Page 9 - Old Ratcliffian 2020 Edition

COLLEGE NEWS

CLASS OF 2020: A LEVEL RESULTS

Ratcliffe College students were delighted to celebrate their A Level results after an anxious wait. Despite
the heartache of the cancelled examinations, due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the government’s
U-turn on the eve of their results being published, the overwhelming majority of students successfully
achieved places on coveted courses at top-ranking universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.
Headmaster Jon Reddin commented: “Given the extremely challenging circumstances created by the
pandemic and the massive disappointment of not being able to sit their examinations after working so
diligently, I am both pleased and relieved that so many of our wonderful Year 13 students have been able
to accept places at their fi rst-choice universities. This is testament to their resilience, hard work, and
dedication prior to lockdown, and to the professionalism of their teachers in the awarding of Centre
Assessment Grades. For those students who are disappointed with their grades, the school will continue
to work with them, where appropriate, towards a successful appeal, so that they are not disadvantaged
in the future by circumstances beyond their control.

“Many students were exclusively awarded A and A* grades, and we congratulate them for achieving such
outstanding results and gaining places on the most competitive courses. After completing her gap year,
Hebe Jackson (19) has become the fi rst Sir Thomas White scholar to gain a place at Oxbridge, reading
Modern and Medieval Languages at King’s College, Cambridge. Jacob Dawe (20) proceeds to Queen’s
College, Oxford, to read Physics. Mia Baker (20), Ben Cook (20), Tom Neuberg (20), Kapil Soni (20),
and Jade England (20) all have places to study Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Samuel Offer (20)
achieved 3 A*s and is taking a gap year ahead of applying to study Medicine next year. Linguist Eduardo
Robinson (20) achieved 3 A*s and will study Law and German at the University of Bristol, whilst music
scholar Richard Pullan (20) also achieved the very highest grades in all subjects, taking up his place at
the University of Edinburgh to study Mathematics and Music. Head Girl Eve Millward (20) achieved the
same grades and will be studying English Literature at King’s College London.
“I wish to pay tribute to this cohort, who have distinguished themselves throughout their time at Ratcliffe,
giving generously of themselves to support the ethos and mission of the school. They have excelled across
a wide range of co-curricular activities and initiated some invaluable charitable activities. Their desire to
make a positive difference to other people’s lives in the local community continued during lockdown; this
included volunteering to deliver food parcels, producing large quantities of PPE for hospitals and care
homes, assisting in the coronavirus testing process, as well as supporting others’ emotional wellbeing
by keeping in touch with the elderly and housebound. It is our hope that the Class of 2020 will not be
defi ned by the impact of coronavirus, but, instead, by the values that they have embraced at Ratcliffe College. We wish them the very
best as they move forward, with confi dence, to higher education and successful careers in the future. Thank you, Year 13, for being such
superb role models for Ratcliffe College students, and please continue to make a difference in all that you do in the future.”

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