News

Archbishop Holgate’s School celebrated their annual carol service in York Minster on Wednesday 12 December. The event has grown in recent years to become a popular community occasion and one of the largest school carol services in the region. Over a thousand parents, governors, friends of the school and members of the public filled the nave and aisles of the Cathedral, joined by Reverend Matt Woodcock, Mission Enabler for the Diocese of York and contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought.

Those present heard the Christmas story retold through the music, drama, bible readings, carols and dance. This was done with a particular focus on the story of the Shepherds and how the Christmas story reflects the Birth of Hope. Over 200 students from Archbishop Holgate’s participated in the service as singers, readers, actors, dancers, musicians, ushers, technical crew and in a British Sign Language choir. The school was also joined by over 150 pupils from nine primary schools across York and the East Riding who sang together. This year the Community Choir had almost 80 parents, governors and staff from Archbishop Holgate’s School and others in the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust.

The preacher at the service was Reverend Matt Woodcock, Pioneer minister at St Barnabas Church, York and a BBC Radio 2 Pause for Thought Contributor. Matt spoke of Jesus as the ultimate ‘divine disruptor’ who was ‘dangerous’ to know and follow. He spoke of Jesus as someone who turns worlds upside down. He explained that this was true of the nativity characters 2,000 years ago and it’s true today. He told the congregation that the hearts of Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds had been disrupted to the point where they were prepared to lay aside everything and do what God was calling them to do and go where God was calling them to go. He finished by asking us to reflect on what that might mean for everyone present. About the service Matt said: “It was a huge honour to speak at this service. What a brilliant night in one of the world’s most magnificent buildings! The staff and pupils helped convey the real meaning of Christmas in such a beautiful and engaging way. They should be very proud.”

Richard Nihill, the School’s Chaplain, said: “It is a real privilege to present our interpretation of the Christmas story in the beautiful setting of York Minster. We know that for many of the congregation this is their main opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ birth. To have the opportunity to share this with over a thousand people is wonderful. For me the annual carol service is one of the highlights of the school year and a wonderful reflection of our school values. We were delighted to have welcomed Rev. Matt Woodcock to join us in our celebrations. His boundless enthusiasm was truly infectious.”

Listen to the BBC Radio York coverage including interviews with Richard Nihill, School Chaplain, and Head Boy and Girl, Archie and Maia.

The community leadership and charity work of over 200 students was recognised at the fifth Archbishop of York Young Leaders’ Award Ceremony on Thursday 18 October.

The Bishop of Hull, the Right Reverend Alison White, presented students with their certificates for completing the challenging and inspiring course over two years, studying the work of inspirational people of faith, and then identifying and supporting those in need through acts of volunteering, fundraising and charity.

This scheme, taught alongside Citizenship lessons, was launched in January 2012 by the Religious Education department and is now firmly established in the school’s curriculum. Head of RE, Miss Harper said: “It’s wonderful that again this year we have another group of impressive young students who have demonstrated the ability to learn, understand and apply the lessons of the world’s great spiritual leaders.”

This year students contributed to a remarkable range of projects and events: organising a community coffee morning (baking cakes, decorating the hall, a raffle, refreshments, flower displays for the tables) and various other fundraising events and cake sales. In addition, they have been volunteering in the community, baby-sitting for relatives, dog walking and other odd jobs for neighbours, helping at Parents’ Evenings, collecting World Book Day books for Cape Town and being a source of support for their own families.

School Chaplain, Mr Nihill said: “It’s fantastic to see yet another cohort of students complete the award and to know that this great work will be replicated every year. As more and more students learn about the power of charity and supporting our communities, they will be able to contribute more and more to making the world a better place.”

The awards ceremony was attended by the students, their parents and carers, family members and the teaching staff. The event was a wonderful opportunity to reward and celebrate the selfless and inspirational work our young people have achieved. We are very proud of the positive change they have brought to their local communities and to themselves.

