Merchant Taylors’ School toasts GCSE success

Merchant Taylors’ School is celebrating another year of excellent GCSE results, despite disruption caused by Covid-19 restrictions.

Almost a third (31%) of all grades across the historic Crosby school were at Grade 9, while more than half (51%) of all grades were at grade 8 or 9, the equivalent of an A*.

A total of 11 boys and girls achieved ten Grade 9s or more. Thomas Cunliffe scored 12 Grade 9s and Harini Sethuraman and Hemanth Bheemireddy both scored 11 Grade 9s.

Harini Sethuraman achieved a remarkable 11 Grade 9s

Jessica Furlong, Maya Ravindran, Udita Singhal, William Bannerman, Yash Hanchanale, George Johnston, David Ogundele and Ali Saeed each scored ten Grade 9s.

Alexander Raw, William Gillespie, Smaya Katti, Philippa Rowlands, Lucinda Wat and Victoria Woodier all scored nine Grade 9s and an 8, while Ujjwala Singhal, Hermione Wakefield, Sophie Ennis all achieved eight Grade 9s and two Grade 8s.

Hemanth Bheemireddy scored 11 Grade 9s

Thomas Bruce and Methal Gamage achieved nine Grade 9s and Priya Lal achieved eight Grade 9s and one 8.

Their successes were achieved across a range of subjects including Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Maths, English, History, Geography, Classics and Modern Languages.

This year, following the cancellation of examinations, grades were awarded through a process of teacher assessed grades, against a national standard and approved and awarded by the exam boards. Throughout periods of enforced lockdown and isolation, Merchant Taylors’ delivered specialist online lessons, tutorials, assessments and support to boys and girls in all year groups, every day.

David Wickes, headmaster at Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School, said: “Our boys have shown ambition and perseverance throughout a very difficult time for them and their families. The results today bear witness to their academic strength and their commitment to their studies and the efforts of our excellent teaching staff.

“They deserve huge credit for their passion and work ethic, both essential qualities as they head into their Sixth Form years with us at Merchant Taylors’, and we are excited to see what this talented group can achieve over the next two years and beyond in their academic careers.”

William Bannerman was one of eleven pupils who achieved ten grade 9s or more

Claire Tao, headmistress at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School, said: “The final grades attained by our Year 11 pupils are a real expression of how academically strong this cohort of girls is and of how much they strove to develop their intellectual curiosity with impeccable support from our staff and their parents.

“In difficult circumstances, they have given themselves the best foundation possible as they move on to their A Level studies and we look forward to seeing the girls again in September.”