2008

Alton Convent Sixth Form is delighted that this year’s 100% A2 and AS level pass rate continues the tradition of 100% success in all A level subjects since the creation of the new Sixth Form Centre in September 2000.

Even though internet access enabled students to discover their grades in advance of the traditional results day, most chose to come into the school to share their successes with friends and teachers. The opening of results envelopes was still an important moment of truth, reflecting their years of hard work.

Mrs Sue Kirkham, headmistress, referred to the media reports of the high numbers of students, 25.9% nationally, achieving a grade A and observed that the Convent students achieved nearly twice that with 48.1% gaining A grades. In fact 83.2% achieved grades A and B and over 95% achieved grades A-C. The average point score of 384.8 equated to every girl achieving more than three grade As.

A number of girls gained straight As, including Emily who is going to Bristol to study Biochemistry, Emelia to Manchester to study Law and Amey to Liverpool to study Medicine. Sue Kirkham was delighted to report that all the girls had secured places at their chosen universities to follow a wide range of courses across all disciplines including Anthropology, English, Geography, Law with French Law and Language, Mathematics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Psychology, and Real Estate Management.

2007

Alton Convent Sixth Form hit the jackpot again this year with a 100% success at A Level and maintained its unbroken tradition of success across the board in all subjects since the creation of its new Sixth Form Centre in September 2000.

The girls arrived early at school anxious to find out whether they had secured their first choice university courses. They need not have worried, results were exceptionally strong in both arts and sciences with student after student squealing with delight at their respective results with more than two thirds of all results at the top grades.

Alton Convent School's headmistress, Mrs Sue Kirkham joined in the celebrations thrilled that her students had once again been accepted for such a wide variety of courses at their chosen universities. These ranged from traditional academic routes like mathematics, law, architecture, fine art, theology and geography to the more vocational courses including physiotherapy, journalism and animation. Mrs Kirkham believes the explanation for her students' consistent success at A level is rooted in excellent independent study skills fostered by high academic expectations and outstanding specialist teaching. Acknowledging the hard work of all her students and the important supportive role of parents, she was unwilling to single out individual students emphasising the success of all the girls. Each had made sacrifices in the previous two years to ensure future success, she said, and she was proud to congratulate every single one of them.

Commenting on press reports on the widening gap between independent and state schools Mrs Kirkham said this was not a day to make political points. "As a country we seem to delight in denigrating the achievements of our young people, instead of applauding their success in examinations which address the different requirements of a rapidly changing world." Denying that her students were unfairly advantaged, she emphasised her intention in 2008 to increase the number of major sixth form scholarship places, to allow wider access to Alton Convent Sixth Form Centre for local students educated in the state system up to GCSE level.

2006

Alton Convent School maintains consistently excellent standards of attainment at A Level with 100% success since the Sixth Form centre was opened.

In 2006 77.2% of all passes were at the higher grades of A or B. This follows similar excellent achievements in previous years with all girls gaining places at universities of their choice.

Results were very strong in both arts and the sciences, with students progressing to outstanding universities to study a wide range of courses including, Architecture, Medicine, Law, English Literature, Bio-medical Sciences, Sports Science, Physiotherapy and in the case of one student a scholarship place on the prestigious Film Studies course at Brunel university.

For the second year running one of our Art A level students received a special commendation from the AQA Examining Board for being one of the country’s top achievers in art with maximum marks.

2005

2004