If you want to read about your school in the next edition, see page eight for contact details ISSUE 46, September 10, 2009 Helping you choose the right schools for your children Another bumper year Inside THERE were smiles all around when this year’s A-level results were announced. Once again pupils at local inde- pendent schools have done them- selves,their teachers and par- NEWS ents proud with another Hollywood set of bumper results. At Bromsgrove School 164 glamour pupils sat 522 A-levels and, see page 5 remarkably,almost 60 per cent of all grades were A, with a third of all pupils scoring three or more straight As. Eighty four per cent of all grades fell into the A/B bracket, while the A to E pass rate was 99.8 per cent. A-level students at Wolverhamp- ton Grammar School are celebrat- ing a 100 pass rate for the third suc- ● All smiles: Old Swinford Hospital’s Adam Turner, Natalie Bate, Felicity cessive year.The faultless per- Beard and Luke Jew – all offered places at either Oxford or Cambridge. formance by WGS’ 89 A-level stu- NEWS dents includes 77 per cent at 2008) – Luke Jew, from Stourbridge; No fewer than 40 candidates at the Float like a grades A-B. Remarkably all of NatalieBate,fromQuarryBank;Felic- Worcester school achieved at least butterfly WGS’ A-level art students once ity Beard, from Bromsgrove, and three A grades at A-level, with many again scored straight A grade Adam Turner,from Stourbridge, have gaining four or five A grades. see page 5 passes —the eighth year in a row confirmed their places at Oxford or Girls at Saint Martin’s,Solihull, are that this has been achieved. Cambridge on the strength of their celebrating again with a 100 per cent Students at Old Swinford Hospi- results. pass rate at A-level with 97 per cent of tal, Stourbridge, have also RGSAO A-level students were cele- all grades at A to C. achieved outstanding A-level brating as news of their excellent This excellent set of results ensures results.The pass rate was 98.6 per results came through from the exami- places for the girls at Cambridge, cent – 64.4 per cent were at the top nation boards. Durham, Exeter and Warwick and grades of A or B, which is the high- The overall RGSAO pass rate (grades other top universities. est rate recorded for Old Swinford A-E) was 99.8 per cent, with 77.2 per Jane Carwithen, the headmistress, Hospital. Four students (three in cent of subjects taken scoring A and B said: “Girls,parents and staffare grades.89.6 per cent of the subjects thrilled with these best ever A-level SPORT ● Jumping for joy: Wolverhamp- taken were graded A, B or C. The per- results for the school. ton Grammar School pupils Lucy centage of A and B grades is the high- “Our upper sixth have been a dynam- Serving up Crane and Sam Jones celebrate est ever achieved by either RGS, AO or ic group and thoroughly deserve these success their A-level results. RGSAO. excellent results.” see page 8 II September 10, 2009 New pre-prep department for King’s Worcester KING’S St Alban’s The only independ- school – King’s The new, purpose- sports and arts per- quality of educa- opens its doors for ent, co-educational Worcester – King’s built pre-preparato- formance centre. tion, unique in the first time to chil- school in Worcester St Alban’s has been ry department is The new depart- Worcester. dren from the age of to enjoy an adjacent established for open to girls and ment, existing jun- For families look- four. site to its senior more than 50 years. boys,aged four to ior school and sen- ing ahead to Sep- It is a thriving and seven, who transfer ior school are on tember 2010 the vibrant community to the existing jun- separate,but adja- school hosts an where young people ior school at the cent sites. open morning on are encouraged to beginning of year This ensures that Saturday, Novem- show their mettle three.Reception, each has its own ber 7. academically with- year one and year clear identity while A few places remain in an environment two enjoy light, airy enabling a sharing for this year. where sport, music and spacious class- of staff, facilities, Please contact the and the creative arts rooms and share a expertise and infor- school office on ● Pre-prep: are valued and cele- large double-height mation that ensures 01905 354906 for Confidence in a Timebrated. hall serving to as a a richly cele continuous more details.brchangingate world. IT was time to celebrate when this achieved ten grade year’s GCSE results were unveiled. A* and three grade Bromsgrove School registered its A passes. best ever GCSE results. ● Andrew Shoukry, More than 60 per cent of the 1,200 from Wolverhamp- GCSE and AS examinations sat by ton, achieved eight fifth formers were achieved at A* grade A* and five and A, while numerous individu- grade A passes. als achieved nine or ten