A Level linguists buck the national trend at Blackheath High School

The weather did not dampen the spirits of Blackheath High School students as they received their much anticipated A Level results on Thursday 17th August. It was a record-breaking year, with the top A* grades reaching an impressive 17% and 39% at A*/A. Characteristic of Blackheath High girls, they are leaving to follow a diverse range of higher education paths: Theoretical Physics; Middle Eastern Studies; Engineering and Modern Langauges number amongst the exciting courses chosen.

Seventy one percent of applicants gained places at Russell Group universities and over 70% of students gained A*/A grades in their Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), a dissertation-style qualification regarded as excellent preparation for university.

Bucking the national trend that is seeing a decline in higher education study of languages, many Blackheath High School students have chosen to read languages including Russian, French and Middle Eastern Studies. The school values the benefits of studying languages, with girls studying French from the age of three. This love of languages is demonstrated in the large number of girls choosing to continue studies into A Level each year. 

Previous Head Girl, Ella Jollands attained an impressive A*,A, A and is delighted to be reading Middle Eastern Studies at Cambridge. With similarly notable grades, A*, A, A including 100% in her Spanish oral exam, Nadia Neffar said: ”I am very proud and also shocked! I would like to thank my teachers who have been so supportive and patient.” Nadia is now deciding whether to accept a place at University of York or to continue her studies abroad in Spain. 

Maya Gunn De Marcos beamed at her star-studded certificates. She achieved an impressive four A*s across a diverse range of subjects: Maths, Chemistry, Art and English literature, she is still weighing up her options for future study but is “elated and excited.”

Head of Sixth Form, Kate Elliott is extremely proud of the girls’ achievements and the ambitious, confident and courageous young women they have become. She said: “Our experienced Sixth Form team provides the guidance and preparation that ensures success in admission to the most competitive courses and I am delighted at every single girl’s success.”

Head, Carol Chandler-Thompson added: ”These excellent results and success stories are testimony to the girls’ hard work, their broad, intellectual interests and the outstanding, personalised educational provision offered here at Blackheath High. I congratulate all the students and teaching staff on their achievements and am particularly gratified to see the girls choosing ambitious, exciting university courses. I am very proud of their achievements and am confident that they will thrive at university and in later life and I wish them all the very best.”