Students at Shefford’s Samuel Whitbread Academy have today received what have been described by the school as their “best-ever” set of GCSE results.
Some 71 per cent of students gained a grade 4 or higher in English and maths, with 35 pupils – well above the national average – gaining one or more of the new grade 9s.
Top performers include Beth Warriner, who achieved grade 9s in English and maths.
She said: “I am really happy with my results and I’d like to thank all my teachers, especially those for English and music, who really helped me through all the pressure of my exams.”
Kieran Cawley – who got three grade 9s and six A*s – said: “Thank you to all my teachers who supported me to achieve these results. I’m delighted.”
Principal Nick Martin said: “I am absolutely thrilled that all the hard work by students and staff has paid off so spectacularly this year.
“With all the changes to the maths and English GCSEs, we were understandably a bit anxious about how this would affect the students’ grades – but they have risen to the challenge and done incredibly well.”
Alan Lee, chief executive of the Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST) – which runs the academy – added: “These results are sensational, representing an 18-per-cent improvement in just two years.
“Everyone in the Whitbread community, following suitable celebrations, is focused on making the BEST even better.”
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