Sir William Romney’s headteacher Jon Bell has praised Year 11 students for their commitment to their GCSE studies.
In 2021, the proportion of GCSE entries awarded top grades rose to an all-time high after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row. This year, results are more in line with pre-pandemic levels.
Those collecting their grades today are the first cohort to sit physical exams since COVID and lockdowns forced the temporary overhaul of the education system.
Jon Bell, the school’s headteacher said: “I would like to congratulate all of our Year 11 students who are collecting their GCSE and BTEC results today. Despite the disruption and challenges faced throughout their courses, these results exemplify our students’ resilience and aspiration.
“We are delighted that so many students have achieved the very highest grades to progress to their preferred sixth form destinations. We are equally as proud of the vast majority of students who have achieved strong passes in their English, Maths, Science and Foundation subjects and will also progress to their chosen colleges and apprenticeships. I know that our school community will look forward to hearing about their future successes in whichever pathway they choose to pursue.
“In agreement with colleagues in other schools locally and nationally, we believe it is not appropriate to compare these results to previous years due to the nature of the grading arrangements used by the exam boards in this first post-pandemic set of examination results. It is also not appropriate to compare the results of one school to another due to the uneven impact of COVID-related staff and student absences in different schools.
“I would also like to thank not only our teachers but also our entire staff team who have worked tirelessly to ensure students are all able to progress onto further education and study. As a school community, we have worked hard to provide an inspirational curriculum that challenges all students to achieve their highest academic outcomes and equip them to be aspirational, resilient and collaborative young adults.”
