Two West Buckland School students, who have both been at the school since Year 3, have joined an exclusive club of only 730 others, in the country, in achieving a full-house of 9s in their GCSEs exams.
Another 23% of students achieving ALL 9-7/A*-A grades. In total, 53.1% of all grades were passed at 9-7/A*-A, with over 16% of grades awarded at grade 9 (four times the national average). Although most subjects were marked under the new numerical scale of 9-1, a few subjects remained under the old A*-E system.
As with our A-level students, there was much to celebrate from our ‘home grown’ talent. Whilst 81% of our A-level students who started life in the Prep School, achieved A*-B, it was a similar story with the GCSE results. Hollie Crosbie and Emma Rawicz-Szczerbo, who got straight 9/A*s, have both come up through West Buckland from the Prep school, benefiting from many years of careful nurturing and excellent personalised learning offered in both Prep and Senior schools.
Whilst Hollie will be entering the West Buckland Sixth Form, Emma has been offered a place at the prestigious Chethams School of Music in Manchester, to further her musical ambitions. This comes on the back of her being selected for the Junior Guildhall last year, to study clarinet, and the school were delighted to support her regular trips to London for rehearsals.
There were other notable results, including Fiona Corrick, Edmund Colville, Jerry Chu and Daniil Chernyshov who achieved all 9-8/A*.
Headmaster, Phillip Stapleton, feels that the new grade system suits West Buckland’s style of teaching: “At West Buckland we encourage students to build on the knowledge given to them, not simply regurgitate facts. The new GCSE examinations suit our approach to learning and I am delighted for all our students who have achieved at or above expectations and therefore secured the opportunity to begin their next chapter.
“These results represent an important step in the students’ educational journey and I am delighted that many have achieved excellent grades. The top level 9 has proved less elusive for our students with over 16% of grades awarded at this level. Emma and Hollie’s achievement, in gaining 9s in ALL subjects is extraordinary and sets them among the best in the country, however their success should not overshadow the achievement and application of all our staff and students.”