The School’s Objects, as set out in the Memorandum of Association, are the advancement of education for the benefit of the public. In furtherance of these Objects for the public benefit the School has established and administers bursaries, grants, awards and other benefactions, and acts as the trustee and manager of property, endowments, bequests and gifts given or established in pursuance of these Objects.
Objectives:
To provide:
In the Summer 2016, Malvern St James Girls’ School celebrated another year of outstanding examination performances enabling the girls to move onto their sixth form career with confidence and success across a range of subjects.
At GCSE, this year saw a rise in the number of top grades awarded, with a new record of 37% A* grades with 63% of girls achieving A*-A. 86% of entries were at A*- B.
Twelve girls have achieved 7 or more A* grades in their subjects with nine girls achieving A* in all their subjects.
Collectively, the School’s STEM subjects were at an impressively strong 89% A* – B grades. This outstanding performance was reflected across the breadth of subjects offered by the School:
At GCE A Level, over 28% of students have achieved AAB or above in their three A Level subjects with seven girls celebrating 3 or more A* - A grades. The overall pass rate increased, from the last two years, to 99%. 65% of all entries were at A*-B grades with positive value added scores.
The School’s reputation for Extra Curricular Languages provision is reflected in the department’s continued 100% A* – A grades, achieved this year by one third of students. French, Further Maths, History and Food technology achieved 100% A* – B.
The calibre of the leavers’ University destination list is first-class and demonstrates the quality of advice on offer by the School’s Careers and Higher Education department. The bold choices the girls made for their University courses also successfully portray the School’s aims and ethos, that is, forward-thinking and tailored to each girl’s interests and talents. Almost all girls went on to study at their first choice of University or course, and include:
This year there was also a significant rise in AS results at the top end, with 30% of our Year 12 being awarded the top grade (A). One Year 12 girl gained 5 straight A grades including extra- curricular Russian.
Malvern St James offers opportunities to all girls across a broad range of academic and creative fields. This year there have been many successes including the Christopher Marlowe English Essay writing prize from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, first place in the Schools’ Science Prize and the BBC Poetry Writing Competition. A pupil has been selected for the National Youth Theatre and one of our Sixth Form pupils won the Solo Strings Class and Composition Class at the Worcestershire Competitive Arts Festival.
We also have had lots of successes in Sport. Two of our Year 13 pupils have been invited to elected for the British Athletics Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence, in Hockey and Athletics. One has also won her age group in the Faldo Series Welsh Golf Championships. MSJ also had success in the ISA Triathlon competition in which a Year 6 pupil won and has gone on to represent the West Midlands team at the inter-regional Championships. We have had success also in Skiing at the ISA Skiing Championships and one of our Prep girls won her age group and is now South West Schools U8 Champion. In Netball, our U16 team won the plate Competition at the U18 ISA National and the U16 ISA Tournament. A Year 8 pupil plays cricket for Worcestershire U13s and scored her first county half century in her first match. Meanwhile another Year 8 pupil took Bronze in the British Modern Triathlon. MSJ equestrians have enjoyed a successful year. The sporting year culminated in a very successful Sports Tour to America.
The School also gives high priority to the Performing Arts. One of our Year 3 pupils achieved Grade 8 Distinction in Drums. The musicians enjoyed a workshop with the Sons of Pitches, winners of Gareth Malone’s ‘Naked Choir’ followed by a very successful a capella and beatbox concert. MSJ hosted a Singing Bonanza ‘Songs From Around the World’ where more than 170 pupils from twelve schools benefitted from a Workshop run by Ex Cathedra. Year 10 pupils participated in the Shakespeare Schools’ Festival, performing Much Ado About Nothing. The highlight of the Autumn term was the magical undersea production of The Mermaid. We also had success in the All England Dance Festival Regional Final in which one of our pupils was awarded First place with Honours. A combined Art and Spanish trip included visits to Sagrada Família and many more galleries. Year 10 Artists had another inspiring trip to Cornwall to visit local Artists in their studios and also spent time at Tate Modern (St Ives). Our LAMDA pupils enjoyed 100% success in their examinations.
Twenty-one girls have successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Gold and Silver level.
The MSJ Lecture Series, aimed at intellectually stimulating girls and providing them with career oriented expertise and advice has had an inspiring programme of speakers this year. These include a Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge, to talk about his career in Law and also many Old Girls, which include a Senior Partner at City law firm Bird and Bird, a Neuroscientist at Imperial College, London; two Member of Parliaments and a former Medical Consultant turned Shackleton specialist.
In November 2015, for the first time MSJ hosted the academically-prized Model United Nations Conference for schools across the region which is being repeated in November 2016.
