Top performing school in Berkshire celebrates best IB results ever! – Leighton Park School

07 Jul 2021

Sixth Formers on Leighton Park’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme have graduated today with beaming smiles and the highest average point score ever achieved by the School since the two-year course was first offered more than ten years ago. The cohort have celebrated an average score of 35.5 points, well above the required pass mark of 24 points and surpassing the global average of 33.02 points. Six students were awarded 40 points or more, with a top score of 43 points out of a possible total of 45 marks: an incredible achievement. Particular areas of strength included Mandarin, English and Psychology. Globally, the Diploma programme pass rate is 88.96% this year and Leighton Park students have out-performed again with a pass rate of 100%.

While some schools limit the IBDP to their very able students, Leighton Park considers it an excellent qualification for any student with a broad range of interests and who enjoys project-based learning. In the Government’s most recent league tables, Leighton Park was the top performing school in Berkshire and one of the very best in England for academic progress in Sixth Form education, with the School on average adding 0.6 of a grade to each student.

Nuna Dumrongthai, a full boarder since Year 10, was delighted with her 41 points which guarantee her a place at Lancaster University to read Chemical Engineering. “I can’t believe it! These results were more than I expected. I was worried about the maths but I am really pleased to get a 6. I got accepted into all my UCAS choices but I’ve turned down Durham as I think Lancaster is more my vibe.”

Cecelia Yi, a full boarder since Year 9, is “absolutely thrilled” with her 40 points and her confirmed place at UCL to read Psychology, whilst Rowan Taylor, who with 42 points is also going to UCL was equally enthusiastic. “As the IB allowed me such a wide range of subject choices (and as I generally enjoyed them) I knew that I wanted the same breadth in my future university course, The Human Sciences course therefore seemed perfect to me as it combined several of my favourite subjects and required skills I had already learnt in the IB. Ahhhh, I’m so excited!!”

 

Fellow high achiever, Catherine Martinez, whose 39 points secure her place at Reading University to read Biological Sciences. She enthused: “I’m really happy with my results. I did have to re-read them about eight times to make sure it was true!”

Catherine’s mother Liz, was proud of her daughter’s effort and commitment over the course, “She really deserves her results; she has worked very hard for them. She has loved the independent learning aspect of the IB as she has a mind like an octopus – it goes everywhere!”

Considering the past two years, Nuna reflected, “The best thing about the IB for me has been the community; being able to study with the same group of people, you get really close, even in lockdown everyone was studying together; we had study groups online. We just had to try to get through this weird and difficult time together.”

Head of Sixth Form, Helen Taylor is proud of all the IB students in this year’s cohort. “I am so pleased for our wonderful students. They have worked their socks off these last two years, in difficult circumstances; and to achieve the School’s best ever IBDP results and a 100% pass rate is just brilliant! The International Baccalaureate Organisation developed a very rigorous process to ensure parity between students in countries where they were able to sit exams and those in countries where they couldn’t.  The IB Diploma Programme offers the breadth, interdisciplinary study opportunities and independent study skills that universities and employers are looking for. I’m overjoyed to see this cohort achieve such impressive destinations, both at top UK universities and at overseas institutions.”

The School is offering Year 10 and 11 students the opportunity to learn more about the IBDP at the Sixth Form Open Evening on Tuesday 12^th October from 6.30pm or you could watch the Leighton Park IB video on youtube at https://bit.ly/IBVideo2021