Thursday, August 22, 2013

Record 'Diamond' GCSE results for New Hall School




Students at New Hall School, leading Catholic boarding and day school in Chelmsford, are celebrating record breaking GCSE results.  Those celebrating outstanding achievements at the BrightWorld Partner UK Boarding School, include Pippa O’Riley, from Witham, who secured 12 A*/A grades, Lucy Ashfield, from Ingatestone, who earned 11 A* grades, as well as Year 8 student, Lucy Greenwood, from Chelmsford, who earned an A* Mathematics GCSE 3 years early.

Students at the historic school, in its 370th anniversary year, are celebrating remarkable growth at top grades compared with last year, with a 50% increase in A* grades.  As well as 21% of all GCSEs being awarded A*, a record 52% of grades were at A*/A and a record 28 students achieved at least 9-12 A*/A grades.  The outstanding results at New Hall are in contrast to the national picture, where the grades fell overall.  Once again New Hall announced a 100% success rate.

New Hall School operates the distinctive and highly successful ‘Diamond Model’ structure, which sees boys and girls taught in single-sex classes from Year 7 to the end of their GCSEs, whilst still enjoying the benefits of a co-educational campus. 

This year, both girls and boys at New Hall have achieved exceptional results in a number of challenging academic subjects, including Sciences and Mathematics; girls have performed particularly well in these areas, usually dominated by boys nationally. Bucking the national trend of decline in languages and low numbers of high grades, across 3 Modern Languages at New Hall the school is celebrating a remarkable total of 37% of grades at the very top A* grade, with a record number of students taking Spanish and achieving A*/A grades.

Top performers from the Girls’ Division include Pippa O’Riley from Witham (pictured above left), who secured 9 A* grades and 3 A grades, Lucy Ashfield, from Ingatestone (also pictured above right), who earned 11 A* grades and Isobel Ovenden, from Chelmsford, who celebrated 8 A* grades and 3 A grades and secured 100% in all four history papers, placing her top nationally.  In the Boys’ Division, Conor Moylan, from Leigh on Sea, earned 5 A* grades and 5 A grades.  Jonathan Chao earned 5 A* grades and 6 A grades. Thanks to the support of the New Hall Learning Development Department, Coran Allen, from Chelmsford, is celebrating after overcoming the challenges of severe dyslexia, to achieve 8 A* grades, 2 A grades and 1 B.

Principal, Katherine Jeffrey, said: “In our special 370th anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to celebrate these record results with our students today. The entire year group should be immensely proud of their achievements. We believe these results are a testament to the success of New Hall’s pioneering ‘Diamond Model’, which provides the best of both worlds: the benefits of a co-educational environment together with the advantages of girls and boys being taught separately at Key Stage 3 and for GCSE. The provision of single-sex education during formative years enables students to grow in confidence, whilst enjoying an education that is specifically tailored and that recognises the different ways in which boys and girls learn.”

Deputy Principal, Jo Storey, said: “At New Hall the curriculum is distinctive in its breadth and academic rigour, which helps every student to realise his or her academic potential; we are delighted with the record results at A*/A achieved this year. Students have achieved an excellent academic foundation to progress on to our newly re-located and refurbished Sixth Form Centre, which will provide a first class, university-style learning environment. ”

Head of Sixth Form, James Alderson, said: “Our students have so much to celebrate today, with these tremendous results. I look forward to building on this success in future years, as we welcome them to our new Sixth Form Centre which opens this September.”

New Hall School welcomes students from the local Chelmsford area, as well as those from around the world. Boarding students have been attracted by New Hall’s international reputation for its distinctive curriculum and academic excellence and for the range of co-curricular opportunities available.  The pastoral care system and boarding provision, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, allow students to enjoy learning in a supportive community, where teamwork and the importance of developing life skills and moral integrity are emphasised.

New Hall was the first independent school nationally to sponsor a primary school.  Staff at its sponsored partner school, Messing Primary School, near Colchester, were delighted to hear of the New Hall student successes at GCSE.

 If you would like to apply to this Co-educational UK Boarding School in Essex Please enquire online today!
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