this morning. This prestigious award, being officially published in the 27th edition of Parent Power on Sunday 24 November, is triggered by our incredible A-level and GCSE results in the summer, but is also judged on the wider ethos and values within the whole school community. “In a year when all-girls’ schools have dominated the Sunday Times School of the Year awards, The Maynard has caught the wave, its students gaining stellar results in the past summer,” explained Alastair McCall, editor of The Sunday Times Schools Guide. “A caring, nurturing ethos in the school fosters success without it being the school’s sole objective. Achievement is recognised in all walks of school life, and not just in the examination hall. Girls leave as rounded individuals, ready for the next stage of their academic life and ready to take their place in the wider world beyond.” We are now the only school in the country to hold three major titles all at the same time: • The Sunday Times Southwest Independent Secondary School of the Year • One of The Telegraph’s ‘Top Ten Best Value Schools’ • The Wellbeing Award for Schools Founded in 1648, The Maynard has been the leading light for girls’ education in the South West for several centuries, but 2019 has been an exceptional year. Yet another fine set of public examination results in the summer saw 61% of Maynard students achieving A*-A at A-level, with a massive 44% achieving at least three straight A*s or As (and one girl scoring a flawless 100% in her Maths paper, putting her as one of the country’s top A-level mathematicians). Equally, 73.1% of all Maynard grades were 7-9 or A-A** at GCSE versus the national average of just 20.8%. Of particular note is our value added at GCSE that calculates how much, on average, we raised the bar for each individual student, which essentially equated this year to an uplift of half a grade per subject entry (based on the YELLIS national standardised calculation). For the second consecutive year The Maynard was voted as one of The Telegraph’s ‘Top Ten Best Value Schools’ in the country based on our academic excellence, the sheer volume of extra-curricular opportunities as well as our sporting and creative arts prowess, whilst also taking into account the “significantly more manageable price” of our fees to that of other establishments. Equally, in June we became the first, and only, school in Devon to achieve the Wellbeing Award for Schools. “Happiness matters,” says Miss Dunn, Headmistress. “And we firmly believe that our students achieve excellent results in all that they do because they are happy at school. We are delighted that the Sunday Times Schools Guide confirms the consistently outstanding academic credentials of our School as well as the clear sense of a whole school community and the incredible support networks; the encouragement to work hard and play hard, the team spirit and active engagement; the desire to make the most of the many wonderful opportunities available including the endless charitable initiatives or leadership opportunities. All this, together with kindness and being supportive to friends or colleagues is the very fizz that is the make-up of The Maynard. “To be the first in the region to achieve the Wellbeing Award for Schools at the same time as being nationally recognised as the Southwest Independent Secondary School of the Year is incredibly thrilling. Add into the mix that we are considered one of the most affordable and we have a truly successful recipe that underpins our whole ideology and vision here at The Maynard. Inclusivity, happiness and, with that, comes success!”

Gold and are now South West Champions at Grade 3 level – this is only the second competition for this trio so is a great start to the competition season! Well done!

at The Maynard who bring so much joy and happiness to our entire school community. Parents of girls in the Pre-Prep and Junior School will be familiar with the lovely Nula, a former guide dog who now acts as a Pets as Therapy Dog (PAT) for our younger students. Many of you will also know of Ty, Miss Dunn’s border collie, who can also proudly say she is a recognised PAT dog having passed her assessments just a couple of weeks ago.

More recently, we have welcomed other canine companions to the school who are bringing untold joy to the girls during their lunch and break times: Smartie (floppy Shih Tzu) keeps visitors to the lunchtime club in The Hub entertained, Mouse (Dachshund puppy) has rapidly established herself as the Sixth Form’s unofficial therapy dog and little Frankie (Pug puppy) has quickly become a firm Thursday favourite from Junior School through to the Sixth Form.

Without doubt, our somewhat unique companions across the school have the capability to provide such comfort and happiness in addition to all the many other initiatives that we have in place to support the community’s welfare and we are proud to have them in our midst!

fully qualified airline pilot – a long held ambition for the Devon sixth former.

“It’s in my blood,” announced the 17-year old from Exeter shortly after receiving notification that she had been awarded the place following a rigorous three stage application process. “Grandad used to be a training captain for British Airways; both my mother and father were cabin crew for British Airways and Virgin respectively and my uncle is a captain for easyJet. So it has always been an option for me, particularly as I have never wanted to go to university but instead do something a little more hands on.
“As part of the process, I had to write three 200 word paragraphs about what my biggest challenge in life has been and why I wanted to do the course and then I had to sit a whole day’s worth of verbal reasoning assessments followed by a trip to Gloucestershire Airport last week for a full day of interviews. It turned out that by the time they had whittled the field down to just three of us that I was the youngest by at least fifteen years!”

