GCSE results day 2017: Shropshire and Mid Wales pupils collect their grades - with pictures
It was a mixture of nerves and excitement for students across Shropshire as they picked up their GCSE results.
This year, for the first time GCSE results are being published under the government’s new grading system.
Shropshire Council said early indications showed that 2017 would be another successful year for pupils in the county.
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See how the day unfolded. Scroll further down for results from schools across Shropshire.
Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s director of children’s services, congratulated pupils on their results.
She said: "I would also like to extend our thanks to all in our school communities, including all teaching staff, headteachers, parents and carers who have provided much needed support, guidance and direction for the pupils.
“The pupils’ achievements reflect their commitment and preparation for the examinations and the hard work that they have put into their studies.
“This is a very important time for young people as they progress from school to continued education at school or college or further training and employment.
"We wish all of Shropshire’s pupils every success in the future.”
Telford
At Hadley Learning Community, Telford – which was last year judged to be in the top 40 schools in the country, improvement has continued to be made with more young people achieving the top grades.
Telford & Wrekin Council said a similarly positive picture is recorded at several other schools in the borough – in particular Ercall Wood, Burton Borough and Telford Langley.
Students at Newport Girls’ High School achieved a new school record with their results this year.
A total of 86.4 per cent of results were A* and A grades, or the new 9 to 7 grades in English and maths – a 3.7 per cent improvement on the previous best achieved in 2015.
Seven out of 56 students achieved all A*s or 9 to 8 grades and 50 per cent of the year group achieved A* and A or 9 to 7 in every subject they studied.
Headteacher Ros Garner said: "The new and more challenging English and mathematics qualifications have enabled the students to show their ability by performing above the A grade standard.
"In English 69.6 per cent achieved levels 8 and 9 while in mathematics the standard was even higher at 71.4 per cent.
"In fact in mathematics 98.2 per cent of students achieved the top levels 7 to 9 and 19 of these students obtained an A, A* or A˄ (distinction) in additional mathematics.
"There was great consistency across all subjects to bring about this fantastic performance for both the students and the school.
"Congratulations to students and staff on this record breaking achievement."
Adams’ Grammar School in Newport reported another excellent set of GCSE results this year.
Headmaster Gary Hickey said he was absolutely delighted: “The number of A*- B qualifications has risen to 88% this year with an overall 97% at A*- C plus a 100% pass rate for the new English and mathematics qualifications. In fact, while there were supposed to be very few top grade 9s awarded nationally, we are extremely delighted to report 40.
This is an incredible result, with nine grade 9s in English Literature, nine in English Language and a totally breathtaking 22 in mathematics."
Mr Hickey added: “All our pupils sit 10 GCSEs including three separate sciences, a language, a humanity and of course maths and the two English courses. Once again we have seen some outstanding individual performances with a number of pupils achieving straight A*/A and 9/8 grades in all ten of their GCSEs - an incredible achievement.
“We believe passionately in giving our pupils every opportunity to grow into interesting, balanced, confident and articulate young people, encouraging them to engage in a wide range of extra-curricular activities alongside their studies. I would like to thank all the pupils and staff for their hard work and commitment to this, all of which I believe has contributed to these outstanding results.
“The majority of our pupils will now continue with their studies in September as they move up into our sixth form, joined by a further 90 pupils from schools across the region who have also chosen to join us for their A-level studies. I wish them all the best with their studies.”
Outstanding individual performances include:
William Tran - seven A*/As and three 9s; Zain Ahmad - seven A*s and three 9/8s; Nihal Basha seven A*/As and three 9/8s; Oliver Ison seven A*/As and three 8/9s; Saif Khan - seven A*/As and three 9/8s; Josiah Weaver seven A*/As and three 9/8s.
Staff, students and parents at The Telford Priory School are celebrating some significant achievements from students in year 11 including pupils again making strides forward in a number of subjects, particularly the number of A/A* grades awarded or the new 7/ 8/9 grades (for English Language/ Literature and Mathematics).
