College News

It was fantastic to welcome so many prospective students and parents to our Open Afternoon. Everyone was welcomed by the Headmaster, heard from current Year 7 students about their experience to date, and Mr Moore regarding the admissions process. Our visitors were then taken on a tour of the school, where they could view and participate in lessons, followed by refreshments and discussions in the refectory.

Welcome back to College.  This year has certainly started more routinely than we have experienced in the last two academic year for which I am most grateful.  There has been a really positive approach to the life of the College by staff and students alike and I hope we will see this year as a return to the normal busy pace of life of our Salesian Community. 

The results achieved by Year 13 and Year 11 last year were wonderful.  They produced results that truly illustrated the very hard work of the last two years by staff and students alike.  I feel very fortunate to belong to such a hardworking and positive community.  We shall celebrate all their results at Prize Night on Friday 18 November, but in the meantime, I wish the best of luck to those who have left us to begin the next stage of their lives.   

We welcome on to the staff:- 

Mrs Jane Nash – Economics & Business 

Mr Gareth Rudolph – English 

Mr Kell Blyth – Maths 

Mrs Itziar Morė – MFL 

Mr Christopher Brown – PE 

Mr George Littlemore – PE  

Mrs Ramla Ali – Biology 

Mrs Victoria Cohen – Learning Support 

Ms Janna Arsolon – Biology Laboratory Technician  

Salesian College parents, boys and teachers were extremely proud and excited to receive outstanding GCSE results on Thursday morning 25 August 2022.  This is, of course, the first time since 2019 that public exams have been sat and much has been written in the national press about the potentially lower grades to be awarded this summer in comparison to the previous two years. Students at Salesian College have, however, surpassed previous levels of attainment with 89% of students achieving grades 9-7.

Equally outstanding was that 95 of the boys in Year 11 achieved at least ten grades 9-4 including English and Maths each! 

61% of all grades were 7-9

94% of all grades were 5-9

69% of students achieved at least 5 grades 7-9 including Maths and English

The top performing students this year were Angelo A., George C. and John M. who each achieved the perfect score of 10 top grades (10x 9). Ruben R., Edward S. and Joshua Y. all attained 9x9 & 1x8 closely followed by Alberto B-G, James B., Duncan M-B. and Archie M. (8x9 & 2x8). These top ten students only reflect the pinnacle of the excellent work of all of those students who have done very well and who should be very pleased and proud of their achievements.

Mr Gerard Owens, Headmaster commented “The GCSE results achieved by all the boys in Year 11 at Salesian College are, once again, nationally outstanding and a great credit to the boys and staff who have worked so hard in partnership together.  At a time of change and, in some quarters, uncertainty with the GCSE qualification, we are very happy to have again maintained excellent results with even more students achieving the top grades than last year. Parents are naturally delighted and the College is very proud that a year group and individuals who have achieved so well in sport, cultural events and many aspects of school life have now achieved such brilliant GCSE results.  These follow the excellent pass rate at A level achieved at Salesian College earlier this week. 

We look forward to welcoming the boys back into the Co-educational Sixth Form where they can look forward with confidence to their A Level studies and preparation for University and later life.”

The College once again celebrated excellent A level results with a 100% pass rate for the seventh consecutive year and 89% of grades awarded in the A*-C range. The academic achievement of the students further builds on the enviable reputation that the College enjoys as one of the highest achieving co-educational sixth form providers in Hampshire.   

After the difficulty of the last two years and considering this was for most of the students their first public examination, the College is incredibly proud of the students’ achievements and the hard work of their teachers. This summer’s Year 13 cohort saw 58% of the students achieve A*-B in three or more A Levels.  Of particular note is that over 35% of Year 13 students achieved three or more A* or A grades each.  First amongst these was Toby R. who attained three A* and one A grades. Toby will go onto the University of Bath to read Aerospace Engineering. Also worthy of particular mention are Daniel G. (Law with French, Nottingham), Kate P. (Medicine, Bristol) and Anna T. (Law, Birmingham) each of whom attained 3 A* grades. Also in the top grades were Oluwadaradara A. (Maths, Warwick) and Robby J. (Geography, Durham) who both achieved 2 A* and 1 A grade and Frances F. (Biological Sciences, Exeter), Alexandre G. (Law, Exeter), Victoria R. (Management, St Andrew’s), Rory W. (Law, Nottingham) and Jasper W. (Computer Science, Exeter) who each attained 1 A* & 2 A grades. A good number more students achieved at least grades AAA or equivalent and all of these, along with the vast majority of their colleagues, will be taking up places at an impressive range of top universities this autumn. 

The Headmaster, Mr Gerard Owens, congratulated students on their achievements, “Salesian College is proud to have a Sixth Form which provides a wide range of opportunities alongside the achievement of outstanding academic results.  I congratulate all our young men and women who have added so much to the life of the College. Whilst we rightly congratulate our students who have attained the top grades, it is equally important to celebrate the achievements of all of the students who have worked so hard to maximise their potential and meet their respective university offers. I thank the staff for all their hard work and commitment to student success. I wish all of our leaving students the very best of luck as they progress to university and I look forward to seeing them back on Prize Night on the 18th November.” 

Yesterday, we received the sad news that our much cherished former Director of Music, Dr Anthony Noble, passed away suddenly.

Dr Noble played a huge part in the life of the College from 1984 until his retirement in 2019, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.