King’s Ely students’ excellent A-Level results

Published by King's Ely, Senior on Thursday 15th of August 2024

The vast majority of our 95-strong Year 13 cohort have once again secured places at their first-choice universities and institutions, not just in the UK, but across the globe.

This year, a fifth of A-Level results achieved at King’s Ely Sixth Form are the top A* grade, almost half of grades are A*-A, and three-quarters of results are grade A*-B. The overall pass rate is 100%.

These fantastic results not only reflect our students’ hard work and determination, but also their teachers’ and mentors’ expertise and commitment for them to succeed. As a marker of their all-round, enriched education, King’s Ely pupils are going on to study subjects as diverse as Medicine to Music, and Film Production to Finance.

Mr Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the A-Level results of our Year 13 pupils; they should feel extremely proud of their outstanding grades. Many individuals have exceeded their own expectations and will be particularly pleased with their results. However, as well as achieving some fabulous grades, they leave King's Ely as extremely well-rounded individuals with the character and confidence to make a difference in whatever path they choose. I would like to offer my congratulations to both our Year 13 pupils for their hard work and determination, as well as our teachers for their teaching and guidance. I hope that families will be able to celebrate this important milestone. As a cohort, this year group has contributed in so many positive ways to school life and they will certainly be missed.”

All four King’s Ely students holding Oxbridge offers achieved the top grades to take up their places this year – Lily McCallum to study Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Kit Attwater to study Music at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge; Samuel Trueman to study Music at Queens’ College, Cambridge; and Elliot Dickson to study History at St Hugh’s College, Oxford.

This year, twenty-four students achieved all A*-A grades, and forty-eight pupils earned all A*-B grades. Popular university destinations include Bath, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, London, York, and Newcastle. Our Year 13 leavers are studying a fascinating and vast array of degrees and courses – as ever, subjects in STEM, Humanities, Languages, and the Arts are strong. Four pupils are going on to study Medicine this year.

One of our budding Medics is Sydney Smith, who secured her first-choice place at Cardiff University. Sydney has been at King’s Ely since joining Nursery in 2008! She said: “I have wanted to study Medicine for several years now, and it was a huge relief this morning to see that I had achieved the grades I needed. I have been at King’s my entire life, so it feels surreal and sad to be leaving. It is an amazing school. Everyone is so supportive of each other, and I have been able to do so much alongside my studies, such as Sport, Music, Ely Scheme, and lots of different trips.”

Samuel Trueman achieved the grades he needed to be Organ Scholar at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Samuel joined King’s Ely Senior in Year 9 from King's College School, Cambridge. He said: “I am so pleased with my results, and very relieved. I feel like all the hard work has paid off! The teaching at King’s really is fantastic. The class sizes are small, and everyone is known as an individual, which I feel makes the school community at King’s unique. The Music and Drama Departments are also exceptional.”

Sophie Haydn-Slater is heading to her first choice too – Oxford Brookes University to study International Hospitality and Hotel Management. Sophie, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 7, said: “The dream career for me is event management for a large hotel chain overseas or on a super yacht – basically a career that will allow me to travel. I have loved my time at King’s. It is an incredible place to be, and you must make the most of every opportunity here. I feel that I have done exactly that, from football to drama productions, I am leaving on such a high.”

Thomas Kirkpatrick will be studying Horology (the art of making clocks and watches) at Birmingham City University after achieving the grades he needed. Thomas, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 5, said: “When my grandfather passed away, he left me his Rolex watch. I was fascinated by how it worked, and this is what sparked my interest in horology. It is a very niche degree, but all my teachers have been so supportive, encouraging me to pursue what really interests me.”

As well as offering almost thirty different A-Level courses, King’s Ely also enables pupils to study vocational Level 3 Diploma qualifications in Business Studies, and Food and Nutrition. This year, 86% of students achieved at least a Distinction, a third of which were a Starred Distinction. From September 2024, King’s Ely will also be offering the Extended Certificate in Sport. These qualifications are equivalent to one A-Level, and they are taken alongside A-Levels.

This year, twenty-seven students also completed Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) in addition to their A-Level subjects, which are equivalent to 50% of an A-Level. More than 70% of students achieved an A*-A grade.

Mr John Attwater, Principal of King’s Ely, said: “Our students’ achievements today underline the great value of learning in a community where everyone is known well, their talents are valued, and each other’s success is paramount. This year group and their teachers have exemplified that spirit and thoroughly deserve their celebrations today. We look forward to staying in touch with them as Old Eleans and to seeing them flourish in their lives ahead. This year, A-Levels have been marked strictly to pre-COVID standards with no quarter given for any effects of the pandemic lockdowns on children’s educational journey. I am especially pleased that our results continue to climb even by this measure and are well above where they were in 2019, the benchmark; this demonstrates King’s Ely’s continuing presence as a first-rate academic Sixth Form alongside our well-known strengths in the arts and co-curriculum.”