Congratulations YEAR 11 – Fantastic GCSE Results 2018
I am delighted to be able to report the amazing success of our Year 11 students in their GCSE examinations. We are all very aware of the major changes that have been taking place at GCSE level and that the new-style GCSE exams in England are ‘the most difficult since the end of O-levels in the 1980s’. About 90% of entries in England this year will be in the new, more challenging form of GCSE. These have more difficult content and are mostly marked on final exams, rather than coursework.
The intention is to pitch the exams at the standard of the highest-achieving countries in education, such as Singapore and Finland. There are 20 of the most popular GCSE subjects in England graded for the first time in the numerical format. These include history, geography, sciences and modern languages, all of which have been designed to be more difficult.
This has been a very challenging two years for our students and staff with the introduction of the new grading system and increased rigour in these qualifications. Today we celebrate the achievements of all students at all ability levels since they have done remarkably well.
Once again almost 100% of our pupils achieved 5 Grade 9/A*- Grade 4/C GCSE grades or equivalent. Our results at Grade 7/A and above are once again well above the national average.
Our students have reached their challenging targets and it is with great pride we can report that students are making excellent progress. We are particularly pleased with our results at the new Level 9 Grade with almost 6% of students achieving this new prestigious grade. In Art, German and PE over 10 % gained a grade 9. In Religious Studies over 26% gained a grade 9 which is simply outstanding.
Congratulations to every student in the Class of 2018; your parents will be justifiably very proud of your achievements.
Our students have excelled at the top grades of 9/A* and Grade 7/A with over a third of our students achieving these grades in 5 or more of their subjects. In fact almost 35% of all entries were at Grade A*/A level 7 or above.
There have also been many individual success stories. The following students gain3ed at least nine Grade 7/A grades or above: Eleanor A, Olivia Penny, Bradley Martin, Jemima Cray, Ella Alsop, James Corr, Jessica Leach, William Boles, Jonathan Swales, Evan Atkins, Eoin Russell, Madeleine Corcoran, Emma Cole, Lucy Ford, Taylor Meadows and Sarah Fleetwood-Walker.
William Boles |
Sarah Fleetwood Parker |
Eoin Russell |
Evan Atkins and Jonathan Swales |
Ella Alsop |
Olivia Penny |
The most outstanding results however were achieved by our Head Girl Eleanor A who gained 8 level 9s, 1 level 8 and a grade A – truly remarkable results!
Eleanor A celebrating her amazing results – best in the school
I must thank all my colleagues who are an outstanding team of staff who guided, coached and inspired our students through five years of learning. Without their professional expertise, stamina and endless patience these results would not have been achieved.
We are looking forward to welcoming and celebrating their fantastic success over the next two days as they enroll with students from other schools in the area into our very popular and successful Sixth Form.
The Class of 2018 is a fantastic group of young people and their achievements and progress are very well deserved. Their impact across Arden over the last five years has been exceptional and they have been outstanding ambassadors. We wish every one of them all the very best for the future and every success in their lives ahead.
Martin Murphy
Executive Principal
23rd August 2018
