Record number of A* grades at A Level

In a year when the A Level national pass rate has dropped by 0.5%, the Royal Hospital School is delighted to report a 100% pass rate and a 2.6% increase in the proportion of A*, while national trends report an increase of just 0.5%.

Twenty two pupils, representing over one fifth of this year’s cohort, gained at least one A* grade and the percentage of A*to C grades has continued to improve over the last four years to 81% as the School continues to stretch the most able and challenge pupils of all abilities to achieve their personal best.

With 108 pupils taking exams across 35 A level subjects supplemented with enrichment courses and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), the Royal Hospital School demonstrates that breadth of choice combined with academic rigor is the formula for success.

The strongest results were seen in the Science Department reinforcing the School’s future plans to invest further in this area with an exciting Vision for Science 2020 project and in Music, highlighting its long standing reputation for musical excellence in terms of facilities, high level performance opportunities and academic music.

Early indications suggest that this year the vast majority pupils will have secured their first place choice of university including Oxford, Edinburgh, Durham, Bristol, Nottingham and Birmingham and on courses that include Architecture, International Relations, Dentistry, Economics, Philosophy, Zoology, Chemistry, Music, Law and Anthropology.

Headmasters’ Comments

“We are delighted by this year’s results at A level with a particularly strong improvement in the proportion of A* grades and 22 pupils, over a fifth of the cohort, securing at least 1 A*. These results reflect the extraordinary breadth of ability and talent among our pupils and this is reflected in the courses and options they will now go onto pursue including at university, in the services and through higher level apprenticeships. We have a strong tradition of helping individuals to fulfil their potential, grow into the person they wish to become and be prepared for life after school.The holistic nature of the education we offer means our A level pupils have secured these excellent results while many are making outstanding contributions to school life, including leadership roles, representing the school in sport and music, and participating in the many extra-curricular activities on offer. I wish them every success as they embark upon the next stage of their lives.”

The following pupils have achieved particularly good results:

Sophie Atkinson A*A*A to read Architecture at Bath; Ben Banks A*AAA to become an Organ Scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral but applying to Oxford 2018; Toby Buckland A*AAC to read Chemistry at Bath; Daisy Butler AAA to read Classics at Durham; Sam Cantelo A*AA to read Dentistry at Cardiff; Helena Carter A*A*A and EPQ A to read Management with Marketing at Leeds; Billy Douglas-Hamilton AAA to read Economics and Politics at Bristol; Jamie Fosker A*AAB to read Economics and Maths at Edinburgh; Tom Harmer A*A*A and EPQ A to read Economics and Management at Oxford; Charles Kerr AAA to read History at Exeter; Daisy Tucker A*A*A to read Dentistry at Birmingham; Lucy Watson AAA to read International Relations at Durham; Sally Watson AAA to read Anthropology at Durham; Sean Xuan A*A*A* has made his offer for Mathematics at Durham.