Year 11 students celebrate GCSE grades as Btec pupils to wait for results

The Government announced earlier this week that results will be based on teacher grades rather than algorithms used by exam boards which caused an outcry among schools as thousands of students received downgraded results.

This year’s GCSE pass rate in England have increases to 79 per cent from 70 per cent after a Covid-disrupted year for students.

• GCSE results day 2020: schools across Dorset and New Forest
• GCSE Results Day: Headteachers call on government to learn from A level mistakes
• GCSE results 2020: What grades will students get?

However, students studying vocational courses have been forced to wait for their results as BTec grades were pulled hours before pupils were to receive them.

Although some schools are giving out grades which were assessed by schools.

Poole High School’s results has put them in a “highly impressive position”, with students performing “extremely well” considering the coronavirus outbreak.

Headteacher Paul Gray said: “We congratulate our Year 11 students and their families. Their results are consistent with all of the assessments undertaken prior to the lockdown period.

“Today’s results place us within a highly impressive position. They are in line with the year-on-year improvements at Poole High School.

“Most important – the results and the preparedness for Advanced Level study shown in the last five months’ study are indicative of the extremely bright futures our students are capable of achieving.”

All students at Bournemouth School’s achieved at least five GCSEs, with 97 per cent achieved five or more GCSEs and 71 per cent of all entries were awarded grades 7-9.

Many individuals achieved exceptionally well, including three students who were awarded grade 9s in all 11 GCSEs for which they were entered.

Headmaster Dr Dorian Lewis said: “I believe the results published today are a much more accurate reflection of our students’ abilities than had the government insisted upon publishing grades generated by a computer algorithm.

“There will still be some students who will be disappointed with the published outcomes as they will believe that they could have achieved more highly in the intended terminal examinations.

“We will be supporting these students to realise their goals, whilst sharing in the celebrations of the vast majority whose efforts have been suitably rewarded in this most difficult of years.”

Ballard School in New Milton are enjoying another successful year of GCSE result, with 100 per cent of pupils achieving at least five GCSE passes graded 9-4, including Maths and English, and 75 per cent of pupils securing at least 9 GCSE passes in total.

Headmaster at Ballard School Andrew McCleave said: “I am so pleased that our pupils have achieved the grades they deserve.

“Every single pupil has gained five GCSE passes at a grade of 9-4, with the majority receiving over nine GCSE passes in total.

“A considerable number of pupils have achieved the top grades of 9 to 7 per cent of grades achieved by girls were grades 9-7 grades; three of our young people gained 10 passes at these top grades.”

Year 11 students at Lytchett School who worked so hard throughout their curtailed Key Stage 4 have achieved glowing results.

The highest achieving students this year were Erin Wilkinson who achieved seven grade 9s and two grade 8s, and Emily Campbell Montgomery who achieved seven grade 9s, one grade 8 and one grade 7.

Headmaster, Andrew Mead, said: “In addition to these exceptional headline-grabbing performances from our high attaining students, there were also fantastic performances from some of our less naturally academic students, who achieved highly creditable results through sheer hard work and determination.

“We celebrate the massive progress that they have made since joining the school. They can all be very proud of themselves.”

The Bourne Academy, an all ability state-funded secondary Academy established by its sponsor Canford School in 2010, is delighted to announce another very positive set of examination result, both in terms of grades and levels of progress achieved.

Principal Mark Avoth said: “This has been a very tough year for our Year 11s – we are all extremely proud of their resilience and the maturity they have shown during this global pandemic.

“This was not the GCSE year at school that they expected or deserved, but they should be incredibly proud of everything they have achieved.

“My thanks goes also to our great body of committed staff and parents too.”

Poole Grammar are celebrating a glowing set of results from their current cohort of GCSE students.

Headteacher Andy Baker said: “We are delighted that our students received the grades they deserved this morning, and that they are well equipped to progress to the next stage in their education.

“We thank all staff for the contribution they have made to the lives of our young people.”

After an anxious week of changing arrangements, Year 11 students at Ringwood School arrived at school to collect their GCSE results and catch up with their friends and some of their teachers.

Given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the 2020 results, the school shall not be providing details of the examination performance at GCSE this year.

Headteacher Leanne Symonds said: “What is important now is that the grades that this year’s cohort have received allows each and every student to look towards the future and access their Post 16 plans in order to limit the impact that the pandemic has had on this group of young people.

“We are looking forward to welcoming the majority of our year group back into our sixth form on September 7.”

Ferndown Upper students received their long-awaited exam results, with 83 per cent of students gained grades 9-4.

Last year Ferndown students received the best results in Dorset and this year the students performed even higher.

Headteacher, Philip Jones said: “I am very proud of the achievements of our students; it has been an extremely difficult and challenging year for them, and they have risen to this challenge superbly.

“May I take this opportunity to wish them all the very best for their future, it has been a pleasure to teach them.”

St Peter’s Catholic School have said they are both “delighted and relieved” for their students when the government announced that the centre assessed grades would be used in place of the algorithm that caused so much anxiety and confusion among A Level students across the country last week.

Headteacher Ben Doyle said: “In the absence of examinations, common sense dictates that teachers were best placed to give realistic predicted grades for the individuals they have taught throughout Key Stage 4.

“We had a robust system in place for checking and moderating predictions and so are confident that the grades our students have received are a fair reflection of both their ability and the effort they have applied in each subject.

