THE WAIT was finally over for hundreds of GCSE pupils in Malvern, Ledbury and Upton who received their results last week.
There was positive news all round with some schools marking their best ever grades haul despite warnings from the Department for Education results would likely decline this year.
The Chase was one such school to set a new benchmark with 78 per cent of pupils achieving five A* to C grades and around a third of all grades being the top A* and As.
While 40 per cent earned the English Baccalaureate which paves the way to places at the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Dyson Perrins CE Academy saw results significantly improve from last year as nearly half of students obtained five A* to C grades including English and Maths. There was also a substantial increase in pupils making three levels of progress in the two core subjects.
The girls at Malvern St James produced near perfect results across the board with an impressive 97 per cent obtaining five GCSEs at C or better including English, Maths and Science while all pupils who took the new Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) gained at least a C.
There were many strong subject areas with three quarters of pupils achieving an A* or A in Maths, being one of the standout figures.
At Hanley Castle High School 28 per cent of grades were an A* or A while 70 per cent earned five A* to C grades overall. To top the year off, 45 per cent gained the English Baccalaureate which is a school record.
English proved to be a strong area of success with 80 per cent of entrants gaining A* to Cs, while a quarter of pupils achieved an A* or A in Literature.
Ledbury’s John Masefield High School saw record equalling results as more than two thirds of pupils (68 per cent) bagged five A* to Cs including English and Maths. About three quarters of students were awarded a C or better in both those subjects, while 40 per cent of entrants earned the top A* and As in Biology, Chemisty, Physics and History.
Meanwhile Malvern College had an impressive haul of the top grades, with 60 per cent scoring an A or better while a third of all grades were A*.
Throughout Worcestershire results dropped reflecting the national trend, with the number of students getting five A* to Cs in the county falling from 62.9 per cent last year to a provisional figure of 58.9 per cent this time around.
Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “Despite initial figures indicating a drop from the previous year in overall outcomes, it is good to hear that over 70.1 per cent of the county’s students have risen to the challenge and achieved a great range of top marks. This outcome is a real reflection of the hard work of pupils and the dedication and support from teachers, families and all those concerned.”
Year 11 leavers can call 01905 613882 for advice and support for the council’s Post 16 Engagement Team.
