BEXLEY: Borough's GCSE students 'shine' achieving record-breaking results

This year's borough pass rate for at least five A* to C grades is more than 80 per cent and was described by Bexley Council as "fantastic"

For at least five passes including maths and English in the top four grades, the borough pass rate was 60 per cent.

The borough’s grammar schools recorded near perfect top grades while the non-selective schools saw their results take a huge leap forward.

TRINITY SCHOOL in Belvedere recorded its best ever results since the school was created in 1994.

Almost 100 per cent of pupils gained at least five GCSEs including English and maths with more than 50 per cent achieving the top A* to C grades.

Of the 175 students sitting the exams, 124 (71 per cent) got at least five A* to C grades.

And around a quarter of the exams taken, were passed at A*, A or B grades.

Headteacher Ian Collins said :“These results are a testament to the good relationship between pupils, parents and staff.

“I am especially proud that the school continues to raise standards across the whole ability range, with all staff working hard to identify and nurture the skills and talents of each Trinity pupil.”

Top achievers were: Hannah Johnson, six A*, two As and two Bs; Patricia Obawole, one A*, eight As, and a B; Megan Dallimore four As, four Bs and two Cs; Francesca Lee, one A*, seven As and a C; Claire Carroll, one A*, seven As and a B; Daniel McDonald-Smith, four A*, three As, two Bs and a C; Matthew Armstrong, one A*, seven As, a B, and a D; Natalie Boden, one 1=A*, four As and four Bs and Jemima Okusanya, three A*, two As and five Bs.

At the HARRIS FALCONWOOD ACADEMY in Welling, 60 per cent of the 127 GCSE students gained at least five A* to C grades including maths and English, up 18 per cent on last year, with 100 per cent gaining at least five A* to C grades overall.

Academy principal Terrie Askew said: "I am delighted for the staff and students at the academy who have all worked extremely hard to gain the year on year increase in results since opening in 2008.

“This year there will not be a single student leaving the academy without at least five A* to C grades.”

She added: “It is an outstanding achievement for the five or more A* to C grades including English and maths to have risen from 17 per cent to 60 per cent in two years.

“I am extremely proud of all the staff and the students.”

BEXLEYHEATH SCHOOL was also celebrating with 40 per cent of the 346 GCSE pupils achieving the coveted five A* to C grades including English and maths, up five per cent on last year.

The overall pass rate was 99.7 per cent with 68 per cent gaining at least five A* to C grades, a rise of 11 per cent and the highest the school has ever achieved.

Top girl student Lauren Azu gained 17 A* to C passes, including five A*, 10 As, a B and a C while top boy student Same George gained 18 passes including seven As, seven Bs and four Cs.

The school also produced outstanding BTEC vocational course results, with 100 per cent passes in dance, performing arts, sport and art.

Principal Robert Dore said, ‘We are absolutely delighted with these results, they are the best ever for the school.

“They represent an enormous amount of hard work, perseverance and dedication and are a well deserved reward in our effort to continually raise standards.”

He added: “The students are to be congratulated together with our hard working staff and the students’ parents for their continued support.

“I am convinced that the school will maintain this progress still further in the future.”

At TOWNLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS in Bexleyheath, 99 per cent of the girls gained at least five A* to C grades including English and maths, with the same percentage achieving five A* to C grades overall.

Passes at A* grade were 69.5 per cent.

Outstanding among its 207 GCSE students were Sanaa Dhillon, Hannah Mead, Elizabeth Todd and Tanina Younsi who each gained 10A* plus two A* short courses.

Headteacher Desmond Deehan said: “Another oustanding year for Townley students.

"This year they have exceeded all previous results with the greatest number achieving A* and A grades over the last six years.”

He added: “It has been the best year yet and we are pleased to be welcoming back so many of our students into the sixth form.

“Congratulations to our students and a big ‘thank you’ to their teachers.”

More than half the 172 GCSE students at ST COLUMBA'S CATHOLIC BOYS' SCHOOL in Bexleyheath gained at least five A* to C grades including maths and English, a pass rate of 53.5, up from 44 per cent last year.

The pass rate of at least five A* to C grades overall, was 86 per cent, an increase of 10 per cent.

Headteacher Linda Fripps said the school was delighted with its record-breaking results.

She said: “These excellent results bear testimony to the hard work and dedication of our pupils and staff.

“We are absolutely thrilled.”

Boys at BETHS GRAMMAR SCHOOL in Bexley Village achieved a pass rate of 99.4 per cent for at least five GCSEs including maths and English, with many of the exams passed at A* grade.

Its Year 11 pupils also took 144 AS level exams, with 46.5 per cent passing at A or B grades.

Top students this year were Jonathan Bones with nine A* and two As; Conrad Moniz with eight A* and three As; Tobi Rotimi with seven A* and four As; James Sutton with eight A* and three As; James Vallins with seven A* and two As; Alex Walford with seven A* and one A and Dan Vero with five A* and five As.

All of them also achieved As in their maths AS level exam.

And Conor O’Grady gained seven A* and three As and together with three other students also achieved two A grades and AS level.

Headteacher James Skinner said he was very pleased with the results and delighted so many students had gained A* and A grades in the exams.

He congratulated them on their excellent achievements and said he was looking forward to welcoming them into the school’s sixth form.