Headteacher Stacey Jordan said: "We are so proud of the individuals in year 11 who have done well after having to move schools at the start of their GCSE course. They have been an exceptional year group in terms of their attitudes and we are so pleased to see so many of them accessing the next step of their education and training.
"With the whole new way of assessing and grading examinations in English and Maths, students and staff across the country have had to face many additional challenges. I am so proud of all that our school and students have achieved so far."
Telford Priory School pupil Gavin McGuin, 16, from St Georges, got a 9 in maths as well as four A*s, three As and a 7.
"I think I've done well, he said. "I've done what I needed to do and this will get me where I want to go so I'm proud of myself.
"I'm pleased with my maths because I want to pursue that and a nine is a very good grade. I'm very proud of my English language and French which I got As in because I had to put a lot of work in them.
"My sister helped me a lot and I'm very appreciative of that. I put in a lot of hours but the hard work has definitely paid off.
"I'm going to go to Thomas Telford to study A Levels. I want to do something to do with science and maths. Leaving is another step forward in my life and it's an important one. There were some very good teachers who tried hard with you."
Andrei Smarandche, 16, who is originally from Romania and now lives in Trench, got two A*, four As, am 8, 7, 6, a B and distinction star. He said: "I did my best and so was satisfied with the results I got. I worked extremely hard and spent nights without sleep because I was revising.
"I didn't really like the whole system and questions we were given. I wish there could be some improvement in the sense that they're very closed. You have to memerise information rather than using your own skills.
"I plan to go to sixth form and get a career in business. I plan to go to Madeley, I wanted to study economics because it's more academic but I don't think you can do it by itself. So I've gone with business, maths, history but I'm still deciding on my fourth subject.
"I don't really see much difference in the grading system. It's just changing from letters to numbers.
Meanwhile, Grace Sedgley, aged 16, from Trench, got the equivalent of three A*, two As, four Bs and a C. She said: "I'm really pleased with myself and proud of my results. It's a big achievement I think and it's nice to know your hard work has paid off.
"I'm pleased with both English subjects which I got nines in. Now I'm planning to go to Idsall sixth form to study English, Religious Studies, Sociology and History.
"I know I want to go to university. I'm quite excited to be leaving school, it's been alright but I just want to do the subjects I enjoy."
A statement from Charlton School in Wellington said: “We are delighted at Charlton School with the progress we have made towards the new 9-5 Basics measure in the reformed English and Mathematics GCSE exams, exceeding the target we set ourselves.
"All of our students have well and truly risen to the challenges the new GCSE specifications have given them! We have seen an increase in attainment in both English and Maths, which is excellent. We have seen continued high achievement through a range of our GCSE option subjects, many outperforming National results.
"We congratulate the staff and students for their efforts, many have been rewarded with outstanding results. Our top 15 students all averaged A to A* grades in their best eight subjects.
"Special mention should be made to India Deans-Smith who achieved two grade 9’s and all A* grades in her best eight, a truly stunning achievement. We wish all of our students continued success in their chosen college and Post 16 courses.”
The Telford Langley and Telford Park Schools are celebrating the achievement of year 11 students, following significant improvements in pupil progress across the full range of subject areas.
This year students sat the new , more demanding, GCSE in English and Maths, with a grade “4” identified by the Department for Education as a standard pass and comparable to the old “C” grade. By this measure the schools have built on the improvements made last year, with the number of students reaching this threshold increasing by a further 6% at Langley and by 8% at Park.
Executive headteacher Steve Carter said “With the support of our sponsor we have maintained much higher expectations to all aspects of school life, which the pupils continue to respond to superbly. I am delighted that the hard work of staff and pupils has been rewarded with this very pleasing set of results!” This news comes as a further boost following positive Ofsted inspections with judgements of “Good” for leadership across both schools.
