If you were to ask me what my favourite time of year was as a Head, I’d be hard-pressed to give you just one single answer. Christmas is always delightful – especially in our Infant School, where the Infant Nativity will melt even the chilliest of hearts. The summer sporting season is also a highlight, as is our annual Sports Day.
However, for me, nothing quite tops the joy and excitement of GCSE and A Level results days.
I know just how hard our girls work towards their examinations, completing hours of coursework, revision notes, mock papers and more. Their steely determination has certainly paid off this year with some of the best results in the School’s history.
This year, those all-important white envelopes have told a story of unprecedented success for our pupils, with over a third of our A Level cohort’s grades (34%) awarded A* and two thirds of grades at A*-A. Our GCSE results have told a similar story, with 40% of all grades awarded at the highest level 9 and 80% of all grades at 9 – 7; that’s A* – A in old money!
Our pupils’ hard work, alongside the dedicated efforts of my colleagues, has paid off and I could not be prouder of them.
Redefining the Narrative
Five years’ on from the seismic impact of the pandemic on summer examinations, I’m glad we can safely say we are back to business-as-usual when it comes to A Level and GCSE grading. The national headlines are no longer dominated by the impact of grades returning to pre-Covid levels or the effect of centre or teacher-assessed grades.
What we have seen, however, is a new national headline emerging: the end to girls’ longstanding dominance in achieving the top grades. For the first time in seven years, boys have achieved a higher percentage than girls of the top A* and A grades. The differences are marginal, but not insignificant. Our commitment to excellence in all-girls education, where every pupil can thrive, is now more important than ever.
At Sheffield Girls’, we are not only bucking the trend with stellar exam results; we are directly challenging it. Our goal remains steadfast: providing an outstanding education in which every girl can thrive – free from gender stereotypes, free from comparisons and free from the fear of failure.
Learning without limits
I am proud to be leading a school where academic potential and strength of character is expertly nurtured by a team of dynamic teachers who help all girls to excel, not only the brightest. Indeed, results days are hugely exciting, but what’s even more thrilling is what happens in our classrooms where girls truly can learn without limits.
Our unique environment, and our position as one of the leading all-girls’ schools in the country, allows every pupil to excel in ways that might not be possible in a co-ed setting. They know every subject and path is open to them, free from pressure or expectation, resulting in an environment where our girls continually buck national trends in uptake of STEM subjects. 31% of our Class of 2025 took A Level Maths – more than three times the national average of just 9% of girls. A similar trend is seen across all of our STEM A Level subjects – Maths, Further Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Computer Science – all of which have higher uptake at our school than the national average. The Class of 2025’s leavers’ destinations paint a similar picture, with 40% embarking on degrees in STEM fields.
It would be superfluous (and wrong) to suggest that there exists a correlation between uptake in STEM subjects and academic achievement. However, our students’ phenomenal achievements across subject areas prove year-on-year that an all-girls environment opens doors for girls, enabling them to learn without limits, to embrace their curiosity and to pursue their passions, ultimately achieving exceptional results across the board.
Our character education programme, Girls of Steel, complements our dynamic academic curriculum with myriad leadership and co-curricular opportunities. Girls of Steel develops their resilience, self-knowledge and self-esteem during the crucial teenage years, at a time where in co-ed settings, girls tend to adapt their behaviours around their male peers, already shaping their frameworks for what leadership looks like. Our girls organise and lead debates, learn to present and speak at assemblies without the self-consciousness they might feel in a co-ed environment. They learn to take up space and own their voices, all of which contributes to an environment where they feel confident to aim high, be ambitious and are nurtured to be successful.
It remains to be seen whether the slim margins between girls’ and boys’ success will continue to fluctuate in years to come. At Sheffield Girls’, we are in a lane of our own. Regardless of national statistics, we will continue to build on our tradition of all-girls’ excellence, as we empower our pupils to define their own success.
I look forward to a new term of possibilities where more minds will be nurtured and more futures will be shaped.
Alex Wilson
Head
