level. In a year of uncertainty and change with the well-publicised reforms to the Year 11 examination system, our students have performed superbly to triple the national average of the top grades of 7, 8 and 9.

There were some remarkable results across the academic departments; of the girls taking Physics, an enormous 90% achieved grades 7-9, the equivalent of an A or A* (and 43% gaining the top scoring grade 9). In fact, across all three separate sciences almost three quarters of the students gained grades 7-9 (A* or A). 93% of those taking Drama scored 7-9 (35% with a grade 9) and History was also impressive with 70% achieving 7-9 (24% with a grade 9).

The aim of the new grading system was to introduce a greater degree of academic rigour to these exams and we are delighted with this outcome. Most significantly, and testament to their all-round academic brilliance, the year group clocked 68.5 for their Attainment 8 score. This is similar to last year’s score which was the highest score for an independent school in Devon.

“We are delighted that the girls have done so well in these more rigorous GCSEs giving them a great foundation to start their A-levels. Remember that grades 7-9 equates to the old A/A* and to have so many in that zone makes me very proud of the girls’ achievements.” said Sarah Dunn, the Headmistress.

“Let’s not forget, either, that these girls juggle their academic studies with huge success in other individual and team pursuits. Many are supreme musicians or dramatists, sportswomen and horse riders. Many more are showing tremendous entrepreneurial flair and excelling in essay and STEM competitions. I cannot praise them enough for their positivity and spirit throughout these past two years and, as the trailblazers to this new grading system, they have certainly set the bar very high.”

Outstanding achievements

–       Alyssa Gibbons

Alyssa, from Whitestone, gained five Grade 9s and five Grade 8s and will study History, Economics and Maths at A-level. Alyssa is an exceptional musician (currently studying for Grade 8 Clarinet as well as playing the Saxophone and Piano) and a member of numerous choirs and orchestras, including the Devon Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Abbey Road Studios. Alyssa hosts her own hugely successful website – https://fictionforteens.com – where she posts regular reviews of the latest book she has read; this is proving to be a useful tool for fellow teens and their parents alike.

“I am really relieved as no one knew what to expect with the new GCSEs. Now that today is here and I’ve got my results, I feel excited to go into the Sixth Form and start my A-levels. I came out of the exams feeling ok but because of the new system, I didn’t know what to expect so I am very happy today!”

–       Amelia Moody

Amelia gained six Grade 9s, three Grade 8s and one Grade 7. A superb all round athlete, she has represented the South West at national level for cross country running and is regularly seen training on the Dartmoor Tors near her home, come rain or shine, light or dark. She is also a keen horse rider and musician. Amelia will join the Sixth Form to take her A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and French, with the ultimate goal of becoming a vet.

–       Ruby Jarman

Ruby achieved four Grade 9s, three Grade 8s, one Grade 7 and one Grade 6. A sports scholar at The Maynard, Ruby plays Hockey and Squash at a regional level, fitting her training in with her studies. She will join the Sixth Form to take A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and English, with plans to study Medicine at University.

Other outstanding achievements

Clemmie Little who gained seven Grade 9s, two Grade 8s and one Grade 7 and will study Maths, Further Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A-level.

Amber Willams with five Grade 9s, two Grade 8s and two Grade 6s. Amber will study History, Economics and Geography at A-level with plans to study either Law or Business at University.

Emma Murphy with four Grade 9s, two Grade 8s, two Grade 7s and a Grade 6 and plans to study Chemistry, Biology and English at A-level.

Sara Al-Seaidy who achieved three Grade 9s, four Grade 8s and three Grade 7s. Sara will study Maths, Physics and Economics at A-level and hopes to go on to read either Computer Science or Cyber Security at University.

Isabella Flashman who gained two Grade 9s, five Grade 8s and two Grade 7s.

she opened her envelope to discover she had achieved three A*s in her Maths, Physics and Chemistry A-levels. Alongside her was her proud mother, pre-empting the celebrations with a small bottle of prosecco at the ready!

“I am so happy,” wept Charlotte, “And I just can’t believe it. It’s the best present ever but then I’ve not opened anything else yet as I was too nervous this morning. I’ll go home and do that later now that I have got this bit of the day out of the way!” Charlotte will go to Warwick University to read Mechanical Engineering and she is looking forward to applying her capabilities “rather than just learning the theory”.

