Private School News

Howell’s School, Llandaff Oxbridge Offers

Students at Howell’s School Sixth Form College are celebrating a bumper crop of offers from colleges at Oxford and Cambridge. Piers Kennedy (18) will be heading to St Peter’s College, Oxford, to read Music, where he has also been awarded a Choral Scholarship. He said, “I am really happy about getting an offer from Oxford, simply because it’s such a good place to study music and it will give me so many opportunities in the future. More than that, because so much of the application process comes down to chance, I feel so incredibly lucky to have these opportunities awaiting me, and I’ll be sure to make the most of them”.

Jasper Warner, who has a place to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Hilda’s College, is currently taking a gap year, having gained grade As last summer in History, Maths and Physics at A Level and a distinction in the Advanced Extension Award in History to add to his As in AS Biology and Critical Thinking taken the previous year. An outstanding debater, he represented Wales in the World Debating Championships in Athens, where he was ranked in the world’s top ten debaters, and he was also a member of a group of four students from Howell’s selected to represent the UK at the Junior 8 summit in Tokyo which ran parallel to the G8 summit. Others who have had offers from Oxford are Camille Ivinson (18), who will read Law at St Hugh’s College, Rachel Patel (17), who has a place at University College to read Medicine, Anna Sambrook (17), who will study German at Trinity College and Joseph Thorne (17), who will head to Corpus Christi College to read English.

Successful applicants to Cambridge University are Ellen Brookes (18), who will study Natural Sciences at Sidney Sussex College, Eleanor Richardson (18), who has a place at Magdalene College to read Classics and Rachel Thomas (18), who has been accepted at Murray Edwards College to study for a degree in Medicine.

Photo: from back left – Rachel Patel, Ellen Brookes, Rachel Thomas, Joseph Thorne

Front from left – Piers Kennedy, Eleanor Richardson, Camille Ivinson, Anna Sambrook.

Oxbridge success at Exeter School

Sixth-formers celebrate offers of places

Exeter School Sixth Formers and staff are celebrating further success at the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge this autumn. The school has received twelve offers of places so far, in a range of subjects, with particularly impressive achievements this year in Engineering: two pupils have secured Cambridge offers and four at Oxford in that discipline. Competition for Oxbridge places is very keen and the school is proud of its pupils’ performance in such a demanding environment.

Headmaster Bob Griffin paid tribute to the teaching staff, whose dedication and thoughtful approach have played a major part in these happy outcomes. Please see below for details.

Cambridge
John Broadbent Engineering Queens’
Hugh Collins Computer Science St Catharine’s
Adam Jackson Engineering Pembroke
Will Ouldridge Computer Science Homerton
Izzy Smith Natural Sciences Girton
Jocelyn Trayler-Clarke Land Economy Newnham

Oxford
John Baldock Engineering Exeter
Daniel Barnes Engineering Keble
Andrew Clay Engineering Lady Margaret Hall
Ben Glover Engineering St Hugh’s
Henry Renninson Modern Languages St Catherine’s
Michael Walker Physics Lincoln

OXBRIDGE OFFER

Sibford School head boy, Tom Roger, has been offered a place to read Mathematics at Oxford University.

The seventeen-year-old is set to take up his place at Worcester College in September after completing A Levels in English Literature, Physics and Chemistry plus an AS Level exam in Further Maths,

He already holds an A Grade at A Level Mathematics, having sat the papers a year early, and an A in AS Business Studies.

OXBRIDGE SUCCESS AT STONYHURST

Six sixth-form students have won places at Oxford and Cambridge this year. Oxford offers have been awarded to Allamin Daggash (to study Engineering at St Edmund’s College), Haruki Kawano (for Mathematics at Lincoln College), Eleanor McClelland (to read Arabic and Islamic Studies at Pembroke College) and Rebecca Powell (Chinese at Hertford College). Destined for Cambridge are John Messent, the Head Boy, who has a place at Gonville and Caius to read History, and Pawel Rzemieniecki, who has an organ scholarship at Fitzwilliam College and will read Mathematics.

“The competition for a place at Oxford or Cambridge is tougher every year”, said Mr Andrew Johnson, Headmaster. “I am immensely proud of our successful candidates, and of Stonyhurst’s record at Oxbridge entry. This is now the third year in a row in which we have had at least five conditional offers.”

“The interviews were really very challenging” said Rebecca. “As well as closely examining some of the things I’d written on my personal statement, they asked complex, thought-provoking questions; for example, ‘what are the problems involved in making ancient Chinese philosophy accessible to the man in the street?’”. John had three interviews: “They really tested my ability to engage with historical questions. The interview process is largely concerned with how you think things through.”

Our photograph shows, from left to right: John Messent, Rebecca Powell, Mr Andrew Johnson the Headmaster, Pawel Rzemieniecki. Haruki Kawano and Allamin Daggash.

