A level results are the best medicine at King Henry VIII School

King Henry VIII School has surpassed expectations in this year’s crop of A Level results, announced today.

Results at the school as a whole are higher than in 2019, the last year that public exams were taken prior to Covid.

This is especially notable because parents and students around the country have been warned to expect fewer top grades, as marking this year has reverted to stricter pre-pandemic grade boundary requirements.

Headmaster Phil Dearden pointed out that this year’s A level students had their two years of GCSE education affected by Covid, and have not previously sat external exams as their GCSE exams took place during the pandemic.  He says he is “incredibly proud” of how they have performed in the circumstances.

“Countless students have performed exceptionally well, earning outstanding grades. A key part of our curriculum here is teaching resilience and good mental health practice, which the students have been able to put into practice during some very challenging years”, he said.

The Coventry school will be waving off a healthy batch of pupils to medical school including Alizeh, who attained A* grades in Biology, Chemistry and Maths and will be reading Medicine at the University of Birmingham. Others include Simran and Ruthu both with three A* grades each; Malayeka with two A* grades and one A; and Rohan with one A* grade and two As, who have been offered places on Medicine courses at Nottingham, Liverpool, and Lancaster, respectively.

Felix (left) is celebrating A* grades in Physics, Maths and Further Maths, along with an A grade in Latin. He has met his university challenge with a place to study Physics at Oxford’s Brasenose College.

Another standout student is Charlie, who achieved A* grade in Business Studies and Academic PE, along with an A grade in Maths.  Charlie is heading to Exeter to study Economics while also pursuing his professional rugby aspirations.

King Henry VIII School is part of the Coventry School Foundation along with Bablake School. Chris Staley, Foundation Principal said: “The fact we are above 2019 achievements, which considering the disruption experienced by this cohort of pupils, is an extraordinary achievement. We are happy they leave us as confident young people with a broad range of skills, interests and values.”