Hills Students achieve exceptional exam results against all odds

Hills Road students are marking the end of their A levels by celebrating exceptional exam results following two years of unprecedented disruption to their learning.

Well done Hills students!

In the face of immense challenges, this cohort responded to the pressures of sitting public examinations for the first time since 2019 with impressive levels of focus and determination, and their extraordinary efforts have been rightly rewarded.

It has been an extremely difficult period of upheaval for these students in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, and the magnitude of these successes is even more impressive due to this year group being denied the chance to sit their GCSEs due to lockdown restrictions.

These are incredible results for this most resilient of cohorts and I couldn’t be more delighted for them; for their families and for the staff team here who have all worked so hard to secure these astonishing outcomes. This year group had an abrupt end to their secondary schooling in March of 2020; they sat no high-stakes, formal qualifications before this year; they have coped with online learning; with lockdowns; with mask wearing and have had to miss so many of the joyful bits of sixth form education. They are absolutely deserving of these exceptional A level results and of all the opportunity doorways they have opened for themselves. These amazing young people have exceeded all expectations – there is nothing they can’t cope with - and we can’t wait to see them go on to shape their futures and ours.

Jo Trump

These outstanding outcomes mean that the vast majority of Hills Road students have been able to secure their first-choice destinations, whether in higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. Each year around 93% of our Year 13s progress to university, with many successfully enrolling on the most competitive degree courses. This year is no exception, and an impressive 74 Hills Road students having accepted their places at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge – we wish them and all of our fabulous students well.

Today is a day for pride and celebration for this cohort, who have very much bucked the national trend of falling numbers of A* and A grades. We wish our students all the very best for their future happiness and success and congratulate them for their superb achievements.