Youngest student in the year group and also the Head Girl at the school, Lucy Harris-Deans, was also in celebratory mood having been awarded A, A, B in her subjects to secure a place to read History at Warwick University. Lucy is a typical example of how The Maynard truly enables all-rounded excellence and she holds a grade 8 in the French horn, flute and piano as well as having completed the bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, been a key member in numerous choirs and orchestras and all of this on top of her many various Head Girl duties.

Maynard students excelled in their A-levels across the board with a 100% pass rate and an incredible 81% achieving A*-B. Year on year, the school always far exceeds the national average of the top grades and this was no exception with 52% achieving A*-A. They are now set to follow their passions at the most prestigious universities in a huge array of subjects such as Chemical Engineering, Physics, Economics, Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Environmental Science, English, Geography and International Relations. Destinations include Oxford, Imperial College London, Durham, UCL, Exeter, Bristol and Edinburgh amongst others.

“These are an incredible conscientious, caring, creative and courageous group of young women, outward looking and with a real sense of social responsibility,” said Tom Hibberd, the Head of the Sixth Form. “This is reflected in their university destinations for next year, with many entering a variety of Medical, Dentistry, Nursing or Veterinary fields, having previously successfully navigated the demanding interview processes, which is testimony to their character.“

Lauren Wood, who joined the school for the Sixth Form, was delighted with her A*, A and A and will now head to Bristol University to study Dentistry. “I honestly didn’t expect these results and I’ve been having nightmares for the past few weeks worrying that I wouldn’t make the grade. I’ve always wanted to help people and so I had to choose between medicine and dentistry which was a tough decision but I eventually opted for dentistry because it was more hands-on and specialised from the outset.” As one of the South West’s most talented netball players, Lauren has been playing for Team Bath for the past two years. The sheer commitment of this, all during her A-level studies, is truly commendable given it involved travelling to Bath once a week for evening training (and only getting home at midnight) as well as weekends spent playing matches in all areas of England and Wales. Without doubt she is yet another example of the versatility and talent embedded within The Maynard and all its students.

“I am thrilled and delighted for them all. Once again they have shown just how exceptionally bright, hard-working and persevering they are collectively. We wave them all off to pastures new as supremely successful and well-rounded young adults, ready to make a difference to the world. And, knowing them as I do, they will!” said Sarah Dunn, the Headmistress.

Outstanding achievements:

• In addition to gaining three A*s and an A to study Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, Ellen Player has also been awarded their prestigious Blue Tree Scholarship aimed at bright and dynamic students who display an exceptional talent for engineering.
• With A* grades in History, English and Biology, Lizzie Barbeary will read Law at Oxford University.
• Destiny Wang from China secured her place to study Mathematics at Durham with a clean sweep of A*s in Maths, Further Maths and Physics.
• Charlotte Miller, with A*s in Maths, Physics and Chemistry will study Mechanical Engineering at Warwick.
• Charlie Jackson is off to Edinburgh for Veterinary Science, with A*s in French and Biology and an A in Chemistry.

We are also delighted that our students are pursuing new degree options. Caitlin Davies, having gained ABB in Economics, Psychology and Maths is undertaking a Degree Apprenticeship to study Data Analysis at Exeter University whilst working in healthcare insurance for WPA. This is a pathway that we think will only become more attractive as top universities begin to get on board.

Excellence in the Extended Project Qualification (equivalent of an AS level qualification):

• 66%A*
• 89% A*-B

The EPQ results are extraordinary; with diverse topics from whether the WHO’s response to the Zika virus was correct, to the extent to which the bottom of a Surfboard affects the maximum velocity it is able to attain, the girls have excelled. This research and study skill based qualification will give them excellent foundations for the independence of university study.

One such stand out performance came from Harmony Bidder whose research on the surfboard was so impressive that not only did she gain an A* for her work but she was also offered a position at a surf board manufacturer in California. However, with 3 A grades in her A-level subjects, she wants to study engineering at Bristol first!

