courses, one-to-one sessions, after-school sessions. I haven’t seen any tears today – all the students I’ve talked to have got what they wanted or better. Some students have done remarkably – students like Katie [New], Ellen [Baker], and Lauren [Russell] who have got fantastic results.”
High GCSE achiever Katie New obtained 9A*, 2A, and a distinction in ICT, results she said she was not expecting. “I was expecting a few Bs, some As and a couple of A*s – this is far better than I thought!” she said. “I did think I would spend the two years working hard and I did spend a lot of time revising. Some of my family have come down and so I think we’ll be celebrating with a meal.” Katie will stay on to study at the sixth form at Matravers School, and hopes to go on to a business or international business course at university in the future.
Lauren Russell opened results of 3A*, 5As, 2Bs, and a distinction in ICT. “It’s not sunk in yet – I was expecting much less – Bs and Cs!” she said. She will join Matravers’ sixth form and hopes to go on to study medicine at university.
Other top achievers included Ellen Baker (6A*, 3A, distinction in ICT, 1B), Jonathan Davies (2A*, 6A, 2B, merit in ICT), and Sophie Brock (A in C&M diploma, 5A, 2Bs).
Chris Dark said that the results demonstrate a “good steady progression year on year” and added his confidence that the school will easily pass the 50% 5A*-C (including English and maths) mark in next year’s results. There are also high hopes for next year’s sixth form, with many of this year’s high achievers staying on at the school, some promising results from this year’s AS marks, and a new sixth form centre for the students on the way.
A and AS level results
Sixth form students gathered at the school on Thursday 18th August to pick up their results. For those collecting their A-level results it was a particularly nerve-racking time: those who miss the grades and miss out on a university place could face increased tuition fees when reapplying next year.
At A-level, Matravers had a pass rate (grades A*-E) of 97% – the same as last year, and similar to this year’s national average. 117 exam entries were submitted, with only four entries which failed.
55% of entries gained a A*-C grade, down 9% on the previous year. A*-B grades were 28%, down 11%. However, this did represent an improvement for this year group.
Top scorer Rylan Gooch scored three As and a B. “I’m very pleased – chuffed to bits!” he said. He will now go to York to study politics, philosophy, and economics. Fellow student Anne Walton was delighted with A*AB – saying, “what I was hoping for, but better!”, which will take her to Southampton to study nursing. Giles Lipscome achieved A*BBC, which will take him to Leicester to study physics. “I was hoping for a B in Maths, but I got into my second choice [of university] so I’m happy”. he said. Other high scorers were Jess Monica (ABC), who will go on to study art, and Phil Roberts (A*ABB), who plans to study pharmacy at Bath University.
AS results were also released at the same time, revealing a strong year group and boding well for next year’s A-level results. They were Matravers’ best results at AS for the last 5 years, with a pass rate of 86% for A-E grades – a 7% increase on the previous year. There were 273 exam entries for this year group. A*-B grades were 29% – a 15% increase on 2010.
As an arts college, Matravers was delighted to see particularly strong results in their art and design entries. At A-level, 49% of entries achieved the top A* or A result, while no results were lower than a C grade.
