For pupils across the country and around the world, 2020 has been one of the most challenging years in education, and beyond. As with all of the difficulties they have encountered, BGS students have risen magnificently to the emotional challenges posed by the cancellation of their examinations. Today, as many of them receive their calculated A level and Pre-U grades, we congratulate them, and celebrate not only the hard work each one has put in over their time at BGS, but also their resourcefulness, their enthusiasm and their wider contribution towards School life.
Jaideep Barot, Headmaster, said “I want to pay huge tribute to all of the students in our leaving Upper Sixth – both those who are receiving results today, and those pioneering students in our first IB cohort, who received their results in early July. In terms of their commitment and contribution to learning, which has been a great example for our younger pupils, they have given so much to our school and to our wider community. I feel very fortunate to have had such a positive, eclectic and committed group of young men and women as my first Sixth-form cohort as BGS Headmaster.
“I know that many of them were frustrated that they were denied the opportunity to sit their examinations, and to demonstrate their academic achievement in the usual way, but we could not be prouder of how they have handled the challenges and uncertainty they have encountered. Their collective results are very impressive, and are testament to the talent, dedication and togetherness of this fantastic cohort.”
Justin Harford, Head of Sixth Form, said “I am tremendously proud of how each and every one of this year-group have conducted themselves throughout these last five months. They have shown resilience and determination, and although exams were cancelled, they demonstrated their passions for learning by engaging with our For the Love of Learning programme after the conclusion of their formal studies.”
Whilst school has come to an end for our Upper-sixth students (and we welcome them warmly into our Old Bristolians Society) our support for them continues. David Ruck, Head of Higher Education and Careers, said, “Now is the time to look ahead and focus on next steps. As is the case every year, our staff will continue to support and advise our students as they prepare for the next stage of their lives. In particular, with Appeals processes still being finalised, and universities still adjusting to how this year’s results have been awarded, we are on hand to help with any questions that our pupils and their parents might have.”
Additional note:
Despite the very strong results received by our Upper Sixth leavers this year, we have decided it would be inappropriate to share headline figures here, and the many individual success stories that are contained therein. With the grading process this year being so radically different, it does not feel right to laud our collective results or make comparisons to previous years’ results, favourable as this would be. This takes nothing away from the endeavours and achievements of our students who have allied hard work to their natural talent, and who have overcome the difficulties posed by the pandemic, to achieve so well this year. We could not be prouder of them.
For those interested in seeing the impressive overall statistics for this year group, they will be published on the relevant section of our website in the usual way.