Isaiah, a music scholar at Thames, flourished under Dr Mitchell’s expert tuition, attaining grade 9 in his Music IGCSE in 2022, with 100% in his composition, a substantial eight minute Suite in Three Movements for Saxophone and Piano which showed excellent understanding of the instruments he was writing for. Dr Mitchell, Head of Music, stated: “Isaiah is an accomplished composer and demonstrated a mastery of formal techniques that would normally be expected of a top ranking A level musician or even an undergraduate. In particular it is his instinctive use of harmony, with many advanced and complex chords, which sets him apart. It is rare to find such assured writing at this age.”

With an average of 1.9 grades above his standardised predictions, Isaiah also achieved 9s in Maths and Religious Studies, 8s in English Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics and 7s in English Literature, Further Maths and Geography. Isaiah’s talent encompassed the wider performing arts and he played Vernon Hines in the school’s production of The Pajama Game in 2019. He went on to Bexley Grammar School where he is taking the International Baccalaureate Higher: Music, Maths and Chemistry.