Guildford Students Gather to Receive Excellent GCSE Results

Published on: 23 Aug, 2012
Updated on: 24 Aug, 2012

After weeks of waiting, students across Guildford this morning dropped into their respective schools to pick up their GCSE results. Guildford MP Anne Milton said: “I just want to say a massive well done to all those who got their GCSE results today! I know how stressful these exams are. You have worked very hard!”

George Abbot School pupils, seen from left: Sam Quick, Harry Messenger, Imi Clarke, Dan Morgan and Sam Hawkins.

It seemed that local results did not reflect the national trend of a dip in grade achievement reported in the national media. The dip was reported to be a reaction to previously reported ‘grade inflation’. If marking schemes at examining boards have been tightened up it means that the Guildford results reported here might be even better than they seem.

Most schools released the results on the dot at 10am. Students had been gathering, chatting nervously, for a short time beforehand. For many there was joy as they opened their brown envelopes containing the results and grades of the exams that had sat in May and June.

Students and staff at George Abbot School in Burpham have been celebrating pleasing GCSE results, which have shown further improvements on last year’s excellent success.

The overall pass rate was 99.5% for the 306 Year 11 students taking GCSEs.
83% of Year 11 students sitting GCSEs achieved five or more passes at Grades A*-C.
74% of students achieved five or more passes at Grades A*-C including maths and English.
41.6% of all passes were at grade A* or A.
55 students achieved 10 or more of their passes at grade A* or A.
4 students (Annie Sage, Maya Butler, Robert Jones and Ryan Green) achieved 10 A* grades.
4 students (Jenny Payne, Hasna Adjali, Eleanor Harrison and Benjamin Naccarato) achieved 11 A* grades).

George Abbot school’s headteacher Danny Moloney said he is incredibly pleased with these results, and is full of praise for students. He said: “I am really pleased to see such achievement from our Year 11 students. Many students have achieved outstanding grades and once again our standards remain extremely high.

“With large year groups of nearly 300 students at George Abbot reaching these high standards year on year we feel a real sense of achievement. Once again the majority of our students and their teachers have met the challenge, which gets harder year on year, and they are to be praised for their hard work.

“Combined with our excellent A-level results this enables us to start the new academic year enthusiastically and in a determined frame of mind.”

Pupils from George Abbot School, seen from left: Michael Rozelle, Maya Butler, Eleanor Harrison, Harry Trussler, Joe Roberts and Sam Roche.

One proud father, one happy daughter

At Tormead hot on the heels of an excellent set of A Level results they were celebrating for the second time in a week, with the release of the GCSE results.

A superb 79% of GCSE’s examinations taken were awarded grade A* or A with 41% gaining the highest A* award and 64% of students achieving at least 8A* or A grades. 37 girls (40%) achieved a clean sweep of 10 A*/A grades.

Mrs Christina Foord congratulated all the girls on an impressive set of results. “I am thoroughly delighted for all the girls, who have worked hard and have been rewarded with excellent results. They are now in a strong position to embark on their A level studies, many congratulations.”

Tormead Girls Jump for joy with their results – Photo Ingrid Weel Photography

Its all A*s or As for Katie Hanlon – Photo John Schluter

At Guildford County School the story was repeated. Still enjoying the success of a record year of A Level success the school reported that 82% of students overall gained 5 or more A* to C grades, 75% with 5+ A* to C including English and Maths.

80% of students gained C or above in English, 85% in Maths and 77% gained at least one a* to C in Science. Just over 30% of all grades were at A* or A. The percentages for 5+ a* to C grades overall including English and maths were the second highest the school has ever achieved just a little below last year’s record.

Headteacher Peter Costello said: “We are delighted with or GCSE results which reflect the tremendous commitment of our students over the last two years in particular, the real dedication of our staff to so many individuals as well as to their classes and the excellent support our students receive from home.”

All smiles and relief as more results envelopes are opened at Guildford County School – Photo John Schluter

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The Royal Grammar School enjoyed another record-breaking year at GCSE with students achieving an outstanding set of results. From the 100% pass rate, an astonishing 90 students achieved a clean set of A* and A grades. Even more impressively, 24 students celebrated straight A* grades in each of their subjects.

More excellent results at the Royal Grammar School

The Headmaster of the RGS, Dr Jon Cox, commented on the School’s excellent GCSE examination results: “The boys have achieved the very highest standards in each of their subjects and it is particularly notable that of the 138 students who sat Mathematics IGCSE 118 achieved A* grades and 20 achieved A grades.”

He also noted: “A historic last twelve months, which have included the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, have served to put back in the public sphere a number of qualities which many regarded as outdated and old fashioned. These high-profile events have served as a timely reminder of the importance of communities coming together to celebrate shared success; of individuals striving for excellence; and of the value of hard work and dedication.

“It is testament to the dedication of RGS boys and the quality of the teaching that the A* pass rate was an impressive 67% and A*/A pass rate was 92%. For the boys to manage this while still immersing themselves so fully in the broader life of the School – whether it is in sport, music or drama – is all the more impressive.”

Brothers Daniel Innes and Matthew Innes achieved an impressive summer of exam results with Daniel achieving a perfect set of 10 A* grades at GCSE while his older brother Matthew achieved 3 A*s and 1 A grade at A Level. Matthew secured his offer to read History at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Guildford High School results were the 4th best in the whole country, one place ahead of the Royal Grammar School.

Guildford High School girls celebrate results that were 4th best in the whole country

70% of GCSEs awarded were at A* grade, with 95% being A* or A. In a year group of 97 girls, 23 girls achieved straight A*s, with 72 girls securing straight A*/As. 99% of grades were A*-B and 100% were A*-C.

Mrs Boulton, Headmistress, comments, “We are delighted that the hard work of our students and teachers has been rewarded with this exceptional set of results. Every year we are impressed by our pupils’ ability to combine outstanding academic performance with a rich array of extra-curricular interests encompassing sport, drama, music and art. We hope all our pupils enjoy the end of their summer holiday and look forward to seeing them, and welcoming our new Sixth Form students, in September.”