THE RADLEY Academic A Levels: At A2, 85% of results were graded A*-B and 89% of AS results were A or B grades (there is no A* at AS). The College’s A*/A total at A-level was 58%. Twelve boys gained three or more A* grades at A-Level. The effects of the national squeeze on grade inflation - with raised grade boundaries - was felt for the fourth year running, but a good number of boys and departments did extremely well.
GCSEs: The GCSE and IGCSE results brought in 81% A*/A grades (and this total may rise further after re-marks). This year’s A*s constituted 48.42% of all (I)GCSE grades.
Oxbridge: 16 boys received offers of a place at either Oxford or Cambridge: Tom Batchelor (h), Hugo Brewer (a), Dan Chirita (g), Ed Christie (j), Dominic Davis (g), Josh Dernie (a), Lorenzo Edwards-Jones (b), Jack Hewitt (j), Fergus Laidlaw (j), Xida Li (e), Alex McCulloch (a), Oliver Padovan (c), Jake Sopher (c), Tarquin Stephenson (k), Charlie Stone (e), Jack Woollett (b).
Art: Artists visited many galleries and exhibitions this year and ten boys went on a trip to Florence in February. A level artists joined Desborough College on a trip to the Barbican Gallery, the National Gallery and the Royal Academy. History of Art students have also benefited from trips to the Ashmolean. Talks have been given by Anthony Slinn, architect Alan Berman, writers David Boyd Haycock and Ross King, and Art Historians Nick Ross and Tom Parsons. Exhibiting Cornish artist Mark Spray ran a landscape painting workshop and IPE led a Tracey Emin inspired workshop.
Biology: In July 45 students and staff amended a conservation expedition in the Honduras cloud forests, discovering a new species of mammal in the process. The Dissection Society investigated the anatomy of a range of species. Medical Society heard a talk by Dr Alice Unwin, on setting up a hospital in Uganda. Ben Cobbold (j) organised a talk by orthopaedic surgeon Mr James WilsonMacDonald. Biology Society speakers including Dr Caroline Pond, wildlife camerawoman Abbie Barnes and John Shuckburgh from Oxford Wine Company. to the national ‘Biology Olympiad’. Five students achieved ‘Commended,’ two were ‘Highly Commended’, two received ‘Bronze’, two ‘Silver’ and two ‘Gold’. With Dan Chirita being selected to go through to the next stage. James Mocatta (k) came second in the Peterhouse Essay Competition. The 6.1 visited Dale Fort Field Centre in Pembrokeshire. There were trips to Oxford and also the Natural History Museum.
Chemistry: 6.1 boys went to Bristol University for a laboratory-based day in which they analysed caffeine. 6.1s also synthesised hydrated
10
THE RADLEIAN
copper (II) ethanoate in the department labs, and took these to the x-ray crystallography department at Oxford University. 6.1 and 6.2s sat the Chemistry Olympiad paper, with Dan Chirita (g) earning a gold medal; Ollie Padovan (c), Charlie Betton (d), Luke Wild (b), Adam Hargreaves (h) and Henry Rees (j) were all credited with silver medals, and James Mocatta (k), Ben Cobbold (j), Michael de Winton(f), Louis Wood (e) and Alex McGee (f) all earned bronze medals.
Geography: Fieldtrips saw boys visiting Exmoor’s rivers, the valleys of South Wales, Bournemouth’s seafront, London’s Brick Lane and the high tech Williams Formula 1 centre. Some 6.2s also visited Beijing and Shanghai. The annual ‘Worldly Wise’ quiz was won by C Social. The boys enjoyed lectures on UK socioeconomic
Classics: Harry Constant (b) had the idea for a panel show, ‘Classical Would I Lie To You’. We also hosted an Oxbridge talk on Dido with Abingdon School, given by Dr Celia Campbell. The annual Reading Competition was judged by Judith Affleck, formerly Head of Classics at Harrow. Harry Constant (b) won the Greek and Lorenzo Edwards-Jones (b) the Latin. Harry and Josh Dernie (a) later won first places at the Oxford Area Classical Reading Competition at the Classics Faculty in Oxford. There was a visit from Dr Nigel Spivey of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and the Coffee Shop also hosted regular short Classical readings.
Design and Technology: All 142 Shells completed the cable car challenge, to design a car to travel across the suspended 9m course in the workshop. It was won by William DavieThornhill (e) and John Peers (a). OR’s Oli Elliott and Nick Holland returned to explain their work, designing luxury yachts for Terence Disdale and high-end drinks packaging for Design Bridge in London.. We continue to forge links with Savannah College of Art and Design.
Economics: 6.1 Economists enjoyed a trip to Beijing and Shanghai plus attended a variety of conferences and talks. A trip to the Institute of Directors to hear the State of the Economy talks was a highlight, and helped to prepare for the Royal Economic Society’s essay competition.
English: Students enjoyed a range of activities, including 17 theatre trips to Oxford, Stratford and London, 13 visiting lecturers, ten visiting writers, three meetings of the studentled Shakespeare Society, and two dons vs students debates. The 6.1s went to Petersfield in Hampshire to explore the landscape that inspired the war poet Edward Thomas. Members of the Creative Writing Group, Charles Saunders (h), Ed Whitbread (h) and Harry Constant (b) all produced Leavers’ Anthologies of their work while at Radley.
inequality (Professor Danny Dorling), extreme weather events (Dr. Nicholas Klingaman), urban decay (Professor Heather Viles) and Geographical Information Systems (Adam Dennett). The sixth-form Harris Society held the first ‘Solstice Dinner’ with girls from Wycombe Abbey.
Geology: Field trips to geology sites like Durdle Door took place; while in March, 6.1