The number of young people who achieved five or more A*-C grades, including in English and maths, has exceeded last year’s results – and at 63 per cent, the council expects the results to be higher than the national average.
Many schools in the borough have achieved their best ever results, with a host of individual student success stories, too.
North Tyneside Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn said: “Once again our young people have shown just how brilliant they are – such great GCSE results and vocational awards mean they are a step closer to achieving their dreams and aspirations, whether it’s in further education, training or employment.
“I would like to say a huge well done and wish all the young people the best of luck for the future. I’d also like to thank all of our school staff and governors for their incredible hard work as well as the families of the students for their support.”
Cllr Ian Grayson, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Learning, added: “Congratulations and well done to all of our young people – to those who have achieved the tops grades and to those who have achieved their personal best.
“With these results, our best ever A-level results announced last week and 92 per cent of our schools now judged as good or outstanding by Ofsted, we have lots to celebrate in North Tyneside.”
Executive headteacher of Churchill Community College and Norham High School, David Baldwin is delighted after both schools achieved their best ever results.
At Churchill Community College, Wallsend, 72 per cent of Year 11 achieved five or more A*-C grades, including in English and maths, and a number of students achieved high numbers of A* or A grades.
Some of the students achieving top grades include Elisha Tait, gaining 12 A* grades and an A in further maths; Jordan Gay who achieved nine A* and three A grades; Cameron Wedderburn who achieved 11 A* and A grades and Jack Wilding with 10 A*s and As.
At Norham High School, North Shields, 54 per cent of students achieved five or more A*-C grades, including in English and maths – an impressive increase of 19 per cent on last year.
And the two schools celebrated in style today; students at Churchill Community College, enjoyed an Alice in Wonderland-themed GCSE party and an Oscar-style event was thrown at Norham High School.
Executive Headteacher David Baldwin said: “We set the bar high when we set ourselves a target that at least 50 percent of Norham High School pupils would achieve at least five good GCSEs including English and maths. We have not only met that challenging target, we have exceeded it, and we are absolutely delighted.
“We are also delighted for all students at Churchill Community College – they have done incredibly well. There has been a large increase in students achieving A and A* grades, too. Every subject has performed strongly.”
Year 11 students are also celebrating at John Spence Community High School after they surpassed last year’s results – 75 per cent gained five or more A*-C GCSEs and 69 per cent included English and maths.
Impressively, over 90 per cent of pupils gained a C grade or above in science – a subject which the school recently achieved a National Science Mark Gold Award for. Recognising outstanding teaching in the subject area, the school is one of only four in the country to achieve the award.
Headteacher of the North Shields-based school, Jim Stephenson said: “We are very pleased to be celebrating such brilliant results again this year, which reflect the hard work and dedication of both the young people and our fantastic staff. We are incredibly proud of all of our pupils and we would like to wish them well for the future.”
As ever, there were lots of examples of excellent individual achievement at the school – 21 pupils gained five or more A*-A grades.
Libby Moffatt achieved six A*s, two A grades and a B, while Kate Taylor achieved five A*s and four A grades and Chloe Thompson achieved five A*s, three A grades and a B.
Student Reece Monaghan achieved four A*s, five As and a B, while Rachel Coates got seven As, a B and a merit, both want to go to further education. Speaking today, they said: “We’re really impressed with how we’ve done and we’re now going to go and celebrate.”
Elsewhere in the borough, George Stephenson High School, Killingworth, received its best results for the last three years, with 65 per cent of students receiving an A*-C grade in both English and maths.
The school is particularly proud of its English results after 78 per cent of pupils made three levels of progress.
Headteacher Ian Wilkinson said: “We are absolutely delighted with the GCSE results this year. We are very proud of all our students. They have worked very hard and deserve these excellent grades.
“The majority of our students are joining us in the sixth form next year and we would like to wish them, and all the students leaving us, every success in the future.
“This is great news for the school – coming a week after we celebrated the best set of A-level results we have ever had and we are now looking forward to the new academic year starting.”
Whitley Bay High School has also achieved another set of outstanding results; 88 per cent of students achieved a total of five or more A*- C grades, with 78 per cent achieving five or more A*-C grades including English and maths.
Headteacher, Steve Wilson said: “I am so pleased for the students and their parents. These results reflect the very hard work of our students and the dedication of our teaching and support staff.
“A combination of excellent teaching and fantastic support has allowed our students to thrive and achieve outstanding results that will set them up for the rest of their lives. I would like to congratulate the students. I am delighted for them and their families.”
Rebecca Smith was delighted with her 11A* grades, she said: “I’m just so happy about my results. All the work I put in during the year has really paid off. I’m surprised at my result in maths – I was hoping for B and I got an A*.
I am very interested in science and maths so I will study chemistry, biology, maths and geography in sixth form at Whitley Bay High School. Tonight I am celebrating with friends—we’re going out for pizza!”