Following her A-levels next summer, Olivia will embark on a six month training course at the Skyborne Academy followed by another six months learning to fly in Spain, where she will be living for that time.
“Ultimately I would like to work for Emirates and live in Dubai but will probably build up my short hauls first with a company like easyJet. Going into a very heavily male-dominated industry has been very daunting, however I believe that I can truly bring some excellent qualities to this industry – clearly Skyborne thought so too! I can’t wait to begin my career, and perhaps you might hear me over the tannoy in many years to come!

quarter of all results are awarded the highest grade 9

· 46.7% are Grade 8 or 9

Shweta Banerjee, the self-proclaimed “ambitious, determined and hardworking” 16-year old from Exeter, raised the GCSE bar this morning when she discovered that she was The Maynard’s top scoring student with eight of the highest possible Grade 9s and two Grade 8s.

“I am really excited! I’ve worked so hard for this and couldn’t have tried any more so I’m just so happy to have these results!” she said. Shweta will go on to study Maths, Further Maths and Physics and has very ambitious plans for a future career. “I’m really not sure exactly what I would like to do but eventually I would probably like to be something like the CEO of Google.”

Following hard on her heels was a whole raft of high achieving students with some excellent results including a total of 10 students who gained eight or more Grades 8-9. A further 15 girls (nearly a third of the year group at 30%) achieved seven or more Grades 8–9 making this The Maynard’s best year since the new grading system was launched. The statistics speak for themselves with an enormous 46.7% achieving a Grade 8 or 9 and 92.3% gaining a 6 to 9 (A** – B).

The air in the Main School Hall was one of euphoria with parents and staff watching over as the girls nervously opened their envelopes to reveal what grades they had achieved. One who had exceeded all expectations was Polly Broad with a tally of four 9s, three 8s and three 7s. “I don’t think I was predicted any 8s or 9s after my mocks so I am super happy with this and looking forward to celebrating with my family this evening,” beamed Polly who is also an excellent ballerina having completed her Grade 8 in Ballet and a fine musician on the drums and piano.

“This really has been an exceptional year group and I couldn’t be any more proud of them all!” said Headmistress, Sarah Dunn. “Their work ethic has been quite incredible and I just love the way in which they have so closely supported one

another throughout the past two years. It goes without saying that happiness breeds success and these particular girls, with their very busy and varied lives, are testament to this ethos. I am absolutely delighted with these fantastic results and would like also to say a huge thank you to our wonderfully dedicated staff as well as, of course, to the many parents for their unstinting support over the years.”

at A-level

Maynard School Sixth Former, Jessica Carr, not only achieved four straight A*s in her Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry A-levels and a further A* for her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) but she also scored a flawless 100% in the incredibly testing Edexcel Maths paper 2, putting her as one of the country’s top A-level mathematicians. From a possible 300 points for the two individual papers combined, she dropped just 11 marks to score a remarkable 289.

It is a befitting performance for the talented teenager from Ottery St Mary in Devon who is no stranger to the stars having lectured at the nearby Norman Lockyer Observatory since the age of 15.

“It’s really enjoyable and I absolutely love it. It’s great to tell the public all about astronomy and the stars as everyone is so enthusiastic. It’s something I intend to continue doing although I’m also really looking forward to going to the city to read Mathematics at UCL. My father is in economics and two of my brothers are doing Maths so it runs in the family!”

This remarkable Maynard cohort have posted a staggering set of results and another 100% pass rate. Over 60% achieved A* – A with an impressive 44% scoring at least three straight A* or A grades in their subjects, bucking the national trend of 25.5% achieving an A grade or higher.

Another of those to have excelled is Isobel Harding Perrott from Axminster who was awarded two A*s and an A in English, History and Latin with a further A* for her EPQ. Isobel came to the Maynard on a Sixth Form Scholarship having taken her GCSEs a year early and using the year in between to teach herself Latin (she scored an A* at GCSE).

“My brother is doing Medicine at Cambridge and I remember visiting him once when I was about 13 and thinking, “wow, this is so pretty”. Then I found out about the Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic course there and knew immediately that would be the perfect course for someone like me who loves myths and legends. So from that point on, I have had a one track mind and luckily it has all paid off. I can’t wait now to join my brother for his final year and I think he’s actually quite excited, too!”

Across the board, the Maynard students are pursuing a huge range of options at degree level with an almost perfect 50/50 split between Arts and STEM subjects – from English, History, PPE and International Relations to Mathematics, Economics, Architecture, Medicine, Physics and Engineering. It is especially pleasing to see such strong representation of 50% entering the STEM subjects and in particular engineering fields, where nationally women only represent 19% of students.

