On A-level results day, Epsom College is proud to celebrate the achievements of a remarkable group of students who leave the College destined for some of the world’s leading Universities. Their achievements are notably commendable given the pressure that Covid-19 placed on their A-level studies. Lockdowns, remote learning and the overhaul of public examinations presented a unique set of challenges to which this remarkable cohort rose admirably. The nature of this year’s public exams makes it difficult to compare results between schools, or to view our students’ efforts within a national context. However, this year’s A-level results mark the culmination of two years’ rigorous preparation and study, and they are worthy of appropriate celebration. Headmaster, Mr Jay Piggot, commented, “We are exceptionally proud of the achievements of our Upper Sixth leavers who dealt with this most challenging final chapter to their time at the College. This unique cohort met every hurdle with assurance and demonstrated notable fortitude and resilience. They may look to the future with confidence, secure in the knowledge that as individuals they have demonstrated an ability to cope with life’s vicissitudes.” Following the pattern set in previous years, the majority of 2021 leavers are going to study at some of the UK’s most prestigious Russell Group universities. Within the UK, the most popular destinations are: UCL, Nottingham, Exeter, Manchester, Bath, KCL, Loughborough, Birmingham, Durham, Leeds, Imperial, Liverpool and York. In addition, a number of students have places abroad. Jess Graham heads off to the ESSEC Business School in France, Daniel Lau to UHK, Remi Adeniji and Theo Mully to NYU, Ting Ting Wang to USC, Joe Menassa has a place at UC San Diego, Liam Colohan to Tusculum University (on a golf scholarship) and Ross Thurtell to Grand Canyon University (on a Rugby scholarship). Joe Adamek is applying to university in Germany. Two students are moving on to UAL for art courses, and two leavers are pursuing Rugby careers: Bryn Bradley has a Harlequins contract while Tom Lynagh has a rugby contract with Queensland Reds in Australia. Congratulations go to the twelve students who have fulfilled their offers for Medicine and Veterinary Science: (two at RCSI, two to Manchester, two to Queen’s Belfast, three to Liverpool, and one each at Sunderland, Plymouth and UCL). This is particularly impressive given the context of a significant surge in medical applications this year, and many medical schools holding onto places for last year’s applicants, leaving fewer places this year in some institutions. In addition, both Elina Smith and Eva Gray surpassed the conditions of their Cambridge offers to read Theology, Religion and Philosophy. The 2021 exam results derive from teacher assessed grades and have been reviewed by the Exam Boards. Understandably, the Government is not seeking to provide a national context this year in the form of league tables and value-added scores. However, for the past five years of moderated exams Epsom has beaten records year on year, and climbed the league tables as a result. In 2019 – the last time students sat public exams that were centrally assessed – the College sat proudly as the leading co-ed school in Surrey for A-levels, leaping from 73rd to 43rd place in the Telegraph’s League Table for UK’s independent schools. The 2019 results were:
- 67% graded A*-A
- 90% graded A*-B
- 45% of all students achieved a clean sweep of top grades
- The average point score of an Epsom student is just over three As
The most recent Department for Education data from January 2020 placed Epsom in the top 1% of all English secondary schools (44th of 4,470) and in the top 5% of all independent schools (37th of 747) for the value added to each pupil’s A-level grades.