Head of School at Telford Park, Holly Rigby, explained that “Ofsted have recognised the positive transformation in school culture, particularly for pupil behaviour and we are now seeing significant improvements in terms of pupil’s achievement”.
Across both schools there have been some impressive individual achievements as increasing numbers of pupils have achieved numerous A and A* grades as well as achieving some of the highest grades in the new 9-1 English and Maths GCSE’s. At Langley, Benjamin Johnson attained 4A*s as well as achieving a grade 9 and 8 in Maths and English. Michael Boden picked up 3 A* grades as well as achieving a grade 9 and 8 in Maths and English. Roland Gyamfi achieved 3 A* grades, 2 A grades and grade 8 in Maths and English. Jordan Tunholmer and Lynelle Gison were also celebrating achieving Grade 7s in the new English and Maths GCSEs respectively as well as a number of As.
There were similar success stories at the Telford Park school, as Maurice Adjei achieved two grade As as well as grade 7s in both Maths and English, Jaychelle Ofori two As as well as grade 7 and 6 in Maths and English and Tasneem Musekhan was delighted with her strong set of results, including a grade 7 in Maths.
Philip Hamilton, CEO of the Community Academies Trust, said: “Both Telford Park School and Telford Langley School are now settled purposeful learning environments where young people have every opportunity for success. The results this year are further evidence of this and I am very proud of the commitment shown by staff, students and their families to make this happen.
Shrewsbury
At Shrewsbury School two thirds of all exams rewarded with an A* or A.
Forty-two of the Year 11 pupils achieved a clean sweep of A and A* grades and of these 12 pupils gained an A* in every subject they entered.
Out of a cohort of 147, 70 pupils achieved the top grade in English Literature and 214 A* grades were achieved across all three sciences.
Headmaster, Mark Turner said: “The pupils can be justly proud of another sterling set of GCSE results – especially in the national context of grade deflation and increasing robustness of the qualification.
"That so many Salopians have achieved at the highest levels reflects the diligence, enthusiasm and determination of this cohort and, indeed, of their teachers."
Shrewsbury High School's set of GCSE results challenged its recent records. The school achieved a highly impressive A*/A rate of 62%, with many girls securing the new Grade 9, the grade above A*, in English and Mathematics.
Headmaster, Michael Getty said: "There has been a lot of worry nationally about how the new GCSEs in English and Mathematics would turn out but the girls’ results show they have managed things with incredible skill and competency. Schools recognise that GCSE has been made much more demanding and as a consequence the girls’ superb achievements deserve even more credit’ commented
"Nearly one third of the entire GCSE year group managed to secure straight A*/A grades and above with 22 entries securing the new Grade 9, despite national reports suggesting that allocations of this new even higher grade would be limited to only several hundred across the UK.
"The results are a great testimony to the girls’ hard work and that of our dedicated teaching staff. I am particularly delighted with the girls’ fantastic results in Science and Mathematics, where they achieved 87% A*/A in Biology, 84% in Physics, 81% in Chemistry and a brilliant 93% A*/A in Statistics.
"It is unsurprising that so many of them go into pursue careers in Medicine, Veterinary Science and Engineering. They have so much to be proud of!’ The High School has recently been shortlisted for a national award for its work in encouraging girls to pursue careers in Science, Mathematics and Engineering and its work with young doctors as they prepare for university."
Michael Barratt, principal at The Priory School in Shrewsbury said: “This has been a good year for The Priory School’s students. Despite nationally reported concerns about the standards achieved this year, particularly at grade 4 achievement at English and Maths (which is intended to equate to a C grade), we have been delighted by the number of students achieving 4 and above in both these subjects - 86% of our students achieved this.
"Equally, we have had 24 students achieve the new top grade (grade 9) in English or Maths and 31% of our results across all subjects were at A* and A grade level. 49 students achieved 5 or more A* and A grades. This is excellent news.
"We were also very pleased that over 80% of our boys and girls achieved 5 or more passes including English and Maths.
