Quest students have set themselves up for A Level success by achieving a 100% pass rate at AS Level in Maths, Economics and RS.

Top achiever, Rebecca Hope, gained 3 As (in Economics, Maths and RS) and was followed closely by Robyn Clarke (RS, History and English Literature) and Tadiwanashe Mungate (Maths, Chemistry and Economics), both with an A and two Bs.

The Sixth Form, known as “Quest 6”, opened last September with a cohort of 27 students who have excelled themselves with top marks in academic subjects as diverse as Maths and Sociology. Many of these students began their secondary school experience with no expectation or hope of attempting A level studies. Just three years ago, few students at The Quest Academy’s predecessor school went on to study A Levels and no provision for them was made on-site.

Andy Crofts, Principal at The Quest Academy said, “We knew that it was imperative we gave our students the best chance of achieving long-term success. With all the improvements made in Years 7 to 11, we decided last year that we needed to extend our provision by delivering a top-class Sixth Form education. These results prove that we have done just that. Three years ago, the school that stood on this site had a reputation for poor teaching and even poorer behaviour. We are now able to celebrate the changes we have made, which are exemplified in these top AS Level results.

Mrs Martin, Executive Principal of the Quest Academy and Headteacher at Coloma Convent Girls’ School, sponsor of the Academy, said, “All members of staff have worked extremely hard to turn things around and it has worked. The students at The Quest have excelled themselves with these AS results and I personally congratulate every one of them, and their teachers, for their efforts and hard work.”

An Ofsted report in July reported that in the Sixth Form “Some teaching, such as in economics, mathematics and English Literature, is outstanding. In the best lessons, students are well supported to make the transition to a higher level of academic study and encouraged to become genuinely enquiring learners.”

Student numbers at “Quest 6” will be boosted by Quest’s current Year 11 students joining in September, who are currently awaiting GCSE results predicted to be above the national average. These students will study in their last year in the new £16 million building, which is under construction and due to be completed in September 2014. Sixth Form provision in the new building includes nine dedicated seminar style classrooms, a common room with study facilities, a dedicated Sixth Form library and social facilities including a Sixth Form kitchen.