Six BMS students gain Oxbridge offers whilst Greg Edwards is heading to Harvard University

Bedford Modern School is delighted to announce that six of their Sixth Form students have been offered places at Oxbridge Colleges for 2010 entry. Additionally, BMS Sixth Form student Greg Edwards has been offered a place at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Peter Hall (Engineering at Robinson), Rachel Cullum (Archaeology / Anthropology at Emmanuel); Lawrence Smith (Veterinary Medicine at Emmanuel); Rosie Keep (English & Education at Homerton); Calantha Coulton (Classics at Murray Edwards) were successful in their application to Cambridge Colleges.

EmilyRose Scott has been successful in being offered a place at St. Hugh’s College, Oxford to study History.

Greg Edwards will be studying Physical Sciences at Harvard University. He said, “I will actually be taking a Liberal Arts Degree but majoring in Physical Sciences. Being offered a place at Harvard University is really exciting; I wanted to see a bit of the world but did not want to take a GAP year and studying at Harvard seemed an ideal way to combine the two.

“The application process for Harvard was different to the UK system and I had to sit the American Standard Aptitude Test (S.A.T.). I sat my exams at The American School in London and I am sure that being part of Harvard University will be a great adventure”, said Greg.

John White, Director of Sixth Form at Bedford Modern School said, “As an institution we are always extremely proud of the number of students who achieve their first choice university, clearly gaining Oxbridge entry is very special particularly in such competitive times; congratulations to all.”

Photo: L-R BMS Sixth Form students, Peter Hall, Rosie Keep, EmilyRose Scott and Lawrence Smith

Oxbridge Dozen at The Abbey

Twelve Sixth Formers at The Abbey School were delighted when their postman made it through the snow to deliver their Oxbridge offer letter – five from Cambridge and seven from Oxford. Mrs Rachel Dent, Director of Sixth Form said “I am delighted for the girls. This year has been more competitive than ever at these prestigious universities with a conservative estimate of over 30,000 students applying so they have done incredibly well.”

Three of the girls are doing the International Baccalaureate Diploma this summer – the first year group to take the IB at The Abbey. Both Head Girls have been offered a place – Katherine is studying the IB and has been offered a place to read English at Cambridge and Annabel is doing A levels and has been offered an Engineering place at Oxford. The other girls have been offered places on a truly wide variety of degree courses – Law, French, Linguistics, French and Italian, Chemistry, Physiological Sciences, ‘Anglo Saxon, Norse and Celtic’, Engineering and both Music Captains at the school have been offered Music degree places – one at Oxford and one at Cambridge.

In November, these girls were among the ninety students from The Abbey and five state schools from the area who attended a successful Oxbridge evening at the school to help reassure and prepare them for their actual interviews which took place at the end of last term. We wish them much success in their A levels and IB exams this summer.

Kingham Hill student Sam Zhu wins coveted Oxford place

Kingham Hill School is celebrating pupil Sam Zhu’s offer of a place to study Mathematics at Oxford. It is a remarkable achievement following Sam’s childhood in China where his education was disrupted as he and his mother were forced to move several times to avoid persecution for their Christian faith.

Sam came to England with the help of friends at St Helen’s Church in Bishopsgate, London. They were keen for him to have the education that he deserved and the freedom to grow in his faith. He found both at Kingham Hill School.

The Mathematics Department are thrilled for Sam and look forward to the Headmaster fulfilling his promise of dinner out in Oxford! Headmaster, Nick Seward, is delighted: “Sam has been a tremendous example to other pupils and now an inspiration as his friends see what can be achieved when a fine mind and hard work combine. However, he couldn’t have succeeded without the excellence and dedication of our team of very able teachers. Our pupils across the board are very fortunate to be taught and encouraged by such a fine team.”

Neill Stannard, master responsible for Octagon, Kingham Hill’s academic society, is as delighted as the Headmaster: “Sam is wonderful proof of what Kingham Hill – that is academically non-selective – can achieve with an able pupil. We identify our most gifted pupils and offer them specialist input, extended studies and the opportunity to attend academic lectures, argue persuasively and think creatively. We expect others to emulate Sam’s success.”

Sam will take up his place at St Hugh’s College in September. St Hugh’s was founded by Elizabeth Wordsworth in the same year as Kingham Hill – 1886. She was the great niece of the famous poet and used money left to her by her father, a bishop of Lincoln. The founder of Kingham Hill was a member of the Baring Bank family and a remarkable Christian philanthropist.

OXBRIDGE BECKONS FOR SEVEN AT STONYHURST

SEVEN Stonyhurst pupils have been offered places this year at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Sixth formers Joe Lea from Stonyhurst, Gabriel Cohen for Hebden Bridge, Lucy Wang from Shanghai and Sarah Whitehouse Chichester, have conditional offers at Oxford.

