Celebrating top results at glyn school

There were happy students at Glyn School on A Level results day as the pass rate hit 99 per cent with two students heading to Oxford University.

Students at the Ewell school improved the pass rate scored by last year’s cohort. The class of 2019 scored 74 per cent of grades at C or higher, while 42 per cent were B or higher.

Among the top performers were Toby Price, 18, and Marcus Roberts, 18, both of whom are going on to Oxford. Toby will be studying engineering after recording A*s in physics, maths and further maths, along with an A in music. Marcus will be studying medicine after getting A*s in biology and chemistry and an A in chemistry.

Toby said: “I was absolutely lost for words I couldn’t believe it.”

“The secret is loving your subject,” he continued. “If you love it you will do well and I think that is the key.”

Marcus admitted the A Levels had been a bigger challenge than expected, but was delighted to secure his place.

“I did well at GCSE and I thought I would be able to coast a little bit but from the get-go it was hard work and I’m not a fan of the exams at the end,” he laughed. “It was all on the nerves.”

The new linear A Level exams system created new pressures for staff and students, but head teacher Matt Duffield paid tribute to the hard work which led to such strong results.

“We are incredibly proud of all our students who have received examination results today,” he said.

“This comes off the back of a sustained period of curricular reform which has been a challenge to implement, but as a school I think we’ve done remarkably well. I’m extremely proud of my staff but in particular I’m proud of my students. They’ve worked very hard and today we celebrate the fruits of their hard work.”

The students achieved marked success in history, psychology and further maths, with a 100 per cent A*- C pass rate, as well as a 93 per cent  A*- C pass rate in history.
High performers Alex Smith, Ben Fry, James Wright and Tom Davey all received two A*s and one A.

Tom, who scored A*s in maths and further maths with an A in chemistry, is now going to Imperial College London to study maths.

He said: “Opening it and seeing it made me really happy. It’s been lots of revision; it is about working hard and working smart, it’s not just working loads and loads.”

Head of Sixth Form Heidi Thompkins said: “I am absolutely delighted, there are huge successes within the cohort and massive personal achievements for some students. I am really proud of how the students and teachers have come together and tackled the new linear A Levels.”

Mr Duffield added: “We have high aspirations for all our students but also high aspirations for ourselves. Every member of staff is committed to making sure we give the students the best support possible.

“We focus on learning what the best learning and teaching practices are. We are a very reflective as a teaching body and it’s essential that schools are focused on the science of learning and I think that’s the secret ingredient for any school.”