Harmony joined The Maynard for the Sixth Form on the prestigious Ogden scholarship and definitely recognises how the teaching at this leading independent school for girls has benefitted her A-level and EPQ performances. “I got a lot more support here than I would have had anywhere else. The teachers have been behind me all the way and they are so happy when you do well that it makes you feel that you are pleasing them as much as yourself when you do get good grades.” Harmony looks forward to a bright future and has her hopes pinned on designing electric cars once she has graduated from university although she hasn’t entirely ruled out California as an option!

Education’s Schools Performance Tables, based on A-level results from 2017.

Already recognised as the South West’s leading independent school in The Telegraph’s 2017 league tables (and 13^th best girls’ school in the UK by the equivalent tables in The Times), The Maynard achieved the county’s highest percentage of students to achieve AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects in these new tables published earlier this morning. These subjects are widely regarded as the hardest A-levels on offer and include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Maths, Geography, History, English Literature and Classical or Modern Languages.

“These tables really reflect the outstanding achievements of the class of 2017. Facilitating subjects are those A-levels required to study the most sought after degrees at top universities, both in STEM fields and arts subjects. Our students’ ambition, determination and success are reflected in their excellent performance in this measure and, most importantly, their outstanding grades have enabled them to follow their passions,” said Tom Hibberd, Head of the Sixth Form.

“I am most pleased, though, by our “above average” progress score – academic schools such as ours do not always score so highly on this measure and it is testimony to the hard work and close working relationships between students and staff.”

This is the third consecutive year that The Maynard has been recognised as the leading independent school in the whole of the South West, spanning from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire through to Cornwall.

Sarah Dunn, Headmistress: “I’m utterly delighted with these statistics. We focus on opening up pathways for our girls to have exciting futures and to see us excel in the facilitating subjects just reinforces this ethos. As always, I cannot praise the staff here enough for the way they tailor every student’s learning programme and bring out the very best in each individual.  I must also congratulate the girls because, of course, they have relished and made the most of all this incredible support. These statistics just go to show that The Maynard continues to be one of the very best schools in the country!”

forfeit school to trek for miles to collect their families’ daily water supply.

These girls are often as young as only four years old and yet they can sometimes walk for up to six hours, either as a single journey or on multiple journeys within the same day. The return journey is often exhausting as they can be carrying up to 20 litres of mostly dirty and contaminated water.

Each of the Maynard students carried an empty water bottle on their journey which was filled up at the half way point as a symbolic measure to enhance their understanding.

Steve Smerdon, the Head of the Junior School, was the brains behind the fundraiser: “We wanted to do something meaningful on International Day of the Girl and motivate the girls to think of more global issues in a way that we could illustrate. They all embarked on the ‘Walk in her Shoes’ with a real sense of cultural understanding thanks also to a group of our Year 6 girls who took a very insightful assembly about why it is so important to raise money for this cause.

“I’m delighted that The Maynard has so far raised nearly £100 and we are still counting. This will be donated to Care International to support their project building wells and water pumps closer to rural communities,” added Mr Smerdon. “If we can stop women from having to walk for water each day then all the young girls in these communities won’t have to miss out on school which, in turn, will improve their prospects for the future and, hopefully, break the cycle of poverty.”

Anyone wishing to contribute to this worthy cause, can still do so through: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/walkinhershoesmaynard

Award although ironically it is, on this occasion, for a member of its staff as opposed to a student.

Wendy Parker, the Registrar at the leading all-girls’ school in Exeter, was recently delighted to discover that not only had she passed the AMDIS Certificate in Admissions Management, but that she had done so with Distinction! Responsible for recruiting some of the brightest and most talented girls into the School, Wendy was surprised to find that she was at the head of the class this time with the Top Student Award from AMDIS, officially recognising her as one of the best in the country for admissions.

“This was a really impressive assignment from start to finish,” said the tutors at AMDIS. “It was so clear to us that Wendy had put a lot of time and effort into producing a thorough review of the admissions process at the Maynard School, not only including a wealth of supporting material but also ensuring that there were plenty of sensible, achievable recommendations to improve the prospective parent’s experience. We had no hesitation in awarding Wendy a distinction and our Top Student Award.”

Juggling a huge workload within an immensely busy department at The Maynard comes with its rewards every time a prospective family signs up to the school but, for Wendy, the AMDIS accolade was a very welcome surprise:

“I am really quite overwhelmed! Preparing a research assignment on developing the school’s admission plan was really tough, especially as this had to be done in the very little spare time that I have,” said the full-time Registrar and mother. ”I haven’t had to submit homework for years which made the whole project even more nerve wracking but it would appear that I’m a better student now than I was when I actually went to school!”

