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17 August 2023
It was an incredibly joyous morning on the hill as teachers gathered to celebrate the absolutely phenomenal achievements of the Class of 2023 as they received their A level results.
The headline figure of over 90% of grades being A*-C was even more impressive when it was considered that these are the first public examinations the girls have taken, their GCSE examinations fallen foul to the pandemic. The average grade points achieved was similar to pre-pandemic levels (2019), and almost half of all grades awarded were A* or A, with a staggering 26.1% of grades at A* level, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Several subjects achieved straight A*A grades, including History and Politics, but it was the STEM subjects which particularly excelled this year, with Mathematics achieving 7A* and 1A and Computing 2A* and 2A.
On an individual basis, Abigail achieved an incredible 4A*s in STEM subjects Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Further Maths, with Katie achieving the same amazing grades across Chemistry, Computing, Mathematics and Further Maths. Abigail is off to Clare College Cambridge to study Natural Sciences, while Katie takes a place at Bristol for Computer Science.
Phoebe continued the STEM trend with 3A*s in Computing, Economics and Mathematics, and has secured a highly competitive Degree Apprenticeship with PwC, studying Computer Science at Birmingham. In addition, she has been shortlisted as a finalist at the National Cyber Awards for her Extended Project Qualification project on Cyber Security. Phoebe will be joined on her Degree Apprenticeship by Deputy Head Girl Aimée Howell, who earned her place with impressive A*, 2A and B grades. Aimée also achieved a Distinction in her ARSM Diploma over the summer. Anais earned 3A* and is going to UCL to read Psychology, Isla achieved 2A* and an A and will be flying the flag for the History department at Royal Holloway. Finally, Naomi is off to Durham to study Physics thanks to her brilliant achievement of an A* and 3As. Naomi also sat her ARSM Diploma during the summer and achieved a distinction.
In addition to their academic achievements, the students at Farnborough Hill have also made a significant contribution to the school community. The girls shone in this year’s production of Twelfth Night, contributed to many sporting successes, got stuck into House competitions, achieved the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and volunteered their time and efforts to tackle poverty and inequality with the creation of their first St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) Group at Farnborough Hill, making a positive impact in schools and local communities. During their tenure in Sixth Form, the Year Group began initiatives such as Diversity and Inclusion and managed a variety of events, including the School’s annual Sixth Form Charity Week in which they raised money for CAFOD, RE UK, and Period Poverty. The Year Group, along with the Lower Sixth, were also the first to experience the Lafosse Centre, a state-of-the-art Sixth Form centre that was unveiled this academic year.
The school’s Acting Head, Zoe Ireland, was delighted with the A level results, saying:
“I am very proud of all our girls and what they have achieved today. The results are a testament to their hard work and dedication and they deserve all the success they have achieved. The particular triumphs of the STEM subjects are notable and I am so proud that Farnborough Hill is able to break down stereotypes and allow young women to study their passions are follow their dreams. In fact, over half of this cohort have chosen to study a STEM subject at university. Congratulations to you all, girls, and we look forward to seeing where life takes you.
I would also like to thank our teachers for their wholehearted commitment to helping the girls achieve their potential and for igniting passion for their subjects which I know will keep them fired up as they continue on their educational journeys.
This year’s fantastic results reinforce the findings of the Telegraph’s analysis (June 2023) of best value schools, in which Farnborough Hill was graded in the top category of ‘very good’ at A level.”