"We congratulate our students and thank our staff and parents for the collective hard work and commitment they have shown.
"Of course, exam results are one dimension of school life and these results have been achieved amidst our students being involved in various other activities of school life, for example through sport, music, drama, enterprise, both at House and school level. We want our students to have a wide-ranging experience at school, and the exam results are one part of this."
A record 60 per cent of all grades awarded in GCSE – or equivalent – results were A* at Acton Burnell's Concord College near Shrewsbury.
Eighty one percent of grades awarded were A*/A and 36 students out of the year group of 72 – the biggest ever year group in Concord's history – achieved 7 A*s or more.
Principal Neil Hawkins said: "I am delighted for our students that so many have achieved truly exceptional grades. Such success is a well-earned affirmation for these special young people.
"It is also a testament to the skill and hard work of the Concord team of teachers, pastoral and support staff, all of whom deserve great credit."
At Shrewsbury Colleges Group, which comprises Shrewsbury College and Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, principal James Staniforth said: “It’s Government policy for students who haven’t got a C or above to have to re-sit. This year across Shrewsbury Colleges Group, 933 students re-sat. 413 now have a C or above after nine months of study with us.
"We are delighted because this is life changing for these students. These results make us one of the best colleges in the country for providing this second chance.”
The college has several advice events coming up, tonight (August 24); Tuesday August 29, and Thursday, September 7, all from 5-7pm at London Road.
There were smiles all round at Adcote School, in Little Ness, as an impressive number of girls scored the coveted Grade 9.
In English Literature, 13.5% of girls scored grade 9 (national average 3.2%) along with 11% in Mathematics (national average 3.5%). Top students Rose Barnes and Aishling Ojiako both scored 7 A* or equivalent.
Grades were significantly above the national average in core subjects for A/7 or above: 27% in Mathematics, 36% in English Literature and 33% in English Language. The national averages are 15% in Maths, 19.2% in English Literature and 13.6% English Language.
Overall, Adcote recorded 100% pass rate at GCSE. Adcote's A*-C results were an impressive 11% above the national average, which showed a marked improvement on last year's results.
Adcote also registered a 9% increase in girls achieving A/7 or above – at 28% this year, eight percent above the national average.
Headteacher Diane Browne said: “We are thrilled with this year's GCSE results. We have shown a significant increase in our percentage of the very top grades, including the prestigious level 9 and particular strength in the core subjects Maths and English. These results are testament to the hard work and dedication of our students. We wish them all the best for their future studies.”
Ludlow
Ludlow CE School hailed pupils' GCSE successes.
"We are delighted with how our students have risen to the challenge of the new GCSEs in English Language, English Literature and Maths this year, and they should be delighted with their results, many students exceeding aspirational targets," said the school.
"After two years of national speculation and concern about the new grading system of 9 to 1, our students, their parents and teachers can celebrate together an excellent set of results.
"Our students should be congratulated for their hard work, and we thank our parents and teachers for their tremendous support of our young people. Though not directly comparable, the percentage of our students achieving the 'old' 5 passes, including English and Maths, has risen significantly.
"Our girls have done particularly well this year, with the highest grades awarded across a range of subjects to Ebony Clent, Katy Holman and Poppy May. Our senior prefects, Aaron Layton, Daisy Hamer, Jonny Rogers and Ellie Grehan have also gathered together a strong sets of results."
Whitchurch
At Sir John Talbot's School in Whitchurch 17 per cent of all grades were 7 and above.
For subjects other than English and maths still using the A*-C measure the school continued to see great success with the majority of students achieving five A*-C grades.
Headteacher David O’Toole said: “I am immensely proud of all of our students and their performance in this years’ exams.
"There has been a great deal of change with examination reform but students and staff have managed this transition exceptionally well.
"The new grading system in English and maths has brought many challenges and to have students achieving the exceptional grade 9 demonstrates the truly superb performance of this cohort.”