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement,” said Headmistress, Miss Sarah Dunn. “Wendy is an exceptional Registrar and it’s just brilliant to have her formally recognised as one of the best in the country at her job! The Maynard is a name synonymous with excellence and this means the staff just as much as our talented student body.”

with girls around the world in less fortunate circumstances than themselves.

“Our students are lucky enough to have one of the best educations on offer and they wanted to support the International Day of the Girl in recognition of the struggle and plight of girls across the world who have far less privileged existences,” said Deputy Head and Head of Pastoral Care, Mrs Tricia Wilks.

“The empowerment of girls and women around the globe starts at school, with a quality education and access to culture and information. Our entire Maynard community wanted to stand up and be counted in support of this notion.”

Mikee Osterlund: Forfeiting Philippine life for an English education

In ten days’ time, Mikee Osterlund will be celebrating her 15^th birthday marking ten years since she waved goodbye to her family in the Philippines in search of a better education. Having first visited England with her grandmother when she was four, she was adamant that she wanted to stay. She has been a student at The Maynard School since 2014 and last year was officially adopted by her uncle and aunt living in Devon. Mikee is here to stay:

“I decided that this was what I wanted to do when I was 5 years old. I did go to school in the Philippines but it was very different. The teachers actually teach you over here whereas over there you worked solely from a text book and the teacher only ever spoke to you if you put your hand up for help.

“I was always quite independent so whilst it was a big sacrifice to leave behind my parents and little brother, I always knew I would be alright. I was one of the lucky ones because these opportunities don’t happen to other girls in the Philippines.”

Walk in her Shoes

This afternoon over 100 Maynard girls will take part in a sponsored Walk in her Shoes in recognition of all those girls who, as young as 4 years old, walk miles every day to collect their families’ water supply but leaving them no time to attend school. As a symbolic measure, and to raise awareness of these girls, each student will fill and carry an empty water bottle. All donations will be sent to Care International to help build wells and water pumps closer to rural communities so that women and girls don’t have to miss out on an education in order to sustain their families in this way.

20 – Sunday 22 April 2018 and all lovers of art are being urged to put the date in their diaries now to avoid disappointment!

With over 150 locally and nationally recognised exhibitors, including Royal Academicians (RAs), and free entry to the general public, this is one of the largest art exhibitions of its kind in the West Country. The Show always includes a vast choice of media and The Maynard School provides the perfect venue with a spacious and beautifully lit building adapted especially to house such an enormous array of work. From ceramics to oil paintings, sculptures to automata there is something for everyone and visitors can buy at prices to suit any pocket from £10 to £10,000.

“I’m so excited to be organising the Show once again,” said Helen Reynolds, who has been at the helm of all four previous exhibitions. “When we first started it was quite a challenge to encourage exhibitors to display and sell their work but, such is its reputation nowadays, I’m continually being approached by hopeful artists and it is wonderful to be able to choose from such a wide variety of talent!”

The Show is delighted to be partnering this year with YoungMinds, the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and empowering their parents and carers. YoungMinds is itself a partner to Heads Together, the charity spearheaded by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry.

“For the first time ever, we have agreed to make the Exeter Art Show wholly charitable and 100% of all proceeds from the sales will be donated to YoungMinds. Given that, at the last exhibition, we raised just over £12,000 in profits, this really will be one of the largest charity events of its kind in the area. Using this event to support such a fantastic charity really empowers me to make sure that next year will be the biggest and best yet,” Mrs Reynolds added.

Diane Gault, Director of Fundraising at YoungMinds, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the supported charity for The Exeter Art Show at The Maynard School for 2018. Since it started, the show has grown to become the prestigious event that it is today, which we are honoured to be a part of.”

“We are very grateful for the generosity of the co-ordinators who will be donating all of the profits from the show. This generous act will help us to continue our vital work improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people across the UK.”

Any companies or individuals who would like to sponsor the Exeter Art Show should contact rachaelboard@maynard.co.uk. There are various packages available to suit all budgets and through its association with YoungMinds, as well as the enormous publicity potential, the exhibition couples a sound commercial investment with a philanthropic heartiness that will help sell any business!

thrilled to have achieved another outstanding set of results at GCSE level.

