Benenden’s GCSE students have today been congratulated on their achievements and reassured that they have thoroughly earned their excellent results.
Exams were once again cancelled across the UK this year due to the pandemic. Instead, students’ results have been determined by their schools based on evidence and internal assessments and they are to be congratulated on their strong outcomes which are in line with the trend over recent years.
Headmistress Samantha Price said: “Many congratulations to this year’s Upper Fifth who have achieved some excellent results – both collectively and on an individual basis, with every pupil fulfilling her potential.
“Nationally, there is some understandable controversy around the awarding of grades this year, and this was always going to be the case, but I would like to reassure our students that they have thoroughly earned their GCSE results. They have worked exceptionally hard in extraordinary circumstances and I have been very impressed at their commitment and determination.
“They have certainly been helped by the fact that we were in the fortunate position of being able to continue with every lesson throughout the pandemic thanks to our teachers’ wonderful efforts to provide online learning, and as a school we are very proud of this achievement.
“I would like to thank everyone – staff, pupils and parents – who has been involved in this very successful set of results.”
Benenden’s GCSE students went through a rigorous internal assessment process, which included judging each of them on a selection of their coursework, class assessments and previous test performances in addition to sitting formal assessments in the Spring and Summer to gauge the level students were currently performing at.
Mrs Price added: “After what has been a very difficult year for everyone, this very capable cohort can now look forward to concentrating on the formal start to their A Level studies in September without, we hope, their education being disrupted by the pandemic.
“We are pleased that most of this year’s GCSE students have already benefited from some foundation lessons in their A Level subjects as part of LEAP, a programme of academic sessions, practical courses and lectures that we offered when the girls would normally have been busy revising for their GCSEs.”
As ever, among the statistics there were some wonderful individual success stories. Our top performer was Scarlett Mansfield, who achieved a clean sweep of 13 Level 9 grades – the highest available. Five other girls achieved 12 straight Level 9s, while five more earned at least ten Level 9 grades.
Benenden has provided a comprehensive remote learning service for students during the pandemic. Every lesson went ahead, with all students joining remotely during nationwide lockdowns, and even when students returned to School many subjects continued to be taught in a hybrid manner, with some students present in the lesson and others joining remotely from overseas.
During the Summer Term, when public exams would normally be taking place, Benenden organised a special learning programme for the GCSE and A Level year groups. This programme involved academic sessions, practical courses, vocational qualifications, and a programme of lectures.
The highlights included students acquiring skills in coding, car maintenance, nannying and childcare, bar and barista training, telethon calling, mindfulness, First Aid, sign language, food hygiene and undertaking a dissertation-style Extended Project.