Academic overview 2011
Rydal Penrhos School academic overview 2011
Rydal Penrhos School has enjoyed a very successful academic year in 2010/11. Every school and its pupils are measured by public examinations; our results show pleasing improvements in almost all areas. Rydal Penrhos School is determinedly non-selective and co-educational, providing quality education to all those who might benefit, serving the community of North Wales, but also open to the rest of the UK and further afield. Value-added is the key; we aim to give that little bit extra to the education of every one of our pupils.
A-level
Out of 25 A-level candidates, 37% were awarded A* and A grades (the A* is awarded to candidates who score more than 90% in their final papers). 13% of those grades were awarded at A*. Stephen Brown achieved 4 A*s, Sam Owens and Martha Tewkesbury were awarded 2 A*s each, and Johnny Wong and Jack Tam were also awarded one each.
64% of pupils scored grades A* – B, and a similarly impressive 85% achieved A*- C. These are the school’s best results since the current A-level curriculum was introduced 10 years ago, and it is significant that all bar 4 of the candidates secured at least one B grade, showing the breadth of their success.
All candidates achieved A*-C in Chemistry, Drama & Theatre Studies, English Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music Technology, Physics, and Textiles.
International Baccalaureate
The A-level results reinforce the school’s success in the International Baccalaureate; those results were published in July, and the 28 IB candidates achieved an average score of 31.5 points. On the tariff used by UCAS for university admissions, the average IB score of 398 UCAS points is equivalent to 2 A*s and an A – a truly outstanding achievement. When combined with the A-level results, the school’s average points score is 356 UCAS points, equivalent to every leaver achieving 3 A grades.
GCSE
91% of candidates scored A*-C grades – the standard measure for success at GCSE – and 46% of those were A* and A grades. The yeargroup scored an average of 9 A*-C passes, with a 100% A*-C success rate in the national statistics.
3 candidates scored all A* and A grades: Annabel Large, Henry Salisbury and Sarah Wright amassed 34 of the top grades between them, and a total of 17 pupils achieved at least seven A* or A grades each. The school sets great store by the core subjects of English, Maths and Science, and pupils are expected to study a modern language at GCSE, at a time when takeup of languages is declining nationally. Over 70% of the pupils secured a pass in at least one modern language, and 98% achieved at least a C grade in all three core subjects.
The school also offers a Pre-Sixth form 1-year GCSE programme for overseas pupils, and of the 14 candidates in this group, 10 scored 4 passes at A*-C, which is a great achievement after just one year’s study for mainstream UK qualifications.
12 subjects achieved a 100% A*-C success rate, including Biology, Chemistry, Chinese, Drama, English, English Literature, Geography, German, Latin, Physics, Textiles and Welsh.
Julian Noad
Deputy Head (Academic)