Students at the South West’s leading independent girls’ school are celebrating this morning, with a remarkable 41% attaining A* Grades, and 69% gaining A* and A grades across a broad spectrum of subjects.

In the new format 9 – 1 Maths, English Literature and English Language GCSEs 2017, an incredible 18% of students achieved a Grade 9, significantly outperforming the predicted national statistic of between 3% and 5%. Grade 9 is the top grade possible and is ranked as higher than an A*.

Maynard girls do not appear to have been phased by the new GCSEs, with an impressive 65% of all students gaining Grades 7, 8 and 9 (equivalent to A* and A Grades) in these core subjects.

Headmistress, Sarah Dunn was delighted to see such a brilliant set of results. “The girls have truly excelled and what is even more remarkable is that so many of them are also very talented in other areas.  Quite a few have already gained Grade 8 in a range of musical instruments, others sing in the National Youth Choir or play in the National Youth Orchestra and a large number are fantastic Sports’ Leaders. Once again, I am just so proud of both the wonderful pupils and the superb staff here. This is such an inspirational place to come to work each day!”

Jessica Carr (from West Hill) and Gigi Hetherington (from Lapford) are two students who certainly juggle their studies with extra-curricular achievements. Jessica, who gained an amazing 7 A*s and 3 Grade 9s, last year completed her training at the Norman Lockyer Observatory, a centre for amateur astronomy, meteorology and radio astronomy based in Sidmouth. In September, Jessica will join the Sixth Form to study Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics.

Gigi, who achieved 5 A*s and an A, as well as a Grade 9 and 2 Grade 7s, also has Grade 8 Oboe and is a member of the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music, travelling up to London every Friday evening for rehearsals.

Spanish student Laia Castella Ubeda, who joined The Maynard from Madrid at the beginning of her GCSEs, achieved 7 A*s, a B, a Grade 9, a Grade 8 and a Grade 7 despite English not being her first language. “I was quite chilled out this morning as I wasn’t expecting to do this well – I was so surprised and pleased when I saw my results!”

Meanwhile Exeter’s Eve Stevens opened her envelope this morning to find that she had achieved 7 A*s, two Grade 9s and a Grade 8, while Daisy Birkin (from Ashton) gained 7 A*s, a Grade 9 and 2 Grade 8s. “I was really nervous this morning and couldn’t eat – I only ate an apple! This year we had the new GCSEs, so we were all unsure about how these would go. I’d heard that very few people were going to get a 9 so it was a bit scary, but it all worked out really well!”

Identical twins Alice and Ellen Brion (from Exeter), who achieved 11 A*s, 3As, a Grade 9 and 4 Grade 8s between them, were thrilled with their results. They both look forward to A-Levels in Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths.

Other stand-out performers were Gaia Clark Nevola with 6 A*s, 1 A, two Grade 9s and a Grade 8, Katie Byles with 5 A*s, 2 As, a Grade 9 and two Grade 8s, Erin Maughan and Alice Sara, who both achieved 6 A*s, an A, a Grade 9, a Grade 8 and a Grade 7.

HEADLINE STATISTICS

41% A*

69% A*/A

92% A*/B

18% Grade 9

39% Grades 8-9

65% Grades 7-9

Over a third of girls gained straight A*/A Grades

new format A-levels 2017, The Maynard School in Exeter has certainly proven itself as one of the leading girls’ schools in the entire country.

“I am one very proud and happy headmistress,” said Sarah Dunn. “After two years of exceptional hard work, I am thrilled for all of our students to have gained such amazing results.

“Over a third of our students achieved straight A*s and As which is an incredible achievement,” added Miss Dunn. “All the results across the board are a direct result of the special culture and ethos here at The Maynard and what is so evident is how well the girls support each other. There is also a fabulous relationship between the students and staff which, when combined, creates a truly positive and nurturing learning environment.

The girls have all worked so hard and deserve this success to use as the springboard to pursue their own individual dreams. I am very, very proud of both the students and their teachers.”

The class of 2017 have some exciting prospects ahead of them, covering a huge range of options – from Natural Sciences, English, History and Music right through to Mathematics, Medicine, Economics and Theoretical Physics.

