Churcher’s College A Level Results 2018 ‘Quite Exceptional!’

The phrase ‘quite exceptional’ hardly seems to do justice to what has been a record-breaking year for Churcher’s College but, taking into account typical British modesty and with a very appropriate exclamation mark, it seems to work well for a group of quietly capable and delightfully charming young men and women who have achieved so much over their time here.

We have almost become accustomed to Churcher’s students exceeding expectation year in year out, but this cohort of A level students has cleared the bar by a huge margin.

The overall statistics for the school are very pleasing indeed, 21.5% A* grades, almost 55% A* and A and 87% A* to B grades certainly puts us in the top echelons of schools in the country. That isn’t simply because, as Durham University’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring continue to tell us, when they begin their secondary school career here at eleven, they are very bright; there is a most extraordinary ‘value-added’, well above what they see in other similar schools.

That extra value comes from the real sense of mutual care, support and corporate ambition that the students at Churcher’s seem to have, and as much from the thrill of the success they achieve outside the classroom in sport, music, drama and adventurous activities as they achieve within.

For example, after the hugely acclaimed summer concert in Cadogan Hall in London, many have been on expedition to China and now are returning to gold-plated exam results. These fantastic A Level results are allowing them to follow their dreams: the ten percent of the year holding offers to Oxford and Cambridge all achieved those offers; potential medics and vets all made the grade for their places; drama and art students are continuing their passions at prestigious art and drama schools; in fact, it seems that there is hardly a corner of the country or a university faculty where you won’t find a Churcher’s undergraduate in September.

Maybe the word ‘quite’ needs to be replaced by the word ‘absolutely’; absolutely exceptional young men and women who have done absolutely exceptionally!

Simon Williams

Headmaster