Today we are celebrating a superb set of GCSE results for the second year running just a month after receiving our ‘outstanding’ judgment from Ofsted.
18% of all grades were achieved at Grade 8 and above (the old A* equivalent), a superb achievement that showcases the strength of our school and the work ethic of our students.
The results come amidst yet more changes as more new and demanding qualifications are examined for the first time.
Five students, Evie Scott, Grace Tarpey, Oliver Askwith, Jonathan Proud and Oliver Welsby collectively achieved 38 Grade 8 and 9s. Evie and Grace join a tiny fraction of students nationally who achieved six or more Grade 9s, gaining eight and six respectively.
Amongst many notable achievements, Oliver Sayer, Imogen Harrison, Oliver Askwith and Rachel Atkinson exceeded national projections for progress between the start of secondary school and their GCSE exams by an average of two whole grades.
Speaking of the excellent set of results, Dr Janice Gorlach, our executive headteacher and deputy chief executive of our sponsor, The North East Learning Trust, said:
“We are delighted with these results which give students real choices for their futures and show what hard and sustained hard work can achieve.
“One of the marks of an outstanding school is the ability to sustain excellence for pupils year on year. The fact that our GCSE results are so impressive for the second year in a row is testament to the continued hard work of the pupils and the expert guidance they receive from their teachers.
“It is easy at times like these to celebrate only the highest grades, but I am equally delighted with the individual grades students have achieved where they have realized their potential and showcased their unique talents.”
“These results, on top of the wonderful A level grades last week with 44% of all grades A or A*, complete a remarkable academic year which saw our school graded outstanding school by Ofsted in all areas. Our students are our greatest strength and the source of great pride and inspiration to our community.”
An impressive 62% of students reached grade 5 or above in both English and maths, a key measure of success for schools and the equivalent of grade C/B under the old grading system. In English, 88% of pupils achieved a grade 4 and in maths, 78% reached this important standard (the old equivalent of C+).
In mathematics, 11% of all grades achieved the highest Grade 9 for the third year running, well above the national average.19% of all maths grades were at Grade 8 or above, 21% of all History grades reached this standard and 23% of all Geography grades. Triple Scientists results were exceptional and topped by Physics, where 61% of all grades reached 8 or above. The strength and depth of performance across the whole cohort is exemplified with 48% of entrants gaining the prized Distinction Starred grade in BTEC Sports and 36% in BTEC Art.