Hard work rewarded by exam results
FOLLOWING an outstanding Ofsted mark this year, 72% of students at Invicta Grammar School for Girls achieved A*- B grades. Pupils also raised £32,000 for charity while they were studying. Notable achievements in- cluded Megan Carter (four A*s), Katie Billinge (three A*s, one A), Emma Carter (three A*s, one A), Eleanor Bryant (three A*s, one B), Joe Rosslyn (three A*s), Laura Fermor (three A*s, one A, one B), Lau- ren Carter (two A*s, two As), Bethan Dowden (two A*s, two As), Charlotte Prescott (two A*s, two As) and Kitty Sillars (two A*s, two As). All 32 pupils at St Augus-
tine’s Academy achieved exam passes that allowed them to go to their chosen destinations, whether university, college, professional training, appren- ticeships or employment. “100% of students gained
two or more Level 3 qualifica- tions with a significant in- crease in the average point scores per entry this year,” said a spokesman. MidKent College reported its
“best ever A-level results”with an overall pass rate of 93% by the 135 students at its Maid- stone campus. Students at Cornwallis Academy and NLL Academy, where sixth form facilities are shared, earned the academies their best results yet, with a third gaining the top A* and A grades. The overall pass rate was 98%, with 72% achieving A*-C. Principal David Simons said: “Over three-quarters will now be going on to university.” St Simon Stock Catholic School put in another record set of results, with 80% of stu-
dents achieving three A levels. More than 40% of entries achieved the top grades and three-quarters of all entries were grade C or higher. Top achiever was Andrew Prendergast (three A*s and one A). Head girl Margaret Ryan also achieved four As and head boy Jacob Senior one A* and two As. Other high achievers included Jack McCabe (two A*s and two As) and Alexan- dra Jueno (two A*s). Head BrendanWall said: “Al-
most half our entries were grade B or higher and three- quarters of entries were grade C or higher.” Oakwood Park Grammar School celebrated another year of excellent A-level and Pre-U results. Overall, 62% of all grades awarded were at A*, A or B and 40% of these grades were at A* and A – a record for the school. Exceptional performers in- cluded Rory Weal (three A*s and one A) who goes on to read history at Queens’ College, Cambridge, and Alexander Midgely (one A* and two As) who is going to read French and Spanish at St Edmond’s College, Oxford. Students at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls have been praised by their head teacher Mary Smith for “putting in the work needed”, with more than 40% achieving A*-A grades and 91% A*-C. Top achievers included best friends Alice Cachia and Helen Oakes who earned seven A*s between them (three and four respectively.) A largest-ever group of Year
13 pupils at Sutton Valence School (30%) gained more than two A* and A grades.
Three times better!
THE taste of successwas three times as sweet for triplets Emma, Lauren and Megan Carter (pictured), who at- tended Invicta Grammar School. They achievedatotal of nineA*sand three As.Emmaand Lauren are off to Cam- bridge and Megan to Oxford.
Theywere not the only triplets cele- brating. Jack McCabe, of St Simon Stock Catholic School gained a place at Oxford University to read English after getting two A*s and two A grades. Together with his sisters,Orla and Eliza, the triplets achieved three A*s and five A grades between them.
Jack Knoll, Alice Cachia, Lily Nyangon and Helen Oakes with their results at Maidstone Grammar School
Best-ever results were achieved by the grammar-equivalent set (top 29% of the year), who gained 99% A*-B grades. With nine pupils achieving
three or more A* and A grades, over 35% of the year group will be taking up places at Russell Group universities, including Cambridge. Head Bruce Grindlay said: “I
am delighted that we have maintained the school’s 10- year upward trend in A*-B grades. This is our biggest A- level cohort so far and I’m very pleased that they have all been committed to the necessary, hard, academic work that brings such good results. I con- gratulate both pupils and staff.” Top achievers, gaining three
or more A* and As, included Alex Allsebrook, Maidstone; Peter Bannister, Sutton Va- lence; Ed Collins, East Malling; Ashley Deveson, Sutton Va- lence; Anton Evans, Otterden; Sophie McGannon, Marden Thorn, and Katherine Smith, Bicknor. Mr Grindlay added: “Sutton
Valence School’s pass rate has improved consistently now for more than a decade.” Sixth-form students at Swade-
lands School in Lenham achieved the best results in the school’s history, with 61% of students achieving at least one A grade and over half gaining two A grades. Arran McGlynn, who achieved five A-levels, is going to Canterbury to study com- puter science, while Lydia Hilden’s three A-levels helped her gain a place studying crim- inology. The school’s rich sports heritage was reflected in other entrants such as Giorgio Russo, who will be studying strength and conditioning at St Mary’s. Head Richard Baddeley said:
“The results this year are the strongest we have had.” Valley Park School had an
85% pass rate, with more than half of its 100 A-level pupils earning an A or A*, which was up 5% on last year. Nine stu- dents gained A and A*s in three subjects or more.
Good childminder provides plenty of fresh air and fun School seeks space
A MAIDSTONE childminder has been praised by an Ofsted inspector for providing fun ways for youngsters to learn outside. The inspector visited Kirstin Wright’s home in SnowdownAvenue in July and found those in her charge playing outside with water, on scooters and chatting about a new mud kitchen. In her report, the inspector commented that Kirstin – a former primary school teacher – “made
very good use of outdoor spaces to promote chil- dren’s learning in fun ways”. Kirstin, who looks after youngsters up to the age
of eight, was looking after eight children at the time of the Ofsted report. She was given a 2 or good rating. The inspector said sharing ideas, more input
from parents and fresh ways to reflect the young- sters’ cultural diversity boost the grade in future.
BARMING Primary School is trying to raise money to expand. The school wants to convert
loft space to classrooms but does not have the funding. It plans to extend the hire of
its portable classroom, which was given one-year planning permission in August 2012, and add another temporary unit.
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