Canford bucks national trends with best A* and A*/A results ever

Canford is celebrating its best ever grades at A* and A*/A in this year’s A level results. 25% of all examinations were awarded the top A* grade compared with 20% in 2011, and 65% of all grades were A*/A, up from 60% last year. 97% of all grades were A*-C, with 88% A*-B. Over half the year group averaged A grades or better, with 43% of pupils gaining all A*/A grades. Seven pupils were awarded straight A*s.

Canford’s results are impressive compared with the picture nationally, where the trend was downwards in the award of the highest grades this year. Exam chiefs announced that 7.9% of candidates achieved A* grades, down from 8.2% last year. There were also fewer A grades in 2012, 18.7% compared to 18.8% last year nationally (Source – The Times).

Across the range of core subjects in both arts and sciences, there were outstanding results at Canford. 69% of all English grades were A* with 75% A*/A. 86% of Mathematics, 80% of Further Mathematics, 78% of Physics, 73% of Economics and 68% of Chemistry grades were awarded A*/A grades.

The headline figures include Art and Spanish taken in the Cambridge University Pre-U examinations. There were two D1 grades in Art and one D1 in Spanish. D1 has no equivalent A level grade, but as a guide, a D2, one grade lower than D1, is recognised by UCAS as a tougher target than an A* in A levels.

Many of the top performers academically have also excelled in extra curricular activities. Anastasia Chitty’s rowing career at Canford has included a world silver medal representing GB, while she gained 2A*s and 1A and a place at Oxford to read Medicine. Hamish Clifton won gold rowing for GB last summer, gained 1A* and 2A grades and has a place at Oxford to read Experimental Psychology. Naomi Vides was a finalist in the 2012 National Maths Challenge, swam in the British Gas Olympic 200m breastroke test event in London this summer and was awarded 4A*s and a place at Oxford to read Mathematics. Jonathon Ledger, who won a prestigious Arkwright Design scholarship and played a large role in lighting design while at Canford, gained 3A*s and 1A and will read Engineering at Cambridge. Meanwhile, continuing their similar path, identical twins Chris and Mike Wilson both achieved 3A*s and both are off to study Medicine at university.

At AS level there were also notable straight A successes, with 57% of all examinations awarded the highest A grade.

John Lever, Headmaster, said:

“While there are some exceptional individual performances, all our pupils are to be congratulated on contributing to the best A level results in Canford’s history. In a year of decline in the award of the highest grades, we are exceptionally proud of what has been achieved.

Balance is a hallmark of a Canford education, and I am delighted that such success has been achieved in the classroom alongside performance and enrichment beyond it.”

Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Director of Studies, commented:

“The exceptional performance, particularly at A* and A level, this summer is testament to the success of Canford’s focus on the ‘traditional’ academic subjects in our A level curriculum.

Our AS level results are also particularly pleasing, indicating the success of the ongoing expansion of our unique Academic Enrichment programme throughout the school. By encouraging independent, creative thinking , we are seeing continued success in offers from top universities in this country and abroad, including sixteen for Oxbridge in 2012.”

For the full results for A level and Pre-U, please click here.