The Chronicle 682

3 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

IB Class of ’21 By Anna Fielding, IB Coordinator Last month, Upper Sixth IB pupils celebrated a fantastic set of results. The government decision not to hold exams in the UK meant that grades were based on a combination of teacher predictions and externally assessed coursework. With coursework making up at least 20% of each grade pupils can be confident of having had all their hard work recognised. There were many successes: an overall points average of 35.9 out of 45, 28% of pupils achieving 40 points or more and the amazing achievement of 95% of Higher Level grades being awarded at levels 7-5 (roughly equivalent to A*-B at A Level). On an individual level there were personal accomplishments for so many pupils who are rightly proud of their final scores. Particular mention goes to Kunal Barman and Izzy Rees who both achieved perfect scores of 45 points, and to Nicholas Sawyer and Roman Tinkov who both achieved 44. Pupils have been offered places on an exciting range of university courses with over 90% achieving their first choice university. To name just a few: Caitlin Adams, Arabic and Islamic Studies at Exeter; Kunal Barman, PPE at Oxford, Rowan Bisp, Global Sustainable Development at Warwick; Lily Helling, Physiotherapy at Trinity College Dublin (tbc); Harvey Machin, Anthropology at Bristol; and Roman Tinkov, Chemistry at UCL.

As always, the international nature of the Diploma often lends itself to universities overseas and this year this includes Athena Bonnefoy to University of Virginia, Cheyenne Rahimian to UC San Diego and Sofiia Shapovalova to New York University (see page 18). Perhaps most importantly, these results are a testament to the two years of hard work, resilience and determination of a remarkable cohort. Sixth Form courses are always demanding. However, the pandemic brought with it an added level of complexity; Theory of Knowledge presentations had to be completed online, oral examinations took place virtually and 4,000-word Extended Essays had to be completed almost wholly through remote conversations with supervisors and online research portals. In the Extended Essays top grades were awarded to many including Alexander Barrington Brown on the impact of the Peterloo Massacre, Hannah Bullen on the Soviet artist Malevich, Josh Thomas on mental and physical rehearsal in golfers and Hannah Hohage on the impact of sleep on obesity. During periods in School the sense of community in the cohort shone through: in study groups meeting in Willows café, in the leadership shown through CAS experiences (Creativity, Activity and Service) or just making the most of their time at Teddies.

Anna Fielding IB Coordinator

Izzy Rees, Liberal Arts Durham University

Kunal Barman, PPE St Edmund Hall, The University of Oxford

Whether off to university in September, or making plans for a year out, we wish the IB Class of ’21 the very best of luck.

Nicholas Sawyer, Politics and Philosophy The London School of Economics

Roman Tinkov, Chemistry University College London