There were plenty of smiles around schools in Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Central Bedfordshire yesterday (Thursday, August 24) as students collected their GCSE results - and we've collected all the best photos for you to enjoy.
READ MORE: Congratulate your GCSE superstar in the Comet
Barclay Academy
Dr Laban, principal of Barclay, said: "Everyone at Barclay Academy is very proud of our students receiving their GCSE results today.
"They have all worked extremely hard and it is wonderful to celebrate their successes with them this morning.
"Well done to all our students and thank you to all the staff who supported them."
Barnwell School
These students were among the individual success stories at Barnwell School in Stevenage, achieving these grades:
- Imogen S - one grade 9, six grade 8s and two grade 7s
- Jessica P - two distinction*s, two grade 8s, two grade 7s and three grade 6s
- Kaya R - six grade 9s and three grade 8s
- Holly K - two grade 9s, one distinction*, four grade 8s and two grade 7s
- Amelia B - one grade 9, four grade 8s, three grade 7s and one grade 6
A spokesperson for the school told the Comet: "Headteacher Tony Fitzpatrick is immensely proud of the achievements of all our students who have demonstrated both passion and determination throughout their time at Barnwell.
"The school would like to thank all parents/carers for their continued support and the staff who work tirelessly with our students both academically and pastorally.
"We look forward to welcoming our new sixth form students on their chosen courses on 6 September."
Etonbury Academy
There was a strong set of results at Etonbury, with the mark for students achieving grades 9-4 including English and Maths being 10 per cent higher than the national average.
Among the students reaping the rewards for their hard work were three top performers, Alfie N, Rebecca C and Jack G, who achieved the highest 9-7 grades.
Joanne Young, principal, said: “Congratulations to every student who collected results today.
“They have been a phenomenal cohort of students throughout their time at the school and have embraced the academic challenge that GCSE presents. They have been determined to always aim high and be the best they can be."
Fearnhill School
There were plenty of "big smiles" at Fearnhill in Letchworth as pupils collected their long-awaited GCSE results.
Liz Ellis, headteacher, said: "We are, like schools everywhere, very aware of the challenges this cohort has faced and the importance of today’s results to secure their next steps.
“Fearnhill students have risen to the challenge and we are delighted with our GCSE results.
“The most important thing now is for our students to move successfully on to their next stage, whether here in the sixth form for A Levels, off to college courses or apprenticeships.
"The future is bright for these young people! There were many individual successes and we applaud them all.”
The Highfield School
Lucy Miles, headteacher at Highfield, said students at the school had achieved "a strong set of results".
"Our Year 11s have worked so hard to achieve their results and we are immensely proud of each and every one of them.
"Their sheer determination and drive, along with the support of their teachers and families, has opened the next set of doors for their future."
Hitchin Boys' School
208 GCSE students at Hitchin Boys' School sat public exams this summer, with around 80 per cent of them taking up a place at Hitchin Boys’ Sixth Form, and the remainder being accepted into college or taking up apprenticeships or employment.
Overall, 51 students achieved an average grade equivalent to a 7 (or an A in the traditional grading system). Nearly 600 grades betwen 9 and 7 were achieved.
Notable successes included Wathaq Arnon, who achieved straight grade 9s in all 11 of his GCSEs, and Alfie Fitzgerald and Jamie Timms, who both achieved seven grade 9 GCSEs.
Fergal Moane, headteacher, said: “We are very proud of the excellent results achieved by this cohort, which is a reflection of the hard work and focus that they have put into their studies.
"And we are equally proud of the young men that they have become and their achievements in sports, the arts and helping us to build a more inclusive and environmentally sustainable school.
"We wish them the very best of luck for the future.”
Hitchin Girls' School
Students at Hitchin Girls' School celebrated "excellent results", said headteacher James Crowther.
He told the Comet: "Congratulations and well done to all of our Year 11 students receiving their results today.
"Their hard work and dedication have produced excellent results and we are proud of all they have achieved. Every single student has much to celebrate, with results meeting their individual aspirations.
"However, I would like to specifically congratulate Sophie Beach, who is an incredibly talented and dedicated artist, and her efforts resulted in her being named by OCR as one of the country's top performers in GCSE Art.
"Many thanks to all our staff and the students' families for their ongoing hard work and support. We wish all students every success as they begin the next stage of their careers."
The Knights Templar School
At The Knights Templar School in Baldock, the proportion of top grades and the whole school average grade were "significantly above the national average".
Edward Hutchings, headteacher, said: “I am so proud of our students and what they have achieved; their success is totally deserved and is credit to their hard work, courage and commitment.
"These young people have shown enormous resilience in the face of such challenging times, The Knights Templar school continues to develop well rounded young people who are prepared for their next steps.
"Significant credit should also go to our parents and carers who give great support to the students and to this school.
"I would also like to thank every member of staff at our school for all their hard work and our trustees for their support."
Marriotts School
Beth Honnor, headteacher at Marriotts School in Stevenage, said: “I am incredibly proud of all of our students who have worked hard throughout their time at Marriotts to achieve their well-deserved success.
