Exam performance sets Giggleswick students up for next steps
Giggleswick School’s sixth form students are celebrating after receiving their A Level and BTEC results. Taking into account BTEC students, the number achieving A* or A* equivalent grades has doubled from 2019 – the last time results were awarded based on exams and in-person teaching due to the pandemic.
90% of students have been offered their first choice of university, with nearly 50% attending a Russell Group university. The School saw success across the year group in spite of various challenges, with 81% of SEN (special needs) pupils and 78% of EAL (English as an additional language) pupils achieving A* - B.
Martha Richmond has secured a place at the University of Cambridge to study Natural Sciences having achieved three A*s in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. She said of her experience:
“The good thing about Giggleswick is whether you're aiming for a pass or an A*, the teachers allow for that, and they push and support everyone to achieve their own individual goals. If you want any help at all, every teacher is always ready to help you at any point.”
Headmaster, Sam Hart, said: “I am absolutely delighted for our pupils. They have overcome a myriad of challenges in the last two years, entering the exam room for their first public examination experience in June. It was a big ask but they rose to the challenge and showed a great deal of resilience after the disruption of Covid. As they arrived at School to collect their results this morning, it was wonderful to see so many happy faces; it has been a challenging journey and there was a palpable sense of relief but also a real gratitude towards all the staff who have supported them throughout. It is lovely to see students heading to such a range of courses and locations; the sixth form team have continued to find the right place for each pupil with most heading off to university while others start apprenticeships and some take GAP years.”
Alongside their A level study, sixth form students at Giggleswick also take the highly regarded Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which allows students to research an area of interest away from their other A Level studies. 78% achieved an A* - B for their EPQ.
The results see students head off to red-brick and Russell group universities including Cambridge, Bath, UCL and Warwick as well as prestigious places on Degree Apprenticeships with BAE and Carter Jonas.
Sophie Huber, from Harrogate, received an E in her mock Politics exam but with extra teaching support and her own hard work achieved a B alongside Bs in Fine Art with Sculptures and Theatre Studies. She said: “I’m so proud of my results, especially my Politics grade as I struggled in the mock exam and had to work hard to improve my grade. The teachers have been amazing, the support I’ve received has been brilliant. The sky is the limit here, I didn’t want to go to university and at the end of Lower Sixth I changed my mind, and the teachers provided me with so much support and different options.”
Sophie Smith was ecstatic after securing a place at Central School of Speech and Drama saying: “I am very,very happy! I’ve come a long way, I started off not being very academic or confident and I have grown so much. The teachers go to the ends of the earth for their students. They found my passion, I had a love for drama but zero confidence and didn’t push myself but Gigg has genuinely showed me that I could do it, pushed me, and given me that extra confidence I needed.”
Briony Moffat was celebrating getting into her first choice, London College of Music to study Musical Theatre, saying: “Flexi boarding has really helped me focus on my work while committing to rehearsals for drama productions. I did occasional nights up until year 10 but then as my workload increased I decided to do three nights a week so I could fit in my co-curricular activities too. It’s great because I can see plenty of my friends as well as fitting everything in. The School productions helped me realise how busy a career in theatre could be and that while can be really challenging and requires a lot of commitment, it can also be extremely rewarding.”
It was a fantastic day for Maud Humphries. The 18-year-old from Hesket Newmarket achieved three A*s in English Literature Music and History and is now heading to Bristol University to study Politics and Sociology. She said: “I’m really pleased with my results as I’ve done much better than my predicted grades! My tutor, Miss Mahler, was amazing. She provided so many one to one sessions to support me with UCAS and my personal statement that I knew my application was the best it could be.”
Places are still available in the School’s sixth form for 2022-23. To find out more contact 01729 893000.