Month: August 2023

Sedbergh’s GCSE students are today celebrating an excellent set of results. Just as for A level results, GCSE pupil were warned that grades will be lower than last year as grade boundaries return to 2019, pre-pandemic levels. However, we are delighted to report a great set of results for this cohort, with 36.45 % of grades marked 9 – 7 (A* -A) and 90.96 % of grades marked 9 – 4 (A* – C). This compares strongly against our last pre-pandemic external examination results back in 2019, and returns an improved value added score from 2019.

Mr Dan Harrison, Sedbergh School’s Headmaster, has shared his praise saying: “Returning to normal, pre-pandemic, grading is a painful process for pupils across the board. Nonetheless, this year’s set of GCSE results represents an achievement of which we are unreservedly proud. They are a real testament to the resilience and hard work of our pupils and also our dedicated staff.”

Our top performer this year was Jake Stevens (Hart House) who achieved an average grade of 8.8 across all of his results. Isabel Gaskin (Lupton House) and Oliver Hinds (School House) also enjoyed an outstanding set of results, averaging grades of 8.7 and 8.3 respectively. In total, 11% of pupils achieved an average grade of 7.5 or higher, which is a fantastic achievement.

We are looking forward to welcoming these pupils back next week, as they start the next chapter in their Sedbergh journey in our Sixth Form.

Sara dreams of being Editor-in-Chief of a top fashion magazine. While she thinks of herself as indecisive, Sara has an exceptionally clear picture of what areas of communications do and do not suit her and thought through a range of courses to find the right ‘fit’.

Sara joined Sedbergh in Year 9 and studied digital media, economics and english literature A-levels. She was offered her first choice of Fashion Public Relations and Communication in the London College of Fashion at the University of the Arts, London.

What is your ambition after leaving Sedbergh?

I’m not entirely sure what my end goal is! The university course [Fashion Public Relations and Communication] has a lot to do with advertising and branding; how the brand portrays itself to its target audience. The course does a lot with magazines and other forms of communication so I could be working with magazines, with billboards or even a video campaign. While the course looks at business models that apply to a lot of different industries but we look especially at examples within the fashion industry and we work a lot with PR agencies that work and specialise with fashion companies. A company that I’m hoping to work with a lot is Conde Nast which is the publishing company for Vogue and a lot of other fashion magazines.

While this was your first choice, what other courses did you consider?

All of the courses I looked at were in or near London. I looked at:

Have you always been interested in fashion?

I’ve always been interested in fashion; I’ve always loved styling. But I feel like the interest in advertisement only came more recently – in the last two years. I’m not entirely sure where it came from! I think it was just me being a fan of celebrities and looking at how they walk down the red carpet, how they get to that process.

Another thing that interested me a lot was different cultures, and that’s what I actually based my digital media studies on this year – the different ways that you communicate the parts of yourself in fashion; that could be your culture, your gender, your political views. I find it really interesting to see the different ways that fashion is important not just in what you wear but who you are.

Why didn’t think of going into fashion from a design perspective?

I’ve always admired it but, if I’m honest, I feel like I’m not that creative! It’s one of those places where I’d get stuck – there’s too many options and I’m quite an indecisive person!

Did you look at other aspects of communications?

Not so much, but that’s because I’m familiar with it. I do a lot of the communications for my family’s business; for example I work with the website a lot, I design the brochures, I do a lot of photography. I feel like I prefer communicating something more with a message. I also looked at graphic design but that didn’t fit right either.

Do you have any role models whose path you’d like to follow?

Yes, quite a few! The most Edward Enninful who is the current editor-in-chief of British Vogue. He’s a massive role model and I feel like that would be my most sought after achievement, my absolute top goal – becoming the editor-in-chief of a magazine. In general, in the journey he’s been on he’s done so many inspiring things to help people – most recently he created the first Braille issue of any fashion magazine ever. I thought that was really cool.

Was fashion journalism on your radar?

Its something I’m considering a lot more – especially since I did English Literature at A Level! Even when I was doing my digital media work, the part that interested me the most was writing and researching about it! So, that’s something I’m considering and it is an option that I can go into on my course. I can change to that as a more specific avenue.

How did you become aware of this pathway?

It was my sister who made it clearer to me. She has a friend doing fashion design and she made me aware that these type of courses are about. Initially I started looking at graphic design – which is why I was looking at the University of the Arts – and then I started to look at their other courses and colleges, not graphic design. Looking into the courses I realised how much of an interest I did have in fashion. So, really it just was my sister making me realise that these were courses available and the thing to do to get the job that I’ve dreamed of my whole life… which, if I’m honest, is a lot based off the movie “Devil Wears Prada”.