Joe will read Mathematics, Gabriel will study History, Lucy Engineering, and Sarah will read Theology.

Cambridge University has offered places to Elizabeth Graffius and John Watts. Elizabeth from Stonyhurst is looking forward to studying the History of Art and John from Clitheroe will read Social and Political Sciences.

One other pupil has also gained a place at Cambridge, studying Natural Science.

Andrew Johnson, the Headmaster, said: “We are delighted to have seven places offered, it’s the highest number for some years. They have all worked extremely hard and Stonyhurst pupils have been successful in this most competitive of intellectual ordeals. It is a great credit to them and we wish them every success with their studies.”

Picture Caption: Left to right, some of the Oxbridge successes – Gabriel Cohen, Elizabeth Graffius, Joe Lea, Lucy Wang, Mr Andrew Johnson Headmaster and John Watts.

11 Oxbridge Offers

We are delighted to announce that eleven of our students have been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge Universities this year. Many congratulations to them all on this fantastic achievement.

Alastair Mitchell: Balliol College, Oxford; Classics and Modern Languages
Bella Radenovich: Homerton College, Cambridge; History of Art
David Alliu: St Catherine’s College, Oxford; Civil Engineering
Mansour Ahmed: King’s College, Cambridge; Computer Science
Jim Tang: Churchill College, Cambridge; Computer Science
Timur Tankayev: Lincoln College, Oxford; Maths
Hao Wu: Mansfield College, Oxford; Physics
Stasya Ng: St Edmund Hall, Oxford; Psychology
Val Saksornchai: St Hilda’s College; PPE
Hannah Beavan: Harris Manchester; PPE
Marthe Klöcking: Christ’s College; Natural Sciences

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL PUPILS RECEIVE NINE OXBRIDGE OFFERS

Nine students at Bromsgrove School have received offers to study at Oxford and Cambridge after intense competition and a rigorous selection process.

Deputy Head Girl Dimple Divecha (PPP), Verity Glass (English), Alex Harding (History) and Alex Morris (Geography) all gained places at Oxford, whilst Sarah Chadwick (Veterinary Medicine), Sarah Griffen (History of Art), Sun Kim (Computer Science), Aleksandra Petrova (Land Economy) and Wendy Wang (Natural Science) received offers for Cambridge.

Headmaster Chris Edwards says: “We congratulate these pupils and their teachers wholeheartedly. The variety of subjects shows that while we may, in the words of the Good Schools Guide, ‘inhabit the academic stratosphere’, we have not sacrificed breadth in order to achieve excellence.”

Padworth students offered places at Cambridge and Oxford

Three sixth form students from Padworth College are in the enviable position of having received offers from Cambridge and Oxford Universities. Hannah Windmill from Brimpton has been offered a place at Girton College, Cambridge to read Social and Political Sciences; Eric Xiang from China has been offered a place at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford to read Maths and Statistics and Sean Pham from Vietnam has also been offered a place at Worcester College, Oxford to read Computer Science.

Padworth’s Higher Education Adviser, Dr Alex Mitlehner who has worked closely with all the sixth form students to prepare their UCAS applications, said, “We were delighted to hear that these three outstanding students have been successful in their applications to Oxford and Cambridge – they are all ambitious and hard working and I am confident that they will achieve the A Level grades necessary to take up their places. We all wish them well for the future.”

The majority of the Year 13 students at Padworth have applied to a range of Universities through the UCAS system for entry later this year – most students have achieved good offers and are now working towards their targets in the run-up to the final A Level examinations in May and June.

CAMBRIDGE SUCCESS

Two Wellington students are celebrating news of places at Cambridge. Alex Shanklin, currently Head Boy at Wrekin College, goes forward with an outstanding GCSE background of 11 A*s to Veterinary Science: Fleur Clarke, with an equally impressive array of GCSEs will go onto Corpus Christi to read English.

Oxbridge success at The Royal Hospital School

Congratulations to Alexandra Hayes (Head Girl) and Lawrence Bowles for successfully gaining Oxbridge places this year.

Alexandra will read Classics at Kings College, Cambridge and Lawrence will read Natural Sciences at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge.

Dreaming Spires

Congratulations to the school’s seven successful Oxbridge candidates from Exeter School, who have recently received the following offers:

Cambridge

Josh Johnson
Gonville & Caius
Natural Sciences

Andrew Melzer
Sidney Sussex
Engineering

Hannah Partridge *
Fitzwilliam
Natural Sciences

Oxford

Claire Harrill
LMH
English

Rachel Holden
Christ Church
Experimental Psychology

Charlie Palmer
Keble
PPE

Max Taylor
Exeter
Modern Languages

* Hannah Partridge, who starred as The Queen of the Night in last year’s acclaimed school production of The Magic Flute, has also been awarded a Choral Scholarship by Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

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