A-levels 2024: Spalding Grammar School celebrate a successful year with two pupils heading to Oxford and Cambridge
Ice-creams on the lawn is how thrilled pupils celebrated their exam results.
Spalding Grammar School has had another successful batch of A-level results - with two pupils heading off to university in Cambridge and Oxford to study maths.
The school says that 77% of all entries received A*-C grades with 52% receiving A*-B grades - and youngsters are planning a wide range of celebrations from a simple KFC meal to a London show.
Find out the results from across South Lincolnshire and Rutland
Successes were seen in art where 40% of candidates secured an A* grade, all pupils who studied history received at least a B grade and the school has seen a 10% increase in the number of pupils achieving higher grades than predicted.
The school also works with colleagues at Spalding High School to co-teach A-level subjects and 83% of entries achieved A*-C grades in English literature, German, Latin and music.
Outgoing headmaster Steven Wilkinson, who is leaving the school to take up a new challenge outside the county following a ’good’ Ofsted, said some students had ‘overcome real personal adversity’ to achieve their results.
He said: “I am grateful to all the staff for their hard work in helping students achieve these successes and to the students for putting in the effort and showing the commitment to their studies. Let us not forget that, although exam concessions for covid have ended, the education of this cohort of students was impacted by the pandemic.
“We have had some students who have had to overcome real personal adversity to achieve what they have achieved today.
“As I bow out I take pride in not only the academic success of students leaving the school but also how they have developed as young people.”
Pupils had learned earlier today their results via an email and were invited into the Priory Road site to celebrate with an ice-cream.
It must have felt like a long wait for Daisy Darley, 17, of Pinchbeck, as she tried to get onto the UCAS website to find out if she had secured a place at her preferred university, Durham.
And with an A* in business, an A in economics and a B in maths, she has secured a place at the university to study finance.
Daisy, who is planning a trip to the Ivy Wall to celebrate, said: “The email didn’t come through straight away. I checked the UCAS website and was in a waiting queue to see if I had got in. Then I was happy when I saw I had a place and had to wait another five minutes for the results.
“I have always liked business and maths so combine those together you get finance.”
Joshua Brooks will be celebrating his fantastic three A*s and an A with a trip to watch Operation Mincemeat in London.
The 18-year-old from Sutterton achieved three A*s in maths, further maths and chemistry. He has an A in history.
He said: “It was exactly as I was predicted but I am still very happy as I was not achieving it through the year.”
Will Atkins, 17, of Pinchbeck has secured at place at Oxford where he will be studying maths.
He has achieved A*s in maths and further maths along with two As in physics and computer science.
Will, who hopes to go into programming, said: “It was what I was expecting.”
Another of the school’s high achievers was 18-year-old Alex Carter, who will be heading to Cambridge to study maths.
He is delighted with his A*s in maths and further maths but was disappointed with his A in Spanish. He also has an A in psychology.
Alex said: “I am grateful. I’m happy with most of my results and overall it was what I was expecting.
“I wanted to do better in Spanish as I had fumbled my speech.”
A career as a sports physiotherapist awaits 18-year-old Alfie Thomas after securing a place at Birmingham.
He achieved an A* in biology along with As in physical education and biology.
Alfie, who will no longer have to make the daily journey from King’s Lynn to Spalding, said: “I feel brilliant - there are no words to describe it.”
Sayang De Ste Croix was planning to celebrate her two As and a B with a KFC.
The Pinchbeck 18-year-old had achieved As in English literature and geography along with a B in religious education. She also received an A for an AS-level in criminology.
She said: “I feel really happy - I got into my preferred university and I am grateful to my teachers.”
Sayang has a place at Nottingham to study law and is planning a year abroad.
She said: “My parents are going to take me for a KFC and call it a day - I got everything I wanted.”
Cowbit’s Rosie Gauntlett will be heading to the University of Birmingham to study biochemistry after achieving an A in geography and two Bs in biology and chemistry. She also achieved an A* for an extended project qualification at AS-level after writing a 5,000 word essay.
She said: “I had convinced myself that I wasn’t going to get in as I had a rough exam period so I was relieved when I saw I had got in.
“You aim for the A but when you get into university that’s all you need.”
Rosie is aiming for a career in medical research.
If you would like to congratulate a pupil this exam season, contact our family announcements team on 01780 484830.
