Phenomenal A Level results at Leighton Park School

Sixth Formers at Leighton Park were delighted to receive their phenomenal results, with 72% A*/A and 93% A*/B. It has been a challenging two years of learning in the pandemic with lockdowns and isolation periods adding another layer of difficulty to courses which are already academically rigorous and making today’s achievements even more of a cause for celebration!

The Theatre Studies group were not phased by the compromises of their Sixth Form experience. “It did make the practical side hard, but we improvised productively,” commented Tomi Edwards. “It’s been like a family, like a team. It was a really safe space to learn and it’s been fun!” added Head Girl, Lorna Green. “The school was always clear what was going on so that made it easier” added Michael Marlow. The support of the community was appreciated by parents as well as students, with Jasmin Barley’s proud mum, Cindy, reflecting, “It’s a real testament to LP; the School got the best out of her and I don’t think any other school would have done. She got 3 As which is amazing.”

There were plenty of proud parents on the Park including Peter and Rachel Milhofer, whose daughter Annie is off to the university where they met, Christ’s College, Cambridge to read Engineering in the Autumn. “It feels really awesome. I didn’t know if I was going to make Cambridge but I have. It feels like the world decided to make everything a little more exciting!” Annie, whose 4 A*s in Maths, Further Maths, DT and Physics, was part of the DT class with 100% A*/A grades. Fellow DT student, Tom Clark, was inspired by Annie’s brother, Josh, an Old Leightonian currently studying at Loughborough, to follow in his footsteps to study Product Design Engineering. “When he described it, I knew it was what I wanted to do as it enables me to continue with everything that I have really enjoyed about DT at Leighton Park.” said Tom.

Tom’s twin, Harry, who also studied Maths and Physics at A Level is pursuing a different direction as his AAB results confirm his dream place of Business Management at the University of Liverpool. The boys are as pleased for each other as they are for themselves; “I came in this morning expecting to have to sort out a back-up plan but I’m over the moon!” enthused Harry. “We have spent so much time planning for what could go wrong, it is so great to have our first choices!”

Top scoring subjects included Maths (72% A*/A), Further Maths (88% A*/A), Physics (93% A*/B) and Art (80% A*/A). The School, having won the Award for Excellence in STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Maths) Education last summer, combines the arts and creativity with the rigour of analytical subjects. Combining these habits of mind with innovation, teamwork and creative problem solving provides students with valuable skills for life and future employment as well as academic success.

Music, a long-standing strength of the school, were delighted to receive 80% A* grades and 100% Distinction */ Distinction in Digital Music Production Level 3 BTEC with four out of five students opting for both subjects. Musician Emily Dunbar is keen to use her upcoming gap year to complete her ABRSM Piano Performance Diploma before applying to Conservatoires for Music Composition courses, whilst fellow musician, Joe Gipple, is off to the States in 2022 for a course which allows him to combine his musical prowess with his passion for Archeology and History. Talented trumpet player, Oliver Picken, is destined for the University of Southampton, which he chose because “It offers a broad variety of musical disciplines, it’s quite diverse and has a bit of everything; I won’t be limited in any one direction.”

In additional to offering the BTEC course, the School also offers a CTEC course in Sport for which students achieved 100% Distinction *. “The PE staff are amazing,” enthused Ellie Pearson who achieved 2 A*s for Psychology and Geography alongside her CTEC result. “I am going to Bath to do Sports Management and Coaching; I’ve always loved Sport, I was always going to do Sport!”

Another student pursuing her passion is Maisy Beardmore, whose 3 A*s in Geography, Biology and Art lend an interdisciplinary perspective to her creative ambition to be a jewellery designer and goldsmith.“I really enjoyed my A Level courses; it was more about the learning than the results for me although today has really topped it off. I feel like I’ve really found my groove and I’m going to be doing something I really love; it’s creative but it’s also really technical.”

Leighton Park’s success at Key Stage 5 is recognized by the Government’s league tables for Sixth Form Academic Progress. The latest figures show Leighton Park to be the top performing school in Berkshire and 27^th in England for academic progress, one of only eight schools nationally to appear in the top 100 every year since the league tables began. Leighton Park was also awarded Best Co-Educational School, South East England in 2021. Head of Sixth Form, Helen Taylor, observes, “It’s an excellent Sixth Form, it’s the best two years in the School, you’ve got a focused curriculum looking at the subjects you enjoy most and when Sixth Formers leave here it is always ‘I’ve had such a good time, I’m so sorry I’m going, I’d like to stay a bit longer.’”

Matthew Judd, Head, added, “Following a very difficult set of circumstances this year, our Upper Sixth students achieved spectacular outcomes. They have had to show unprecedented resilience and patience in the run up to these results. They have achieved all we wanted for them in securing outstanding university placements. I congratulate the whole community for their outstanding efforts in their A Levels, CTECs and BTECs.”

If you are considering studying A Levels, CTEC Sport, BTEC Digital Music Production or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the next Sixth Form Open Evening at Leighton Park School is on Tuesday 12^th October and Annual Open Morning for all entry points is on Saturday 25^th September. Book online at www.leightonpark.com/visitus or contact Admissions via admissions@leightonpark.com or 0118 987 9608.