Brentwood School students receive GCSE results

Students at Brentwood School received their results via email yesterday morning after an anxious week of waiting, and 16 exceptional students received 72 points (equivalent to eight ‘9’ Grades). The proportion of 9-6 (A*-B) grades was an impressive 85.8%, and there was a 100% pass rate.

The general feeling among students, like their Sixth Form counterparts last week, was that they would’ve preferred to have sat their exams so they could have proved their success and felt more in control of their future. This year, the results were based on calculated grades that were produced through a combination of analysis of numerous data points from their GCSE courses and historical averages.

GCSE student Alex Hung, who received ten 9s and one 8, said “I was very happy when I saw my results. It was great to see all my hard work had paid off. I was worried because I did not know how my results would be decided. I feel I also missed out on the experience of sitting official exams.” Alex will be studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A Level, and will be celebrating with a family dinner tonight.

Jessica Smith, who received nine 9s and one 8, said she felt “completely elated, after the turmoil of the last few weeks I was glad I had received results that reflected the hard work I had put in.” Asked if she wanted to mention anyone in particular who had helped her, Jessica said: “My English teacher Ms Austen really pushed me to develop my essay writing technique, and always supplied relevant feedback that helped me develop in the subject. Her passion for the subject fuelled my own.”

Jessica hopes to study Law at university and has already completed an online Introduction to Common Law course with University College London during lockdown. She’ll be studying English, Politics and French at A Level.

Anekh Sehmbi, who received four 7s, three 6s and a 5, and has used his time during lockdown productively, mountain biking and going from beginner to intermediate guitarist, commented “I was extremely happy, I felt very privileged, firstly for having the opportunity to study at Brentwood school, which created the right environment to achieve my results. I am over the moon, as are all my friends and family!” He continued: “All the tutors at Brentwood school took my success very seriously, but I can recall Mrs Khush, Head of Year, who provided direct support and care, making sure she noticed that when I needed help, she co-ordinated within the school to get the right levels of attention and guidance. Also Mr Taylor my English teacher, taking my success very personally, spending significant amounts of effort and time so that I may achieve my maximum potential. Other examples include Mrs Roast, my French teacher, who provided inspirational encouragement and extra support, working with my family to ensure that I would not miss  any opportunities of learning. I feel very supported and privileged to be coached by such passionate individuals, again this is the benefit of being able to study at Brentwood School.”

Maddy Quick, who after receiving an 8, five 7s, a 5 and a 4, will be studying Business Studies, Drama and Theatre and Design Technology at A Level and said “It was a very strange and unnerving process being told that we would not sit our exams as well as a big shock as we had been preparing for so long.”

One of our core beliefs at Brentwood is that one reason why our students achieve so well academically is because they involve themselves with a wide range of co-curricular pursuits. Year on year this is brought into sharp relief on results day, and the Class of 2020 is no exception: this group of students includes a national Team GB fencer, a student at the English National Ballet School, two U16 England footballers, a Jack Petchey award winner, not to mention numerous musical, drama and orienteering accolades, and thousands of pounds raised for various local charities. Brentwood’s Sixth Form will be a very rich place over the next two years.

School’s Headmaster, Michael Bond, adds “After the uncertainty of the last few months and weeks, I am delighted that our students can now look forward with confidence to the next chapter of their lives. They have shown themselves up to the task of dealing with significant change and disruption, and we are very much looking forward to helping them make the best possible start in the Sixth Form. I’d like to pay tribute to our staff who have prepared them so well for these results. It's been a very different kind of July and August in terms of results, with a great deal of uncertainty, anxiety and fluctuation. Our main role is to provide stability, reassurance and good advice so that our students and parents can look forward with confidence to the weeks and months ahead.”

Today's results come after those awarded to our IB and A-level students in recent weeks: our 2020 Upper Sixth cohort saw 19 get all A* or A Grades, six students take up offers at Oxford or Cambridge University, and four students off to study Medicine , traditionally the most difficult course to get into.