Private School News

St Mary’s Girls Shatter Outdated Stereotypes

St Mary’s students have again disproved the old stereotype that boys outperform girls in Maths and Science. From a group of 22 A-level students testing in Maths and Further Maths this year, 18 Grade As were achieved. Separate Science results were also strong, with 80 per cent of all GCSE marks A* or A. 89 per cent of Biology marks, 84 per cent of Chemistry marks and 66 per cent of Physics marks were A*- A.

Charlotte Avery, St Mary’s Headmistress, said: “Our strong marks in Maths and Science prove that gender stereotypes are not only insulting, but just plain rubbish. Girls do very well in these subjects if they are given proper resources and support.”

The Maths and Science marks complemented St Mary’s strong overall A-level and GCSE results again this year, with A being the most common grade achieved. 100 percent of GCSE students attained 5 or more A*- C grades, with 22 per cent of the year group achieving 10 or more A*- A grades and 36 per cent achieving 9 or more A*- A grades. At A-level, 93 per cent of grades were A – C, with 48 per cent of all A2 grades being Grade A.

Impressive GCSE and A-level results reflect St Mary’s ongoing commitment to ensure that every girl reaches her full potential.

To learn more about what St Mary’s can offer your daughter, book your place for the 10 October Opening Morning or 22 October Sixth Form Information Evening online at www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk or call 01223 353253.

GCSE Star Performers at Peterborough High School

Year 11 students at Peterborough High School gained the highest number of A* and A grades on record, increasing this year to over 56 %. The number of A*-B grades was also exceptionally high at 81%, equalling the school’s previous best.

Star performers were Katie Avison, who this year gained 9.5 A*s and two As and Natasha Harris who bagged a total of 12.5 GCSEs including 5.5 at A*, six As and one B.

Top all-round student, Georgie Ivens, will also be delighted with her 4.5A*s, four As and one B, which she managed to fit in around her heavy schedule of sporting commitments. Georgie will hear her results whilst on the School Netball and Hockey tour in Barbados and as soon as she gets back she will be hot-footing it straight to the English Schools Championships in Cardiff where she will represent England East in athletics between 3rd-6th September.

Following last week’s excellent A Level results, Headmaster Adrian Meadows is again very pleased with his students’ work: “This is another excellent set of results and just rewards for the girls’ hard work. Younger girls have also done brilliantly, gaining very good grades in subjects such as Latin and Dance which they take on fast-track or twilight courses. We have a lot to celebrate here”.

Another 100% Year for A level results at Peterborough High School

Students and staff at Peterborough High School are celebrating achieving a 100% pass rate at A Level for the second successive year.

As well as this excellent headline figure, 59% of all the grades were at A or B, narrowly beating last year’s figure of 58% and putting smiles on many faces.

Shani Osborne in particular will be extremely pleased with her three As and one B, especially given that she has succeeded in some of the toughest subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology. She will now be in an excellent position to move on as planned to study Chemistry at university.

Jessica Levin will also be very pleased with her straight three As to add to her A and B at AS Level; Head Girl, Julia Dixon and Olivia Chalmers, both gained two As and a B and additional AS grades.

Today has also seen the release of the AS Level results taken by pupils in Year 12 and again it’s smiles all round. Just under a third of all grades here were at A (32.1%) and 55% were at A or B; the best scores the School has achieved since AS Level examinations were introduced in 2000.

Headmaster, Adrian Meadows, is naturally delighted with the results and praised the hard work of the students and staff: “To have a second successive year with a 100% pass rate is more evidence that the individual attention our small teaching groups provide and the excellent learning strategies that we put in place get the best out of our girls. We do not shy away from offering traditional, possibly more challenging subjects and to keep achieving these very high standards is wonderful for all concerned. Well done to all our girls.”

Triple Gold for Peterborough High in National Indoor Rowing Championships!

Peterborough High School has participated in the Concept 2 National Indoor Rowing Championships since its inception in 2005 and has won several medals. However, with the fourth Championships now complete and even with a huge increase in the number of teams competing, the School is celebrating its best ever results, with three of their teams finishing in Gold Medal position.