Market Drayton
The Grove School said the new grade scale is not directly equivalent to the existing one, so year on year comparisons are not possible.
"We are however, very pleased with the number of students achieving grade 7 and above and grade 4 and above," said a statement.
"There were several grade 9s, the measure for exceptional performance, in English, English Literature and Maths – subjects that no longer have any coursework element.
"With only 3% of these grades being awarded nationally, this is a great achievement.
"Students who performed exceptionally well are: Katy Newton with one grade 9, two grade 7s, one A*, 5As and a B; Tom O’Brien with one grade 9, one grade 8, one grade 6, four A*s and four As; Heidi Schacht with one grade 9, one grade 8, one grade 7, five 5A*s and two As; Jack Swinnerton with one grade 9, one grade 8, one grade 7, five A*s, one A; Maisey Vaughan with two grade 7s, one grade 6, one A*, five As and a B and Brody Wooding with one grade 9, one grade 7, one grade 6, five A*s and two As. Brody also achieved an A* distinction in his Further Maths examination."
Headteacher Sonia Taylor said, “Congratulations to all our students. These results reflect their hard work and commitment. It is a tumultuous time with new examinations at A level and GCSE which staff have worked tirelessly to prepare our students for.
"Given the extent of curriculum reform and the increased level of difficulty, our students and staff should be very proud of way they have risen to the challenges. I would like to thank all parents and carers for their support too.”
Wem
Elizabeth Dakin, headteacher at Thomas Adams School in Wem, praised the efforts of staff and students on a fantastic set of GCSE results.
“Everyone has worked incredibly hard this year and these excellent results reflect this," she said. "Yet again, we are extremely pleased with the very high percentage of our pupils who gained the English Baccalaureate, demonstrating strong performance across a suite of academic subjects.
"In addition, nearly 10 per cent of the cohort achieved the new, top grade 9 in maths, which has been introduced for exceptional performance. This result was significantly above our targets, especially since this grade is only expected to be achieved by the top three per cent of GCSE students nationally.
“I would like to put on record my thanks to all students, staff and parents, for what was an exemplary team effort. Many of these Thomas Adams students are now joining others from across north Shropshire, and from further afield, in moving on to take A-levels at Thomas Adams College, and I am sure will enjoy further success in two years’ time.”
Bridgnorth
Students at Oldbury Wells School were celebrating their results, which were among the highest the school has seen.
Headteacher Sarah Godden said, "Well done Year 11for your excellent results! You have worked very hard and can be thrilled with of your achievements this year. We are very proud of you.
Deputy headteacher Lisa Thomas said: "I have met with many delighted students this morning, as they have enrolled into our sixth form. We look forward to seeing them in September, and wish those picking up apprenticeships or college courses as alternatives, every success too.
"Particular congratulations go to the following students: Emily Scowen six A*, two grade 9, one A; Alex Henfry five A*, two A, one grade 8: Rhys Llewellyn five A*, two grade 9, two A; Freddie Writtle five A*, two A, two grade 8."
Last year, the school achieved its best ever results. I am delighted that, for the second year in a row, we have been able to maintain a very high level of performance in English and mathematics. These impressive results are testament to the hard work of students and the dedication and commitment of our talented teaching staff.
Barry Worth headteacher at Bridgnorth Endowed School said: "We are very pleased with our 2017 GCSE results.
"Last year, the school achieved its best ever results. I am delighted that, for the second year in a row, we have been able to maintain a very high level of performance in English and mathematics. These impressive results are testament to the hard work of students and the dedication and commitment of our talented teaching staff.
"In particular, outstanding results came from Joel Harman and Cam Minifie, who both achieved 12 grades at either A* or A."
Oswestry
The Marches School in Oswestry said that in a year of turbulence for schools nationally, students had held their nerve and performed exceptionally well.
