Windermere School is celebrating its best set of GCSE results for ten years and its best performance in terms of top grades (A – A* and 8 – 9) for over twenty years.
Almost 95% of students at the school secured A* to C grades in their exams, significantly higher than the national average of 66.9%, with just under 60% of the students achieving results graded A* to A.
The GCSEs are undergoing a gradual reform and this year even more subjects were graded using the new numerical system, where subjects are graded from 9 – 1. Under the new system, levels 8 and 9 correspond to A* and A** respectively and a level 4 corresponds to a grade C.
In combination with many independent schools, Windermere School also offers a range of IGCSEs, ensuring that the school can offer a range of courses which are best suited to the students and their aspirations.
This year saw some stunning individual performances, with the following five students obtaining perfect scores, achieving either A*s or level 9s in all their subjects: Sophie Batten (ten A*s and a further A* in a short course Latin, as well as a grade A in Additional Mathematics); Isadora Rawlinson (ten A*s); Charlotte Salisbury (nine A*s a grade A in Additional Mathematics); Eleanor Dwan (nine A*s); and Danielle Mather (nine A*s). Special mention also goes to Eve Handy (eight A*s and two As) and Erin Kieser (seven A*s and three As).
Headmaster of Windermere School, Ian Lavender, was delighted with the results, saying: “This is an absolutely outstanding set of results and an impressive end to the academic year for the school. I would like to thank all students and their families, as well as the staff across the whole school. Many of our students begin their education at our junior campus, Elleray, and of the top five students this year, all except Danielle attended Elleray. This is a fabulous reflection on the start provided at Elleray.”
Mr Lavender was also pleased to report that, following a number of re-marks in this year’s International Baccalaureate, the school’s average IB score increased to 33.7, making it the third best average for a decade. On the back of the IB results, three-quarters of the students who applied to university this year secured their first choice, the preferred destinations including University College London, Edinburgh, St Andrews, University of East Anglia, Bristol, Warwick, Manchester and Leeds. More than half are attending the ‘top-twenty’ universities (according to the Guardian league tables).
Added Mr Lavender: “There has been some exceptional work over the last twelve months. Our recognition as the IB School of the Year by the Sunday Times came before a superb Inspection Report in the spring and now we finish the year with some excellent examination results.
“I am also very pleased to report that, as of today, the Senior School roll this September is expected to be the highest it has been for the last twenty years, with more than half of the students living in Cumbria. Just over eighty percent of the roll is British.