Pupils at the Royal Hospital School (RHS), Holbrook, are celebrating with some of the best GCSE results the school has achieved for many years.
95% of all entries were awarded the new grading of 9 to 4 representing a 5 % increase since last year.
Headmaster, Simon Lockyer, said: “I am delighted with the number of pupils for whom hard work has paid off. These are our best GCSE results since 2011, despite the uncertainty around the considerable changes to GCSEs.
“I am particularly pleased by the number of pupils gaining top grades. Thirty-five of our pupils achieved at least six 9-7/A*/A grades this year. An incredible accomplishment for all these individuals who have responded well to the challenge that the new tougher GCSEs pose.
“I am equally proud of our pupils who managed to push themselves that little further to achieve beyond what they ever thought was possible. These results most importantly reward the hard work of our pupils and give them encouragement as they progress into sixth form.
“The reforms have inevitably posed challenges for both the pupils and those teaching them but it reinforces why maintaining a healthy balance between academic study and the opportunities within the school’s incredibly broad co-curricular programme remains so important. This approach ensures that the pupils in this year’s cohort (127 pupils) have performed to the best of their ability with 95% of entries graded 4 or above (the equivalent of A*-C) and a foundation that will help them to progress to the next stage of their education.
“In the 23 reformed GCSE subjects (those with the 9-1 grading), 37% of exams were graded 9-7 (A*/A grade equivalent) and a remarkable 20% the very top A* equivalent (9 or 8).
“Most pleasing were results in the sciences with a 70% 9-7 pass rate in Biology, 57% in Chemistry and 53% in Physics. In Combined Science our 9-6 (A*-B equivalent) pass rate was 73%. Other subjects seeing some outstanding performances were Religious Studies, Geography, History and Classical Civilisation”.
Key stats
127 pupils in cohort (97 last year)
95% overall 9-4 pass rate (90% last year; 66.9% national average)
97% 9-4 pass rate in English (95% last year)
93% 9-4 pass rate in maths (95% last year)
35 pupils gained at least six straight A*A or 9-7 (23 last year)
36% A*-A and 9, 8 and 7 grades (34% last year; 20% national average)
6.2% of entries awarded the new Grade 9 (4.5% national average)