9:31am Friday 22nd August 2008
ENVELOPES containing some make-or-break news were dished out to 16-year-olds across West Dorset.
The long-awaited GCSE results sparked cheers, hugs, and tears of both joy and commiseration in Weymouth, Portland, Dorchester and Bridport as life beyond school became a reality.
Chesil Education Partnership school pupils fell slightly short of the record leap in GCSE results seen nationally, but showed they've got what it takes for long-term success.
Collectively, 63 per cent of pupils at the four schools that make up the partnership got five or more A* to C grades.
But the national average saw 65.7 per cent of pupils achieve five or more A* to C grades - a leap of 2.4 percentage points from 63.3 per cent - and the biggest annual rise since 1990.
Last year, 63 per cent of Chesil Education Partnership pupils achieved the benchmark standard of five or more A* to C grades.
Individual figures for each school in the partnership will not be available until Government statistics are released later in the year because the four schools involved merge their percentages on results day.
At Weymouth College, 72 per cent of the 132 students sitting GCSE exams achieved A* to C pass rates.
This cohort included a mix of adult learners returning to education after a long spell away from the classroom and teenagers resitting GCSEs to improve their grades.
Students exceed targets yet again
A FULL set of top grades made a holiday extra special for Budmouth Technology College student Stuart McPhail.
Stuart, who scored 12 A*s in his GCSEs, was unable to collect his results because he was on holiday in Cornwall.
But most of his Weymouth classmates made it into school to find out their exam result fate.
A relieved India Carter told her mum not to cry when she opened her results - but couldn't hold back the waterworks herself.
India, who studied her way to three A*s, four As and a C, said: "I was terrified when I got up and now I just feel such a sense of relief at the end of everything.
"I cried first and I told my mum not to cry."
Elliot May, of Weymouth, was looking forward to celebrating with his family after snagging four A*s and 6As.
He said: "I was pretty nervous when they phoned me and asked me to come in early.
"It's quite hard at our age to cope with the pressure, but it's something that's quite valuable to learn for later life."
Both Elliot and India will stay on at Budmouth to study for their A-levels in the sixth form - which now numbers more than 300 students.
Principal David Akers said: "The Budmouth students have exceeded their targets again. We are absolutely delighted with the results."
There's smiling faces galore at All Saints
ALL Saints School headteacher Tim Balmforth said he and the staff were really pleased with the pupils' performances.
He added: "We've seen lots of smiling faces and we're pleased with all of their achievements."
Achieving a staggering five A*s and six As was pupil Robyn Brewer, who said it was down to hard work and a lot of luck.
She added: "I phoned my mum and dad when they were in the car and they had to pull over because my mum was crying so much. We're going to go out to dinner to celebrate."
Other high achievers at the Wyke Regis school were; Ellie Greenslade with four A*s and seven As, Lorna Marchant with nine A*s, three As and an A at English AS level, Johnnie Harmer with two A*s, eight As and a B, Zin Law with six A*s, five As and a B and Alana Moles with five A*s, five As and two Bs.
Pupils' results make their headteacher proud
PORTLAND pupils produced the best ever GCSE results for Royal Manor Arts College.
Headteacher Paul Green said the former year 11 pupils were a year group who had made him exceptionally happy.
He added: "There are also quite a lot of youngsters who have made a lot of progress and it's given them the opportunity to move on to further and higher education, which is one of our main aims here.
"They will be missed as a year group."
Top performing boy Lee Deakin made his mum and his nan proud with some first class GCSE results.
Lee, of Portland, who scooped two A*s, an A, six Bs and two Cs, had his expectant family waiting in the car to hear his news.
He said: "My nan's a French teacher so she'll be pleased to see I got a B in French.
"I didn't expect to do this well - it was the result of a lot of hard work. I don't think there's a lot of pressure on us in taking exams but there is a lot of competition, with everyone wanting to do well."
Nerves had Royal Manor pupil Lauren Stott up at 7am, awaiting her results. Passing all exams with Bs, Cs and a D, she will go on to study at Weymouth College.
Her classmate Suganya Walbridge was one of the highest performing pupils with six As, three Bs and three Cs and was given a laptop as a reward for her achievement.
Pupil Emily Brocklebank achieved one of the top marks for German in the country, scoring full marks in at least one of the components. Her A* for German was joined by four other A*s, three As and two Bs.
West Dorset pupils excel in exams
STUDENTS and staff at Bridport's Sir John Colfox School and Beaminster School have been celebrating another excellent set of GCSE results.
At the Sir John Colfox School 68 per cent of students taking GCSEs achieved five A*-C grades and 51 per cent achieved five A*-C including English and Mathematics, an increase of eight per cent on the previous year.
Headteacher Kay Taylor said: "We were really delighted with these results. Staff and students have worked really hard for this.
"We made some significant changes in the school two years ago and these are now paying off."
Some students did particularly well. Outstanding among these was Lucy Tweed with eleven A* and Emma Batchelor with nine A* and one A.
Other results were Nigel Robertshaw with seven A* and three As, Matt Huxley with seven A* and three As, Jackie Gape with seven A* and two As.
