It has been a day of celebration and excitement as our Year 13 students received a record-breaking set of A Level results. After months of anticipation, the cohort, characterised by fantastic co-curricular achievements and charitable endeavours, gathered with teachers, friends and family to mark this significant milestone in their academic journey. 

A record 52% of all A Level grades were at A*/A, with a quarter of the cohort earning a full set of A*/A grades. 81% of all grades awarded at New Hall were A*-B. 85% of places secured by students are at Russell Group/Top 20 universities. 

Welcoming the students as they arrived, Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, Principal, said, “I am incredibly proud of our students and all they have accomplished. This group has excelled not only in their studies but also across a wide range of co-curricular activities, from sports to performing arts, and in their service to the community. Their New Hall journey has taken them around the world as part of their academic enrichment, with trips to France, Iceland, India, Spain, Switzerland, the United States of America and more. Complemented by their hard work, these diverse experiences have embellished their education, contributing to their outstanding results and preparing them for the exciting next steps in their lives.” 

Students have secured places at leading universities across the country and beyond, including Oxford, Durham, Exeter, Loughborough, University College London, Warwick, Michigan State and Stanford.  

Lawrencia, Classics Prefect and a boarder, is very excited to start her studies of Classics and Middle Eastern & Asian Studies at Oriel College, Oxford, “I’m just so glad and grateful to my teachers for all their help. It will be exciting to start the course, living in a new place and being even more independent than in boarding. It is so important to believe in your dreams, so to those considering Oxbridge, the process is worth it!” 

Deputy Head Boy Archie was one of the School’s highest achievers, gaining three A* grades and securing his place to read History at Durham University. Archie shared, “Sixth Form was busy but amazing, and I’m very grateful to the School and my History teachers especially. My message to all students is to work hard and remember to enjoy yourselves.” 

National tennis player Ellie signed on to a fully-funded tennis scholarship with Michigan State University, with the aim to study Political Sciences and International Relations. “Even with so much time away competing, I’ve had a great Sixth Form experience, and I’m really pleased with my results. My family and I are now travelling to the U.S. today; I’m so excited for a change of scenery and to meet my new teammates,” Ellie commented. 

New Hall is opening a new Sixth Form Business & Languages Centre in September 2024, given the growing popularity of these subjects that are relevant for future careers. Once again, our Economics Department is celebrating stellar results, with 39% of grades at A* and 75% at A*/A. Economics and Business are two of the most popular subjects in New Hall’s Sixth Form. The Modern Languages Department continues to go from strength to strength with a third of grades at A* and 82% at A*/A. This follows the news that New Hall has won the Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Award for our pioneering programme of ‘Modern Languages Cookery’. Staff and students have worked together to create a unique, immersion-style of learning, which helps to build confidence when learning a language, as well as fluency in one of the most useful, and at New Hall most popular, topics of conversation – food! Our second state-of-the-art cookery room opened this year, and the School also offers the professional Leiths Academy qualifications. 

Vice Principal, Dr Paul Tiffen commented, “It is remarkable to see that over half of grades are at A*/A. In their Sixth Form studies, and throughout their examinations, students have shown extraordinary resilience, focus and determination, with superb support from our staff throughout. Their commitment to both academic excellence and personal growth has been truly inspiring, reflected in these outstanding results.” 

A parent shared their elation at their child’s successes, “New Hall has been an amazing opportunity for all three of our children. As a parent I’m so proud of the school and I feel very sad to leave.”

The wide range of course choices among students underlines the influence of New Hall’s careers programme on broadening horizons, with the most popular being Politics, Business, Finance and Economics courses, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, as well as History and Theology courses.