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GCSE results | News Agreat year for our students
STAFF and students throughout the local area have responded to national changes to GCSE courses and the way they are tested by produc- ing another solid set of results.
Government efforts to put greater emphasis on final exams over coursework sawa dip, nationally, in the number of students earning the topA* grade this year – the first fall in figures since the exams were in- troduced 24 years ago. And with greater scrutiny of spelling, punctuation and grammar for those taking GCSEs in English literature, geography, history and religious education, English grades were hardest hit. But while results are still coming
in, early signs are that in the South East students have respondedwell, achieving the highest proportion of top grades in this year’s GCSE re- sults – with one in five A* grades coming from the region. The Downs Mail has been out
and about talking to schools in the area to find out how they got on. The Malling School in West Malling is again celebrating excel- lent GCSE results, with more As and A*s than before, with English results bucking the national trend. At Holmesdale Technology Col-
lege in Snodland, the increased popularity in science saw 81% achieve A*s to Cs in GCSE chem- istry and 61% in physics. Languages also fared well, with
88% achieving A*-C in Spanish and 75% in French. High-achievers highlight the
array of possible qualifications. They included Amy Gearing, who earnedA* grades in art and textiles, distinction* in sport studies – equivalent to four GCSEs at A* grade –Agrades in English, maths, geography, biology and chemistry, and Bs in physics, English literature and RE. Tom Colling achieved a distinction* in IT – equivalent to two A* grades – an A in maths, Bs in English language, English litera- ture, history, biology, chemistry and physics, amerit – equivalent to two Bs – in engineering and Cs in French and RE. Tom Evans earned
anAin maths, Bs in business stud- ies, geography, chemistry, physics and RE, amerit – equivalent to four B grades – in sport studies and one in engineering – equivalent to two Bs – and C grades in English litera- ture, English language and biology. Zoe Hart gained two distinctions* in performing arts – equivalent to twoA* grades – and public services – equivalent to two A*grades, and an A in film studies, B grades in English language and textiles and Cs in maths, English literature, chemistry, physics and RE. At Oakwood Park Grammar School, 99.3% of students achieved five A*-C grades and 39% got five or more atAor A*. Top performanceswere put in by Robert Crawford and Christopher Johnson, who both achieved 12 A*s. Twenty-two students earned at
least 10 grades atA*/A,with Daniel Harris achieving A* grades in nine subjects and Jason Dawson, Ellis Hill and Jack Slater eight A*s. More than 60% of this year’s grades at Maidstone Grammar School for Girlswere As or A*s. Thirty students gained all A and
A* grades and 69% achieved five or moreA* andAgrades. Of particular note were Melissa Seabrook and Eleanor Swan, who gained 12 A*s and anAgrade atAS level.
Maidstone Grammar School recorded 50% of all subject entries achieving grades atA* orAgrade – 2% higher than last year. More than 99% of students gained five A*-C grades including maths and English. One in every five students gained five or moreA* grades and 84% of the year group achieved the English baccalaureate. High achievers included 29 stu-
dents who earned six A* grades or better, and Padraig Cuffe, Lewis Fitness, Ben Gosling and John Hud- son who each achieved at least 10 A* grades.
Celebrations at Oakwood Park Grammar School Picture: Edward Solly Photography
Kelsey Brigden and Jamie Dee King collect their results at NLL and right, Ben Austen is all smiles at Cornwallis
Students at Invicta Grammar School in Maidstone achieved 100% A*-C grades and 55% A*/A grades – a total of 1,130 A*/A grades. The number of students with
eightA*/Agrades increased to 45%, with more than 16 students gaining straight A*/A grades and 30% 10 or moreA*/A grades. High achievers included Sarah Hunter and Catherine Lincoln, who gained 12 A*/A grades in their GCSEs and an A grade in an AS level. Sophie Aujard and Harriet Turner also achieved 11 A*/A in their GCSEs and anAgrade in their AS level, taken a year early. Head Julie Derrick said: “We are
also very proud of Farhart Tasmin who achieved 12 A*s/As in her GCSEs and a B grade in her AS level, along with Sophie Chase who achieved 12 A*/A grades at GCSE.” Laura Hooker also achieved 11 A*/A grades in her GCSEs and two As in her AS levels. AtNewLine Learning Academy
Holmesdale Technology College pupils celebrate their GCSE success
(NLL) more students gained good grades in key subjects, with A*-C grades up by 11% in English and 10% inmaths. Three students achieved the academy’s firstA*s in maths. High achievers included Kelsey Brigden, who gained four A*s, an A, four B grades and aC; Jamie Dee King, with twoA*s, two As, two Cs and two Bs and Agni Surung, who
achieved three As, six Bs and two Cs.
Cornwallis Academy in Maid-
stone recorded a 7% increase in the number of students achieving the English baccalaureate qualification, and 50% of students gaining five A*-Cs including English and maths. St Simon StockCatholic School, Maidstone, was happy with its GCSE results – 97% per cent of stu- dents achieved at least five GCSEs and 82% fiveA*-C grades. High achievers included Jack Barnes (eight A*s, one A), Amy Dowd(six A*s, three As), Anureena D’Costs (six A*s, two As), Holly Davey (six A*s, one A), Rachel Alexandre (fiveA*s, four As), Mar- tin Burstow (five A*s, two As), Amber Gibbs (four A*s, five As), George Craven (four A*s, three As), Laurence Wild (four A*s, two As), and Clare Woodward (four A*s, two As). Louise Goswell scored eightAgrades, Joseph McDonagh- Brown oneA* and sixAs and Mar- ion Guerbet sevenAgrades. St Augustine’s Academy in Maidstone saw an increase in the number achieving fiveA*-C grades (54%), with the overall pass rate at 97%. The school particularly excelled
in English, with 83% of pupils gain- ing an A*-C. Among the high achievers was Sam Shahabi who earned 12 A*-A grades.
Malling September 2014 21
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