GCSEs at ● Ben Bridgewater, A* and A. Among this latter group from Stourbridge, is Will Packwood, an American achieved six grade boarder currently on Birmingham A* and six grade A City’s books. passes and twin Ninety-sevenpercentof allGCSEs brother Peter fell within the A to C bracket. Bridgewater RGSAO Worcester has again achieved five grade achieved excellent results in the A* and eight grade GCSE examinations with 52.1 per A passes. cent of passes being at A*/A grade. ● Tim Joyce, from The overall pass rate (A*-C grades) Stourbridge, was 97.2 per cent and 99.9 per cent achieved five grade of candidates achieved five A*-C A* and eight grade grades.Forty-two RGS candidates A passes. gained at least eight A* or A ● Daniel El-Dalil, grades. from Hagley, ● Jumping for joy: Girls celebrating As in the recent A-level examina- achieved four grade outside Saint Martins. tions,this top independent school A* and eight grade achieved remarkable results in tra- A passes. Emily Martin, Sophie Pearson, ditionally tough subjects such as At Dodderhill School, Droitwich Rebecca Potter,May Prior,Rachael physics,maths,geography,drama, Spa, 53 per cent of grades were A* Willetts and Charlotte Wilson, who design technology,Latin and reli- or A ,the A*-C pass rate was 97 per all achieved nine or more A*/A gious studies. cent and all girls passed five or grades. Girls at Saint Martin’s,Solihull, more GCSEs including English, Students at Wolverhampton are celebrating again this year maths,science and a foreign lan- Grammar School gained an aver- having achieved one of the best guage at grade C or above. age of over nine A*-C passes at sets of results at GCSE with a 100 A* and A pass rates in the core sub- GCSE this year,with 40 per cent of per cent pass rate in English and jects (English, maths,science and students achieving an A*-A in maths. modern foreign languages) aver- eight or more subjects.Passes at A* The girls were in celebration mode aged 55 per cent and over three- and A were 58 per cent, retaining on results’ morning with 70 per quarters of the girls are going on the high standards of the previous cent of all grades awarded at A and to take A-levels in maths,science year. A*, and 28 per cent of grades or modern foreign languages at “This year’s GCSE cohort worked awarded at A*. sixth form – significantly above extremely hard throughout the Jane Carwithen, the head- the national average and reflecting year and it is so pleasing to see how mistress,said: “With 88 per cent of once again the academic success of all that hard work has paid off,” grades at A*, A and B, the strength girls’ only schools. said WGS head Vincent Darby. of this year group is very evident These results clearly demonstrate “These excellent results are once and they well deserve our congrat- the positive impact on girls’ aca- again testament to the commit- ulations for their commitment to demic success of small classes and ment and dedication of a superb their studies.” single-sex schools,where teaching group of young people and I would Students at Old Swinford Hospital, can be more imaginative, collabo- like to congratulate them all.” Stourbridge, have produced out- rative and challenging. There were several notable standing GCSE results.The per- Headmistress Joan Mumby said: achievements for individual stu- centage of results awarded at A* to “I am absolutely delighted and dents in WGS’ results including C grades,in five or more subjects, extremely proud. These achieve- six youngsters – Richard Bates, was 98.6 per cent. ments are a result of the girls’ hard Jessica Carty,David Jackson, Jor- Some of the outstanding perform- work and determination, com- dan Moxey, Stephanie Thomas and ances of the year were: bined with excellent support from Jenny Wilson – who all achieved ● Robert Killalea, from Kinver, teachers and families.” nine A* grades. achieved ten grade A* and two All the girls have performed bril- Deputy head Peter Hills added: grade A passes. liantly, but special mention should “We are delighted that our stu- ● Howard Coase,from Surrey, be made of Rebecca Cheshire, dents have excelled once again.” HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS yesterday,today,tomorrow... Registered Charity Number 525616 www.habs-monmouth.org HABERDASHERS’ HABERDASHERS’ OctoberOpen Days 1st-3rd October 2009 AGINCOURTSCHOOL AND NURSERY MONMOUTH SCHOOL & THE GRANGE MONMOUTH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Boys and Girls 3-7 TEL: 01600 713970 Boys 7-18 TEL: 01600 710433 Girls 7-18 TEL: 01600 711104 September 10, 2009 III Success for all of the pupils THEfamily of Haberdashers’ Schools halls,two 25m in Monmouth believe that through pools,perform- confidence and teamwork they ing arts cen- achieve success for each and every tres,science one of their pupils.