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17 August 2018
King Edward VI High School for Girls celebrates best A* A level results for 4 years.
Students at King Edward VI High School for Girls, Edgbaston are celebrating another outstanding year of A Level results with 33% of grades at A* and 73% A*/A grades, with 91% A*/B grades. Remarkably, 13 students out of a year group of 75 achieved 3 or more A*s, 10 achieving all A*s and 37 with all A* and A grades. 45 girls got 3 or more A*/As
Students have gained places at top Russell group universities to study a range of academic subjects from Classics to Theology to Music. At least 13 students [possibly one or two more – I will update you as soon as I know] have met their conditional offers and secured places at Oxford and Cambridge to study subjects as diverse as PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics), Natural Sciences, Modern Languages and Medicine.
These results are particularly remarkable in the year when the vast majority of subjects were the ‘reformed’ A Levels, with new specifications, modes of assessment and terminal examinations. Contrary to reports about girls’ reluctance to study STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), 51% students took A Level Mathematics, 52% Chemistry and 43% Biology, and over half the cohort will go on to study a science-related degree. Two students will even be studying male-dominated computer science courses, including Melissa Yao who has won a coveted place at Queen’s College, Cambridge and Sirui Zhuge, who will study Artificial Intelliigence and Cmputing at Sheffield University. This was particularly impressive as Sirui only started learning English aged 14 when she arrived in Birmingham from China.
Ten students have won places to read Medicine at prestigious universities including Oxford, Cambridge and King’s College, London.
Several of the girls whose pupil-led campaign recently won the Times Educational Supplement’s prestigious Fund-Raising Initiative of the Year have achieved outstanding A Level results including star pupil Cerian Richmond Jones from Solihull who gained the grades she needed for a coveted place to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Balliol College, Oxford. Cerian was one of the student callers who spoke to hundreds of former alumnae and supporters throughout the school holidays and raised tens of thousands of pounds for Assisted Places, to widen access to girls from all backgrounds. Cerian herself was able to come to the school because she won a Foundation scholarship on entry which included generous help with her fees. She has since flourished at KEHS, winning a string of major awards including an Arkwright UK-wide Engineering scholarship, public speaking awards and two national creative writing prizes.
“The school is fantastic in the way it takes people from all backgrounds and says ‘you can do this,” said Cerian’s mother Tracy Jones. “We are so proud of the way that Cerian has made the most of all the opportunities she’s had by coming here. She’s the first of the family to win an Oxbridge place too, which is a great thrill.”
“It’s a wonderful place with great teaching,” said Cerian. “I knew I wanted to come here the moment I arrived to take the exam and I’ve had chances to try so many different things that I’d never have experienced anywhere else. I’d like to be a diplomat after university as I’m fascinated by international politics.”
Eden Baim, 19, from Edgbaston, has won a place to read Veterinary Medicine at Liverpool University after being rushed to hospital on the eve of her A levels in 2017 with severe glandular fever. She had to take a year out as she gradually recovered but fought back and took the exams a year later, supported by the school and was overjoyed to get the A* in Biology plus As in Chemistry and Economics she needed for her place.
“I was so disappointed when I had to go to hospital and couldn’t sit my A levels last year,” she admitted. “School have been brilliant, letting me come into lessons and helping me prepare, giving me the confidence to think I could fulfil my dream to be a vet, even though I’d been so ill.”
Talented artist Eva Neville, 18, from Sutton Coldfield, has won the Distinguished Scholar award to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, USA and a generous grant which will cover all her tuition fees throughout her time there. Eva was awarded 100% for the portfolio she submitted and also had to write 2 essays on her views on art and how she would cope with being an international student. She is also a gifted jazz singer and performs in numerous concerts as well as starring in KEHS senior music and drama productions.
“I was astounded to be awarded this scholarship,” said Eva. “I really wanted to go to Savannah College after I looked round a number of American universities last summer and I was amazed by the fantastic facilities there and the way companies come and work with the students, giving them a great chance of a commercial career when they graduate. Long-term I’d like to design clothes and maybe have my own fashion label. I have enormously enjoyed my time at KEHS, particularly the Art and Music I did here and all the friends I’ve made. The teachers have been great and very supportive, particularly my Art teacher Mr Bassett who has really brought the subject alive for me.” Eva’s mother Corinne is an artist and former Art teacher but says she had no influence on Eva’s decision to study abroad.
Alice Beardmore, 18, was celebrating winning a place at her mother’s old Cambridge college, Gonville and Caius, to read Natural Sciences. Her mother Elizabeth Frostick read History at Caius in the 1970s. Alice from Harborne achieved 5 A*s grades in Maths and Sciences and is also a talented musician, studying violin at the Birmingham Junior Conservatoire and a member of the school’ Symphony Orchestra. Fiona Connolly, 18 is also following in her mother’s footsteps at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, having won a place to read Medicine there.
Natasha Bhole also scored 5 A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Spanish and was delighted to win a place to read Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College. Natasha who also enjoys Asian dance and swimming and is an Air cadet also won a prestigious national Arkwright Engineering Scholarship in 2016.
Connie Sheeran, 18, from Sutton Coldfield achieved A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry as well as in the EPQ (Extended Project) and has won a place to read Physics at Girton College, Cambrdge.
Dorothy Zhang from Solihull scored 4 A*s in Art, Geography, Maths and Further Maths and will read Architecture at Cambridge
Melissa Yuan, 18, achieved A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Biology and Chemistry plus an A in Physics and will study Medicine at Jesus College, Cambridge. A talented hockey player, who played for the KEHS First XI, she also played the violin in the school Symphony Orchestra.
Meanwhile her friend Aman More, 18, has won a place to read Medicine at New College, Oxford, thanks to her full house of 4 A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and French.
Rhea Suribhatla, 18, from Sutton Coldfield was overjoyed to be awarded a place for Medicine at Oriel College, Oxford with A*s across the board in Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics and EPQ. She is also very musical and is principal bassoonist in the school’s Symphony Orchestra.
Natalie Singhal, 18, from Birmingham, has achieved a place to read French and Spanish at Homerton College, Cambridge with top grades in Maths, Further Maths and French. A talented ballet dancer, she also excels in the new activity of Pole Sport, an athletic variation of pole-dancing and she recently won the Pole Sport UK title.
Chanden Thind, 18 from Solihull won a place for English and French at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and achieved 2 A* grades and an A.
Amber Syed, 18 from Moseley will study History and Politics at Magdalen College, Oxford after achieving and A* in English plus As in History and Greek
Prianka Kaushal from Moseley was celebrating a place for Medicine at Manchester University after getting an A* and 3 As in her science A-levels. Her friend Shriya Snghera also achieved a coveted place to study Medicine, at King’s College, London, after a full house of 3 A*s.
Principal Ann Clark said “I am absolutely delighted with these magnificent results, which are a tribute to our students’ dedication and strong work ethic. They have been a fabulous year group and an inspiration to the younger girls. I know families will be hugely proud of their success and on behalf of all the staff at KEHS, I would like to congratulate them. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to their subject teachers, who have shown complete professionalism, determination and commitment in preparing for these new qualifications.”
