Brighton College becomes Britain’s best-performing co-ed school at GCSE

Brighton College said today (Thursday 22 August) that it had broken Britain’s GCSE record.

In a year when results nationally slipped, the independent school said: “It was smiles all round on results day as Brighton College celebrated being the highest performing co-educational school ever in the UK, with 95 per cent of  GCSE grades at A* or A.

“Last year, The Sunday Times named Brighton College UK School of the Year for being the only school to improve its results for seven years in succession.

“The college has maintained that extraordinary trend.”

Head Richard Cairns said: “What is really special about these results is that they have been achieved by such a super bunch of youngsters.

“I really do believe that if you have a kind, considerate and supportive environment, pupils will achieve more than anyone might expect.

“Happy children are, invariably, successful children.

“That has also been reflected in their lives beyond the classroom.

“This is actually one of our strongest years for sport, drama and dance and I think this healthy balance of the academic and the extra-curricular has made them the interesting, lively and evidently successful people that they are.”

The school reported 838 A* grades and just six C grades.

It said that 103 out of 144 candidates secured A* or A grades in every single exam taken, adding that everyone secured at least five A grades.

Brighton and Hove High School said that once again it was “celebrating outstanding success at GCSE with 60 per cent of all results at A*or A grades and a pass rate of 96 per cent A* to C”.

The school said: “There was an exceptional showing in the sciences – 79 per cent A* or A in chemistry, 82 per cent A* or A in biology and 76 per cent A* or A in physics – and in Latin with 70 per cent A* or A.

“The results in art were also outstanding with 95 per cent of grades at A* or A.”

Head Jennifer Smith said: “The girls have performed brilliantly. Well over a third of them achieved nine or more A* or A grades and three girls – Eliette Harris, Natalia Hussein and Helena Ratcliff – each achieved 10 straight A* grades.

“The governors and I are delighted with these results.

“We don’t look to inflate grades by providing softer subjects or by reporting incomparable statistics.

“Our A*/A results, in the toughest subjects, speak for themselves.

“Congratulations to all the girls and staff.”

Roedean reported its best GCSE results in ten years and said: “Among the 62 candidates

• A* increased from 33 per cent in 2012 to 36 per cent
• A* to B increased from 62 per cent to 68 per cent
• A* to C increased from 84 per cent to 91 per cent
• Fifteen girls achieved A*s and As in all their subjects

“As ever, academic success is only one element of life at Roedean and the girls above also perform to impressive standards in Roedean’s packed sport, drama and dance programme.”

Head Frances King said: “We have long believed that happy girls, with a range of interests outside their academic studies, achieve best.”

The school said: “On a very successful day overall, special congratulations must go to academic colleagues in the art, biology, chemistry, maths and music departments, where 50 per cent or more students achieved A*.

“This completes a superb summer for the music department, who have two leavers going to the country’s leading conservatoires (Royal College of Music and Trinity) next month.”

Veronica Fewkes, head of music, said that the mutual support and close friendships in the orchestra and choirs this year was crucial.

She said: “These were fantastic groups to teach, with accomplished composers as well as performers.

“The girls worked incredibly hard and I am so pleased they have their rewards.”