Students at Howell’s School hit the heights

It was a highly emotional morning at Howell’s School, Llandaff as students arrived to collect their A-level results. In an exam year that has been called the toughest since A-levels began, anxious faces were transformed into ones filled with joy as students at the Cardiff school opened the envelopes containing their results.

Despite the major overhaul to the exams, 26% of all results were an A*— the highest percentage of A* grades that the school has achieved in the last six years.

Hemangini Natarajan picked up a dazzling set of four A*s, in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics, and is looking forward a future in STEM as she heads north to the University of Manchester to study Physics.

Katie Jenkins is taking up her unconditional offer of a place at the Juilliard School, New York, to study Composition. Katie, who also had the offer of places to study Music at Oxford and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, will be flying to the States in early September.

Head Girl Rosie Thomas, who gained three As in French, History and Mathematics, will be working her way through her summer reading list over the next few weeks ready to take up her place at New College, Oxford University, where she will be reading PPE.

Of the 73 students sitting A-levels at the school this summer, 26% of all results were the highest A* grade, with 74% receiving A*-B grades. Six students achieved all A*s, and 30% of students achieved all A* and A grades. 100% students studying Further Mathematics achieved an A*, 100% of those studying Music achieved an A*, and all those studying Mathematics achieved A*-B.

Principal Sally Davis, said:

“I could not be more proud of this year’s results. The number of A* grades that the students have achieved is truly outstanding and I am delighted with everyone’s results. These students have been the first cohort to all take the new, tougher exams, studying more complex content, as well as relying solely on exam results for determining their final grade, rather than coursework assessed during their two years with us in the college. 

“They have risen to the challenges presented to them with confidence, and impressed everyone at Howell’s with their determination and dedication. I look forward to seeing them all back at Prizegiving in September, when we will be able to bid them a final farewell before they embark upon their exciting new journeys.”