The school said: "With reforms to the new GCSEs it is not possible to compare this year’s results with other years. The new examination system has been deliberately designed to be tougher and so it is impressive for 10% of the cohort to gain top grades in BOTH English and maths and have 44% of students reach the new demanding measure of a Strong Pass in both English and maths (the new grade 9-5).
Headteacher Mrs Alison Pearson, added: “The students and staff have coped extremely well with the change and uncertainty this year and we are today celebrating this important milestone in our students' lives with more than ever gaining the grades they need for the future.
"We will see many more joining our successful Sixth Form to build on the outstanding outcomes we received. We have a wealth of talent at the Marches School and this year's results are testament to the continued hard work and commitment of the students, staff, parents and governing body.”
Uladzislau Barabash and Ioana Pascariu both become the first students in the school to gain the new coveted grade 9 in both English and maths, along with A* grades in all their other subjects. In addition, a pleasingly large cohort of students have achieved A/A* grades across the board this year.
Over 99% of students gained at least at A*-C pass and there was a 10% jump in students gaining the English Baccalaureate, (earning A*-C in a set of core qualifications including a language).
Executive headteacher Sarah Longville said: “I am so proud of everyone for what they have achieved. I offer my warmest congratulations on the excellent results, providing a solid foundation for our students to continue in their educational journey and follow their career aspirations.”
Eve Mountford, who achieved an A* in her music exam, said: "I'm over the moon with my results I don't think there's any words to describe it.
"The maths and English exams kept me up because I didn't think I was going to pass but I did so much better than I expected.
"I'm going to Shrewsbury Sixth Form now to do music and drama."
Uladzislau Barabash and Ioana Pascariu became the first students in the school to gain the new coveted grade 9 in both English and maths, along with A* grades in all their other subjects.
And Ethan Bungay's hard work was rewarded with 8s and 9s in the core subjects, along with four A*s and three As.
He said: "I'm going to stay on at the Marches Sixth Form to do biology, chemistry and maths.
"I actually thought the maths exams were quite easy this year but I did do a lot of revision which paid off."
Just a week after record-breaking A-level results, Moreton Hall School in Weston Rhyn, near Oswestry, was once again celebrating.
As well as achieving an impressive haul of A* and A grades, a number of students have also been awarded the prestigious 9 grade.
"The 9 grade at GCSE represents the very pinnacle of academic achievement and is awarded to a tiny minority of students’, said principal Jonathan Forster.
"We congratulate those students on their achievements and look forward to their continued success in the Sixth Form.
Biology, Chemistry and Physics were among the departments celebrating success with 100% A*- B grades in the demanding separate science qualification.
At Oswestry School, 82 per cent of papers were awarded A* to C or 9 to 4 grades, and a third of all entries were graded A* and A.
Students re-sitting their GCSE exams at North Shropshire College have been celebrating outstanding results.
The English pass rate was above national average and the maths results have improved on last year.
Interim principal Peter McCann said: "I would like to congratulate the English and maths teams on their great results and further progress. They should be proud of what their students have achieved."
Twins Molly and Rachel Mackenzie from Whittington both sat GCSE Engllish this year.
They said: "We’ve both done different specs this year and are really happy with both passes. We’ve found English much better in college and want to thank Kim our tutor for helping us get there."
Ellesmere
At Ellesmere College, a third of all grades were the top grades of A*/A, with more than half of all grades awarded are in the A*/A/B range.
Headmaster Brendan Wignall said: "These results are a credit to pupils, to their teachers and, of course, to their parents. I am always impressed with how our pupils manage to combine achieving an excellent academic record along with maintaining their valued contribution to the musical, dramatic and sporting life of the college.
"It is always a delight to receive such a well deserved, good set of results and I congratulate them."
Much Wenlock
Students and staff at William Brookes School in Much Wenlock are celebrating the school’s best-ever GCSE results - 76% of the 153 students at the 11-18 comprehensive school have secured 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths, the two subjects graded on the new numbers system for the first time this year.
