Developing confident, respectful
and successful young people
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Developing confident, respectful and successful young people
E enquiries@wellswayschool.com
NEWS
EVENTS
Wellsway mourns founding teacher Joan Ellison
Joan Ellison, who notched up half a century at Wellsway School, has died at the age of 86.
Joan was the last of the five original teachers who were at Wellsway when it opened in 1956, unusually with a secondary modern and a grammar on the same site.
Joan Laramy, as she was then, taught PE and games, for eight years until she left to have her family. She returned on supply in 1973 to what had become the comprehensive school and later rejoined the staff team, becoming head of special needs provision. Joan retired in 2001 but continued supply teaching until after her 50th anniversary.
She regularly took part in the popular annual Maths Weekends in the Forest of Dean in the 1980s and 1990s and was involved with foreign exchanges and overseas trips. She was a key participant in the Wellsway School 60th celebrations in 2016.
Joan lived in Keynsham throughout her married life. Her husband Fred, a retired primary headteacher, served for some years as a governor at Wellsway. Their daughter Katrina and son David both attended the school.
Former colleague Richard May, now head of IT services for Futura Learning Partnership, said: “Joan cared deeply about all the children who passed through her care. While unashamedly ‘old school’ in her insistence on politeness, manners and standards in general, she moved with the times and was, without doubt, one of the most respected and liked members of staff throughout her time at Wellsway.”
Tina Tabor, who recently retired after more than 40 years at the school, added: “Joan was a lovely lady and totally dedicated to the young people she worked with.”
Andrea Arlidge, a former head of Wellsway School and chief executive of Futura Learning Partnership, said: “Joan was a wonderful teacher who made a difference to the lives of thousands of young people in the Keynsham area. We are proud to have known her and send our condolences to her family.”
Joan’s funeral will take place at St John’s Church, Keynsham, on Tuesday November 15 at 12.30pm.
Year 11 GCSE Results - Wellsway School students are celebrating having received superb GCSE results
Year 11 GCSE Results - Wellsway School students are celebrating having received superb GCSE results.
“We are very proud of our students who have worked so hard to achieve these results and we are grateful for the support we always receive from parents to ensure their children strive to do their best”, said Principal, Rob Pearsall. "I couldn't be happier for them. Well done to each, and every student."
More than 62% of students gained five passes at grade 5 or above, including English and Maths and 85% gained five passes at grade 4 or above.
“These outcomes are a reflection of the outstanding level of commitment given by our students and staff who have all worked extremely hard to enable our students to reach their full potential.
“We're not all about results here, at Wellsway School we celebrate personal success and whilst so many of our students have attained fantastically high grades we are equally proud of those who have worked hard and achieved their potential, regardless of the measurable outcome. Not only did the year group perform well in this set of exams, they have contributed positively to school life, grown into responsible, caring citizens and given us the opportunity to laugh often and be proud!”
In a range of fantastic results, there were some outstanding outcomes for individual students. These include: Nathan Cundy and Adam Leeper (who both achieved nine Grade 9s and one Grade 8); Charles Husband (six Grade 9s, four Grade 8s); Dylan John seven Grade 9s, two Grade 8s, one Grade 7); Finlay Totterdell (six Grade 9s, two Grade 8s,one Grade 7s); Laurence Fay (seven Grade 9s, 1 Grade 8s, two Grade 7s); Isobel Sandrey (six Grade 9s, 3 Grade 8s, 1 Grade 7); Lucy Williams (five Grade 9s, four Grade 8s, one Grade 7) and Henry Moss (seven Grade 9s, one Grade 8, one Grade 7 and a Grade 5). This is a real accolade given the increased rigour and challenge of all the new examination specifications for this year group after the challenges they have faced due to their learning being affected by Covid.
There were further excellent individual successes including: Stephanie Ruddle, Samuel Bennett, Michael Allen, Ellis Bywater, Abi Elford-Ogunlude and Braeden Wells who have all made outstanding progress. Whilst we have highlighted some students, as a school we recognise the academic success of all our students who have overcome adversity, which truly reflects the distinct characteristics of our Wellsway learners at all levels.
This is enormously rewarding and our whole community will be celebrating all our many successes at GCSE, which now allows them to securely take the next step into their future career pathways, be that into further education, vocational courses or an apprenticeship placement.
The results show that despite the challenges that life has thrown at them in the last two years, when individuals work hard and apply themselves excellent progress can be made enabling students to progress to the next stage of their life with confidence and a sense of pride in their efforts.
Following our excellent A Level results last week, we are delighted to see all our subjects have continued to perform well against expectations. The staff and governors are so proud of all our students’ achievements and we look forward to many of them returning to study in our thriving Sixth Form as part of Futura Sixth, alongside new students joining us from other schools.
Thank you to all our parents and carers for their continued support.
We wish all our students good luck with their future plans.
For further information regarding Post-16 provision, please contact Adam Littleboy,
Assistant Principal, sixthform@wellswayschool.com
A Level Results Day - Wellsway School 'immensely proud of Year 13'
We are immensely proud of our Year 13 students and all of their achievements throughout their time in Wellsway Sixth Form. This comes after a time of unprecedented change and challenging examinations, where our students have consistently shown that they are adaptive and resilient as they tackled their studies head on. Overall, 65% of Wellsway students obtained a grade B or higher, and 87% a grade C or higher; this shows a good improvement since our last set of formal examination results in 2019.
