Announcement

Dear Families

A huge congratulations to all of our young people, both here and at our partner school at Dunraven, who have received their A Level and BTEC results today. 

As a true community school  we also would like to say a big  thank you to the families who have given their support as well. Only they know how tough the last two years have been but hopefully they will see the results of it today. This is always a great day for teachers. Teachers know what a complete privilege it is to do the job we do; the gift of learning and knowledge is just that, a gift. At A Level, the knowledge of each child’s progress is so much more personal. So thank you to the teachers who have worked so hard.

All public examination points represent three things. They are a moment for students to be proud of what they have achieved. To have worked really hard over a long period of time and to see the fruits of that labour is one of the first vital life lessons that our young people will have. They are a moment to celebrate knowledge and the acquisition and application of it. Probably most importantly though, they are a stepping stone for the next stage of a young person’s life. The next opportunity for learning, or working and a whole new set of adventures.

Overall, our results show a positive improvement from last year. We are particularly pleased with the increase in our A and A* grades and the fantastic outcomes from our BTEC qualifications. In the end it is the young people and their results and capacity to go on to something amazing that is all important.  Our success stories include: Lois, who achieved achieved A*A*A and an A* in her Extended Project Qualification and will be studying Politics, Philosophy and Law at Warwick. Frank also achieved A*A*A and is taking a gap year before studying music.  Kika achieved A*AA and is studying History and Politics at Sheffield (Kika also did one of her subjects in just a year and she also got an A* in her Extended Project Qualification). Ellen also achieved A*AA and is studying Sociology and Criminology at Manchester. Praise achieved AAA and is studying Law at Birmingham. Rosie also achieved AAA and is studying Biochemistry at Bristol. Freya achieved AAA and will be studying Geography at Manchester. Faris achieved three Distinctions in his BTECs and is studying Business at Kent ( it is worth noting that for the last year Faris has commuted in from Gillingham every day!) Lily achieved A*AAB and is studying Chemical Engineering at UCL. Maya SW achieved A*A*B and is studying Psychology at Manchester. Beatrice achieved A*AB and is studying Social Anthropology and Sociology at Manchester. Louis achieved AAB and is studying International Relations and Economics at Birmingham. Ruby B also achieved AAB and is studying Acting Foundation at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 

We have many stories of how some young people have had to overcome additional difficulties or taken a longer road to find success but our stand out student this year has to be Aime. Aime joined us just a year ago and although we suggested he start from Year 12 (his age meant that he should have been in Y13 and his schooling had previously been in France and Spain) he was insistent that he was able to fulfill the requirements for A Level in only one year. Aime’s English was very good (certainly much better than my French or Spanish) but he was still working in what for him was a third language. Despite such challenges,  after only one year in a school system that he had never previously experienced, in a language he had never previously been taught in, he achieved A*AC in his A levels. He is also one of the nicest and most fantastically dressed young people you could ever hope to meet. We are proud to have had him at Elmgreen. He is going on to study Geography, Geopolitics and Global Affairs at Royal Holloway.

I always like to note how our Head Students have done. Reiya and Oluwatosin have been particularly good ones this year and our incoming students have a lot to live up to. Both have done superbly in their studies. Reiya achieved AAB and will be studying Economics at Birmingham. Oluwatosin achieved ABB and will be studying Computer Science at Queen Mary.

It is also worth noting that our Sixth Form follows academic and vocational pathways and we are always proud of the number of students who are going on to nursing or social qualifications under the tutelage of Ms Parchment in Health and Social Care. Lara, Yasmine and Siham are all studying Midwifery, Melek will be studying nursing, Liliana will be studying Early Years and Jasmine will be studying Social Work. There are the young people who will make the country run and hopefully deliver a lot of new people into it. 

We are very proud of our Arts provision and this year is no different. Lola, Aishah, Grace and Iris have all secured a place at UAL (still ranked the best arts university in the world for undergraduates) and Joe, Syntyche, Leo T, Marcel and Milla are all going to the excellent Ravensbourne.

Talking about Art, Kiran who will be studying at London Screen Academy, managed to attain 100% in his coursework and his extraordinary work will be used as an exemplar for the exam board. Lois (mentioned above) also achieved 100% in one of her Sociology papers. 

It’s always fascinating to look at the trends for destinations. This year we have 10 students going to Manchester for their degrees. We look forward to them visiting us in a year wearing bucket hats and parkas. 

It’s always difficult to find something original to say on results day. I think back to my own results at A level and reflect on how much in awe I am of our students. I also know that this got me into my chosen university and that I haven’t done too badly since.  I’m certainly not of the ‘grades don’t matter’, Jeremy-Clarkson-school-of-thought because good grades can be transformational for young people, particularly if you are from a disadvantaged background. However, I very much believe that these grades are part, rather than the end, of the process.   And so the best of luck to all our young people as they now prepare for a whole new experience of higher education or the workplace.  We wish them all the very best in the future and hope they always  remember us fondly at The Elmgreen School. 

Yours sincerely 

Dominic Bergin