For your position at the University, did you have to submit any folios, do any interviews – anything extra?

The only place I needed where I needed a portfolio – although it wasn’t a portfolio, as such – was the London College of Fashion. I needed to submit one piece of work in response to the question, “What is your favourite fashion brand due to their communication?” I had to write a 1500 word essay (I think it was 1500 words) and then you design that page artistically in any form that you like. I used a lot of the tools that I’d used in digital media to help me create that.

How did Sedbergh School help you prepare for your applications?

Ms Rowland, the Head of Year 13 and also my tutor, was so useful. She helped me a lot with my personal statement and she helped me find other fashion personal statements so I had a better idea of framing my application. That was really useful. Because I felt my creative work wasn’t as good as my academics Ms Rowland also worked with me to find courses that relied upon an interview with academic grades, rather than a portfolio which I felt was my weakness. My digital media teachers helped almost as much as Ms Rowland. They came from art universities, particularly Ms Bell, who studied architecture, she helped with my piece for London College of Fashion because she knows how to comment on things.

Did you focus on any particular extra-curricular activities to help you prepare?

Yes, there’s quite a few. The most useful to me was dancing; I’m trained in ballet but I prefer to dance lyrical or contemporary. However, every Wednesday – middle of the week – at Sedbergh I’d have a ballet lesson with a teacher that I’ve had since before year 9. Recently I saw how far I’d come over the years and it showed me that when I want to get something done, I can. Even the little things, like when I was dancing in the School play and I helped choreograph a lot of the dances. I also taught all of the dances to everyone else and I had a solo. It was a confidence booster to show that other people are interested in what I do.

What are the things that you do to relax?

Sports and active things – like rugby – help me to get off steam and extra energy to clear my head. Photography helped me a lot too because it makes you focus on something that isn’t yourself.

Which of the School’s HARK values do you most identify with?

I feel like resilience is the most important and something that I’ve grown while being at Sedbergh. Learning to not give up; learning to keep your goal in mind when you come to a standstill and you’re not sure what to do. I am a pretty indecisive person and I like having a goal to work towards – that helps me push through. I feel like once you overcome the smallest thing, that gives you confidence to overcome the next thing – and then you become more confident. I feel like that’s really important.

81%

A-C Results (National ave 76%)

47%

Russell Group University Offers

92%

First or Insurance University

A*A*A*A*

Top Result

32%

Studying in STEM Related Courses

We’d like to congratulate this year’s A level and BTEC students on their excellent results. 

Sedbergh School Headmaster, Mr Dan Harrison, shared his pride, saying; “We are incredibly proud of the class of 2023. As we celebrate their remarkable achievement, we also want to acknowledge their resilience and fortitude – qualities that will serve them well in the future. The press has highlighted that this year’s pupils have faced a daunting combination of both tougher grading and more fierce competition for university places. The class of 2023 was also heavily impacted by COVID, they missed out on sitting GCSE exams – an experience that undoubtedly helps by giving them valuable, real, exam experience ahead of A level exams. However, even knowing that they face the most challenging results year since pre-COVID these outstanding pupils have kept their spirits high and their resolve firm. These pupils embody Sedbergh School’s values. We also extend our sincere thanks to our dedicated teaching team who have supported these pupils throughout their sixth form.” Dan Harrison, Headmaster

We wish them every success as they begin their next stage in their academic careers.

Top 3 achievers this year: 

Destination highlights:

Key statistics*: 

*Please note that we will update these statistics as additional information becomes available.

Maria Mendoza, now a successful architect working in London, credits her time at Sedbergh with developing the resilience that has helped her through her challenging studies.

I first started at Sedbergh in year 10, in Lupton House. I came from a Spanish city in the African continent where two days a year it would rain, and PE classes were cancelled. From there, I transitioned into some hard-core running in the fells no matter the weather, usually in the hail/snow/rain. My years at Sedbergh School  have been some of the best memories of my life, and the friendships I made through my time there are by far made up of some of the most influential people in my life, who are like family nowadays.

Once I left School, I went to UCL to read architecture. It was an extremely challenging time, but the endurance that Sedbergh taught me, whether it was running up those hills or when facing academic courses in my second language, really helped me get on top of my university course. I worked in London for a year as a part 1 architect before doing an MPhil in Architecture and Urban Design at Cambridge University. There, I was able to take on a very similar approach to my time at Sedbergh: try as many things as you can and make as many friends as possible, as everyone was a great source of knowledge and fun. I boxed, rowed, and led a society alongside my studies, which was made a little easier by having previously been Head of School. It taught me a great deal, especially in public speaking. Now I am back working in London as an architect, about to complete my first ultramarathon (100km), which seems like a crazy thought to a 14 year old me, and I hope to continue rowing on the tide-away. I live with two other Sedberghians, which makes life a constant giggle, while they also inspire me through their incredible careers at only 23 and 24!