Over 4,000 school teams from all over the UK from Jersey to Aberdeen competed this year. Teams can now be entered in ‘Fours’ and ‘Eights’ competitions and each team needs to complete time trials every month between September and March.

The gold medal winning teams are:

Year 5/6 Boys’ Fours – first out of 206 teams
Year 7 Girls’ Fours – first out of 268 teams
Year 11 Girls’ Eights – first out of 25 teams

The glory does not, however, stop at the gold medallists as none of the 12 teams finished lower than fourth place. The Year 11 Four, the Year 7, 8 and 9 Eight Teams all gained silvers and the Year 8 Four and both the girls’ and boys’ Year 6 Eights won bronzes.

Event co-ordinator and Senior Teacher at the School, Mrs. Angie Axe, is thrilled that the results get better each year: “We are a small and successful school, where the pupils all do so much and we are extremely proud of this latest national achievement. It is particularly pleasing that each of the teams who commit to entering, stick with it for the full six months and work incredibly hard to maintain their standards throughout”.

The medals and certificates will be presented to the children later in the term.

PISCARI BUYS ST COLETTE’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE

PISCARI BUYS ST COLETTE’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE AND SECURES A BRIGHT NEW FUTURE OR THE SCHOOL

Piscari, a leading education services company, has purchased St Colette’s Preparatory School from GEMS. As the school’s current site at Tenison Road, Cambridge comes to the end of its lease, Piscari has completed on a separate transaction with another party to acquire an empty school building and grounds in Girton, north Cambridge, to redevelop and move St Colette’s into, during Spring 2009.

“Having enjoyed several years of managing St Colette’s as the most academically successful pre-preparatory school in Cambridge, we have decided to pass on the mantle to Piscari, to safeguard the school’s future by finding it a new home and investing in new, high quality facilities and education services. We wish Piscari, Headteacher Ann Wilson, her team of staff and all of the pupils well, on their exciting new journey,” comments Tayeb Chakera, COO, GEMS Ltd.

Piscari’s recently acquired school campus at Oakington Lane, Girton (formerly The Lady Adrian School) comprises 30,000 sq ft of school buildings, hard and soft play areas and large playing fields, just 4.5 miles to the north of Tenison Road. The site is currently empty and will be refurbished to a high standard, ready for St Colette’s to move into in the Spring 2009.

“Piscari is extremely proud to offer parents in and around Cambridge, the highest levels of education and pastoral care at St Colette’s, delivered by Ann Wilson and her excellent team of staff – most of whom have committed to stay with us. This loyalty along with the valued support of the childrens’ parents will be instrumental in ensuring that St Colette’s continues to thrive during this time of transition. We have plans to make some significant improvements at the school, not only by providing new high quality facilities at the new Girton site, but also by extending the upper age limit of pupils from 7 to 11 years of age, and by providing a small support unit and inclusion for children with specific learning needs such as dyslexia. In the forthcoming months, we will be providing regular updates and inviting current and prospective parents to attend open days at the new site in Girton to find out more about our new facilities and services being offered.” Robert Hancock, CEO, Piscari.

Ann Wilson, Headteacher for St Colette’s comments: “The team at St Colette’s welcomes Piscari and looks forward to working together to offer children and parents continuity and education excellence. This is a new era for the school, which we enter with great enthusiasm as we prepare to move into our new home in the Spring and support Piscari’s other improvement plans. In the meantime it is ‘business as usual’ and we welcome all new enquiries from parents that would like their children to join us in the new academic year starting September 2008 or beyond. Please contact the school directly for more information and to make appointments to meet with myself.”

Students nominated for prestigious award

Two students from Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) have been nominated for the awards from the Council for Independent Education (CIFE) and received them from Baroness Perry of Southwark during the ceremony at the House of Lords on 23d April.

CIFE is a professional association of 15 independent sixth-form and tutorial colleges in the United Kingdom. Each year CIFE recognizes achievements of outstanding success by their students in public examinations. For their outstanding performance in the 2008 examinations, awards were made to 13 students whose achievements were regarded by the Academic Affairs Committee of CIFE to be exceptional.