Building on our excellent Sixth Form results last week I am delighted to say that our Year 11 students have also performed exceptionally, across the full range of reformed GCSE qualifications. Last year’s student progress was outstanding, in the top 10% nationally, and we are delighted that early analysis indicates 2018 results are equally as strong. 86% of students passed their English GCSE and 74%of students passing their Maths, a superb achievement given the rigour of these qualifications. Furthermore over three-quarters of all subjects performed in the top 25% (or better) for student progress. This reflects the strength and breadth of the curriculum and the hard work of students and staff here at Archbishop’s. I would like to thank all our students and their parents for their commitment to the school. For me and the staff it is a great privilege to be part of an outstanding school and to know we continue to make a real difference in the lives of these young people.”

We are delighted to say that our Year 11 students have also performed exceptionally well across all subject areas. Indeed over 60% of the year group secured at least one grade 8/9/A* or Distinction*, which they should be extremely proud of. Special mention should also be made to the 24 students who achieved 9 or more A, A*, 8 and 9 grade qualifications:

At Archbishop’s 54 students (over a quarter of Year 11) achieved more than a grade higher than national performance across all their GCSEs. Students making exceptional progress include:

We also look forward to the Progress 8 score for this cohort which should be extremely impressive. I would like to thank all our staff, our students and their parents for their hard work and commitment to the school, which has rightly been rewarded with excellent grades for themselves but also record results for the school.

Alexis Green-Harding Deputy Head says “These results are a testament to all the hard work and dedication of both Staff and students. As the government continues to introduce increasing rigour in GCSE standards it is really pleasing to see our students leading progress nationally.

Miss Francesca De Lashley, Director of Sixth Form says “With our students reaping the rewards of their hard work and commitment, the majority will be looking forward to starting on their A levels or Level 3 BTECs very soon. We are very excited and privileged to be welcoming so many ambitious and hard-working students back into our outstanding Sixth Form. We look forward to supporting them in the next steps of their academic career.

This morning has seen huge celebrations at Archbishop Holgate’s School. Mr Williams, Head of Year 11 said “Both myself and the Year 11 team are incredibly proud of the excellent results achieved by Year 11. The results are a testament to the dedication and commitment each student has shown, not just in the exams but over the last five years at Archbishop Holgate’s School. Each set of results reflects a personal success story for each student and it has been a privilege to celebrate and share their achievements today. These results have been achieved through hard work and the enduring relationships which they have built with the dedicated staff at Archbishops. I know Year 11 are very grateful for all staff have done to support them. These results will provide strong foundations for our students to go on and achieve their potential in whatever they decide to do next. I wish them the very best in the future.

Archbishop Holgate’s has limited places available for September and any students wishing to join our outstanding Sixth Form is strongly advised to contact us. Visit our website for more information on the excellent opportunities available at our Sixth Form.

01904 411341

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Congratulations to all our Year 13’s and their families who are receiving their results today.

Over the past three years we are delighted to have been ranked in the top 1% of schools nationally for student progress at Post 16 and are pleased that this pattern of outstanding performance has continued this year with another set of excellent results. We are incredibly proud of the efforts of all our students with headline figures for Year 13 including:

• 100% A Level and Level 3 BTEC pass rate
• 97% of students achieved at least one grade A*-B or equivalent
• 76% of all entries were graded at A*-B or equivalent
• 40% of all entries were graded at A*-A or equivalent

Miss De Lashley, Head of Sixth Form said “2018 has been another great year for our sixth form students. These results reflect hard work, commitment and a genuine desire to achieve their potential. We are delighted to have supported these young people in taking a step closer to their chosen future aspirations. The rigour of the reformed qualifications has been met with a determination to succeed. It is really pleasing to see that all of their hard work over the last two years has paid off and they have achieved excellent grades and made great progress. We are absolutely thrilled for them and we are grateful for all of their contributions to the school and local community. They have embodied the school’s values throughout their time with us and have been excellent role models. We wish all of our students the very best of luck in the future and look forward to hearing about all of their successes to come.”

Headteacher, Andrew Daly, said: “Archbishop Holgate’s School is once again celebrating excellent results both in terms of achievement and progress. This is especially pleasing in light of the fact that the reform of both A Level and Vocational subjects means that the academic demands of these subjects are greater than ever.  These results are outstanding, with a 100% pass rate, 97% of students achieving at least one grade A*- B or equivalent, 76% of entries graded at A*- B or equivalent and 40% of students achieving A*- A or equivalent. This means that the vast majority of students have secured places at their first choice university. We are very pleased to see that the commitment and hard work of our students has been rewarded with another set of excellent results, and we are incredibly proud of all our students and wish them all the very best for their futures.”