One such student is Fiona Shi, from China, who joined the school at the start of the Sixth Form and achieved A*AA to seal her place to read Electronic Engineering at the University of Exeter. “I am very happy with my exam results and I’m very glad that I made the right decision to come to The Maynard. I’ve had a great experience and I love all of my teachers who have been very friendly and helpful.”

Scarlett Gray from Silverton near Exeter was also in celebratory mood. “I’m so pleased that I got the offer I wanted and all my friends have their first choice of universities as well. It’s such a relief!” she said. “I couldn’t have done this without The Maynard – the guidance and the help I’ve had is just so much more than I could have got anywhere else!”

In a first for the school, Charlotte Toptani, with A*AA, is off to study at Tokyo’s Waseda University, which is an exceptional achievement bearing in mind she was competing against international fields for her place. Additionally, Emily Barlow, who gained AAB and has turned down a place at Bristol, is off to London to gain first hand business experience and qualifications in one of the new government backed Higher Apprenticeships. “I did so much better than my predicted grades and I can’t thank my teachers enough!” she said. “I am hugely excited about my next chapter and can’t wait to head to London!”

Other stand out performers were Emily Staddon (3A*s and an A) and Kate Middleton (A*, A*, A, B) who will both go to Durham University to read Natural Sciences whilst Lucy Byles, who achieved 3A*s and an A, will read Theoretical Physics at Birmingham University. “I am just so, so happy. For weeks, I have been praying that I would get my grades and I can’t even begin to explain how relieved I am feeling! It’s all so exciting and worthy of a large celebration with all of my truly amazing friends!”

HEADLINE STATISTICS

64% A*/A

83% A*/B

100% Pass Rate

Over a third of students achieved straight A*s and As

100% A*-B in Extended Project Qualification

30% of A-levels were for STEM subjects

FIRST LEGO League Open European Championship in Aarhus, Denmark over the weekend of 27-28 May 2017.

With 50 countries represented from across the world and a total of 118 teams, only five of whom were representing the UK, the Maynard Wine Gums was the sole all-girls’ team from Europe and just one of only two in the entire competition.

Aimed at 9-16-year olds, the teams had to build a robot to tackle a series of missions, each representing a different aspect of animal-human interaction. Over the course of two days, the judges assessed all the students on their skills in robotics, computer programming, teamwork, research, problem solving and communication.

“At the end of what was an incredibly busy weekend, it was absolutely fantastic that our team was awarded second place overall for the ‘Inspiration in Core Values’ category. This section of the competition looks for the team that embodies extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit throughout the FIRST LEGO League experience and we were so excited that the Maynard ‘can do’ attitude was rewarded with the UK’s only trophy from the entire championship,” said Mrs Burt.

The team of Kitty Guinness, Bella Brent, Anna Harries, Miri Cooper Wedge and Anya Hitt (all in Year 9) had worked tirelessly in the weeks beforehand to perfect their robot, Sir Killalot, and he thankfully behaved on the day!

“Given our robot was the smallest one there, we didn’t really have very high expectations and it was a bit daunting to start with. Compared to the previous qualifiers, this was much bigger with so many more teams covering a huge array of cultures,” said Kitty Guinness. “The atmosphere was just amazing and we all spent any free time helping each other and discussing our different projects although much was lost in translation with some of the teams who couldn’t speak any English! I suspect that all of this socialising accounted for winning our trophy for ‘inspiration’!”

“In one of the tasks we had to stand on a table and flip the tablecloth without touching the floor and our lifting and jumping tactics had the judges almost crying with laughter!

It was a fantastic weekend and we all really enjoyed this rare opportunity to meet so many other like-minded young people from around the world,” she added.

On the back of this unique experience, the Maynard girls have been invited to act as ambassadors at the FIRST LEGO League International Open Championship, a four-day STEM challenge organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology that will be held at the University of Bath later this month.

“The girls should be incredibly proud of these achievements and it is just so special to be flying the flag for women in STEM at these prestigious events and in such successful fashion,” added Mrs Burt.

from service and is looking for a more relaxed lifestyle.

