GCSE results day
West Berkshire's pupils are celebrating another good year for GCSE examinations results
THE wait is over for thousands of pupils across West Berkshire today (Thursday).
Following the publication of A-level examinations results last week, today is the turn of those who sat GCSE examinations earlier this year to discover their fate.
Newburytoday.co.uk reporters will be out and about at West Berkshire's schools.
Log back here throughout the day for all the latest results and reactions and click on the link at the bottom of the page to see all the photos from the day.
THEALE GREEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL:
SEVERAL pupils at Theale Green Community School are celebrating outstanding individual results.
Overall, 67 per cent of pupils achieved at least five A* to C grades, with 52 per cent achieving five, including English and maths.
Ninety-five per cent of pupils achieved at least five passes (A* to G).
Headteacher, Sue Marshall, congratulated all the pupils, adding that many had achieved highly, including Rosie Arnell and Jack Winstanley (both achieved 6 A* and 4 A grades), Christie Fountain (8 A* and 1 A) and Georgie Wilkins (8 A*), among others.
LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL, TILEHURST:
STAFF and students at Little Heath School were also celebrating after the school achieved its best ever GCSE results.
The percentage of students gaining five or more grades A* to C was 83 percent with 56 percent of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs, including English and maths.
All students in year 11 gained at least one GCSE pass A* to G.
DENEFIELD SCHOOL, TILEHURST:
DENEFIELD School in Tilehurst has recorded its best ever set of GCSE and equivalent level qualifications.
Fifty-one per cent of students scored five or more A* - C including English and maths, and 80 per cent gained a set of five or more passes at grade C or above.
This represents a seven per cent point increase on last year's results.
Sixty-six per cent gained seven or more passes at grades A* - C, a 14 per cent increase on last year.
The school's headteacher, Glyn Whiteford, said: "All our students have worked hard to achieve at or above their personal targets, supported by the tremendous efforts of Denefield staff."
He said a number of students were worthy of particular mention and their photographs would soon be gracing the ‘wall of fame' in the school hall.
They include Erica Deane, who gained seven A*, two A, and one B grade, Kamran Pentland, who gained seven A*, one A, and four C grades, Tom Uphill, who scored five A*, two A, and three B grades, Lydia Robinson, who scored four A*, five A, and one B grade, Helen Stanger with four A*, four A, and two B grades, and Rachel Sargeant, who gained four A*, four A, and two B grades.
THE DOWNS SCHOOL, COMPTON:
The Downs School continued the trend of year on year improvement with 76 per cent of pupils gaining at least five A* to C grades, including English and mathematics.
Seventy-nine per cent gained five or more A* to C passes overall, while 99.4 per cent of pupils achieved five passes at A* to G.
Headteacher, Val Houldey, said: "It is heartening to see that all the hard work of students and their teachers has been rewarded.
"It is becoming a more and more competitive world and we do all we can to give our students the best possible start."
ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL, NEWBURY:
GIRLS at St Gabriel's are celebrating after 100 per cent achieved five A* to C grades, with sixty per cent A* or A grades.
Bethan Nichol, from Donnington, and Charlotte Hobby, from Ecchinswell, both achieved 12 A* grades.
Claire Wood, from Burghfield Common, achieved 10 A* and and A, while she also scored 96 per cent and 97 per cent in two A-level mathematics modules, which she took a year early.
Principal, Alun Jones, said: "Not only has this year group achieved a stunning set of results in rigorous subjects but they have given so much to the creative and sporting extra-curricular life of our school, with many of the girls enjoying national success on the sports field."
KENNET SCHOOL, THATCHAM:
THE overall pass rate at Kennet School in Thatcham was 100 per cent.
The percentage of pupils gaining five A* to C grades was 75 per cent and the percentage of pupils gaining five A* to C grades, including English and mathematics, was 69 per cent.
Headteacher at the Stoney Lane school, Paul Dick, said: “The school is proud of this year group; the vast majority of pupils will now move into the sixth form with confidence; while others will go to college or into modern apprenticeships, all will be confident from their successes this summer past.
“These results are yet another great event in the glittering history of Kennet School.”
Lauren Killner who achieved 11 A*s, will go on to study further maths, biology, music and geography in the sixth form.
She said: “I feel amazing.
“I was hoping to get these grades but everyone aims high.”
THE CLERE SCHOOL, BURGHCLERE:
THE Clere School is celebrating after 64 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE.
Several pupils achieved A* and A grades and 51 per cent achieved five A* to C grades, including English and maths.
