For the second year running, Year 11 students have not sat national examinations as a result of Covid-19. Today our students were welcomed into school to collect their results, which have been based on teacher assessed grades. These results continue to reflect Sexey’s strong teaching and learning, and continue a positive trend of outcomes improving over the past three years, building on Sexey’s position as third best performing school in Somerset for Progress 8 (2018).

Commenting, Mrs Helen Cullen, Headteacher at Sexey’s School said, “I am delighted to celebrate these brilliant results with the  Year 11 students. Both I and their teachers thank them for their hard work, dedication and resilience during what has proven to be an extraordinary year. This group of students have had to manage remote learning, lockdowns and a pandemic whilst working hard to ensure that they provided the evidence needed for teachers to allocate robust and moderated grades.

“I am so proud of the courage and kindness the Sexey’s School community has shown to one another over the last year. I know the parents and students will join me in expressing thanks to the incredible teachers at Sexey’s School.”

Mr Ross Dalzell, Deputy Head, added, “I’m really proud of the rigorous process with which we have awarded students’ grades, and our students rightly deserve to celebrate the grades that they have worked so hard to achieve. At Sexey’s students sat school-set examinations as they would on a usual year but a reduced number to support student wellbeing. The exams were marked by teachers and moderated internally and externally. Awarded grades were scrutinised by our senior leadership team, based on a set criteria set out by JCQ with regards to standardisation. We used a variety of evidence, based on two years of study, but students were only assessed in May on the work that they had completed.”

We are delighted to celebrate all our students’ results and as is our tradition, we give a special mention to our top performing students, alongside those who have made exceptional progress since they joined Sexey’s School.

Top performers

• Emily Dillon, who achieved nine Grade 9s, joining Sexey’s from Ditcheat County Primary School
• Velvet Cook, who achieved seven Grade 9s and two Grade 8s, joining Sexey’s from the British International School, Vietnam
• Jemima Sparrow, who achieved six Grade 9s, two Grade 8s, one Grade 7, joining Sexey’s from Jerudong International School
• Finlay Wilson, who achieved five Grade 9s, three Grade 8s, one Grade 7, joining Sexey’s from Bruton Primary School
• Imogen Barton, who achieved four Grade 9s and five Grade 8s, joining Sexey’s from Evercreech CofE Primary School

Exceptional progress

• Luis Aja
• Zac Balls
• Collette Mason
• Sam Piper
• Finlay Wilson

Commenting on her success, Emily Dillon said, “It’s been such a strange year and I’ve been so nervous awaiting results today. I’m so happy to have got the grades I have and would like to say a huge thank you to all of my teachers for their support and hard work in getting us through this assessment process. I’m looking forward to joining Sexey’s Sixth in September and starting A Levels now!”

Finlay Wilson added, “I’ve worked really hard this year so I’m absolutely delighted with my results and proud of my progress. I’m going to stay at Sexey’s for A Levels and will be studying Maths, Further Maths and Physics. I can’t wait to get started.”

Next steps

This year we see even more of our Sexey’s Year 11 students choosing to remain with us for their A Levels, benefiting from the exceptional pastoral care provided by the Sixth Form Tutor team, alongside the high quality teaching and learning that will ensure that they continue to achieve their aspirations.

The results achieved earlier this week by the outgoing Year 13 students  – resulting in a record percentage of students achieving a place at Russell Group universities – clearly demonstrate that Sexey’s Sixth Form ensures that students attain outstanding progress from GCSE to A Level, with staff supporting their UCAS applications, and preparing them for life at university.

Mrs Cullen added, “We look forward to welcoming back our current Year 11s in September alongside the increased number of external students joining the Sixth Form, making September 2021 our largest A Level intake for the last four years. We are delighted that so many students both locally, nationally and internationally are joining Sexey’s Sixth as one of the top performing Sixth Forms in the South West. Sexey’s Sixth has strong academic outcomes, placing us in the top 10% nationally (ALPS) for the last three years, alongside a caring, experienced and supportive Sixth Form team. This ensures students are well prepared for life beyond school”.