As we all know, GCSE and A Level examinations over the previous 3 academic years have been fraught with challenges for our students and teachers. Throughout this period, our students have continued to excel themselves in overcoming those challenges and reaching the extent of their academic potential.
At TBS students generally take four AS levels in Year 12 and 3 full A levels in Year 13.
Cumulative number in each grade
The graduating class of 2023 did themselves proud with a TBS record of 40% of A level grades at either A* or A and an average valued-added of two-thirds of a grade above their CAT predicted grades. Four students completed four subjects and the remainder of the cohort completed courses in the standard entry of three A levels.
Value Added Progress
TBS values the achievement of all students and whilst we celebrate students with the highest academic attainment, we put as much, if not more, priority on honouring students who have made the most progress compared to the baseline CAT data taken at the start of the AS courses.
Four students averaged more than two grades above their CAT predicted grades and a total of 14 of the 36 candidates averaged one grade higher than their CAT predictions in three or four A levels.
Attainment
Nine students averaged a grade A or higher in all of their three or four exams whilst the top student in 2023 achieved A*A*A*A in their four subjects.
University Destinations
The most popular university choices for TBS students in 2023 were the USA (9 students), the UK (8 students) and Australia (5 students). Five students received scholarships to US universities, including one full scholarship and UK placements included economics at the University of Manchester and Royal Holloway, London, aerospace engineering also at Manchester and history at St Andrews.
Our external assessments are IGCSEs, which students complete in Year 11 and A Levels, which students complete in Year 13. These are UK based qualifications which are internationally recognised for entrance into higher education. Students in Year 11 take on average 9 GCSEs which include English, Maths, Science and a foreign language as core subjects. In Year 13 students take 3 A Levels of which they can choose from over 20 subjects.
Measuring Success
We place great importance on personal excellence here at TBS. We expect every student to challenge themselves to meet aspirational goals and targets and to continually pursue progress towards those targets.
Each student completes baseline assessments (CATs) which indicate the academic grades students should be aiming for in each subject. However, our teachers know our students exceptionally well as a result of robust and rigorous internal assessments in each subject and so will often challenge students beyond those initial baseline assessment predictors. Aspirational target setting is key to ensuring our students exceed their baseline predictions.
We measure our success against each student’s achievement in these examinations in comparison to their baseline targets- we call this ‘Value Added (VA)’. As you can see below, our students, on average, achieve a whole grade higher in each examination than their baseline predictors, which is a huge cause for celebration.
2020 and 2021 have, of course, been unusual years, with physical examinations cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Results were assigned using teacher assessed grades, which the exam boards then moderated. Our students did exceptionally well under extraordinary and challenging circumstances to achieve their very best.
As you can see from the table below, in all examination cohorts, the vast majority of students achieved grades above their baseline targets, with over half of our students’ grades being at least one grade higher than their initial targets.
2021
2020
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