We are celebrating our best GCSE results EVER!
- One third of all results are graded 9 (A**)
- 60% of exams sat are awarded 8 (A*) or 9 (A**)
- An incredible 80% of results are Grade 7 (A) or above
- 100% Pass Rate
- Better results than Centre Assessed Grades (2020) and Teacher Assessed Grades (2021)
Students have bucked the national trend with the best GCSE results ever at the school since the new grading system began. One third of all results were graded the very top mark of 9 (A**), 60% of exams sat were awarded 8 or 9 and a massive 80% were Grade 7 (A) or above. Not to mention a 100% pass rate.
“It’s phenomenal – they are higher than the previous two years of Centre Assessed Grades (2020) and last year’s Teacher Assessed Grades. It really is quite unprecedented and completely flouts all the headlines predicting a sharp fall in the top grades. I’m stunned, relieved but not remotely surprised after all the effort and hard work that has gone into this. What a proud moment for us all!” said Sarah Dunn, Headmistress.
SMASHING IT WITH STRAIGHT 9S
From such a bumper crop of results, it is hard to pick the stand-out stories but mention must go to Matilda who added to last year’s 9 (A**) in German, which she took in just one year, with a further clean sweep of nine 9s this year. “She moved from an International School abroad to The Maynard at the start of GCSEs, with a new system, new subjects and a totally different way of working so she should be really proud of herself,” said Matilda’s beaming mother. “The Maynard has been so supportive and the teaching has been excellent. It’s all worked out really well and she is excited about the thought of starting her A-levels.”
After celebrating with some sailing this afternoon in Exmouth and a weekend in Cardiff with friends, Matilda is looking ahead to a career in Marine Biology. “I would like to work with the natural world as I’m really fascinated by the marine ecosystem and I’d like to work to make a difference to climate change.”
HOME TO STRAIGHT 9S FROM A SCHOLARSHIP WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES
Another to achieve straight 9s (A**) is Lilly who was joined by her justifiably proud parents and brothers. “It’s so exciting! I had hoped that I could do this and I’m very happy that it has actually happened as there were one or two things that I was little worried about. It took me a long time to fall asleep last night and I eventually went through a pile of books in my bedroom to see if I could find something that would calm me down!”
Lilly hopes one day to possibly become a journalist, combining her love of writing, politics and the arts, although she admits to keeping her options open at this stage “which is very exciting”. She has just returned from three weeks in the USA where she completed a course with the School of The New York Times, “The City as Muse and Inspiration”. Undeniably difficult to get onto such a course, such is the demand, Lilly was selected on a scholarship from thousands of applicants around the world. “I had a most amazing and inspiring lead teacher in Michael Kimmelman, the architecture critic for The New York Times. We went to every borough of the city with a different trip every day and then had to write up reports about our travels and what we had seen. It was the most incredible experience and I absolutely loved it!”
“UNBELIEVABLE AND EXCEPTIONAL PASTORAL CARE”
One parent was quick to credit the school with her daughter’s brilliant results: “Maddie has done incredibly well. She only joined the school in the second lockdown 18 months ago (in December 2020) and has made a huge improvement and worked very hard. The pastoral care at The Maynard has been unbelievable – exceptional – and I think, for her, it was a very big transition coming from a large state school where she was struggling, so huge credit to the teachers for having faith in her. They have been amazing, to be fair. It’s been very much a team effort – Maddie has worked incredibly hard, but she’s also had enormous support. I think coming out of lockdown, when they had such a challenging time, that it’s been pretty difficult for them but it’s been a great experience thanks to the efforts of all the staff at The Maynard.”
THE STUDENT WHO ARRIVED BY ACCIDENT!
Perhaps the most heart-warming story of the day is that of Helena who smashed all of her exams with a large clutch of 9s. Helena arrived at The Maynard more by luck than any design at the start of her GCSEs in September 2020. “I used to live in China and we went on a family holiday to Australia but then covid struck and we couldn’t get home again. With just one suitcase full of summer clothes for us all, we had nowhere to go, so we had to fly to England. I came to The Maynard just by chance because my grandmother lives in Exmouth. So, for me, I’ve been quite lucky with covid because I ended up here and I love it!” In her spare time, Helena does a lot of crocheting and has raised hundreds of pounds for charities such as Hospiscare and her local doctor’s surgery. In a most touching display of generosity and thoughtfulness, she arrived on Results Day morning clutching armfuls of crocheted animals, each carefully designed to suit every single one of her teachers – much to their delight!
A WONDERFUL DAY WITH A SAD FAREWELL
“What an amazing day,” said outgoing Headmistress, Sarah Dunn, who today finished her six-year tenure at the school on an incredible high. “I couldn’t be happier for all the girls and for the staff – together they have worked so extraordinarily hard to gain this enormous success. I’m so sad to be retiring from education, but this wonderful school, with its lovely community, has so much to be proud of and even more to look forward to! Huge, huge congratulations to everyone and I shall miss you all.”