Ninety per cent of students gained a grade 4 or better in English (old C grade) with 80% gaining a grade 5 or better (high C+). Results in Maths were also excellent with 80% gaining a good pass (grade 4 or better) and 62% gaining a strong pass (grade 5 or better).
In addition, a best ever 37% of students achieved the English Baccalaureate, the government’s school performance measure of academic subjects, and 99% secured five GCSE passes.
Twenty per cent of all grades at the school were at A or A* and 54% at A*-B. Ten individual students - Brad Jones, Mika Day-Gough, Freddie Ross, Lily Hayward, Emelia Stonebanks, Simon Singh-Moore, Cameron Mackie, Maisie Thornton, Sam Brown and Sharla Harvey - achieved 8 or more A/A*, accumulating 57 A* and 35 A grades between them.
Headteacher Geoff Renwick said: “This is an excellent set of GCSE results, and all those who worked so hard to achieve their personal and academic goals should be very proud of their success. Over 78% of our students secured a good pass, a grade 4 (old C grade) in both English and Maths with nearly 60% gaining the new strong pass, a grade 5, in both subjects, which is fantastic at this time of new and more challenging syllabi.
"I’d also like to congratulate our teaching staff for their expert and supportive teaching. We are already looking forward to welcoming many students back to William Brookes School to start their A Level studies in just a couple of weeks’ time, when they will be joined by students from schools across the county.”
Chair of Governors Catherine Connery added: “We are delighted with such a positive set of GCSE results, which are a credit to both our students
and staff, and confirm our place amongst the county’s top comprehensive schools.”
Bishop's Castle
The Community College in Bishop’s Castle hailed a strong performance.
English, Maths, French, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Art and PE were among the highest achieving subjects at the school, all above national averages.
The school’s highest achieving students were the outgoing Head Boy Max Ellis, who achieved A*-A equivalents in all his subjects including A* in all 3 sciences and a grade 9 in Maths, the outgoing Head Girl Rebecca Morgan, who achieved 8 A*-A equivalents including 1 A*, and Hannah Jones who achieved 8 A*-A equivalents including 2 A* equivalents.
“We had a lot of very happy, smiling young people on exam results day, which is always a joy to see” said the headteacher of the Community College, Alan Doust.
“I am particularly glad that our results are this good, particularly given the uncertainties of the new GCSEs in English and Maths. These new GCSEs in English and Maths placed greater demands on our students and teachers, and it’s great both subjects had such positive performance against national averages.
“These results belong to all our staff, not just to those that teach Year 11. They come about because we have an exceptional environment for learning, which genuinely focuses on every child, and because staff and students, ably support by parents and governors, work in partnership to get the best outcomes possible.
"I am always impressed with the value we are able to add to our young people in the 5 years they are with us. All in all, a very successful year.”
Bucknell
Bedstone College, in Bucknell, near Ludlow, is celebrating another set of outstanding GCSE results. It said that despite the sense that the new 9-1 grades in English and Mathematics might depress results a little, this year’s cohort have improved on the results of last year, with 86% of UK students achieving the equivalent of five A*-C grades including English and Mathematics. This is the best on record for Bedstone College.
Overall, 76% of all grades were at grade C or better.
The top performers this year were Philippine Fromholzer who achieved twelve A*/A grades, Annika Kindermann who achieved eight A*/A grades, Abigail Hitchcock, who topped her impressive set of grades with six As, and James Lynch and Harriet Thompson who did the same with four A grades each.
Headmaster, David Gajadharsingh said: “This is another impressive set of results from our Year 11 cohort. I had fears that the introduction of more rigorous GCSEs in Mathematics and English would herald the start of grade deflation, however the results this year, at least for Bedstone, have improved on those of last year.
"This set of results shows that the academic performance of Bedstone students remains consistently high, and this is something of which a genuinely non-selective school can be justly proud.