Headteacher, Sarah Rogers, said: "It is fantastic to see such tremendous results which reflect the hard work and positive attitude of both students and staff."
MARY HARE GRAMMAR SCHOOL, SNELSMORE COMMON:
Mary Hare School is celebrating another good year of GCSE examination results.
The pupils obtained more than 70 per cent grades A* to C with pupils studying physics, chemistry, biology, ICT, business studies, music and music technology attaining 100 percent grades A* to C.
The core subjects of English and maths achieved more than 70 per cent.
Dr Papas, Vice Principal of the school said: "Every year the GCSE results of our pupils surpass any expectations and are much higher than predictions from baseline tests on entering the school.”
THE WILLINK SCHOOL, BURGHFIELD:
THE Willink School in Burghfield is celebrating after its top students pushed the ceiling higher with another set of strong GCSE results.
Headteacher Peter Fry said the percentage of students gaining the English Baccalaureate and top grades A*-A and A*-C were up on 2009 and 2010, and the proportion of students achieving the benchmark figure of five A* to C grades at GCSE was 69 per cent, maintaining the high standards gained in recent years.
Sixty-two per cent of students gained five or more A* to C GCSE grades, without equivalences, including English and mathematics, while 99 per cent of students gained five or more A* to G GCSE grades.
JOHN O'GAUNT COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE, HUNGERFORD:
FOR the second year in a row, pupils at John O'Gaunt Community Technology College have been celebrating following their GCSE results.
Seventy four per cent achieved five A* to C grades, with 47 per cent achieving five, including English and maths.
Headteacher Neil Spurdell, said that he was very pleased to have passed 70 per cent five A* to C grades for the second successive year and also highlighted that it was the first time ever that 100 per cent of the students had achieved five A* to G grades.
He added: “This shows that the school is sustaining its levels of achievement, but I am particularly pleased that the bar has been raised in terms of the proportion of students achieving the very highest grades.”
Star performers were Becky Horne with 12 A*/A grades and Beth Burkitt with 11 A*/A grades, closely followed by Hazel Smith and Melissa Tredinnick on 10 and Holly McMordie on 9.
TRINITY SCHOOL, SHAW:
TRINITY School has also achieved excellent results with a massive increase in the percentage of students gaining five A* to C grades, including maths and English, to 60 per cent, up 15 percent from last year.
The percentage of students gaining five A* to C grades has also gone up to 66 per cent, an increase of six percent.
The percentage of students achieving one or more A* to G grades is 98%.
Headteacher of the Love Lane school, Charlotte Wilson, said: “We are exceptionally proud of all the students' achievements. Yet again a large number of students are staying on into sixth form to study a wide variety of courses.
“This is the third year of increasing results; putting student achievement at the heart of all we do over the last three years has led to fantastic improvements.”
BRADFIELD COLLEGE:
Almost half of the entries at Bradfield College have achieved A* or A grades at GCSE this year.
New headmaster, Simon Henderson, said: “Once again the pupils have shown tremendous determination and focus in producing a strong set of results.
"The year group and their teachers can be proud of its performance.”
THE HURST COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BAUGHURST:
The Hurst Community College is celebrating its best ever percentage of pupils attaining at least five A* to C grades.
Ninety-two per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE - a rise of 16 per cent from last year.
Headteacher Malcolm Christian described the performance as a "massive increase", adding that last year's percentage had been the school's previous best ever performance.
ST BARTHOLOMEW'S SCHOOL, NEWBURY:
AT St Bartholomew's school, 86 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades.
Headteacher at the Andover Road school, Christina Haddrell said: “This fantastic set of results is even more impressive when one considers the disruption associated with the move into the brand new building and is a measure of the hard work, skill and commitment of the students and staff at the school.”
Ella Cooper, who achieved nine A*, four As and one B, will be going on to study further maths, chemistry and classics at school's the sixth form.
She said: “I was so nervous beforehand; I thought I had done really badly.
“I tried so hard and was worried that hard work was not enough but it paid off.”
PARK HOUSE SCHOOL, NEWBURY:
PARK House School is celebrating its best ever GCSE results following its best ever A-Levels results last week.
A total of 76 per cent of students achieved five or more passes at grades A* to C with an overall pass rate of 99 percent at A* to G.
Nine students attained 13 or more GCSEs at A* to A grades with other students taking AS Level exams a year early.
Headteacher of the Andover Road school, Derek Peaple, said: “We are absolutely delighted by this year's superb GCSE results, which are the best in the school's history.
“The outstanding achievement of this fantastic year group is thoroughly deserved and reflects the tremendous work and commitment of students and staff working closely together.”