Mr Daly added: “With a clear and consistent track record of outstanding results, a broad curriculum and outstanding teaching, Archbishop Holgate’s Sixth Form has once again demonstrated that it is an outstanding provider of Post 16 education – both locally and nationally.”

Below is just a small selection of students who achieved their dreams, however the list could go on and on….

William Batt: A Levels in English Literature (A*), History (A*), Media (A), and Politics (A). He is going to study History at Newcastle University.

Eve Battersby: A Levels in English Language (A) History (A), RE (A) and Music (B). She is going to study Liberal Arts at Durham University.

Kamila Chalat: A Levels in Media (B) and BTEC in Applied Law (D*), Travel and Tourism (D*) and Extended Project (C). She is taking a gap year before going onto university.

Thomas Creswick: A Levels in History (A), Politics (A), RE (A) and BTEC in Applied Law (D*). He is currently deciding which university offer to take up.

Jamie Duffill: A Levels in English Literature (A*), History (A*), Politics (A) and Music (C). He is going to study History at the University of Nottingham.

Will Haigh: BTECs in Business (Distinction* Distinction*), Sport (Distinction) and A Level History (B). He is going to study American History at Manchester.

Emily Hutchinson: A Level in Art (B) and BTECs in Applied Law (D*), Health and Social Care (D*) and Travel and Tourism (D*). She is going to study Criminology at York St John University.

Ryan Martin: A Levels in English Literature (A), Geography (A) and Media (A*). He is going to study Geography at the University of Nottingham.

Amelie Matravers: A Levels in History (A*), German (A*), Biology (A), Chemistry (A). She is going to study Medicine at Edinburgh.

Isobel McArthur: A Levels in English Language (A), Psychology (A) and Sociology (A). She is going to study Psychology at the University of Birmingham

Olivia Rippon: A Levels in Maths (A*), Further Maths (A*), Psychology (A*), History (A). She is going to study Psychology at Bath University.

Robyn Smyth: A Levels in English (B), History (A), Photography (A), Politics (A). She is taking a gap year working for a church-based human rights organisation in Belgium called Act Alliance.

James Taylor: A Levels in Maths (A), Further Maths (A), Physics (A) and BTEC in IT (D*). He is going to study Computer Science at the University of Manchester.

Harriet Willet: A Levels in Biology (A*), Chemistry (A), Further Maths (A), Maths (A*). She is going to study Natural Sciences at Lancaster University.

Archbishop Holgate’s has come top in York for progress at both GCSE and A Level in the secondary school league tables.

Andrew Daly, Headteacher, said: “In a city with so many excellent schools it’s fantastic that we have managed to perform most strongly this year. I would like to congratulate all the students and staff for their outstanding efforts in achieving these results at both GCSE and A Level.”

The government’s key performance indicator for schools is Progress 8, which aims to capture the progress students make from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school by measuring their performance across eight qualifications.

A score above 0.5 means on average students make over half a grade better progress across a range of eight subjects at GCSE when compared to similar students nationally.

In a year when the school has once again achieved outstanding judgments in all areas of its Church School Inspection (SIAMS) Archbishop Holgate’s Progress 8 Score for GCSE of +0.53 secures its position among the highest 5% of schools in the country and represents the best Progress 8 Score in York.

Andrew Daly said: “To be ranked in the top 5% nationally in terms of similar schools at GCSE makes me really proud and reinforces the view of inspectors earlier in the year that Archbishop Holgate’s is a school where real opportunities for transformation exist.”

At A Level, the school’s Sixth Form Progress Score in once again among the strongest nationally and the best in York, building on its year on year pattern of outstanding outcomes at Post 16.

Francesca De Lashley, Director of Sixth Form, said: “We are delighted with the outcomes our students achieved last summer. Our consistent outstanding performance and two year placing in the top 1% for A Level performance demonstrates how hard our students work to achieve strong foundations for their future aspirations. We have a strong ethos within school for hard work and an individual approach to supporting the needs of each student within our care.”