Two students from CCSS were Nutthaporn Sethasathien who received the “Andrew Osmond Mathematics Prize” and Sasin Kirakul who received the “Richard Smart Prize for Humanities and Social Sciences and Languages”.

Nutthaporn and Sasin are originally from Thailand where they had received the local government scholarship which allowed them to come to the UK and study at CCSS. They graduated from CCSS in August 2008. Sasin is now studying at Warwick University and Nutthaporn at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Young Enterprise team wins awards

This year’s Young Enterprise team, Eterna, have had a very successful time at the recent trade fairs, winning best stand at last weekend’s fair, which was held at Peterborough Town Hall.

The Town Hall was very busy and the team worked hard throughout the day to prepare their stand and present to the judges.

Previously, the girls were successful at the Huntingdon fair, winning the Best Publicity award. This came with a cheque for £25, which was gratefully received by the Finance Manager!

Fabulous Fundraising on Appeals Day

This year’s Appeals Day has raised a wonderful total of £1450 for the NSPCC.

Whilst pupils paid to wear their own clothes, many teachers got in to the spirit of the day and wore school uniform. Then, throughout the day each year group devised their own money-making enterprise and everyone in the school enjoyed sweet stalls, chocolate fondues, nail bars, competitions, challenges, cocktail bars to name but a few of the marvellous activities which were on offer.

In the afternoon an expectant audience was treated to Year 11′s version of ‘Big Brother’ and the Sixth Form’s skits, all the time with the NSPCC buckets being passed around.

Kate Hudson from the NSPCC, who was in school to experience for herself the magic of Appeals Day said of the amount raised, “This is fantastic! Such an amazing amount from such a great day. Well done to everyone!”.

CEG Launch New Film Pages

Students, parents and agents wondering what life is like at our Colleges can now see for themselves on our new Video pages.

College videos, students interviews and student films are featured in languages ranging from Chinese to Swahili!

For many of our students, their first glimpse of our Colleges is when they arrive on their first day. Many students have never been to the UK before and it can be an overwhelming experience.

Our films enable students to see for themselves what our facilties, teaching and accommodation are like. Student interviews allow you to hear direct from our students what they think about about studying with us and life in the UK.

The film page also provides our current students with an opportunity to showcase their work, as it features films made by A-level Film Studies and Art Foundation students.

The comments section allows people to discuss the films and tell us what they think:

visit: http://www.ceg-uk.com/en/ceg/ceg-media/?vid=5

CCSS invests in new building

Students from the Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) will soon benefit from modern facilities of a new teaching building in the historical centre of Cambridge.

The new premises, which has been acquired from the University of Cambridge on a 150-year lease, is a 4-storey Georgian building and fine example of 19th century architecture.

In addition to classrooms, CCSS hopes to equip the new building with modern Chemistry, Physics and Biology laboratories, Drama Studio and student library.

Chris Forte, College Bursar, who is charged with overseeing the refurbishment project, said: “The intention at this stage is for us to be able to move into the new building at the start of the new academic year in September but we know that this is a very tight schedule”.

Neil Roskilly, Principal, said, “This is an exciting time for us all, coming as it does on the heels of our outstanding inspection report last year; the new building will offer our students much improved facilities and presents the college in an appropriate light.”

EASTER REVISION COURSES 2009 at Cambridge College for Sixth Form Studies

Easter Revision courses 2009 will run from 30th March until 17th April.

Please contact the college for details on 01223 716890

THAI SCHOLARS IN CAMBRIDGE

Ten Thai students who have been awarded Royal Thai Government Scholarships for study in the United Kingdom visited Cambridge recently. The students will be studying at Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) and will start their two-year A-level course this September.

Only 25 Thai A-level students are awarded the prestigious scholarship annually and CCSS in Cambridge is one of the few schools nationally chosen for their studies, due to the quality of its A-level tuition. All go on to study at university after completing A-levels.

On their return to Thailand many of these students go on to hold very high positions in various fields and the British education has a big influence on them. One or two have become Prime Ministers in the past, a number become Ambassadors and there are a number of universities in Thailand that are headed by former Science scholars.

