GCSEs
At St Mary’s, we have introduced a personalised curriculum that teaches girls by stage, not age, and which enables our pupils to sit their examinations when ready, breaking away from the traditional assessment pathway and successfully combining subjects at various levels. This approach takes into account the individual interests and ability levels of the girls. For example, a number of girls successfully take AS modules a year early and all girls taking Drama and Theatre Studies are fast-tracked, sitting AS Level in UV Form and A Level in LVI Form. Girls who sat early GCSEs did exceptionally well in 2012, with an astonishing 100% achieving A*-A Grades in Chinese, French and Mathematics.
In 2012, 85% of the exams taken were awarded the highest A*-A grades and 71% of girls gained eight or more A*-A grades. In fact, 45% passed all of their GCSEs at A* or A grade.
St Mary’s achieved a clean sweep of A*-A grades in four subjects - Chinese, Japanese, Music and Religious Studies - while more than nine in ten girls were awarded the highest A*-A grades in English Literature (93%), English Language (96%), Geography (95%) and Latin (94%). Around three-quarters of those taking GCSE Maths achieved A*-A grades.
GCSE Level Results 2003-2012
|
% |
A*-A |
A*-B |
A*-C |
|
2012 |
85 |
96 |
99.2 |
|
2011 |
80 |
94 |
99.6 |
|
2010 |
72 |
92 |
99 |
|
2009 |
70 |
89 |
99 |
|
2008 |
77 |
93 |
99.5 |
|
2007 |
82 |
96 |
100 |
|
2006 |
76 |
95 |
100 |
|
2005 |
79 |
96 |
99.6 |
|
2004 |
75 |
97 |
100 |
|
2003 |
75 |
94 |
99 |
A LEVELS
In 2012, 66% of the A Level examinations taken by St Mary’s Calne girls were awarded A*-A grades, with 27% at A*; this compares most favourably with the independent sector average of 18%. 23 girls (46%) achieved either A*s or As in all their exams, which compares with an independent sector figure of 6.1%.
There were excellent results for the girls who took the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) which counts as half an A Level. 90% of the girls who completed this qualification achieved an A*.
Most girls have secured their places at their first-choice universities, such as Edinburgh, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Manchester and all girls holding Oxford or Cambridge offers secured their places, studying a wide range of subjects including Biochemistry, Medicine, History, Economics, Geography, Psychology and Architecture.
Girls achieved all A*-A grades in five subjects – Art, Chemistry, Further Mathematics, German and Physics and every girl who needed an A* for a university place achieved this.
A Level Results 2003-2012
|
% |
A* |
A*-A |
A*-B |
A*-C |
|
2012 |
27 |
66 |
87 |
96 |
|
2011 |
36 |
75 |
92 |
97 |
|
2010* |
34 |
71 |
91 |
96 |
|
2009 |
75 |
94 |
99 |
|
|
2008 |
75 |
95 |
100 |
|
|
2007 |
75 |
91 |
97 |
|
|
2006 |
67 |
91 |
98 |
|
|
2005 |
72 |
91 |
96 |
|
|
2004 |
70 |
92 |
96 |
|
|
2003 |
61 |
88 |
98 |
- Please note that the introduction of the A* grade in 2010 (which requires an average of 90% in the A2 modules) and significant changes to exam specifications means that absolute comparisons of top grades with previous years are not possible.