"We maintain our commitment to teaching ‘traditional’ subjects and it was particularly pleasing to note that in Physics, Spanish, Music and German, at least 40% of grades were at A*/A. In addition, there were 100% pass rates in Chemistry, Music, PE, German and Spanish.
"With the excellent news of our A Level results of last week, Bedstone is in an incredibly strong position on the academic front. Our Sixth Form is growing and we are very much looking forward to following the progress of our new Lower Sixth as they make their way through their A Levels over the coming months and years.”
Mr Gajadharsingh added: “If you did well in your GCSEs, or even if they did not go as well as you had hoped, we have a few places remaining in our Lower Sixth. Our experienced senior staff are on hand to offer advice on A Level choices if you are interested in finding out if Bedstone might be the right choice for your next step in education. We are small enough to be able to tailor specific programmes of study to match students’ abilities and needs.”
Cleobury Mortimer
At Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer, 63% of students achieved five or more standard passes at GCSE including English and Maths. The English department saw 75% of students achieving a ‘strong’ level 5 pass and 87% getting a level 4+.
The school said: "We are happy to announce that, once again, students at Lacon Childe School have achieved tremendous GCSE results and they can be extremely proud of their achievements. Through their hard work and the commitment and dedication of our teachers, Lacon Childe has, once again, maintained its excellent tradition in achieving the highest standards of attainment.
"Due to the volatility in the system and the changes that have been made to the assessment of GCSEs this year it is impossible to compare our results with previous years. The new GCSEs in English and Maths have been designed to be tougher and have provided a greater challenge for staff and students alike.
"Our results in Science, Geography, French (100% pass A*-C), German, Textiles, Performing Arts and Philosophy and Ethics are outstanding.
"A special mention must go to Eartha Kruft-Welton for achieving a Level 9 in Maths, which is more remarkable as she is a Year 9 pupil.
"Students at all levels have achieved fabulous results and can look forward to moving on to the next stage of their learning journey with confidence.
Top achieving students are:
Holly Rennel, two 9s, five A*, one A; Abi Griffiths two 9s, three A* and one A; Maisie Porter, one 9, two A*, three A and one 7; Jacob Tennant, two A*, two A and one 8.
Our other high attaining students are Gemma Booton, Sophie Cavenagh, Megan Davies, Sophie Derricutt. Orla Evans, T Feng, Connor Galliard, Daisy Griffiths, Lucy Joliffe, Olive Kelly, Ellie Phelps and Paul Wilson.
Mid Wales
Welshpool High School achieved above the national average in this year's GCSE results.
Following a very successful Estyn inspection earlier this year, students impressed by achieving the top grades.
The most notable individual performances were Francesca Harding (11A*s, one A), Zoe Kuipers (nine A*s, four As) and Serena Phillips (nine A*s, three As).
Headteacher Jim Toal said: "I would like to extend my congratulations to the pupils on their results, and to thank all the teachers and support staff for their hard work enabling the pupils to achieve success."
Newtown High School ported good results in maths and English, and this year, top students in Years 9 and 10 also sat the exams.
Headteacher Graeme Harkness said: "We are very proud of the achievements of our students. These results represent a great start to the new GCSEs. We know there is more to do, but we will build on these results.
"The results are the first ones in a new era of examinations and we look forward to the summer of 2018 when we will be able to extract some meaningful comparative data."
Four subjects at Dinas Bran High School in Llangollen achieved 100 per cent pass rate.
Students excelled in art, biology, chemistry and physics, and over 50 per cent of grades in seperate sciences were A* or A.
Twins Lucy and Emma Brown ffrom Llangollen each gained 10 A*s and distinctions in additional maths, while twins Laura and Sarah Gibbs, also from Llangollen, also achieved the top grades.
Martyn Froggett, headteacher, said: "We are really pleased for all our students. They have worked really hard and deserve their success.
"We are looking forward to seeing many of the students back in our sixth form in September. Great praise and thanks to the staff who have supported them and helped them achieve so well."
