Kirklees students GCSE results success

STUDENTS across Kirklees have notched up some terrific academic successes as they joined thousands across the country in celebrating record GCSE results.

Nationally the pass rate rose for the 23rd year in a row, with almost seven in 10 entries (69.8%) gaining at least a C grade.

And nearly one in four exams (23.2%) were awarded a coveted A or A*, up from 22.6% in 2010.

At Almondbury High School GCSE students continued the school’s upward results trend with 52 % achieving the benchmark five A*-C standard including maths and English – a 10 % rise on last year.

Overall across all subjects 73 % achieved five A*-C, up from 51% last year.

A further 23% of pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate, a measure which recognises pupils have secured a grade C or better across subjects – English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language.

Student Aysha Wahid outshone her peers to achieve nine A* passes.

“I am delighted,’’ she said. “I moved to England from Sri Lanka nearly three years ago and so I am very proud of what I have achieved.

“The fact that I managed to get an A* in English when it is not my first language is great.”

Aspiring surgeon Miss Wahid is planning to go to Greenhead College to study sciences and maths.

Headteacher Janet Tolley said: “Last year was our best set of results ever so to have a 10% improvement is fantastic.

“I am extremely proud of all our students. They are hard working, determined and supportive of each other.

“The staff here go above and beyond and I am delighted.”

She further commended the achievements in science which resulted in 94% of students achieving either a GCSE grade C or above or BTEC equivalent.

Elsewhere Holmfirth High School is celebrating its best ever examination results with 73% of pupils achieving five A*-C passes including English and maths.

Overall, 85% getting five or more C grade GCSE passes.

Laura Nunez-Mulder made the grade as the highest performing student a the school, notching up 15 A* after sitting some exams a year early. Fellow pupils Alice McGenity, Stephanie Higgins, Francesca Barker all achieved 13 A* or A grades.

At King James’ School in Almondbury, staff and students are celebrating yet another year of outstanding GCSE results.

For the fourth consecutive year results improved with almost three quarters of students achieving five A*-C grades (including English and mathematics) and 89% achieved five A*-C overall.

Headteacher Robert Lamb said: “Once again our results are absolutely stunning. All the students worked incredibly hard and they fully deserve their wonderful grades.

“I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and parents for their encouragement and support.”

Newsome High School and Sports College had 87% of its 102 pupils get top pass parks.

Headteacher Paul Gittens said: “Our exam results are the best in the school’s history.

“We’ve had 87% of our pupils get five A-Cs and 60% are in English and maths.

“They’ve got such fantastic results and we’re please for them all.”

He said the majority of them, about 90% of the pupils, would be going on to college and further education.

Among the top pupils were Jonathan Kain who got 14 A-Cs, Katie Madigan got got 13.5 A-Cs, Siobhan Hemingway and Maisie McIntosch got 14 A-Cs.

The school’s resource provision for students with physical and hearing impairment also did well.

At Rastrick High School 64% of students achieved five A*-C including English and Maths and 92% gained five A*-C grades.

Top performing students included Kate Barrett who achieved 10 A* and four As and Dimitri Mulkern who achieved five A* five A and three Bs.

Headteacher Helen Lennie said: “We are all absolutely delighted with these results which are the very best in the school’s 25 year history.

“Our results for the key measure of five A*-C with English and maths represent an increase of 8% on last year’s. This is a significant increase and is a credit to student commitment, staff expertise and support from parents.”

For the second year running students at Honley High achieved the best ever set of GCSE results in the school’s 79 year history, with 82% of students achieving 5 A*-C passes, 73% of them including English and mathematics.

Honley High headteacher Chris Sylge said: “What a fabulous set of results. Over half of our year 11 students have got an A or A* and almost a quarter of all grades were at A* or A.

“But there have also been some extraordinary performances at all levels across all curriculum areas.

“We are well known for our work as a Specialist Science College and so it comes as little surprise to see the great results in our specialist areas.”

Among the top achievers were Toby Mellor with 12 A*s, one A, and one B, and Chrissie Levick achieving nine A*s, three As, and a B.

At Huddersfield Grammar School 97% of students achieved 5 A*-C grades with high flyer Emmy Beever celebrating 9 A* together with a Clait (Computer Literacy and Information technology) Diploma and a Grade A in FSMQ (Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications).Š

At Fartown School 33% of pupils achieved the benchmark A*-C including maths and English.

At All Saints the benchmark of at least five A*-C grades including English and maths has been improved with 52 % of students achieving this standard, compared to 43% last year.

Headteacher Anita Bodurka described the results as “a great achievement for our students and their teachers. The students have worked hard and I am really pleased that they have done so well. It has been a team effort.”

There were many success stories, including Savraj Sohal who achieved 11 A* or A grades, Faye Chambers, Jenny Roche and Nicola Todd achieved 10 A* or A grades.

In the results some pupils show half a GCSE. These are subjects including history and GCSE where good performing students do enrichment or specialist courses in one year which equate to half a GCSE.