We have always been mindful that for this cohort these are the first formal exams that many of them have sat. Whilst it has been a tough two years for everyone, nothing should distract us from the celebration of this point in their lives; our priority has been to do everything we can to support our students and to help them achieve their aspirations.
It is clear that all of their hard work and perseverance has culminated in the fantastic grades they received today. There are many great students celebrating their results today, but we would like to say congratulations to the following students who have achieved outstanding results:
- Harry Campbell achieved 4 A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths
- Emma Pearce achieved 4 A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths
- Rebekah Bolton achieved 2 A*s in English Literature and Geography, an A in Psychology and A* in EPQ
- Joe Snarr achieved 2 A*s in Maths and Further Maths, an A in economics and a B in Geography
Also, to be commended are Oliver Turner (A*, A, A), Oliver Taviner (A*, A, A), James Cole (A*, A, A), Rose Parkinson (A*, A, B), Thomas May (A*, A, B), Luke Hutchings (A, A, A), Izma Hussain (A*, A, B) & Will Haskins (A*, A, B). Two further students to highlight are Thomas Dixon and Catherine Zainuddin who showed great progress during their Sixth Form studies.
As a truly comprehensive Sixth Form, catering for all abilities, we are pleased that almost all students have achieved grades which have enabled them to successfully progress to the next stage of their chosen route in either education, training or employment. Emma is reading Chemistry with Medicinal Science at the University of Southampton, Harry Chemistry at the University of York, Izma History at Warwick University, James History at the University of Birmingham, and Joe Maths at University College London (UCL). Students have gained places on competitive apprenticeships, with Owen completing a Level 7 masters apprenticeship in Tax, Harvey working with Wessex Water and Dan starting engineering with BAE.
It is always great to have the opportunity to celebrate with students on results day and we wish them all the best with their next step and in the future. We would like to thank the students and teachers for their hard work, and the parents for their support, over the last seven years.
Well done to the class of 2022 – you have made us very proud!
Summer Concert
Due to weather our Summer concert will not be going ahead as planned on Wednesday at 6.00pm. For those who have signed up to watch you will be sent a link over the next few days.
For those taking part please attend rehearsals during the day on Wednesday as planned.
GCSE Results 2020
GCSE Achievement for Year 11 students at Wellsway School
This year’s Year 11 were an exceptional year group who were set to achieve an impressive set of results for themselves and they have impressed us throughout the recent months in how they have responded to the challenges their year group has faced. It is with great pleasure that we welcome them in for Results Day today and we look forward to seeing a great many of them return to us for sixth form.
Despite uncertainties around results that have emerged since the A Level Results last week, we are pleased that students have now been awarded their Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) – these are the grades that Wellsway School submitted to the exam boards in accordance with the advice given by Ofqual (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020). Despite the press describing them as teacher predictions, they are not based on the judgement of any single teacher, and have been carefully standardised and moderated across both the school and our wider multi academy trust. They represent the grades that we have judged students were most likely to achieve in the summer exams on the basis of all of the work they had produced over the duration of the course until the closure of schools in March 2020.
Wellsway undertook the process with integrity and rigour and our students receive today a deserved set of grades that they should feel proud of, down to their hard work and the efforts and commitment of our staff.
There will be a great many students who will be celebrating today, but we would like to say particular congratulations to the following students who have achieved the following outstanding individual successes:
Henry Williams achieving 9 grade 9s and 1 grade 8;
Rebekah Bolton and Ffion Bright both achieving 8 grade 9s and 2 grade 8s;
Izma Hussain achieving 8 grade 9s, 1 grade 8 and 1 grade 7;
Oscar Lopez-Cottrell (6 x 9s, 4 x 8s);
Emma Pearce (7 x 9s, 2 x 8s, 1 x 7);
Mykenzie Evans & Joseph Snarr both with 6 x 9s, 3 x 8, 1 x 7);
Melanie Harber & Holly Jones both achieving 5 x 9s, 4 x 8s and 1 x 7.
Post-16 Results 2020
We have been extremely impressed with the manner in which our Year 13 students have coped with the challenges of recent months and with the process of awarding A Level grades; they have shown great resilience.
Students, parents and teachers have rightfully questioned and challenged the process for awarding grades and on Monday it was announced that students will be awarded their centre assessed grades.
We are pleased that almost all of our students have been awarded grades which have enabled them to successfully progress to the next stage of their chosen route in education, training or employment.
We would also like to say congratulations to the following students who have achieved the following outstanding individual successes:
- Megan Sullivan achieved A* grades in biology, chemistry, maths and extended project and will study veterinary science at Cambridge.
- Nathan Coltart achieved A* grades in chemistry, maths physics and extended project. He is going on to study chemistry at Oxford.
- Andrew Dubois achieved A* grades in biology, chemistry, maths, further maths and physics. He will study natural sciences at Cambridge.
- Also William Burston (A,A,A), Kathryn Collard (A*,A*,A), Eleanor Jupp (A,A,A), Edward O’Reilly (A*,A*,A), Samuel Parsons (A,A,A), Amelia Richards (A*,A,A), Daisy Richards (A*,A*,A), James Spincer (A,A,A), Meg Straton (A,A,A), Samuel Thier (A*,A,A), Charlie Westbrook (A,A,A) and Harry Williams (A,A,A).
We are proud of all of our students and there are many more students than those named here who will be celebrating personal successes – it has been a real pleasure supporting this Year 13 group to grow and develop at Wellsway School, as individuals and collectively. We look forward to hearing of their further successes and achievements in the future and to welcoming them back for their reunion and celebration evening later this year.
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