14th October 2020 — Thornton College, an independent girls day and boarding school in Milton Keynes has won the Independent Schools of the Year Award.

Mrs Val Holmes, Head Teacher said, “To be The Independent School of the Year for our Careers Programme from all the hundreds of schools that entered the Awards is an amazing recognition for our school and especially for our Careers Team, who go above and beyond to provide outstanding opportunities for our students. The judges particularly noted the relationship we have developed with our local business community and the number of companies involved directly in our Careers Programme. A huge congratulations and thank you to the whole community at Thornton, including our students and their families, our incredible staff who go above and beyond each day and our corporate supporters. We are all absolutely thrilled to win this national award”.

The Independent Schools of the Year Awards is an annual celebration of the successes of schools and their students across the independent education sector in the UK and British schools overseas. Showcasing the excellence of the educational experience available to students of all backgrounds, these awards recognise and applaud the varied and imaginative ways in which independent schools prepare young people for their future lives. The 21 award categories have been designed to reflect the breadth and diversity of life in an independent school in the 21st century and are intended to acknowledge the contribution these often long-established institutions make to both their local communities and wider society in today’s world.

This year Thornton College has been recognised for its outstanding Student Careers Programme.

Each year Thornton College delivers an extensive STEAM, (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) programme, which includes inviting other schools to a broad range of events providing employer and university encounters for students from Years 7 – 13. Recent events include building a Formula One car with Sahara Force India and constructing a prototype level crossing with Network Rail. Thornton also runs an Annual STEAM Careers’ Event hosting over twenty leading companies including Unilever, AECOM, Tesla, PwC, Aon and Sport Pesa Racing. This year over 350 students from local schools attended the event and found out more about the range of pathways available on our doorstep. Thornton is also recognised for leading the way in introducing robotics across the curriculum supporting SEND children in social skills and stretching the more able. Thornton College is home to a family of ten Mekamon robots which visit classrooms in the Prep School across a range of specialist subjects.

Mrs Jo Scott, Careers and Enterprise Leader said, ‘We are proud of our extensive Careers Programme and our commitment to supporting students with individualised, bespoke guidance. We passionately believe in providing a broad range of employer and university encounters to allow all our students to build the employability skills that companies seek. To win in such a prestigious competition is fantastic!’

ENDS

20th August 2020 — Thornton College students have achieved excellent results in their GCSEs with the following key headline statistics:

• 98% of all results were grades 9 – 4 (Pass)

• 88% of all results were grades 9 – 5 (legacy A* - C)

• 45% of all results were grades 9 – 7 (legacy A* - A)

• 27% of all results were at the highest possible grades 9 / 8 (legacy A**)

• 100% of students achieve A* -C for their HPQ (Higher Project Qualification)

This year has been a challenging one for students, teachers, schools and the education sector in general. At Thornton we continued to deliver a full online curriculum for all our students from Reception through to Year 13 during lockdown to ensure learning was not lost during the summer term and that all our girls are up to date for the start of the new academic year.

Val Holmes, Head Teacher said,

‘All our students in Year 11 continued to access work, attend live lessons and complete their learning during lockdown. They have all worked incredibly hard during a difficult time to achieve their well-deserved results. As a non-selective school, which values the talents of each individual, we recognise that success comes in all shapes and sizes and that excellence is achievable in all sorts of different ways. I am incredibly proud of each of the girls, of their results, their support of one another and of the grit and resilience, which they have developed in the past months, in particular. It will serve them well in the next stage of their journey in education and as they face an increasingly competitive world.'

Family members and students who visited the school today to collect their results commented,

“I am over the moon with her results as she has worked so hard. As a parent it has been a worrying time due to recent national media coverage regarding downgrading of results but I was reassured with the fact that my daughter is at Thornton as I trust her teachers and the school” Parent

“I had every confidence that the finest job would be done at Thornton” Parent

Melissa a student at Thornton explained that “I was apprehensive but I trust my teachers’"

Sophie who also attends Thornton said 'I am now looking forward to doing my A Levels at Thornton in History, Physics, Maths and Philosophy and Ethics’

13th August 2020 — Thornton students have achieved outstanding results in their A Level and Vocational Qualifications, with 100% securing their first choice university.

