By: Louise North – Principal, Framlingham College | Published: Friday 21st August 2020 at 17:00 GMT, 18:00 BST
GCSE results
We are delighted with our GCSE results this year. The pupils have shown such fortitude and determination over this challenging period of COVID-19, and they have achieved the grades that they deserve. As with many other schools across the country, we have seen an upswing in the percentage of pupils achieving highly as below:
GCSE
| % 9 -7 (A* – A) | % 9 – 4 (A* – C) | |
| 2020 | 48 | 98 |
| 2019 | 31 | 91 |
| 2018 | 33 | 94 |
| 2017 | 33 | 91 |
| 2016 | 46 | 93 |
| 2015 | 40 | 93 |
The vast majority of our pupils have chosen to stay at Framlingham for their Sixth Form education. We are naturally very pleased by this. It is our ambition that every child who studies here for GCSE, chooses to stay here for the Sixth Form.
Mr Alex Boyd-Williams, new Head of Sixth Form says:
“I am excited by these GCSE results. It is clear that this is an impressive cohort of pupils who will go on to achieve great things in the Sixth Form. I look forward very much to seeing them flourish as they embark on their new courses and embrace the many opportunities that the Sixth Form at Framlingham College will bring.”
Every pupil deserves praise for their achievements at GCSE, and many pupils have done incredibly well. We are equally proud of all our pupils, from those who have struggled with certain subjects through to those who have achieved very highly across the board. For some, achieving a 4 is tremendous, for some a 6 is outstanding; we know our pupils as individuals and we know how hard each one has worked.
All of them have achieved their best through grit, commitment and a determination not to give up. It is clear from these results that they have all made huge strides over the course of their GCSE years whilst also throwing themselves into all aspects of life at this busy school. We are very proud of them and offer each of them our heartfelt congratulations.
There have been some exceptional performances. Grade 9 equates to an A*, grade 8 an A*/A and grade 7 an A. Christina Wehmeyer achieved eleven grade 9s and one grade 8, Rebecca Yardy, ten grade 9s and Annabel Sheppard nine grade 9s and one grade 7.
Fourteen other pupils also achieved only grades 9-7: Daisy Ford, Louis Francis Smith, Matt Addison, Olivia Buchanan, Joseph Cockle, Bruce Daniels, Freya Faulkner, Georgie Gardens, Jamie Goodhead, Martha Green, Rupert Harpur, Carmen Kardan, Lottie Rowland and Jasmine Williamson.
A Level and BTEC results
Framlingham College has always celebrated the individual. Our Year 13 pupils have shown spirit and originality throughout their College careers and we are hugely proud of every one of them.
Of our 68 pupils in our Year 13 cohort, 49 pupils applied to university this year. Those who are not going to university have chosen to take a gap year or have other plans to go straight into employment. Whatever their chosen direction, they leave behind a legacy that will stay with us for many years. If ever we needed proof of a Framlinghamian’s adaptability and resilience, the last six months have shown this.
Final Examination Grades
Last week, we talked about Final Standardised Grades from the Exam Boards, and then we were informed that we could revert to Mock Grades if they were higher. We talked of the Government’s Triple Lock System, of making Appeals for these Mock Grades but, in truth, waited with bated breath for another announcement from the Government. Monday’s announcement, that, after all, Centre Assessment Grades would be issued as a candidate’s final grade, (unless the Standardised grade was higher) at least brought some closure for many of our pupils. Finally, yesterday’s announcement about BTEC work being re-marked adds yet another layer of uncertainty for some of our pupils. This uncertainty has added to an already tense and anxious wait for our pupils, something that we don’t underestimate after the challenges and disappointments of the last six months.
