Key Achievements
September 2019 - December 2020
Independent School of the Year 2020 for Performing Arts
Bronze Coachmark Award
Food for Life accreditation from the Soil Association
Senior School Music • Our choir Choralia reached the final of the European Broadcasting Union’s “Let The Peoples Sing” competition • Three current pupils and one Old Wellensian advanced to the finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition (more finalists than any other school) • Ten pupils gained places in the National Youth Orchestra, and two more in the
National Youth Orchestra of Wales • One pupil featured in the Hollywood film The Song of Names as an actor and violinist • One pupil was a finalist in the Song Academy’s Young Songwriter of the Year • One Specialist Saxophonist was named Jersey Young Musician of the Year • One Specialist Violinist was a finalist in the Menuhin International Violin
Competition • One Specialist Pianist was awarded First Prize and a Gold Medal with Honour at the He Yue International Online Instrumental Solo Competition as well as First Prize for Piano Concerto Young Artist as part of the prestigious Putra International Piano
Competition • One Specialist Clarinettist was a winner of the Two Moors Festival • We welcomed the Countess of Wessex to the School in her capacity as Patron of the Wells Cathedral Trust, to celebrate 25 Years of Girl Choristers. Our Choristers got to meet her, and perform for her in a celebratory concert and service • During lockdown, our Specialist Musicians and Choristers created numerous online and live-streamed performances, which garnered more than 80,000 views on
Facebook and YouTube • Of those who applied, 100% of our Music Specialists applying to Music Conservatoires were offered a place, most with scholarships
Senior School Sport and Outdoor Education • Three pupils represented England (two in hockey and one in cross country) • Our 1st XI Girls’ Hockey Team won the T4 Investec National Schools Championship • Our U16 Boys’ Hockey Team advanced to the finals in the National Schools Championship • Our U14 Girls’ and Boys’ Hockey Teams were county champions • One pupil was ranked in the top 30 of all English Badminton Association players (including adults) • Our Boys’ Badminton Team was ranked number one in the South West of England • Our Girls’ U18 Badminton Team were county champions • Thirty-five pupils represented their chosen sports at county level • One pupil finished in the top three of the National Schools Cross Country Championships • Our U15 Boys’ Rugby Team reached the last eight of the South West England Regional Cup • Our 1st XI Football Team finished second in the South West football league • One pupil became the U18 Dorset County Champion for Golf and was named Dorset County Girl Captain • One pupil gained a Hockey Scholarship to Princeton • We had a record number of pupils enrol on the Duke of Edinburgh scheme (47 Bronze, 34 Silver and 46 Gold) • Our CCF contingent grew to 160 pupils and 10 staff officers, with a new option to join at Year 9 • Our CCF Contingent Commander was promoted to Major • One Lower Sixth pupil graduated from RAF College Cranwell’s prestigious Gold Air Cadet Leadership Course
Senior School Academic
• Our A level Geologists won the Presentation Section of the National Final of the Geological Society Schools Challenge • 88% of Upper Sixth pupils got into their first choice university • 75% of Upper Sixth pupils obtained a place at either a Russell Group University or a leading Music Conservatoire • 6% of Upper Sixth pupils obtained a place at Oxbridge • 17 pupils achieved an award in this year’s Senior UKMT Maths Challenge • Three Lower Sixth pupils achieved Gold Awards in the Physics Olympiad, Senior Challenge • One Upper Sixth pupil was a prize winner of the Peterhouse Kelvin Science Competition for their essay: ‘Using numerical evidence, what carbon stocks could be enhanced to make the UK carbon neutral?’ • Two Upper Sixth pupils were awarded first and highly commended prizes in separate Lucy Cavendish College essay writing competitions; the winning essay was entitled, “Should antibiotics be reserved for humans?” • One Year 8 pupil won the 11-13 age category of the Festival of Nature Antarctica
Creative Writing Competition • 14 pupils were placed in the top 10% of the national Bebras Computer Science
Competition • Our Years 7-9 art pupils took part in The Bishop’s Palace ‘Winter Woodland’ themed exhibition, a major local community event
Junior School • One Year 6 pupil was the overall winner in the prestigious national Explore Learning Writers’ Awards (ELWAs) 2020; another was selected among the Top 100 • Our Junior School scientists advanced to the national final of the Junior School Science Quiz • One Year 5 pupil successfully completed her Foundation Radio License • One Year 5 pupil won the 8-12 year old category of the RSPB sponsored entry to the 57th Society of Wildlife Artists Natural Eye Exhibition. Their artwork “Go Wild” will be exhibited in London • One Year 6 Trumpeter won the Future Talent Robinson Award (usually intended for 16-17 year olds), and also received a Universal Music UK Sound Foundation bursary towards his National Children’s Orchestra (NCO) membership fees • Two pupils are on the County Cricket Player Pathway • One Year 5 pupil has been awarded a Platinum Blue Peter Badge • Our current Year 4’s paintings are exhibited on the ‘World Gallery Online’ and were entered into the Last Chance to Paint Art Awards 2019 with two boys winning • One Year 6 pupil received a Highly Commended Award at the Shepton Mallet
Snowdrop Poetry Festival • One Year 3 pupil appeared in the movie Belfast, directed by Kenneth Branagh