"Their hard work, approach to learning and ambition have been impressive, and thanks to this they now have the exam qualifications that they need to move onto the next stage of their lives.
"I would like to thank our students, families and teachers for all of their efforts and to wish our students every success in the future as they continue to work hard, aim high and be kind."
Nobel School
Martyn Henson, headteacher at The Nobel School in Stevenage, said he is "absolutely delighted" with their GCSE and Vocational results.
"Against the national trend of results to revert back to standards in 2019, our school has done remarkably well.
"We are delighted with the performance of all of our students and as a result our sixth form will be as big as it ever has been.
"We are proud of all our Nobelians, but a special mention must go to those who gained the highest grades."
One student, Ukuoma Walter-Osedemed, received a grade 9 in all his subjects - the highest grade possible under the current marking system.
North Hertfordshire College
Kit Davies, principal of North Hertfordshire College, said:
“I am delighted to see the achievements of our students and I cannot be prouder of what they have accomplished.
"The incredible dedication and hard work of our learners and their tutors are reflected in these final grades."
One of the success stories at the College was Ellice Cook, whose new qualifications will allow her to progress in her teacher training programmes.
She said: “I’m just really happy with my results, just goes to show that school isn’t the end of everything – if you’ve walked out of school at 16 with lower grades than you wanted, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of your education journey.
"You just need to take a different pathway, and you’ll still get to where you need to be.
“I’ve already started my teaching training - I’ve completed my diploma - but my GCSE grade now means I have the chance to go on to complete my next year of the programme and get my full teacher status, so that’s definitely something to look forward to! I’m excited to see what life brings next.”
The Priory School
There were "tears of joy, hugging teenagers and proud parents and staff" at The Priory School as students collected their results.
Geraint Edwards, headteacher, said: "We must not forget that these GCSE and vocational exams have been sat against a background of unprecedented disruption to learning.
"Let’s put aside the annual media noise that always accompanies results days and remember we are talking about young people who are approaching the next chapter of their educational journey.
"The success achieved by these young people is a testament to their hard work, the support of their families and the dedication of their teachers. They have a lot to be proud of."
St Christopher School
Results at St Christopher School in Letchworth showed a "marked improvement" from the pre-pandemic results of 2019, with a third of grades marked 9-7 (equivalent to an A*-A).
Rich Jones, head of the school, said: “Congratulations to all our students on their results.
"They have worked hard and in a difficult period to achieve a strong set of grades and have been expertly supported by our teaching staff to develop their academic ambition and achievement.
“While we are delighted that they have achieved an impressive set of results, when I think of our pupils and their journey so far at St Chris I am as equally proud of their courage to stand on the stage and perform, or their character when tackling a new academic challenge that might at first seem overwhelming, or the kindness, care and humour they show every single day at school."
St Francis' College
Students at St Francis' College in Letchworth celebrated their "best ever" results, with 80 per cent of grades being 9-7 - equivalent to A* or A. More than 30 per cent of all entires achieved grade 9, and 58 per cent achieved grade 8 and above. Grade 9 was the most common result.
Mrs Tabitha Wilson, head of Year 11, said: "Education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it's about developing skills, fostering curiosity, and cultivating a lifelong love of learning.
"And in that regard, our students are excelling beyond measure. The commitment, resilience and dedication they have shown to their studies during the last two years will undoubtedly shape the remarkable individuals they are becoming."
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
Mr Mathew, who is stepping down as the headteacher of the Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School, said: "We are delighted with the excellent GCSE results and immensely proud of our Year 11 cohort.
"The results reflect the dedication and commitment of our students and we would like to praise each and every student for their hard work, resilience, and determination to succeed.
"We would also like to thank our parents for their ongoing support during an incredibly challenging time and to recognise the dedication and care of the staff at The Saint John Henry Newman School; they have played such an important part in the cohort's achievements.
Samuel Whitbread Academy
There were a number of success stories at Samuel Whitbread Academy, including Nadia Ahmed, Daniel Batchelet, Nathan Cant, Jack Sharp and Andy Zheng, who between them managed to gain 40 grade 9s, a Distinction Star in BTEC Media, and four grade As and a B in Further Maths.
Nick Martin, principal of the Academy, said: “I am really proud of this year group; they have been through a lot over the last few years and they have come out the other side with a great set of results, through a lot of hard work and determination."
The Thomas Alleyne Academy
Imogen Simmons was one of the happy students collecting their results at The Thomas Alleyne Academy.
She achieved six grade 9s, and said: "I'm so pleased with my results. My teachers were a massive part of why I did so well - they supported me every step of the way and I can't wait to start my A Levels at The Thomas Alleyne Academy in a couple of weeks.”
Mark Lewis, headteacher, said: "We are delighted with our students' GCSE results and they should be very proud of their achievements.
"We wish them all the best in their future destinations and look forward to welcoming many of them back to The Thomas Alleyne Academy in September as they begin their A Levels studies in our Sixth Form."
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