Private School News

Academic Success at Chafyn Grove

2006 has brought the best ever set of Common Entrance results from the Year 8 pupils at Chafyn Grove School, Salisbury. 45% of all papers received an A grade, and 96% of all papers were graded A-C. One pupil was also offered an Academic Scholarship following her excellent performance in the examinations. All the pupils gained entrance to their first choice senior School.

Photo: Common Entrance scholars

The School was also delighted that Scholarships were awarded to 8 pupils from Year 8 by Canford, Dauntsey’s, Hampshire Collegiate, King’s Bruton and Wellington.

Our Early Learning Department has also had some success with the coveted ‘Investors in Children Award’ being awarded to them for the third consecutive year. The award recognises that Chafyn Grove offers high quality provision that meets children’s diverse needs and promotes equality

Another excellent year for RGS WORCESTER A Level students

RGS Worcester A Level students celebrated their excellent results again this year. The overall RGS pass rate (grades A-E) was 99.2%, with 71.8% of subjects taken scoring A and B grades. 87.9% of the subjects taken were graded A, B or C.

No fewer than 31 candidates achieved at least three A grades at A Level, with many gaining four or five A grades, facts which suggest that most RGS leavers should get places at their first-choice universities. Early indications are that all fourteen RGS students who have conditional offers from Oxford or Cambridge Universities this year have got the grades they require.

Headmaster Andy Rattue was very pleased with the results: “I am delighted that the hard work of our students has been rewarded, and that they can proceed with confidence to university. These results are also a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of the RGS teaching staff, whose attention to detail has helped our students pick their way through the A level minefield. We read a lot about dumbing down in the national press, and the way in which, nationally, teenagers are avoiding ‘difficult’ subjects. It’s worth pointing out that some of our strongest results are consistently in subjects such as Modern Languages, Technology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths, and this year is no exception. We also need to see academic results in the context of everything else our students are involved in, such as sport, drama, music, expeditions and charity fundraising. It’s been a great pleasure to see these young men and women keep life in perspective.”

RGS WORCESTER students gain top marks

RGS Worcester has again achieved excellent results in the GCSE examinations with 63% of passes being at A*/A grade. The overall pass rate (A*-C grades) was 98.1%, and 100% of candidates achieved 5 A*-C grades.

As in the recent A Level examinations, this top independent school achieved remarkable results in traditionally tough subjects such as the single Sciences, Maths, Geography, Art, Modern Languages and Religious Studies. Chemistry and Art returned A*/A pass rates of 90% whilst Physics was an impressive 93%. German had an A*/A pass rate of 94%, while in Music and RS the A*/A pass rates were 100%. Four pupils were congratulated by the AQA Examination Board for gaining one of the top five marks in Religious Studies out of over 18,000 candidates.

“These excellent scores continue the pattern set by our A Level students,” said Headmaster Andy Rattue. “They buck the national trend away from academically challenging subjects and show what can be achieved by motivated pupils, first-rate teachers and supportive parents. The results are all the more remarkable when you consider how much these students have also achieved beyond the classroom in sport, drama, music and adventurous outdoor pursuits.”

QUEENSWOOD SCHOOL Principal scoops top job

Pupils, parents, staff and governors said farewell on Speech Day to the school’s Principal, Clarissa Farr, who leaves Queenswood to head up the prestigious St Paul’s Girls’ School, Hammersmith in September.

Ms Farr came to Queenswood in 1992 as Director of Studies, having taught English and Theatre Studies at a range of establishments including: a sixth-from college, a comprehensive school, a grammar school and also in Hong Kong. Ms Farr was appointed as Principal on the retirement of Mrs Audrey Butler in 1996 and has been instrumental in assisting the 400+ girls’ school go from strength to strength. Ms Farr, who was President of The Girls’ Schools Association last year, is well-known for her positive views about the merits of single sex education and can often be heard on radio and television. Currently Queenswood is top of the league of Hertfordshire schools for Value Added and in the top 35 schools in the national league tables for exam performance (St Paul’s being at the top).

Ms Farr (48) is married to John Goodbody who is a sports writer with The Times and they have two children who attend local independent schools. She is a keen sportswoman and has completed numerous marathons; she can often be seen running through the 120 acres of Queenswood’s mature estate. The school’s sporting prowess is renowned and has representation in eight different sports at national level. The school is currently glowing with pride at the success of its former tennis scholar, Naomi Cavaday who appeared at Wimbledon this year and is our best British ladies hopeful for the future.

A specially commissioned portrait of Ms Farr by visiting Russian artist, Rashit Habirov, was unveiled at the school and the recently opened theatre has been named The Clarissa Farr Theatre in honour of its departing Principal.

Mrs Pauline Edgar, from Francis Holland School in London, has been appointed to the post of Principal at Queenswood and will take up the post of from 1 September 2006.

Outstanding GCSE results at Bishop’s Stortford College