Sixth form students and staff at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School are celebrating their outstanding success following this summer’s A Level exams.
Results published today (16th August) show sixth form, which offers a choice of 30 different A Level subjects, scored highly across the board – with a quarter of all result recorded in the top A* or A grades, and over half of all grades recorded at A* or B.
The top 10% highest achieving students hit the very best grades of A* or A in at least 3 subjects.
Teachers and staff were on hand to help the students take stock, analyse and interpret their results.
They will now work with some students to help them secure the vital university offers which will open up the next stage of their educational careers.
In Mathematics, this year’s results were excellent for HCCS sixth form students, with an incredible 60% of candidates achieving A* or A and 73% A* – B.
Further Maths was even more impressive, with 100% of students achieving A* – B.
The success did not stop there, results in many other subjects were also impressive.
In Fine Art 83% of students achieved A* – B. Humanities subjects also excelled, with 70% achieving A* – B grade in both Geography and History.
In six subjects, including Drama, English Language, Fine Art, German, Further Maths and Music, 100% of students achieved A* – C grades.
Jo Camm, Director of Sixth Form paid tribute to everyone involved.
Jo said: “Everyone should be very proud of our students and the outstanding results that they have achieved. At Holmes Chapel Sixth Form College we set the bar very high, but every year, our students and staff seem to push it higher again.
“Well done to each and every one of you.”
Jeff Sharp, head of school (who is retiring this year) added: “The level of achievement across a wide range of subjects is excellent. Individual success is not always measured in A* – A grades.
“For some of our students, more modest grades represent a remarkable achievement. As you will see elsewhere in this report, students at Holmes Chapel Sixth Form College also achieve at the very highest level.
“There is no doubt that our college has opened doors and prepared our learners for a changing world.”
Denis Oliver, Executive Headteacher commented: “Today is one of the most pivotal days in the education calendar, marking, as it does, one of the key transition points, not only in students’ educational careers but also, for some, the start of a new career pathway.
“Results days should be a celebration of what individual students have achieved, and what they have been able to show that they have learnt and mastered.
“Our students at Holmes Chapel have once again turned in some superb performances and I would like to praise them for how hard everyone has worked, over the past two years in particular, but also in the preceding five years.
“I would also like to place on record my personal thank you to the teachers and other staff who have worked together with our students to make this an outstanding environment for learning.
“What wonderful opportunities and possible pathways all the hard work have made available to our students and I urge them to seize each and every one and use our six attitudes to effective learning and progress to get the maximum benefit from them.”
Mr Olvier continued: “However as we reflect on this year’s results, I would like to pay tribute to one of our school community, who very sadly died during his period of preparation for his final exams.
“Gregory Priestnall was a wonderful and gifted young man whose loss was felt throughout the Sixth Form indeed the whole school community.
“His friends are here today, collecting their results. I can’t begin to comprehend how hard it has been for them and for Greg’s family.
“In the new school year we will be launching the Greg Priestnall Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science and a start has been made on improving the facilities at the South African AIDS crèche which Greg visited and which are named in his honour.
“We will never forget Greg, he was a much loved member of the class of 2018 who today would be celebrating his own outstanding achievements.”
