newsletter
Results Special 2017
Students celebrate outstanding results PupilS were jumping for joy at Chiswick School following outstanding results in their GCSE and A Levels. At GCSE, the school bucked the national trend by achieving a pass rate of 80 per cent in English, equivalent to the A*-C grade. Seventy per cent of students scored 5 or above in the exam, equivalent to grade B and above, a remarkable achievement given it was the first year of a new grading system – part of the biggest shake-up to GCSE exams in a generation. New exams in English language, English literature and maths were taken by the Year 11 students – which were graded in numbers, with nine as the highest mark and one the lowest. Tears of joy were cried at A Levels results day as pupils found out they had places at Russell Group universities and on courses around the country. More than three-quarters of sixth form students achieved A*-C grades,
while 48% were celebrating A*-B grades. Twenty-one per cent of pupils achieved A* and A grades at the school this year. There were a number of standout performances from our very bright pupils with a number of students scoring straight A* and As in their exams. Our incoming headteacher Mr Philip Masterson said the school will strive for even greater success next year. He said: “We are extremely pleased to have such outstanding English results. Against a nationwide trend that has seen results dip, we are proud that our staff have risen to the challenge. “The school has produced good results across the board. My job when I take up my position next year is to ensure that our outstanding success in English is matched in all subjects. There have also been some truly remarkable individual results from students, at
Chiswick School Newsletter n Results Special 2017
both A Level and GCSE. We are very proud of their achievements. We look forward to welcoming many of our GCSE students back to study in our sixth form. Our sixth form leavers will depart Chiswick School for some of the very best universities in the country. “As a school, we have a duty to ensure all of our pupils reach their full potential and are prepared to meet the challenges they will face after Chiswick School. “As headteacher, I am very excited to get started. We have a solid foundation on which to build and so I expect the school to strive for even greater success next year.” Deputy headteacher Jane Mills added: “We are delighted with our students’ success and they have some outstanding A Level and GCSE grades, reflecting the hard work put in by students and their teachers which has resulted in the excellent progress made by so many at the school.”
CHISWICK SCHOOL success stories
Ancient Chinese rule adds up for Khairah
Gr-eight results: Khairah earned eight top GCSE passes
GCSE student Khairah Boukhatem says the secret to her outstanding GCSE results can be found in ancient Chinese numerology. Using the rule of triple eight – getting eight hours’ sleep, doing eight hours’ revision and enjoying eight hours of leisure time - Khairah scored six A* grades and two A grades. In Chinese numerology, the number eight is considered to be lucky, with three eights in a row being considered ‘triple fortune’. Khairah is now going on to study English literature, history, politics and film studies
at A Level and wants to go on to a degree in English literature at Cambridge. She said: “The staff were really helpful in always pushing us to do our best. I used the ‘rule of triple 8’ to revise for my exams, which is eight hours sleep, eight hours revision, eight hours leisure. “It really helpful to concentrate your mind and make sure you are completely focused when you come to revise.” She added: “I was expecting to do well but it’s always a guessing game, so I’m very happy with these results.”
School gave Niama the chance to prove herself A LEVEL student Niama Evans has won a place at a Russell Group university despite being labelled disruptive at her previous school and being handed 78 detentions in just one term alone. She started to turn the corner after being diagnosed with ADHD at 15 and joining Chiswick School, where she was given extra help. Now, aged 18, Niama has been offered a place at prestigious Leeds University and hopes to help children suffering from speech and language disabilities in the future. She said: “I couldn’t believe it. I cried so much over sociology, it was so hard. “I can’t tell you what this feels like.” Her mother, Jane Bailey, said: “She went undiagnosed for years, until she was 15. “She had a terrible time at her previous school – and now she has got here. “This school accepted she was someone who struggles and they helped her. “The diagnosis was all she needed. I am so proud of her.” Niama’s mum said she eventually got a diagnosis for her daughter after receiving support from her GP, which allowed the teenager to get the assistance she needed, in particular being allowed extra time in exams to help cope with stress. She said: “It doesn’t matter what you go through, if you put your mind to it, you can do it.” Niama now aims to help children with
Elation: Niama shows her delight as she learns of her A Level success speech and language disabilities after an undergraduate course in childhood studies at Leeds. She battled her anxiety through exams to come out with two As in sociology and
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photography and a C in psychology. She said: “I researched the courses and Leeds was the best so that’s what I aimed for. “It was so hard. I can’t believe it, I’m so happy.”
GCSE students excel at english The school achieved good results across the board at GCSE but our grades were particular strong in the new English exam. Below, some of our highest achieving pupils discuss their results, plans for the future and the secret to success.
Pupils dealt with new challenges admirably
Sam’s on target
Open-minded Leah
BUDDING scientist Sam Stevens has set his sights on a place at either Oxford or Cambridge after scoring seven A* grades and one A grade in his GCSEs. The talented student will study maths, further maths, physics and biology at A Level before studying physics at university. He said: “I am really pleased to have done so well. I hit my personal target and exceeded it in English. I’ve always set myself high targets so it is a relief to get these results. “The hard work has paid off thanks to plenty of revision and support from the school. They really inspire you to fulfil your potential.”
