Public Exam Results

SIXTH FORM HIGHLIGHTS
The examination results achieved by this year’s Upper Six pupils are a genuine cause for celebration. At Downside we are committed to catering for each individual and are always keen that pupils pursue the subjects they are passionate about studying, rather than promoting subject choices solely with an eye on the likely outcome. The results achieved by our pupils this year validate this approach and are the best overall results achieved by Downside pupils who have sat the exams since the new A level specifications were introduced in 2016.
We would like to congratulate all of our pupils who worked incredibly hard to match or exceed their target grades. Indeed over 21% achieved straight A or A* passes in 3 or 4 subjects. Furthermore, in Latin and Greek, all achieved A* grades. Mention must also be made of the group of Lower Six pupils who submitted an EPQ this year, all of whom achieved an A* or A grade, with one pupil scoring full marks for a complete musical, including libretto, score and script – an extraordinary accomplishment.
We are delighted that almost all of our pupils have secured a place at their first university of choice. As we have come to expect, the range of university and subject choice is broad, reflecting the wide spectrum of pathways for which a Downside education prepares pupils. This year, we offer particular congratulations to our Head Girl for securing a place at Leeds to study Medicine, having achieved 4 A* grades, 3 in natural sciences and the 4th in Classical Greek – this is a spectacular achievement. The Classics department is also celebrating the success of another of its pupils who, with straight A* grades, has a place to read Classics at Oxford University. Pupils have also secured places at the universities of Warwick, Bristol, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Durham, Cardiff, London School of Economics, York, Bath, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Exeter and elsewhere to study courses including Modern Languages, Criminology, Arabic, Nursing, Real Estate, Sports Management, Physiotherapy, History of Art, Psychology, Computing Science, Archaeology and Anthropology. We are also delighted that one of this year’s cohort secured a prestigious degree apprenticeship place in Wealth Management at UBS.
It is so rewarding to see our pupils moving on to the next stage of their education or career. The CEOs of both UCAS and Universities UK this week have stated how important it is that pupils choose degree courses in subjects for which they have a passion, and reading the personal statements of this year’s cohort, it is clear that our pupils have done just this. We congratulate them all and wish them every success in their next steps. They have all left an incredible mark on Downside and we look forward to hearing their news as they continue on their individual journeys.
GCSE HIGHLIGHTS
Over a quarter of the grades gained by our pupils were a grade 8 or 9, with nearly half of all grades awarded being a grade 7 or above. Particular congratulations go to Alex, who gained straight grade 9s across all ten of his subjects and to twins Ned and Molly, both of whom achieved nine grade 9s and two grade 8s in their eleven subjects. These are exceptional achievements and we rightly celebrate them but we celebrate equally the success of all our pupils who worked so hard to match or exceed their target grades. They can feel proud of their results, achieved through their commitment and determination, making the most of their individual talents. Downside is committed to catering for the full range of academic abilities, whilst offering a broad and challenging curriculum. We encourage our pupils to study subjects which they enjoy and value and this enables them to grow and flourish in their academic journey. Our thanks go to academic and pastoral staff who have worked tirelessly in helping pupils to achieve the grades that will give them confidence in their ongoing studies for A-Levels and BTECs.