Beaminster School headteacher Mike Best said everyone there was very pleased with student results this year.
He said: "The number of students gaining at least five A*-C grades shows they met their own challenging personal targets in line with our predictions.
"The figure for all students was 63 per cent.
"Nearly 50 per cent of students achieved level two outcomes in Maths and English."
Year 11 students who deserve mention are Ethne Grey Still with eight A* and four As, Natalie Ferris with eight A* and two As, Grace Hancock with six A*and four As, Bridie Cheeseman with four A* and five As, and Abraham Baldry with six A* and three As.
Jennie, MSc, passes her GCSE re-take
AT Weymouth College, mature student Jennie Crosier broke the mould by becoming one of the few students with a masters in science to re-take a GCSE.
Jennie, 35, who has an MSc in engineering, came away with an A* grade in GCSE English.
She said: "I got a D at school in English because I couldn't read and spell properly.
"Despite having my other qualifications I needed my GCSE in English to get the job I want because everything is computerised now."
Jodie Casburn, 28, never thought of herself as a degree student. Now she is about to start a teaching degree at Bath Spa University, after clinching an A and a C at GCSE level.
She said: "I was working as a teaching assistant at Mountjoy School in Bridport and that has inspired me to do this.
"I've recently been diagnosed as dyslexic and was given extra time in my exams. I was always told that I was stupid at school. And now I'm about to become a teacher myself."
Portland student Chris Luke, 17, tried to up his D grade at English into a C grade - and achieved an A. He said: "My mum told me it would be great if I could get a C and now I've got an A - it's amazed me. I'm lost for words."
The college's English department saw some top GCSE results with 91 per cent of students gaining A* to C grades and 73 per cent getting A* to B grades.
Principal Sue Moore said: "Given that our GCSE programme consists mainly of students returning to education to gain basic qualifications, or attempting to redress poor initial school results, we are delighted with our superb pass rates."
Second highest yet at Wey Valley
POLISH pupil Agnes Kotwinska is celebrating six good GCSEs from Wey Valley School after coming to England two years ago knowing barely a word of English.
Headteacher Phil Thomas said the Weymouth school has seen improvement in all subjects.
He added: "This confirms what Ofsted said about the school - that we had things in place.
"This was the second highest A* to C performance that the school has ever had.
"All the indications are that we are moving in the right direction. It's pleasing to hear that we are in the top 25 per cent of all schools in the country in our A* to G grades. The kids have done themselves proud."
Topping the class were Jamie Frampton and Francesca Hemery, who both racked up seven A*s among their results.
Thomas Hardye students achieve best results ever
FANTASTIC students at the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester gained the best GCSE results so far with 87 per cent notching up five or more passes at A* to C grades.
Kaye Chittenden, co-ordinator of Year 11 said: "It's a fantastic result for the school. That 87 per cent is 11 per cent up on last year's result for five or more A* to C grades.
"It really is a fantastic achievement, especially as 76 per cent of them included Maths and English among those grades.
"It's well above the national average - our students have done really well."
A third of all grades gained by Thomas Hardye students were A or A*.
The school's overall pass rate was 99.5 per cent - above the national rate of 98.4.
Remarkable Headteacher Iain Melvin said: "That 87 per cent is a remarkable pass rate which re-affirms our place as one of the best comprehensive schools in the UK.
"Taken alongside our 98 per cent pass at A-level the school has had another superb set of examination results."
Pupils gathered at the school theatre to collect their results and were soon congratulating each other with hugs.
One student gained a total of 13A* and 3A grades and 16 gained at least 10A*.
Among the delighted students was Edward Nicholls of Martinstown who got a total of 15A and A* and one B grade.
He said: "I'm really happy with this."
Friends Jo Clifford of Martinstown and Jenny Stuart-Smith from Weymouth both collected 10A* and one A grade in their subjects and will go on to the school's sixth form in September.
There was good news too for Harry Goss who gained 10A*, one A and three B grades.
He said: "I'm going to do the International Baccalaureate in the Sixth Form and then I hope to study medicine."
Lucy Bune of Charminster also plans to study for the IB after collecting 10A*, three A and one B grades in her subjects.
She said: "I did put in a lot of work for the exams and I'm really pleased with the results."
Twins Lynn and Rachel Januszewski had a double celebration. Lynn gained a total of 10A*, five A and one B grades in her subjects.
Rachel, who collected five each of A* and A plus one B, said: "I am pleased but I wanted to do better in PE - that was the B."
Head of sixth form Tony Moore said: "These are the school's best GCSE results ever. We're all looking forward to working with these students when they return in September. Around 80 per cent are expected to go into the sixth form. I'm sure they'll be extremely eager to carry on with their studies."
School spokesman Peter Roe said: "These results reflect a substantial amount of effort by the students. They've worked hard. It's a credit to the teachers as well.
"You hear people saying the exams have got easier but they haven't and I'll issue a challenge to anyone who thinks they have - come into school and sit English, Maths or Science and see how you get on."
The eight students gained two A*, one A, three B and one C grades after studying it as an extra out-of-school subject.
The GCSE results followed success for the school's art A-level last week.
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