'A' level Results celebrated as students are rewarded for their hard work

'This is a very impressive set of results for the academy. These outcomes are very much in line with the last set of public examination results in 2019, which placed King Alfred’s in the top 5% of all schools nationally for value added. In this regard, these results sustain the reputation of the academy as having one of the highest performing Sixth Forms in the region. I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of students and staff who have together secured these impressive outcomes’.

‘However, more importantly, these results will allow the vast majority of our students to progress to their first choice destination. Each one of the Class of 2022 ought to be fiercely proud of the hard work, dedication and resilience they have all shown over the course of the last two very challenging years, both to their own education and to each other. They all deserve the very best life chances in the future, and I am confident that these individual results will help them to take the first important step on their many different journeys with great confidence’.

Our students are planning on taking diverse routes into employment, training and Higher Education. Many have places secured at UK universities including a record number at Oxford and Cambridge. Others will be applying to overseas universities or to UK universities following their Gap Years. More still will be embarking on Higher and Degree-Level apprenticeships. In many cases Level 3 BTEC qualifications at Distinction or Distinction* grade, sometimes taken alongside A-levels, have helped our students onto their first choice courses.

Students with particularly impressive results include Amos Alkebro with A*A*A, Isabella Bliss with A*A*A and a place to read Zoology at Swansea University, Elizabeth Braithwaite with A*A and a Distinction* (Di*) and a place to read Psychology at Cardiff, Amy Cashman with A*A*A and a place to read Liberal Arts at Leeds, Heather Fishburn with A*A*A* and a place to read PPE at Oxford, James Hindson with A*A*A*A* and a place to read Mathematics at Cambridge, Isabelle Larman with Di*Di*Di, Cyd Molodynski with A*A*A and a place to read Medicine at Plymouth, Jack Priest with A*A*A* and a place to read Philosophy at Cambridge, Fay Process with A*A*A and a place to read Mathematical Physics at Nottingham, Alana Roe with Di*Di*Di* and an A and a place to read Early Childhood Studies at Bath Spa, Ella Salaman with Di*Di*Di* and a place to read Social Work at Oxford Brookes, Jack Westmacott with Di*Di*Di* and a place to read Exercise and Sport Sciences at Exeter, Harriet Whittington with A*A*A and Charlotte Worth with A*A*A*A* and a place to read Medicine at Liverpool.

A number of our students have completed fascinating Extended Projects alongside their A-levels. Special mention goes to Imogen Morgan-Bailey, whose project examined the benefits in terms of brain development for hearing young people learning sign language – an A* in her project along with AAB in her A-levels will take her to Keele to read Neuroscience and Psychology. Meanwhile, Heather Kildonan achieved an A* for her project in which she wrote a novel and assessed its impact on the empathy of her readers – with A*A*A* in her A-levels she has a place to read English Literature and Creative Writing at Cardiff.

It has been great to welcome back many of our flagship extracurricular activities this year, and our musical theatre production ‘Return to the Forbidden Planet’ was a great example. As ever Year 13 students contributed in various roles, for example Rebecca Sadler who skilfully manipulated the tentacles backstage on her way to A*A*A*A* grades and a place to read Medicine at Oxford. Linchpins of the production band Daniel Botchway and Nathan Leppinen both achieved A*A*A*A in their A-levels and have places at Warwick to read Automotive Engineering and Imperial to read Chemistry respectively.

We are also delighted that our senior student leaders, who have contributed to the life of the academy through many projects, have been so successful. Head Girl Maddie Hurley achieved Di*Di*Di and has a place to read Sport Coaching at Bournemouth, while Head Boy Will Herbert has AAB, an A grade in his Extended Project examining the impact of a universal basic income on crime, and a place to read Criminology and Social Policy at Cardiff.

Finally, we must also congratulate Ben Cumberland, whose exam season was disrupted by his selection to represent Great Britain at first the European and then the World Triathlon Championships, both in early June and both disrupting his exams. Ben achieved A*AA despite this and has a place to read Economics at Loughborough, no doubt whilst continuing to compete at the highest level.

Head of Sixth Form Tim Lawrence said ‘It was a great pleasure to work with this year group – they were a supportive cohort who responded really well to our advice and guidance, and who coped admirably with all that the past few years has thrown at them! They have continued to support our academy, their local community and each other throughout and I am sure will go on to many interesting and worthwhile futures.’