The proportion of A*s across the country fell to its lowest but many Jewish schools recorded at least twice the percentage of A*s as the national average.
August 23, 2018 08:40
ByJC Reporter, BY JC reporters
Jewish schools maintained their good form for A-levels this year with several achieving more than double the national rate of A* grades.
The proportion of A*s across the country fell to its lowest, eight per cent, in five years — although A*-A grades were up fractionally from 2017 to 26.4 per cent.
But Immanuel College, JFS, Yavneh College and Hasmonean High School all recorded at least twice the percentage of A*s as the national average.
The new linear A-level format was intended to make life harder for pupils, with results dependent on exams taken at the end of two years rather than spread out as before to include AS-level modules in the first year.
The change, introduced last year in 13 subjects including English and science, was extended to another 12 subjects this summer, including maths, modern languages and religious studies.
There was particular cause for celebration at JCoSS where results were “the best ever by some margin”, the school said; 38 per cent of exams were passed at A*-A and 67 per cent at B or above.
Nationally, 52.9 per cent of A-level passes were at B or above, and 77.3 per cent at C or above.
The seven students with places at Oxbridge or medical school comfortably surpassed the number in previous years, said headteacher Patrick Moriarty, continuing the “upward trend since the school’s earliest results”.
Leading the academic pack were Aviv Silver, Adam Gould and Jack Margolis, each with four A*s, Josh Cowan with three A*s and an A, and Lucas Samuel and Max Simmonds with three A*s apiece.
Mr Moriarty said he was proud not only of pupils’ academic achievements but “of the qualities that have grown in them during their time at JCoSS. They leave as accomplished mensches, embodying the values of the school and the wider community and ready to act as ambassadors for both.”
Yavneh College enjoyed another successful year with 20 per cent of passes at A*; 54 per cent at A*-A; and 87 per cent A*-B. Over 30 per cent of students achieved all A or A*s — “a wonderful achievement,” said executive headteacher Spencer Lewis.
“I am particularly pleased that these results match and in some ways even improve on last year’s fantastic results, as A-level examinations have become even harder over the last few years.”
Erin Waks, whose father had been up with her since 4 am on results day, said she was shocked to receive four A*s. “I was not expecting it all,” she said. “I have spent the whole summer trying not to think about the results.”
Planning to study English and French at Durham University, she said she was “really interested in academia so maybe after university I will do something like that. I don’t know, but I just love reading.”
Matti Brooks was relieved at the two A*s and an A which have earned him a place to study law at Cambridge. “I hope after university I can work in human rights,” he said.
Joseph Alfon, Zach Garcia and Noah Galibov also performed exceptionally, each with three A*s.
At JFS, headteacher Rachel Fink said students had demonstrated “they have the ability and tenacity to meet the higher standard now demanded of sixthformers across the country”.
Over 49 per of A-level passes were at A*-A, with 22.4 per cent at the highest grade. More than threequarters of passes, 76.6 per cent, were at B or above.
Segev Gonen Cohen led the roll of honour with a remarkable 6A*s. Jack Kelly, Savanna Leboff, Hannah Masters and Reef Ronel all achieved four A*s: Zev Shirazi three A*s and three As: Uri Shine three A*s and a B: and Jonathan Bush, Georgia Cooper, Zak Hassell, Yasmin Lermer, Sasha Meir, Ava Sharpe and Tamar Toorgeman, three A*s.
Eight students secured places at Oxford or Cambridge and three others at medical or veterinary school.
The school also highlighted success in its more vocational courses where all those studying childcare and education attained the equivalent of three A*-As and BTec hospitality students all earned a double distinction.
Vocational high-fliers, who attained the equivalent of three A*s, were Abi Dewinter, Orli Forman, Chloe Monty, Talia Simons and Sulai Varela-Lewis.
King David High School in Manchester achieved nearly 71 per cent of passes at A*-B with Samuel Benjamin, bound for Oxford to study PPE, and Daniel Moss, off to do economics at Cambridge, both attaining four A*s.
The proportion of A*s at Hasmonean High School was up by two per cent from 2017 to 17 per cent this summer; 44 per cent of passes were at A*-A and 65 per cent at B or above.
“We are delighted our students have coped so well with the challenging A-level specifications this year,” said executive headteacher Andrew McClusky. “Our BTec and EPQ results were also very pleasing indeed.”
Hasmonean pupil Natan Maurer, who is taking law at Cambridge, was “incredibly pleased” with his four A*s. “The leadership of the school has created an environment in which I and many others are able to reach their full potential.”
Yonina Jaffe, with a trio of A*s and a place to study veterinary science at Cambridge, said the school “gave me the confidence to make a real go at sciences”.
Gary Griffin, headteacher at the private Immanuel College, said this year’s results were “even better than last year’s, despite the fact that the examinations have been made more rigorous and demanding as a consequence of government reforms”.
A quarter of students gained either A or A* in all their subjects, 23 per cent of grades were A* and 51 per cent at A*-A.
The school will be sending two students, Alex Root and Jeremy Schiff, to study natural sciences at Cambridge.
Kantor King Solomon High School reported a 94 per cent A-level pass rate with a strong showing in maths and religious studies, where half the grades were at A*-A.
Jack Palmer, who will be studying biochemistry at Oxford, and Zachary Igielman both achieved three A*s.
King David High School Liverpool, where most of the students are from other faiths, celebrated a 100 per cent pass rate in A-levels and BTecs. Kara D’Arcy gained a place at Oxford to read biochemistry with two A*s and an A.
Lily Bichard-Collins, who is also not Jewish, received an A* for an EPQ (extended essay) on “the influence of Yiddish on the Liverpool Jewish lexicon today.”
Rosine Mabata, who came to the city from the Central African Republic three years ago, gained an A*AB to secure an engineering place at Leeds University.