Kingswood School in Bath has achieved excellent A Level results again this year with many individual students gaining outstanding grades as well as entrance to some of the leading UK and US universities. 94% of papers were graded A*-C, with 85% A*, A and B grades. 61% were awarded A* and As and 22% the coveted A* grade.
Top marks go to Kingswood Head Boy, Ben Bates, who has not only gained a place at Birmingham University to read Medicine, but has also has just finished representing Great Britain in the U23 European Men’s Foil Championships held in Bulgaria. Here the British team finished ninth in the competition with Ben, and two other competitors, defeating the Hungarian and Turkish teams before losing to Georgia.
Ben has also just qualified for Gyor in Hungary, the U20 World Cup Fencing Event, which takes place in September 2016. He is currently ranked 5 in the UK for Under 20s and is still only 18 – most fencers peak at the age of 26.
Ben, who lives in Bath, achieved an A* in Chemistry, A in Maths and a A in Biology. He is going to take a gap year working as well as training with Bath Sword Club at Bath University and is aiming to qualify for the under 20 World Championship Team.
Ben started fencing at age 10 at Bath Sword Club and by the age of 13 was competing regularly. He was first selected to represent England in the U15 Paris Fleurette and then went on to represent Great Britain in the U17 team competing in Bratislava, Poland and France. The pinnacle of his U17 fencing came with a bronze medal at the U17 Commonwealth Fencing Competition in Cape Town last summer.
This season has been Ben’s first in the U20 Junior age group and British Fencing have entered Ben into their World Class Program.
Ben has been a pupil at Kingswood School since nursery and was also a keen member of ‘Exit Stage Right’ the Kingswood stand-up comedy group.
Said Ben: “It has been a very exciting year, representing my country and gaining a place to study Medicine. I have a lot of training to do in both Denmark and London and am also working hard to fund this, and my plans to travel the world for six months, before starting my course at Birmingham. Representing my country has been a tremendous experience and it was a fantastic to compete with some fencers who are at the top of their game. I still feel I have a lot to learn as most fencers peak at the age of 26 and, being only 18, I have a few more years to develop and improve my skills.”
Said Head of Kingswood Foundation, Simon Morris: “We are extremely proud of what students such as Ben achieve academically and, to compete at such a high level, is a real achievement. In addition, Ben has also been an excellent role model and leader for the younger pupils here at Kingswood both in his role as Head Boy and also with his ability to make people laugh on stage and, presenting on many occasions, to the whole community.
“Empowering our students to achieve personal excellence and follow their aspirations really shows what a rounded education we offer here at Kingswood and is such an important part of the school’s ethos.”
Issued on behalf of Kingswood School. For further information please contact Henrietta Lightwood on hcl@kingswood.bath.sch.uk or telephone 01225 734370 or mobile 07753 457632.