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.
