Education

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Newbury Weekly News

Queen Mary’s Sixth Form College

AT QMC each individual is supported to achieve their full potential, not just in terms of qualifications, but also transferable skills and resilience. Students leave with a bright future ahead, whether progressing to university, apprenticeships, sponsored degrees, further training or meaningful employment. With excellent results year on year and a vibrant and engag- ing atmosphere, students find it impossible to resist partici- pating in the opportunities open to them. There are a wide range of courses on offer, catering for all abilities, and, with enthusi- astic and committed teachers and superb facilities, the majority of students do far better than they ever thought possible when they started. With nearly 2,000 entries, the overall pass rate this year was 99 per cent. The college has a well-deserved reputation for excellent results and 2018 was no exception with 77 percent of all grades awarded being A*– C. QMC excels in the STEM subjects of maths and science, and as a result many talented students are able to pursue dreams of prestigious careers in areas such as medicine, engi- neering and veterinary science. QMC offers outstanding support to students applying to

Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group universities and each year students secure places at these top establishments. Particularly impressive grades were achieved by Neil Wilson (ex -Henry Beaufort School) who achieved four A* grades and is headed to Cambridge to study engineering. QMC also has a proven track record of success with students who have been unable to obtain strong results prior to starting college. Nik Plamadyala was one student who had to start on a Level 2 programme while re- taking maths GCSE. He achieved Distinction* grades in business and law, as well as an

A grade in A-level Russian and has now won a place to study criminology and forensic science at Portsmouth Univer- sity Open evenings give prospective students and their parents the opportunity to discover what makes QMC so special and the team will happily discuss students’ options to help them get where they want to go. A free park and ride service will be in operation and clearly sign posted. Come and see Queen Mary’s College for your- self. The teachers, students and staff look forward to welcom- ing you. For more information vist the website at www.qmc.ac.uk

OPEN EVENING Thursday, 6 October 2016, 6:30pm – 8:45pm Headteacher’s address: 6:45pm and 7:30pm For prospective students and parents. We look forward to welcoming you to our school. Guided tours of all departments. OPEN MORNING Wednesday, 12 October You are welcome to visit the school during a working day. The school will be open between 10am and 12noon with student tours. Thursday, 4 October, :30pm - 8:30pm Wednesday, 10 October, 10am - 12noon

The Downs School is set in the heart of the West Berkshire Downs. It is a special place where the staff are totally commiƩed to the achievement and personal development of all students. Successes are linked to a relentless focus on teaching and learning, further enhanced by the extensive range of extra-curricular acƟviƟes and trips that are offered. For each of the past nine years The Downs School has been designated a high performing school. The impressive results at both key stages have not only maintained the tradiƟon of being one of the top performing schools in West Berkshire, it also epitomises what The Downs School stands for, strong partnerships, resilience and desire to achieve at all levels. A conƟnued investment in the environment for learning is key as students at The Downs School deserve the very best. Year on year our reputaƟon for excellence has meant that we are always heavily oversubscribed. This year we have decided to meet to at least some of the demand for places by increasing our intake from 180 to 210. Judged as outstanding by Ofsted in every category, we are not a school who wants to standsƟll. To ensure that every child’s educaƟonal experience is as rich, character building and high quality as possible, we are striving to move ‘beyond outstanding’ through our philosophy ‘Learning together, Learning for life’. Students from The Downs School are confident, determined and respecƞul. A visit to this exciƟng, vibrant school community while it is in acƟon is highly recommended. Please telephone to make an appointment. We are extremely proud of our phenomenal exam results this year, which re-affirms our status as a top performing school in West Berkshire. 33% of our A- Level students were awarded A*-A, 65% awarded an A*-B and 85% achieved A*-C. At GCSE no less than 84% of students achieved at least the standard pass 4 – 9 (C to above A*) in English and MathemaƟcs. A fantasƟc 58% achieved the strong pass 5 – 9 (B to above A*) in both subjects. Just short of 83% of students achieved an amazing 5 passes at grade 4 (C) and above, with 80% of these also including English and MathemaƟcs.

Tel: 01635 270000

Compton, Newbury, RG20 6AD

www.thedownsschool.org