With 64% of grades being A-A* at A Level and 70% at IGCSE, Runnymede pupils’ grades remain outstanding and continue to compare favourably with those of private schools in UK which average 49% at both A Level and GCSE. (When comparing our grades to those of other schools in Spain it is important to bear in mind that 77 pupils took A Levels and 75 IGCSE; the larger the sample, the more statically significant the figures).
More generally, when interpreting our results – and particularly comparing them with those of other schools in UK and elsewhere – it should be borne in mind that the expectation generally is that pupils do three A Levels: at Runnymede, 78% sat four and 10% of the pupils doing four got four A*s.
The most popular degree courses remain Engineering and Business and the fact that provision of these in Spanish universities is adequate, if not of global standing, probably accounts for the relative increase in the number of pupils going to Spanish private universities to study business-related degrees and engineering. There has been a rise in the number of students opting for degrees in computer science and we have seen the first batch go off to pursue degrees in AI – related degrees.
Most significant, is the consolidation of top US universities in preference to top UK universities amongst our students. We are very proud of the fact that six of our pupils have gone to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn and Cornell. (With the exception of Harvard, those have all been destinations for Runnymede pupils in the last three years). As you can see from the infographic, there are a good number of other prestigious US universities which our pupils have chosen to attend.
It is significant that two of the pupils who have gone to the US had offers from Oxford and Cambridge. The rejection of offers from Oxbridge in favour of the Ivy League is now a consolidating trend too.
The UK continues to be the most popular destination, attracting 41% of our graduates. Bath remains the top choice for Runnymedians, with eight graduates selecting it this year (compared to nine in 2023 and ten in 2022). UCL, chosen by five graduates, holds its position as the second most popular choice (with eight in 2023 and four in 2022). We are also proud to see our students consistently accepted into other leading UK institutions, including Imperial, LSE, and St Andrews.
Lastly, interest in the Netherlands seems to be waning: we will see if that becomes a trend over the next year or two.