Maria Mendoza-Guerrero BSc Architecture (Hons), MPhil Cantab, ARB

When did you decide that you wanted to become an architect?

I think it was the year of my GCSEs. Mr Sykes was my Maths teacher who was outstanding, one of the best teachers I have ever had. He taught us Maths and Further Maths, and I remember enjoying the geometry side. He made every lesson so fun and exciting. He knew how to keep a chatty group entertained! At the same time, I was enjoying Art. I had just injured myself by breaking my left ACL, and I couldn’t take on sport as much as you usually would at Sedbergh, so I spent much free time in the Art department with Ms Duncalf. She was also a brilliant teacher. I had not studied Art at all in my previous school, and she would encourage me to try new things, especially in the more 3D/structural side of things. She was incredibly supportive and also encouraged me to apply for an Art Scholarship for Sixth Form, which would become determining later on. By the time we were doing our mock exams and picking our A Levels, it was obvious to me that I could not drop either subject, and the idea of combining them both was becoming a pretty exciting prospect. Order, beauty and people had always mattered to me, and Architecture started to be defined in those terms as a 16-year-old.

Why did you feel that architecture was right for you? Do you think that architecture particularly leverages any of your personal traits or skills?

I think at the time; I thought I could make a good architect because I was good at those subjects and I enjoyed them. Little I knew back then that it was at least a seven-year course-long degree with an average of 2/3s drop out… Two traits that got me this far were being stubborn and resilient: not wanting to give up when things were not working out. I remember, in my first year, a well-known architect telling me, “I would never be able to graduate from that university”, as I was presenting my work. And I was so determined to prove them wrong. The day I graduated with a first, I emailed them to let them know I could do it. 

Is there anybody that inspires you – as an architect or as a person – to be better? 

There are so many people out there that inspire me every day. I mean, some of them are absolutely bonkers, and that is the best part about them: they do not let others define what is possible or that a career should take a traditional path. I have to say that most of those people are friends and family. My brother, who was at Sedgwick, is one of them. He is one of the most disciplined people I have ever met, and as a result, he is an outstanding student. This honestly reminds me to stay on track… My housemate Molly, who was in Carus, has the most amazing resilience in the world. She works as a doctor in A&E night shifts and deals with tremendously difficult situations, yet she always has time for the smallest of my struggles with the biggest smile. Georgina, also my housemate, who won the Wilson and was also in Lupton, is another incredible example of discipline and resilience. I still remember how in her final year of school, which I found quite challenging, she set herself the goal of winning the Wilson even if running wasn’t even her main sport! She has some serious grit in everything she does.

From an Architecture point of view, Richard Rogers has been my favourite for a long time. He had an outstanding career. His work can be understood on its own but also as a part of a vast movement. Most importantly, he did everything he did because he cared about people and, as a result, about design. I definitely recommend his book “A place for all the people”. It’s not one for architects only but for anyone interested in anything on how a lot of the places that we know well have shaped us to be who we are as a society.

Whilst still at Sedbergh School, how were you encouraged and supported to pursue architecture?

Mrs Prall was such a huge encouragement. She rooted so much for me and did practice interviews with me to prepare for the university rounds. The art department helped me so much to prepare my portfolio, and even Mr Fleck [former Headmaster], along with many others, went through my personal statement with me! I definitely found applying to university in a second language an overwhelming process, but thankfully having all of them made it a lot easier than it could have been otherwise. Most importantly, I think that trait of resilience that allowed me to get through the different parts of the degree was built up in my years at school. Not being able to turn around when going up a fell in the snow, no matter how out of breath I was, wasn’t a different feeling from trying endlessly to produce the right architectural designs when my tutors would discourage me from studying architecture.

What’s next in your career? Do you have any BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) that you are hoping to take on – and that you can share with us!?

I am about to start working for Assael Architecture. I was interviewed by John Assael himself (an architecture legend!) through the process of entering the company. I want to qualify as a part 3 architect and continue to research how to reduce the impact our built environment, and particularly housing in the UK, has upon our health and, as a result, the strain that it imposes on the NHS. On the sports front, I am about to complete my first 100km run: the Thames Path and I have some exciting news rowing wise, which I cannot share fully with you just yet… But, I will let you know as soon as they are confirmed!  

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