75% of students achieved one or more A*/A grade

75% of all grades were A* - B

92% of all grades were A* - C

In seven of our A Level subjects, 100% of students achieved A*- B

100% of Vocational Awards graded at Distinction and Distinction*.

53% of all grades A*/A or equivalent

Head Girl, Millie Bull, and Deputy Head Girl, Saffi Breakwell, have between them achieved 3 A*s and 4 As.

Students all secured their first choice place, pursuing courses including Mathematics, Biomedical Sciences, English Literature, Policing, Nursing and Education at a range of institutions including King’s College London, Warwick, Loughborough, Birmingham and Manchester.

Thornton College Sixth Form continues to thrive. Our students have yet again achieved fantastic results, enabling them to fulfil their ambitions and we are very proud of them.

Val Holmes, Head Teacher at Thornton said,

"Thornton is a school, which has at its heart the value of each individual, the recognition that each can succeed and a belief in the importance of hard work and commitment. These superb results are once again proof that, at Thornton, success at the highest level is achievable across the range of educational opportunities and that Thornton offers this range.

I am, of course, tremendously proud of all the girls, their pursuit of excellence and their determination, especially through the past few very trying months, and I wish them all the happiness they deserve in the next stage of their education."

Families and students who joined us on results day said,

“We’ve been part of the Thornton family for 11 years and we’ve enjoyed every moment. Thank you to everybody at the school for all you have done for our daughter”, Mrs K Bull (Parent)

“Thornton has consistently gone the extra mile for all of us especially during lockdown – thank you” Holly H, Student

“We appreciate the nurturing environment provided by Thornton for our daughter, this has encouraged her positively to achieve her best, thank you” Parent

6th July 2020 — Thornton are delighted to have been shortlisted for The Independent Schools of the Year Award 2020.

There are 20 categories of awards and hundreds of independent schools from across the UK entered.

Mrs Val Holmes, Headteacher, commented: "To be shortlisted is fantastic recognition for Thornton and, whatever way the results go, congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard towards making Thornton the very special place it is, in spite of all that is going on in the world!"

6th May 2020 — Thornton College, located between Milton Keynes and Buckingham, are holding a Virtual Meet the Head Coffee Morning on Thursday 4th June when parents who are considering a Thornton education for their daughters can chat with Mrs Holmes, our Headteacher, about how special our school is and the fantastic opportunities available for girls.

For parents who register, the school will send an invitation to attend this virtual event using the Zoom app. For those who prefer a one-to-one discussion on a separate occasion, a meeting by Facetime or Skype can be arranged.

In the unlikely scenario that social distancing has been lifted and the school has reopened for students and staff by 4th June, the event will physically take place rather than 'virtually', with the morning beginning with refreshments in the Drawing Room from 9:00 am, a welcome address from Mrs Holmes at 9:15 am and tours of the school commencing at approximately 9:30 am. Refreshments will be available again in the Drawing Room at approximately 10:20 am.

To pre-register for the event, please go to https://www.thorntoncollege.com/enquiry-form, select the 'attending an open day' option, click on '04 June 2020' and complete the contact form.

For further information regarding this event or any other enquiries about joining Thornton, please contact Alice Ho, Marketing and Admissions Officer, by email - admissions@thorntoncollege.com

11th September 2019 — Having been filmed using pioneering robotics for BBC Television's national coverage back in March, Thornton's commitment to STEM subjects has been recognised again in the national press.

A recent edition of 'The Week' featured Thornton as part of their 'Girls in STEM' piece and we were delighted to be cited alongside other leading UK Girls' Independent Schools such as Roedean, James Allen Girls' School, Godolphin and Latymer and St Mary's Calne.

The full article is available at the following link:

https://www.theweek.co.uk/103141/girls-and-stem