“The Junior School girls absolutely adore her and she has settled in just brilliantly,” said Keagh Fry, Year 4 teacher and official guardian for Nula. “Being an ex-guide dog means she is impeccably well behaved and she is just lapping up all the fuss and attention from everyone at the School. It couldn’t have worked out better!

“Each class takes it in turn to walk her during break and lunch times and it’s just such a sweet sight watching them all totter off happily with their dog! Equally, if someone is feeling a little sad, a cuddle with Nula soon cheers them up. She has certainly added a completely new dimension and all the girls have renewed purpose in sharing the responsibility of looking after her during the day.

“I have to say, though, that she wouldn’t make a very good pupil as she sleeps through every lesson!”

The notion that ‘pets are good for us’ is by no means a new one and all research states that a dog can boost mental wellbeing and raise self-esteem. At this leading girls’ school, pastoral care is key to the success of its students and The Maynard prides itself on its warm and friendly appeal. Having its own dog is certainly testimony to the school’s ethos that happiness matters.

“It’s almost as though I have become invisible overnight,” said Mrs Fry. “Whenever I am with Nula no one even registers me anymore as they are too busy bending over and talking to the dog!”

major championship competitions. The under 14 Netball team, the reigning Devon Champions and Regional runners-up, were competing as the South West representatives in the National Schools Netball Championships at Welwyn Garden City whilst 15-year old student, Amelia Moody, was running the biggest race of her career at the National Schools Cross Country Championships in Norwich.
Used to training on Dartmoor mostly in the dark after school, Amelia was hopeful of a hilly track to sap her fellow competitors, so the flat conditions on the day were a huge disappointment. However, she ran a tremendous race to finish 67th out of the 345 competitors in an incredibly close contest with just one second splitting her from three other runners. Her result placed her as the second best runner in Devon and 7th from the entire South West, comprising Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
“It was an incredibly nerve wracking experience, made worse by a ten hour journey because the bus was stuck in fourth gear all the way!” said Amelia. “Conditions were perfect but there were so many people to navigate around that I got a bit stuck behind at the start and had to work my way up gradually when there was space. All I wanted was to finish in the top 100 so I’m really pleased with my result!”
Meanwhile, the netball team had drawn the short straw ending up in the most competitive pool that fielded the eventual winner and runners-up of the championships but they battled through their initial matches with tenacity, determination and success.
“It was a tough draw and losing our first match to the eventual winners was hard to come back from but we drew the next game against Headington School and won the one after that against Durham High School for Girls,” said Team Coach, Cathy Gabbitass. “The pivotal moment came when our goal shooter was injured in the fourth game and somehow the team never quite got back to form after that. Once I knew we weren’t going to make it through to the semi-finals, I took the strategic decision to let the whole squad have a play in the final few games so everyone could enjoy, and learn from, the experience.”
“Ultimately, we finished 11th= nationally from every state and independent school in the country which is an amazing achievement for a school of our size. More importantly, however, we flew the flag high for Devon as a county and had a really memorable time in the process. And that’s what it should be all about at this level.”

Year 2017’ to beat competition from all other independent schools from across the UK and Ireland.

The all-girls’ school based in Exeter, which regularly tops the DfE Performance Tables in the region whilst promoting its home-from-home atmosphere, also scooped the ‘Best YouTube Performance’ in the Independent School category for its award-winning film #MadeForGirls.

“These awards recognise and celebrate the success of social media marketing within the education sector, and are based on our performance across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube,” said Joanna Conway, the Marketing Manager at The Maynard.

“We are conscious that we live in a digital age and our marketing has evolved over the past few years to embrace this. We work hard to promote the School as well as the many achievements of all our students using the likes of Facebook and Twitter as they are effective platforms through which to reach a maximum audience. It is wonderful to have the team’s efforts applauded by winning not just one, but two, cutting-edge awards!”

“Equally, the power of our campaign can be gauged by our admissions enquiries which have doubled over the past 12 months, which only goes to show the strength of social media!”

The Maynard’s Marketing Department is no stranger to success, having also fended off international competition to win The Drum Network’s ‘Ad of the Week’ last year for the #MadeForGirls advertising campaign. In an unprecedented success for an independent school in Exeter, the 40-second film and corresponding print advertising campaign was voted ahead of global giants such as L’Oreal, McDonald’s, Samsung, Renault, Ambrosia and Cancer Research UK.