Twins Alice (A*AAB) and Ellen (A*AA) Brion are both off to study Mechanical Engineering at Bristol and Warwick respectively. Alexandra Pavic (A*A*A) has capped off a fantastic school career with a place at Imperial to read Geophysics; this is remarkable bearing in mind that she has also found the time to reach Diploma level on two instruments along with three Grade 8s! She will be joined there by Cherise Xia for Physics (A*A*A*A*) and Linda Liu (A*AAA) for Biology. We are also thrilled that we have our first Engineering Degree Apprentice this year: Jemima Goulding, an Ogden Physics scholar and bursary recipient is off to work and study with Rolls Royce in Bristol, completing a degree in Non-Destructive Testing. Head Girl, Daisy Birkin (A*AAA) is leading a large contingent to Durham to study Economics and we are particularly glad that her great friend and ally, Chloe Lamb (A*A*A) will be joining her!

The humanities are equally well represented: Eve Stevens, a prominent environmentalist at the school, achieved a clean sweep of four straight A*s and will join Alice Sara (A*A*A with an A* in EPQ) to read English Literature at Edinburgh whilst Gaia Clark Nevola (A*AA) will follow in her parent’s footsteps to read the same subject at Oxford. “It’s always been a bit of dream but I never really thought it could happen so I am absolutely thrilled!”

One thing is certain: this has been another outstanding year for The Maynard School and its students who not only have an enviable record for their academic supremacy but should also be applauded for their incredible extra-curricular achievements.

“What all of the young women here have achieved is staggering!” said Headmistress, Sarah Dunn. “One minute they are trudging across the moor in the Ten Tors Challenge, receiving their gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Buckingham Palace, winning literary prizes from Oxford University, heading up another entrepreneurial venture as part of the Young Enterprise team or fighting a heartfelt cause as one of our Eco Warriors, playing at the Albert Hall or treading the boards at stages across the country and then the very next they are topping the country’s statistics as some of the most talented A-level students in the UK. How they juggle these incredibly busy lives leaves me in constant awe and I am so proud of each and every one of them. There is now doubt the brightest of futures beckon for them all. It has been our pleasure and honour to have them at the school and I wish them the very best of luck for the next chapter!”

the national Wellbeing Award for Schools following a rigorous inspection from an external assessor on Thursday 20 June 2019.

This prestigious award assesses the school’s commitment to promoting and protecting positive emotional wellbeing and mental health whilst ensuring there is a clear whole-school strategy in place which is communicated to all staff, governors, parents and students within the school. The award has a focus on changing the long-term culture of a school, and embedding an ethos where mental health is regarded as the responsibility of all. As well as pupil wellbeing, another key area is staff wellbeing and the engagement of parents and wellbeing champions from the local community.

“We can’t shy away from the fact that teenage mental health is going through something of a national crisis. The importance of wellbeing at The Maynard School cannot be overstated – caring for the physical, mental and emotional health and happiness of our community is central to everything that we do,” said Headmistress, Sarah Dunn. “We understand that parents want a school where their daughter will reach their full potential academically, but also know that what is even more important to them is that they find a school where their daughters will flourish and develop into confident, happy young women ready to face the world.

“Not only did we meet a stiff set of criteria, but the inspector thought that the school was exceptional in the quality of its care and she wholeheartedly agreed with the recent Good Schools Guide who had reported that there was “something magical about The Maynard”. Equally, she was enormously impressed by the very kind and caring ethos as well as the sheer passion that she witnessed amongst all the staff, Governors and pupils,” added Miss Dunn.

“In gaining this award we hope to increase the awareness and understanding of the mental health issues faced by young people today. As a whole school community we have striven to combat the stigma that is so often attached to mental health and we are thrilled that our work so far has been formally recognised. It goes without saying that we are justifiably proud to be the only school in Devon to have achieved this status.”

very top of the leader boards across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset in key areas of the Department for Education’s Schools Performance League Tables based on A-level results from summer 2018.

As the oldest girls’ school in the country, The Maynard is a name synonymous with academic success and for nearly four centuries has been a jewel in Devon’s crown, coupling a top education with an enviable reputation for its warm, friendly atmosphere, vast extra-curricular offering and a deep-rooted sense of fun and happiness that permeates its classrooms and corridors.

“I am ecstatic that these league tables have once again showcased the outstanding efforts and achievements of our incredible girls. These are official government figures that allow for a comprehensive comparison of not just how well schools and colleges achieve in the public examinations, but also how much ‘value added’ they provide to each individual student,” said Headmistress, Sarah Dunn.

“Our results are excellent, but we are equally delighted to have been recognised as being very good at significantly improving an individual’s performance from their predicted to their actual grade. It is testament to the commitment and skill of such a fabulous bunch of staff here at The Maynard and concrete proof of just how much every single girl within our care matters to us.”

The DfE League Tables measure several areas of a school or college’s performance at A-level and The Maynard again proudly sits within the top 100 from 4434 schools based on gaining a minimum of AAB grades for the facilitating subjects. These are the most rigorous A-levels required to study at the top universities.

