Impressive results propel Class of 2023 into the future

Following the pandemic, examination boards have been adjusting grade boundaries to more evenly reflect grade distributions from 2019 and earlier.

Dr Nicola Brown, Head of Secondary, said: “The reason for the lower grades the world saw this year is the action taken by the UK government to reverse the grade inflation that was seen during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. This action has left many students and schools shocked and disappointed, and that has been difficult to witness. Our focus has been to provide support to those students who might have received different data patterns than expected. We are happy to state that, despite the impact of this grade boundary shift, our students performed extremely well and succeeded in being accepted to their chosen universities. Our students were well prepared and determined to end their school journey with confidence and we are very proud of them all.”

The Class of 2023 earned a 100% pass rate for A-levels, after posting the school’s highest IGCSE results just two years ago. Their A-level results were based on formal examinations in all subjects for the first time in their academic careers, as their IGCSE exams were interrupted by the pandemic.

BSKL students once again outperformed independent schools in the UK by ten percentage points. BSKL’s percentage of A* or A grades was 57%, compared to 47% at independent schools in the UK.

An impressive 38% of the Class of 2023 earned straight A* or A grades across all their A-level subjects. Science and Mathematics scores also saw impressive results with 73% of Mathematics scores earned at A* or A grades, and 78% of Physics scores, 74% of Biology, and 72% of Chemistry scores earned at A* - B grades.

‘Witnessing the graduation of the Class of 2023 is the highlight of my education career to date. I am extremely proud of them all’, Dr Nicola Brown, Head of Secondary, said.

"It is wonderful to see them graduate from school and begin the next phase of their lives. The measure of their strength is in the legacy they leave us here at BSKL. We know them to be generous, dedicated and courageous. There have been challenges for this cohort beyond any we could have imagined when the pandemic occurred. The lasting impact of the disruption was still being felt this examination season. Despite that, our students have remained confident and compassionate and have continued to be the caring and supportive young people we know and love. We look forward to witnessing their next achievements, both academic and personal”.

Most of our students will begin their university journeys this term when classes begin in the UK, Europe, Canada, and the US, whilst others will begin their university studies in Australia or Asia in January/February.

The Class of 2023 will see 38% of graduates attend universities ranked in the top 100 by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds). These include University College London (3), University of Edinburgh (3), London School of Economics (2), King’s College London, Durham University, Imperial College, and University of Warwick in the UK; Barnard College at Columbia University, University of California Berkeley, and University of Michigan in the US; Monash University in Australia; Seoul National University in South Korea; and the University of Tokyo in Japan.

“The BSKL Class of 2023 are bound for exciting study pathways that will allow them to pursue their dreams. I am immensely proud of how this cohort has focused on their aspirations as the driving force behind doing the necessary work to attain these outcomes”, BSKL Principal, Dr Mike O’Connor, said.

“We want our students to create the future they desire, and this class is a shining example of this practice. I join with their parents and families, our staff, the broader community, and the Nord Anglia family in congratulating them on their outstanding success”, he added.