St Helen’s celebrates outstanding A level and GCSE success in 2024

A LEVEL RESULTS - August 2024

We are thrilled to congratulate our 2024 leavers on their incredible A level results. With 64% of students receiving A*-A and 92% receiving A*-B across the qualifications, the news is truly something to celebrate. Students excelled across subjects with particularly high grades in English, Maths, History and Biology, and they are now heading off to study a wide range of courses at universities in the UK and abroad. 

Headmistress Rebecca Dougall said, “I’m enormously proud of the students. As a year group, they have supported the school and each other brilliantly and it’s so nice to share their many successes today. The array of courses and institutions that they’re heading to is dazzling and they go with all our love and best wishes – these universities are so lucky to have them.”

A number of the Class of 2024 will become future doctors, vets and dentists, with three students accepting places to study Veterinary Medicine, one to study Dentistry and eight going to medical school. One of those is our outgoing Sports Captain Georgie, who is going to St Andrews. She said that sport was a great help to her as she prepared for exams. “I am doing an Ironman in September and have been training since April,” Georgie explained. “It has helped take my mind off things. There were probably a few Sundays where I should’ve been revising but was out on my bike – but it has paid off.” Her mother Nicky said, “This is all down to Georgie’s hard work and the school. The pastoral care has been exceptional. The school has really got to know her and understand her and has got her to where she wants to go. We are so grateful.” Georgie is one of eight going to a leading Scottish university.

Lucy, who is going to study Physics at Bristol, gained a clean sweep of 4 A*s and an additional A* for her EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). She said, “I spent nine years at St Helen’s. It is sad to leave but I feel equipped going on to do something new.” Lucy was one of 39 students taking an EPQ, which is a recognised qualification, and one which our students excel at. It is favoured by many universities and gives students an excellent insight into the independent study habits that will be expected in higher education. 

Two students have gained places at sought-after drama schools: Peony is going to Arts Ed in London and Megan will be studying acting at RADA. Megan said, “I am relieved to be at the finish line. It’s been stressful but rewarding. I’m excited about the next step although I’ll miss this place.” Last week, Megan starred in Macbeth in the Oxford Shakespeare Festival at Oxford Castle. Her father Seamus added, “I can’t believe we’re here now. It’s been an amazing journey and St Helen’s was the best choice we ever made. Megan was perhaps not so sure to begin with, but she found drama and bloomed. And now she’s got into one of the best drama schools in the world. It’s amazing.” 

English Literature was one of many high-performing subjects, with 41% of the cohort receiving A*s. Hester, outgoing St Helen’s Laureate, is heading to Durham to study English Literature. “Being the Laureate has helped set me up well for the future,” she said. “My one-to-one experience with tutors was invaluable in preparing for exams, and the experience as Laureate has helped me stand out as an applicant, especially in English Lit.” Hester will be joining her sister Constance, who is also at Durham and previously held the position of Laureate at St Helen’s.  

Ananya has received a place to study Politics at Kings College London. Her parents Jyoti and Atul said, “We’re very excited for Ananya – she is now going to start a new journey. She loves St Helen’s and has grown into a fantastic young woman thanks to the school. It has given her an all-round experience and been really supportive. That is why we have chosen St Helen’s for her younger sister Aalya who will be starting in Year 7 in September. Both our daughters are now going to start their new journeys – Ananya at university and Aalya at St Helen’s.” 

Some leavers are heading abroad for their studies. Rower, Tilly, is already in the US and will be studying Liberal Arts at Duke University and former student Bea is now heading to the Netherlands, where she will be studying product design at Eindhoven University.  

We wish our brilliant 2024 leavers all the best for their next steps. We look forward to hearing about their experiences when we welcome them back to St Helen’s soon for one of our many alumnae events.

GCSE RESULTS – August 2024

There was much to celebrate one week later in August when students received their GCSE results. An impressive 37% of all grades awarded were 9s and 30 students collected their envelopes to discover that they had achieved nine or more 9–8 grades – an outstanding accomplishment. Overall, 65% of all grades were at 9–8 and 85% were 9–7.  

Headmistress Rebecca Dougall said: “What a wonderful set of results! Everyone at St Helen’s is so pleased for these students who should be so proud of the outstanding results that they have achieved. I pay tribute to the students’ hard work, and to the excellence of the teachers who have steered their path through their GCSE studies. Many of these students are incredibly busy people as performers in sport, in the performing arts and in many other areas of their extracurricular lives – and they have balanced this with amazing GCSEs.” 

STEM remains strong with more than 50% of scientists averaging a grade 9 across Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate or in combined sciences. This comes as no surprise as Biology is the most popular A level option at St Helen’s next year.  

One standout student, Josephine, achieved an impressive ten grade 9s and one grade 8. She plans to pursue A levels in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Spanish. Her father, Adam, expressed his pride: “St Helen’s has prepared Jo brilliantly, as seen in her outstanding results. St Helen’s Sixth Form has a terrific platform for A levels, and she is excited to be staying on. We’re glad that her hard work has finally come to fruition.”  

Amelia is excited to be studying A level Biology, Chemistry, Economics and EPQ at St Helen’s Sixth Form – she achieved seven 9s and two 8s in her GCSEs. Her father, Mark, said: “It’s been a great day, and what a fantastic set of results for our daughter. Thanks to the teachers and the school as a whole.” 

Another exceptional student, Beth, also achieved ten grade 9s and scored a stellar 100% in her Maths GCSE – something that even competed with seeing Taylor Swift this week in the excitement stakes. With a family background in science — Beth’s sister is about to start her medical degree and her mother is a biologist — Beth will be taking A levels in Biology, Maths, Further Maths and Physics. However, her mother, Sally, noted that it was St Helen’s that sparked her daughters’ interest in science: “St Helen’s has made Beth more confident.”  

Humanities subjects also did brilliantly across the board with 48% of Drama students, 53% of Religious Studies students, 42% of Geography students and 47% of History students achieving grade 9. Parents of music scholar Sophia, David and Jill, commented: “We’re absolutely delighted, Sophia’s done really well and will be studying Chemistry, Biology and Music in September.” 

It was not just Y11 collecting examination results today, as three of our Year 9s who were early entrants in GCSE Modern Foreign Languages celebrated their grade 9s. They joined the 48% of Year 11 students achieving a 9 in French, which enjoyed another stellar year at GCSE.