BRAINY Leah O’Grady scored A* and four As and will stay on at Chiswick sixth form to study physics, politics, maths and drama at A Level. The 16-year-old said she was pleased to have done so well in her GCSEs and relieved to finally get the results. She added: “I am keeping an open mind at the moment. My passion is quantum mechanics which may sound strange from a 16-year-old. “That is what I want to study but I will be taking a very mixed range of A Levels to keep my options open.”
Ava met her goals
Revision the key
AMBITIOUS student Ava McCoy said that she was “delighted” after exceeding expectations to get five A* grades and three As in her GCSEs. Ava plans to study a remarkable five A Levels next year - history, maths, Latin, English and politics. She said: “I am delighted with these results, so happy. I was really unsure how I was going to do, so these results are really beyond what I expected. “I always try to push myself to meet the targets so it is pleasing to know that I have achieved my goals.”
STUDENT Bella Leamy says the secret to scoring top marks in her GCSEs is simple – do lots and lots of revision. Bella achieved two A*, six As and one B and will study biology, chemistry and classics at A Level. She said: “The school have been absolutely brilliant. They held lots of revision sessions and interventions to make sure we got the results we need. “At GCSE, you have to revise really hard to get the grades you need. If you make sure you put everything into it then you will get good results.”
Emelia has a five-star exam plan STRAIGHT A student Emelia Smyth has revealed her five top tips to achieving the top marks at GCSE. The 16-year-old – who will study chemistry, geography, maths and further maths at A Level – says a mix between support from teachers and hard work is the key. 1. Use mind maps –visual aids are a handy way to remember the answers to questions. 2. Structure your revision – devise a revision timetable and stick to it. Avoid long sessions and take breaks. 3. Use past papers – get hold of as many past papers as you can and test yourself on them. 4. Attend revision and intervention sessions – get as much help as you can from teachers during after-school sessions. 5. Work extra hard on weaker subjects – if you want to do well at all subjects, spend more time revising subjects you don’t excel at.
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LOOKING AHEAD TO FULFIL DREAMS
Delighted by achievements New headteacher Philip Masterson gives his thoughts on the students’ exam results....
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As the new headteacher at Chiswick School, I am delighted by the very good results in some of the subjects by many of our pupils. This achievement is as a result of the hard work and commitment of our students and their teachers. I was thrilled to meet many Year 13 pupils leaving the school with the qualifications they needed to get into their chosen universities on the courses they were so ambitious to study in the next stage of their education. Equally, on GCSE results day, it was great to see the smiles on so many pupils’ faces as they opened their results. I am pleased to say that we have welcomed many of last year’s Year 11s into our Sixth Form and again their good results have meant they are now able to gain entry on to the courses of their choice for the next two years. I am tremendously excited for the year ahead and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chiswick School staff for all their efforts last year in making sure the students on exam courses achieved well. I look forward to working with all staff, students, governors, parents and the local community this year and making sure that all of our wonderful pupils achieve their potential while at this excellent school.
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An exciting year ahead for us all
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We are starting the year against the background of a good set of exam results both at A Level and GCSE, notwithstanding an eventful 2016/17 and changes to exam grading. The senior leadership team and staff are raring to go under the leadership of our new headteacher, Philip Masterson and we have a brand new building which we expect to be able to start using shortly. We are all very excited about the year ahead. Nicholas Lee, Chair, Chiswick School Board of Governors
We are very pleased that many of our students have won places at the country’s very best universities. More than three quarters of sixth form students achieved A*-C grades, while 48% were celebrating A*-B grades. We spoke to a number of standout performers about their degree choices and plans for life after Chiswick School.
Students now preparing for university life
Max ready for fresh challenge
Jerrell sets Saoirse’s his sights on praise for law degree teachers
STUDENT Max Broughton will study at one of the top universities in the country after getting straight As in his A Levels. Max has won a place at the University of Bristol, ranked 10th best in the UK by the Sunday Times, after achieving top marks in maths, psychology and politics. He said: “I have a place at Bristol and I am so happy. It was a lot of stress and I had to work really, really hard. “Going to one of the top universities in the country is a real privilege. I have to thank the school for all their help, it made a big difference.”
BUDDING lawyer Jerrell Cumberbatch is off to Manchester University after scoring straight As in history, politics and sociology. He was inspired to study law after his mum took up the degree but did not get the opportunity to finish her studies. “My mum studied law but she didn’t have the chance to finish it - so I wanted to take that on. “I’m excited. Some people don’t want to go to university but I want to give myself all the options I can.”
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STUDENT Saoirse AkhtarFarren has won a place at a Russell Group university after scoring top marks in her A Levels. Saoirse said she was “over the moon” to find out she had gained four A Levels with A and B grades and confirmed her place at Manchester University. She said: “I really didn’t know I was going to get them. I can’t believe it. The school helped me so much, the teachers were always there for me. If I had gone to a different college or sixth form I am not sure I would have done so well.”