Photo:the ten Thai scholars with Neil Roskilly, CCSS Principal.
(left to right): Thanasak Sathitwitayaku, Tanat Bavornpakpapon, Wasin Padungwech, Neil Roskilly (Principal), Peeradon Samasiri, Sirikanya Chokaouychai, Suchanaree Taranatham, Tanatchaporn Boonthai, Nonthiwat Taesuk, Nattaphong Rattanavirotkul, Chulachat Kanjana-Oransiri.

A-Level results surpass expectations

The A-Level results for The Leys are:
A-C 90.2%
A-E 98%

This was a year group that was never expected to achieve the very high standards of the previous 2 years, but emerged with statistics that surpassed expectations, and deserve great credit. 19% of our candidates gained three or more A Grades, including one, Christian Meyer, who was in the top ten of all candidates for Edexcel German A-Level. I am pleased with the success of these pupils and their teachers.

Mark Slater (Headmaster)

Headmaster thrilled with 2008 GCSE results

The GCSE results for The Leys School in Cambridge are:
A* – A passes 65.6%
A* – C passes 98.6%
A* – E passes 100%

I am thrilled with these results, the best the School has ever achieved at GCSE, and I am sure the pupils and their parents will be as delighted as we are. This is a talented year group which has worked very hard and been superbly taught, and their sense of elation is well justified. 38% of the year gained 10 or more A*/A grades, and all our candidates can feel proud of their success. This is a clear reflection of the academic improvements which have taken place at the school in recent years.

Mark Slater (Headmaster)

Students go to the top universities

We are delighted to confirm that three students from Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) have started their studies at the University of Cambridge this academic year.

Kamolchanok Chewapreech has gone on to read Natural Sciences at Magdalene College, Yip Luk is at Hughes Hall reading Economics, and Katy Winter is reading Social and Political Sciences at Corpus Christi.

The University of Cambridge is in second place at the QS World University Rankings 2007.

Another twelve students have gained places at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University College London, Imperial College London, Kings College London, Edinburgh University, and the University of Manchester. All these institutions are among the top 30 universities in the world (in overall or subject rankings).

Congratulations also to Harvey Stephenson who gained a place at Brown University, which is ranked fourteenth in the US.

College hosts Global Student Forum

College hosts Global Student Forum
Sixth Formers and Geography department staff co-ordinated the only Global Student Forum Regional Conference for the East on Wednesday 6 February. This all-day event hosted at the Cass Centre and Stephen Perse Sixth Form College involved speeches and afternoon workshops lead by some of the world’s leading authorities on climate change including Nobel prize-winning representatives from the IPCC. Schools from across the region came to take part in this exciting event which included topics such as energy-saving technology and the current state of the climate in the Antarctic

Inspectors praise sixth-form college in Cambridge

Students, teachers and parents at Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS), one of the UK’s leading independent colleges, are celebrating the overwhelmingly positive results of the ISI inspection conducted at the college in February this year. Inspectors said that “CCSS provides a high quality educational experience”, achieving its aim of providing an individual approach to every student. They also rated teaching as “high quality” and pastoral care as “outstanding”.

Inspectors commended the high standards of students’ achievement, as well as the college’s substantial enrichment opportunities, particularly for gifted and talented students. Parents interviewed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate were particularly pleased about the range of subjects on offer and the help provided for students to make progress. Students commented that teachers are “always there for them”.

Inspectors went on to say that the individual approach and respect for every student promoted by the college, builds self-confidence in young people. “Students are attentive, fluent and read intelligently. They are morally aware, respect rules and enjoy their work”, inspectors said. They also praised the “strong” leadership in the college and described support for students as “exceptional”.

Inspectors commented that lessons are well-planned and that teachers know their subjects well. Teachers are well-qualified, dedicated and experienced, inspectors found.

“We are delighted with the inspectors’ findings, said Neil Roskilly, the Principal of the college. Parents and students have always praised our approach, but it is particularly pleasing when this is officially recognised”.

Perse Girls Summer Drama School 2008 – High School Musical