Chris Jeffery, Head, speaks of his pride at students achievements after the challenges they have faced over the past seventeen months.

“What an amazing and inspiring group of young people; how they deserve their success” was the reaction of Headmaster Chris Jeffery to the achievements of the Bootham School Class of 2021 as they celebrate their A Level results today.

“We marvel at how this lovely group -and countless other young people throughout the country- have responded to the enormous, sustained and well documented challenges they have faced over the past seventeen months. The way they have managed has demonstrated positivity and resilience in abundance, which is reflected today in some truly well-earned and impressive results for us to rejoice in” he continued. “It inspires hope for the future as well”.

There were impressive individual successes, with 11 out of 70 students achieving a clean sweep of four A* grades, 2 more achieving at least three A* grades and 31 students in total achieving at least three A* or A grades. Mr Jeffery added: “Just as impressive are the results of those students who have produced their very best in achieving a variety of other grades; we have plenty of those too, of whom we are equally proud.”

“The one major plus of this year’s system is that it seems to have enabled more students to be graded on the best standard of which they are capable. This arguably better reflects their true standard than a purely exam-based system, where one bad day or even one bad question can be disproportionately influential” said Mr Jeffery.

“I would also like to pay the warmest possible and most heartfelt tribute to my colleagues. They have worked with huge energy, enormous skill and quite astonishing determination not only to master and sustain the effective teaching of our young people under the most extraordinary circumstances, but also to assess and grade them in the fair and consistent way demanded by this year’s system. People who do not know schools from the inside will struggle to understand just how much has been asked of teachers, and the truly extraordinary response that this has brought about”.

“For all these reasons I have known very few prouder days as a Headmaster.”

Chris Jeffery, Head