Monkton students are celebrating their second highest average grade in four years as they receive their GCSE results today. In the face of a national picture in which there has been a significant drop in the number of A and A* grades, Monkton students have continued to perform extremely well in their GCSE exams.
After securing a place in the top 100 schools in the country for the second time last year, this year saw 40% of pupils ambitious enough to take ten or more subjects, with nearly a third gaining an A* in at least half of their subjects, and more than 10% of the year group gaining 8 or more A*s.
In English and maths, which are under such close scrutiny this year, not only did nearly two thirds of pupils taking maths secure A and A* grades but of the many who also took Further Maths GCSE 81% achieved A or A* grades whilst in English nearly 70% achieved an A* or A. At the same time, whilst much focus will be on GCSE results, Monkton looks to develop excellence in all areas of pupil performance making it noteworthy that in addition to strong academic credentials, 81% of pupils secured Merit or Distinction in Music exams last year.
It comes a week after Monkton celebrated a year-on-year improvement in its A level results with 40% of the grades being awarded at A* or A level.
Chris Wheeler, Principal, said, “It is great to see Monkton pupils continuing to achieve top grades. Whilst schools often celebrate percentage figures, it is important not to lose each individual story, however: the boy for whom a C grade in Maths represented a mountain conquered, the girl who didn’t think she could manage triple science but secured A grades. Matt Williams outstanding achievement securing 11 A*s deserves special mention, however, and I send huge congratulations to all our Year 11 pupils today as they move up to the sixth form and prepare for ever greater independence and ever more challenging studies.”