Due to the unprecedented circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, the formal examinations due to be sat by Years’ 11, 12 and 13 students were cancelled as they were last year. Whilst last year’s no-notice cancellation on the afternoon of Wednesday 18 March 2020 left students, staff and parents and carers feeling shocked as well as in some cases, somewhat devastated, a great deal of hard work subsequently occurred from the academy’s team of staff to ensure the Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) process was successfully completed.

 

However, this year’s Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) process has proven even more challenging for students and staff alike - for multiple reasons and through absolutely no fault of their own either. Nevertheless, and as I knew they always would, our students and staff, supported by our associated families again, as is invariably the case, worked incredibly hard and in collaboration, particularly throughout a hugely pressurised March – May 2021 period when the regulatory bodies and examination boards kept adding to what was required from schools and their students on an almost daily basis.

 

Sitting examinations in the traditional manner would have been stressful enough for these young people, however, losing the chance to prove what they could achieve in a formal setting, in addition to having to go through two lengthy national lockdown periods, left many feeling somewhat despondent at times. However, it must also be noted that many students fed back that they actually preferred the TAGs process as rather than sitting a one-off examination series over a five-week period, they felt they were able to basically have a better opportunity of getting out exactly what they put in through the additional work they were able to complete over the course of those last three months prior to their grades being submitted.

 

Nevertheless, and despite these significant and somewhat unique challenges, the Plume Family congratulate our post-16 students and their respective staff for what they have still achieved despite the enormity of the challenge over the past 17 months. We also wish them every success as they progress onto the next stage of their education, employment or training.

 

Top performing post-16 students at Plume Academy this summer were:

 

Henry Lawes (Head Boy)

Art and Design: Fine Art - A*

English Literature - A*

Extended Project - A

Law - A

 

Nathan Low

Art and Design: Fine Art - A*

ID3 in IT (Full) - Dist.*

Mathematics - A*

 

Phoebe Wiseman

Art and Design: Fine Art - A*

Physical Education - A*

Psychology - A*

 

Toby Brown

Biology - A*

Chemistry - A*

Mathematics - A*

 

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• Ryan Ball and Harry Brooking both achieved Distinction* Distinction* in BTEC National Diploma in Sport

• Freya Cottiss and Courtney Cross both achieved Distinction* in BTEC National Extended Certificate in Performing Arts (Dance)

Once again, virtually all of our Year 13 students also secured the grades to progress onto their first choice university, their carefully selected apprenticeships as well as their provisionally offered employment.

 

Carl Wakefield, Executive Principal of Plume Academy said, “First of all, it was absolutely fantastic to see so many of our College students this morning and as expected, they conducted themselves in their usual dignified, mature, sensible and articulate manner. However, I was far from surprised as this is how they have been throughout this unprecedented period they have had to live and work through since March 2020.”

 

“The vast majority have automatically secured what they need to progress onto the next stage of their education, employment or training and for this cohort in particular, such an achievement should not go without huge adulation and respect again, for the enormous amount of work they have had to do as well as the extremely stressful period of time they have had to endure”.

 

“I will conclude by saying how immensely proud I am of not only this fantastic cohort of students, but also our tremendous team of staff who have also worked incredibly hard and in collaboration with them throughout their post-16 journey – work that was often done, due to the ever-changing, short-notice expectations from the external examination regulatory authorities, during evenings, weekends and throughout, once again, their Easter and May half term breaks.”

 

“Both sets of stakeholders are a credit to themselves and the academy as are our students’ families who throughout the lockdown period have been nothing but relentlessly positive and supportive. For this, I wholeheartedly thank them”.