Teachers at Magna Academy are proud of all their students who achieved their GCSE results through endeavour and hard work, including Isabel a'Beckett, Jacob Carman, Nathan Fowler, Lauren Goodwin, Alexander Lee, Freya Vye and Ria Watson who gained stunning results achieving all grade 8-9s.

Headteacher Natasha Ulla said: “We are thrilled that our students’ abilities and efforts have been recognised and reflected in this year’s results.

“These results are also testament to the expertise and relentless drive of all staff at the academy.”

Students at Parkfield School are today celebrating their long-awaited GCSE results, having faced months away from school, having received grades as judged by their teachers.

Ian Golding, Principal at Parkfield School, said: “Today marks the end of a difficult period in the lives of our students.

“This is not the way we wanted their school careers to end and we hope that we will be able to celebrate with them at some point in the near future.

“These grades are an accurate reflection of the tremendous effort and hard work that our young people have put into their studies.”

St Aldhelm’s Academy have achieved a shining set of results, with particular strong outcomes in a range of subjects including English Language, Geography, History and Child Development.

Jo Amos, Principal said: “We have enjoyed celebrating with our students this morning.

“This Year 11 were the first cohort to start with Ambitions Academies Trust five years ago. They have done so well, and we are very proud of their achievements.”

Bournemouth & Poole College is celebrating another year of brilliant results after receiving outstanding pass rates, with 99 per cent in English and 100 per cent in Maths.

Tracey Griffin, Assistant Principal at Bournemouth & Poole College, said: “This is an incredible achievement for our students, who have once again surpassed the national average.

“We are extremely proud of our students and their great results. After an unprecedented year, our students should be incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication they have shown to their studies.

“Matching previous year’s results, we’re delighted that the College is able to continue providing excellent English and maths provision for our students.”

Highcliffe School has commended their cohort of year 11 students for an “extremely pleasing” set of GCSE results which promise a “large and very bright” intake to their Sixth Form.

Headteacher Patrick Earnshaw added: “I am delighted the government decided to trust teachers’ professional judgment at GCSE and acted to prevent the punitive and inexplicable downgrades to random students which caused such unnecessary heartache last week for some A Level candidates.”

Wimborne’s Queen Elizabeth School are pleased to announce that record numbers of students will remain at the school to continue their studies at Sixth Form after achieving a glowing set of GCSE results.

Headteacher Katie Boyes said: “The results are a testament to their hard work and perseverance over many years and we are incredibly proud of each and every one of them.

“It has been a challenging year and the controversy surrounding the results process must not detract from the hard work, dedication and commitment that our students have shown during their studies.”

Students at The Bishop of Winchester Academy have been awarded a “well-deserved excellent set of final grades”, a testament to their hard work and dedication over the last five years.

Principal, Paul McKeown said: “The qualifications they have rightly earned will ensure they can access the courses of their choice as they progress to the next stage of their education.

“Staff at the academy are all very proud of our students and we wish them all well for the future. I would like to thank all staff for their relentless pursuit of excellence from all students and congratulate all students for achieving such great final results.”

The Arnewood School in New Milton will not be releasing details of the examination performance at GCSE this year but have said that the school has achieved a “strong set of results”.

A spokesperson for The Arnewood School said: “This is because of the uncertainty of recent days and the ambiguity that still exists at the time of issuing this statement regarding the moderation of centre assessed grades by OfQUAL.

“Students and staff have worked very hard during the Covid-19 lockdown and it is sad that Year 11 students saw their end of year cut short abruptly for their own safety.”

Bournemouth School for Girls are celebrating their GCSE results, as 77 per cent of girls achieved five or more exams at grades 7-9.

Headteacher Alistair Brien said: “Congratulations to all our year 11 students collecting GCSE results today. We are glad that the uncertainty of last week’s A level results has been removed for our year 11 students.

“Students can move forward to their next stage of education with confidence and, we all hope, no disruption.”

Bournemouth Collegiate School’s GCSE Results have gone beyond the record-breaking performance last year and achieved an extraordinary set of grades, with over 98 per cent achieving a pass and just below 40 per cent gaining a 9-7.

Headmaster Russell Slatford said: “It has been a day of mixed emotions.

“We are so proud of this group of talented individuals but having not seen them for so long made today really poignant, we are just glad that so many of them are returning to the Sixth Form in a few weeks.”

On the first anniversary of the STEAM Hub opening at Talbot Heath school, it was appropriately paper, bearing another year of excellent GCSE results for pupils.

Modern Foreign Language results were particularly diverse and successful, with seven separate languages being represented by this year’s cohort.

Mrs Holloway said: “I am so proud of our excellent GCSE results. For the pupils and staff, this has been a challenging year, but their hard work and motivation, combined with their teachers’ expertise and support, has produced fantastic results.”

Students from The Blandford School have been praised for “working like Trojans” during lockdown in order to achieve an impressive set of GCSE results.

Headteacher Sally Wilson said: “Although many year 11 students would have liked to prove themselves in an examination hall, they have, without doubt, proved themselves to all their teachers and support staff over the five years they have been studying here.

“My dearest wish, and that of my colleagues, is for students to now hold their heads high, be exceptionally proud of their own personal achievements and celebrate.”

Following an extraordinary year for young people, students from The Grange School collected their GCSE grades today despite not having had the opportunity to sit exams.

Headteacher Liz Garman said: “We are incredibly proud of all of our students, not only for the way in which they have dealt with the uncertainty surrounding the awarding process, but their approach to the Covid-19 crisis since March."