A Levels
Independent schools have seen a big increase in A* and A grades higher than other types of school. Our A Level results reflect this trend:
| A Level | 2019 | 2020 | |
| %A* Grades | 4.6 | 21.2 | |
| % A*-A Grades | 23.2 | 48.2 | |
| % A*-B Grades | 52.3 | 69.4 | |
| % A*-C Grades | 71.7 | 87.6 | |
| % A*-D Grades | 89.0 | 99.4 | |
| % A*-E Grades | 98.7 | 100 | |
| % A*-U Grades | 100 | 100 |
BTEC
Following the announcement on Wednesday regarding re-marks of BTEC work, we are now awaiting an update from Pearson regarding our BTEC results. Undoubtedly, we may see some positive changes to some of our Year 13 BTEC grades as a result. These are as yet unknown but as soon as we know, we will update this report.
This year we had 13 pupils (19% of our Year 13 cohort) who chose to study a BTEC Diploma. This equates to the work of two A Levels. This was the second year for Music BTEC and the first year for Sport BTEC. Grades for BTEC range from Distinctions, to Merits, to Passes. There are two levels in Distinctions, either D* or D.
Currently, we have two pupils, Oscar Welsh in Music and Charles Kent in Sport scored D*D*. This is the top grade which equates to two A*grades at A Level. Fantastic! Overall, 8 of our 13 BTEC pupils scored D*D* – DD.
EPQ
Our five pupils who completed their EPQs this year deserve real praise and admiration. Their passion for their different subject areas resulted in three A*s, two As and one C. The Projects ranged from Eliza Bowditch’s The Elephant in the Room: A Study of Plastic Waste in the Orthopaedic Operating Theatre to Poppy Mayall’s question: Is Resurrection Biology both an Ethical and Sustainable concept?”
Achievements and Destinations
Due to the many changes and uncertainties, we still have pupils waiting to finalise their place at university. Having thought they had not fulfilled the requirements of their chosen university, they have then discovered that they have after all, thanks to their CAGs. Now, they have to wait to see whether they actually do have a place this year or indeed whether it has to be deferred. Some pupils are out of the woods and happily have clarity on their future, but we continue to support and advise those who, through no fault of their own, are still waiting for news.
The return to Centre Assessment Grades means that thirteen of our Year 13 pupils achieved straight A or A* grades at A level. These results are absolutely fabulous and are well deserved. We congratulate them on their achievements and celebrate their drive and determination. Two of them have accepted places at Oxford: Millie Crewe (A*A*A*) will study Biomedical Sciences and Raqiya Isse (A*A*A) will study PPE.
Beth Farrow (A*A*A*) goes to Cardiff to study Neuroscience and Eleanor Petheram (A*A*A), Faith Bahar (A*A*A), Polly Haste (AAA) and William Gladwell (A*A*A*) all head to Exeter to study English and Creative Writing, Business, Anthropology and Natural Sciences respectively. Rufus Easey (A*A*A*A) goes to Edinburgh to study Artificial Intelligence. Eliza Bowditch (A*A*A*) and Poppy Mayall (A*AA) go on to study Psychology, Eliza at Newcastle and Poppy at Loughborough. Sam Ponty (A*AA) will study Medicine at Keele and Ella Cliff (AAA) Sociology at Bristol. Scarlett Angove (A*AA) will study History at York and Gaby Antoci (A*AA) goes to the University of Maastricht.
Two of our BTEC pupils also achieved the equivalent of A*A*A at A Level. Jake Mermagen achieved D*D in his Music BTEC Diploma and A* in his Art A Level. He goes on to study Filmmaking at Nottingham Trent university. Oscar Welsh achieved D*D* in his BTEC Music Diploma and grade A in his Psychology and Economics A Levels. Congratulations must go to Oscar who leaves us to join Human Re-Sources, an independent music distributor. You might like to watch the video for one of his songs “Sixteen” https://youtu.be/GFm8PgJCj7Q. Exciting times ahead for Oscar.
But the story doesn’t stop there. We have future Lawyers, Chemical, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineers, and Business leaders. Our pupils have History, Property Development and Planning as well as Finance and Sports Science on their radar. Our teachers believe in developing a spirit of enquiry and curiosity in our pupils and this can be seen from the breadth of ambition and interests that our leavers take with them.
Nothing is out of reach for a Framlingham College pupil. Inspiration, high expectations and self-belief are a heady combination.