“The Drum Network champions innovation and has a huge member network boasting up to 1.1 million visitors to its website each month,” said Joanna. “To have achieved more votes than these huge international brands – so much bigger than ourselves – was truly fantastic and made us very proud of our campaign.

“Whilst we champion success, professionally and in terms of the enormous academic, sporting, musical and many more achievements of our students, we are quintessentially a warm and nurturing school where happiness matters so much more than a trophy!”

at the Regional finals of the National Schools Competition on Saturday 21 January. In an action packed tournament, they beat some major competition to book their spot at the national finals to be held in Welwyn Garden City in March.

Representing Devon as the County Champions, the team won against rival netball heavyweights including Millfield, Cheltenham Ladies College, Royal High School (Bath) and Talbot Heath to finish top of their pool and meet Truro School in the semi-finals of this gruelling all-day tournament.

“This was the most tense of all their games and not fun to watch,” said Director of Sport, Catharine Gabbitass. “All bar three of our team had been off school with a nasty virus in the days leading up to the Regionals and, at one point, I wasn’t sure if we would have a team to play at all. But they weren’t going to pass up the opportunity lightly and it was a blessed relief when they all appeared at the bus for a 6.30am start on the morning. However, by the semi-finals many were beginning to wane, energy levels were sapped and some players, including our captain, were really beginning to show the strain. Despite a slow start, they got into their rythmn and pegged back an early disadvantage to score comfortably in the end.

“The top two teams automatically win a place at the finals and, safe in the knowledge we had achieved this, I took a strategic decision to rest some of our more poorly members. So we played the whole squad, changed a few positions in the process and went with the attitude that what happened in the final was of no particular consequence. As a result, we lost against a very strong Canford side but it didn’t matter as we had done what we set out to do and that was go through to the national finals!”

This incredible performance puts The Maynard team as one of the top two teams throughout the South West, including the whole of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Avon, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.

“It’s a fantastic result to qualify but I’m not surprised,” added Mrs Gabbitass. “I’ve always considered them the South West’s dream team and they have a very bright future ahead of them. But what pleased me most was their attitude and one referee even alluded to their great sportsmanship on our Facebook page saying, “They were a pleasure to umpire too, all very responsive and clean players.” Now that makes me proud!”

Tables, based on A-level and GCSE results from 2016.

As the second oldest girls’ school in the country, The Maynard specialises in educating girls and last year’s examination results are certainly testimony to this. With a 100% pass rate (grade C or above) at Maths and English GCSE, it was the top school in the whole of Devon for its English Baccalaureate, a performance measure that scores schools according to how well pupils have performed in up to eight core GCSE subjects including Maths, English, the sciences, a language and History or Geography.

“These are outstanding results from very talented, hard-working girls and I am extremely proud that The Maynard has been recognised as Devon’s best with a 93% English Baccalaureate scoring, But what is also so pleasing is to be ranked as the leading independent school in the county across the entire GCSE Performance Tables board,” said Headmistress Sarah Dunn. “Happy girls are successful girls and these tables are testament to the fantastic pastoral care of our students and the warm, friendly environment we promote here.”

The Maynard was also the top scoring independent school in the county at A-level for the highest percentage of students to achieve AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. These include all those most commonly required for entry into leading universities including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Maths, Geography, History, English Literature and Classical or Modern Languages.

“I am not only delighted to be recognised as the best in the South West and 16th nationally for our GCSE results by The Daily Telegraph but also to achieve such

marvellous A-level results. The expert staff here strive daily to deliver the best independent education possible and it is just brilliant to have this officially recognised. It is utterly inspirational to witness the girls progressing so well, both academically and emotionally, in this bespoke all-girls environment that allows them to follow any career path they aspire to. The wonderful staff and exceptional students at The Maynard should be very proud of their achievements! Well done, to them all!” said Miss Dunn.

“January is always an exciting time for us and right now we are looking to the future as we busily process all of our entrance and scholarship applications. We have welcomed many talented young women over the past couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to announcing our scholar intake and, in particular, those who will be awarded the highly coveted 100% awards we are offering under the new Maynard Award Scheme, funded by the St. John’s Hospital Trust donations. Given the very high standard of all these applications, the selection process will be very difficult for us!”