“To be in the top echelons of the tables, not just within Devon but much further afield, on the two most important factors – facilitating subjects as well as the grades and points for a student’s best three A-levels – is quite an incredible feat and we are so very proud of our wonderful students and the whole wider Maynard community that makes this school such a very special place,” added Miss Dunn.

National GCSE Success

The Maynard was also rated the 5^th= (out of 1311) best performing independent school in England for the percentage of students who achieved grade 5 or above in the English and Maths GCSEs, as well as 15^th nationally for the Attainment 8 score based on how well students have performed in up to eight mainstream qualifications. “Our students sit the newly reformed GCSEs (as opposed to the IGCSE) which are incredibly challenging and, because of their significantly increased rigour, they provide a great platform on which to launch an A-level career. It is so gratifying to see that even with this level of difficulty, the girls have done brilliantly”.

“We are simply delighted to, once again, be at the very top end of our sector on both a local and national playing field. We’re also truly privileged to have such fantastic students and all credit must go to them for these utterly outstanding achievements!”

in Exeter has become the first school in the South West to sign up to the new Youth STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine) Award.

Although launched in 2015, the Award was only opened up last September to independent schools in the UK and, as the leading all girls’ school in the region with a fantastic track record of high-level achievement in the STEM subjects, The Maynard is proud to be the first to step up to the plate in supporting the initiative.

“It is special because it is really new and innovative – there are no other awards on offer like it. It is also really important as we are so short of people in STEM careers in this country, particularly girls,” said Ms York, a science teacher at the school and coordinator for the award.

Several girls in Years 10 and 11 are enrolled in the programme which encourages participants to log STEMM-related activities across four strands: ‘Inspiring the next generation’, ‘Engaging the public’, ‘Developing skills and knowledge’ and ‘Shaping your future’. In a similarly shaped structure to that of the much more established Duke of Edinburgh Award, in this first instance, the Maynard students will be working towards their Bronze Award and will be required to complete a minimum of 10 hours per section whilst covering all five STEMM areas. A silver and gold variation, working towards more advanced skills, will ensue.

Already they have been treated to a visit from Dr Karla-Luise Herpoldt, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Protein Design in Washington, USA and an alumna of The Maynard. Karla designs vaccines and recently created one that prevents fatal intestinal disease amongst malnourished infants in developing countries. She was also crucial to the development of a more targeted form of chemotherapy that kills only cancerous cells and not the surrounding body tissue.

“What an inquisitive bunch those STEMM girls are,” she remarked after joining them at one of their weekly Rocket Club sessions, during which they are tasked with building a rocket to some very challenging specifications. “I am a keen advocate for greater representation of women in science and these STEMM Awards are an incredibly positive initiative and one which I am thrilled to see happening.”

on 27 September 2018. The Maynard was also the only school in the South West (extending as far afield as Reading and Oxford) to feature in the ratings.

The rankings were based on the Telegraph’s theory that “academically, most of these schools compete results-wise with their more expensive counterparts, as well as offering much the same array of extra-curricular options and sporting prowess.”

Most importantly, and as testament to our enduring affordability and enormous value, this is the second time in three years that we have been included in this listing!

To see the full article, please click here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/0/ten-best-value-private-schools-uk/

War is the continuation of politics by other means (Clausewitz 1780-1831). Discuss.

Chloe was originally one of 10 shortlisted for this prestigious award for showing the “most impressive aptitude in their particular discipline” and, such is her sheer modesty, she travelled to Oxford on Saturday 29 September 2018 for the award ceremony totally oblivious of what was about to unfold! “It was a total surprise!” she said later, once her feet had hit the ground again.

The Stubbs Society, founded in 1884, is Oxford University’s oldest and most illustrious historical society so it is a truly incredible achievement to have won this competition and our enormous congratulations to this truly talented Sixth Former.

they all listened avidly to Philippa recounting how she worked her way up in the industry to be where she is today. She explained all the highs and the lows of the job, the difference between directing and producing and even discussed the many various courses now available to help pave a way into the industry.

All in all it was a fascinating 30-minutes and our enormous thanks to Philippa for sparing the time away from the production of her 90-minute feature film to take this talk.

highlight for many was being able to meet and chat with Clare Balding OBE. They were treated to some particularly memorable keynote speakers and the event launched with brain tumour survivor, James Shone, who has founded the charity ‘I can and I am’.

The girls then split into groups to attend some workshops with one half enjoying a netball coaching session with Tamsin Greenway, an England International player. The rest were taken off to a hockey masterclass with Team GB players, Becky Middleton and Zoe Shipperley. The day culminated in a Q&A with the panel, chaired by the ever-charismatic Clare Balding. “Truly amazing” and “such a good day” seems to sum up everyone’s experience.

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!