Students at Cramlington Learning Village excelled despite the controversial shake up of GCSEs.
Nearly 30 were awarded the top grades – A*, A, 7, 8 and 9 – in at least eight subjects.
Overall, 69% of all students achieved the benchmark pass grade in both English and Maths. That is a 2% increase on the school’s results in 2016. More than 80% of students gained a grade 4 or above in English and 75% reached the same standard in Maths.
Head teacher Wendy Heslop said: “This is a hugely satisfying set of results for the school. The new exams in English and Maths have been challenging for both students and staff and they have performed incredibly well. I am delighted with the results of the whole year group, which reflect their hard work and commitment.”
Sixteen–year-old Katie Milligan’s results mean she is a step closer or achieving her dream of becoming an engineer for a F1 racing team.
Katie, who achieved top grades in nine subjects including a 9 in Maths, spent a week’s work experience with both the McLaren and Force India teams when she was in Year 10.
“I wrote letters to all the teams and had to have phone interviews and write an essay,” she said. “The weeks were amazing and made me even more motivated.”
As well as engineering, Katie has a passion for Maths. “I’ve always loved Maths, but when I came to the school the teaching made me even more passionate about it.” She will now study Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics at Cramlington Learning Village’s Sixth Form.
Last week Dan Rahman’s sister Josephine learned that she had A* grades in all of her A-level subjects and was set to study Medicine at Bristol University. Today it was Dan’s turn. His results featured the new grade 9 in both Maths and English Literature, five A* and one A. “Maths was significantly harder,” he said. “The new 1-9 grades definitely made it more stressful. I thought my results were unobtainable, so I am absolutely delighted.”
In addition to the subjects he studied at Cramlington, Oliver Davenport did an additional GCSE – Astronomy – through Northumbria University. He was awarded an A for that to go alongside six A*s, and new grades 7, 8 and 9.
“It was definitely more challenging. It was much more difficult to get the top grade,” said Oliver. “I am so relieved. I was absolutely terrified as we got closer and closer to school this morning.” He will study Computing, History, Maths and Physics A-levels and – like Katie – has his eyes set on a career in engineering.
Devon Bryce, 16, said: “I couldn’t sleep last night. I was so nervous.” But she had no need to worry, achieving three 8s, five A* and an A.