The BUSINESS ACADEMY BEXLEY in Thamesmead, continued its steady exam progress, posting another year of record results.

Of its 203 GCSE students, 41 per cent gained at least five passes at A* to C grades including maths and English.

This compares to just 19 per cent in 2007 and 40 per cent last year.

There has also been a dramatic rise in students gaining at least five A* to C grades overall, from 30 per cent in 2007 to 62 per cent this year.

Every student gained at least one GCSE and 90 per cent of those were at A* to B grades.

Ninety-two per cent of students achieved at least five GCSEs.

Its star students included Omodeleola Makinde and Oyindamola Olusola who gained four A* passes and Adela Agboola, David Alabi, Ishmael Coleman, Ebony-Rae Hollands and Raluca Roman who each achieved two A* grade passes.

In addition, Donatila Smajli gained nine A grades and Sameer Patel achieved eight A grades.

Headteacher of the academy’s secondary section, Guy Nichols said: “We are absolutely delighted with the results our students have achieved this year .

“It was always going to be difficult to emulate last year’s remarkable improvements, but this year we beat them.

“Congratulations to all the staff and students who worked so hard.”

Chairman of governors, Tim Garnham added: “I am thrilled the academy can once again report the best set of GCSE results in its history.”

He said: “It is very much about building upon success year on year and improving results in a sustainable manner.”

He said: “This success is a tribute to the hard work and commitment of our secondary headteacher Guy Nichols and his dedicated staff, who work tirelessly to ensure every student has the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential.”

Andrew Stringer, headteacher at HURSTMERE FOUNDATION SCHOOL, described this year’s results as “another year of solid examination success with many boys achieving outstanding individual results.”

The Sidcup school achieved a 41 per cent pass rate for at least five GCSEs at A* to C grade including maths and English among its 207 GCSE students, and an overall A* to C pass rate in at least five exams of 74 per cent.

Oustanding students included Charlie Nutting with two A*, six As and two Bs; Andrew O’Connor, one A*, six As and one B; Jordan Stryczek, one A*, five As and three Bs and Michael McDonald, one A*, five As and two Bs.

At CHISLEHURST AND SIDCUP GRAMMAR SCHOOL in Sidcup, its 191 GCSE students achieved an overall pass rate of 95.7 per cent, with 100 per cent achieving at least five A* to C grades and five A* to C grades including maths and English.

Student Charlotte Grady gained nine A* and two A grade passes, while 28 other students achieved 10 or more passes at A* and A grades.

BLACKFEN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS in Blackfen was another school which posted record GCSE results.

Just over 74 per cent of the students gained at least five A* to C grades with 56 per cent achieving at least five A* to C grades including maths and English Every girl gained at least five GCSEs including maths and English.

Headteacher Matthew Brown said: “The students this year have achieved an outstanding set of results.

“I am delighted for everyone involved and extremely proud of the achievements.”

He added: “Students have made excellent progress and the results are a testament to the hard work by students, staff and parents.

“I look forward to seeing every single student use their examinations as a springboard to further success.”

Among the school’s notable successes were Amy Monks, six As and six Bs; Abiramy Kandiah, four A*, six As and one B; Hayley Kirk, three A*, six As and two Bs; Laura Tomaselli, two A*, three As and four Bs; Georgina Elliott, three A*, three As and five Bs; Sunbal Tanvir, two A*, five As and one B; Emma Matthews, two A*, four As and five Bs; Megan Francis one A* and seven As; Jessica Hollands, nine As and two Bs; Hannah Crees, three A*, three As and two Bs; Natasha Mullan, five As and three Bs; Sarah Smith, six As and four Bs; Bonnie Holden, five As and five Bs; Sarah Gunner, five As and six Bs; Megan Linscott, five As and five Bs; Darlene Tipping, one A*, four As and five Bs and Emily Cosgrave, five As and three Bs.

At ST CATHERINE'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR GIRLS not one of its 214 GCSE students failed an exam.

The Bexleyheath school achieved a 78.5 per cent pass rate for girls achieving at least five A* to C grades including maths and English, up from 75 per cent last year.

And 95.8 per cent of students gained at least five A* to C grades overall.

The number of girls sitting the exams this year was the largest ever.

Top students this year were Anais Mutarambirwa with 11A* and three As; Danielle Higgins, 11 A* and an A; Rebecca Sharkey, eight A* , four As and two Bs; Chloe Pembroke, eight A*, four As and three Bs; Ellie Leamon, six A* , six As and two Bs and Claudia Oppong with six A* , six As and two Bs.

Headteacher Patricia Slonecki said: “We are so pleased with the results the girls have achieved they are totally amazing.

“We always set very high targets for us as a school but for the girls as individuals and they have certainly risen to the challenge in order to exceed these targets.”

She added: “Success comes through hard work and I think the secret ingredient has to be aspiration. We continually talk to the girls about ambition and try to build their confidence and self esteem.

“The girls, parents and carers, staff and governors are all very proud of their achievements and it is a team effort which we recognise and appreciate.

“We have fulfilled our mission statement in that these results will certainly empower the women of the future.”

WELLING SCHOOL saw its percentage of pupils passing five or more GCSEs at A* to C grades including maths and English leap from last year’s 39 per cent to 50 per cent this year.

Overall, the pass rate among its 274 GCSE students was 99 per cent with 62 per cent achieving at least five A* to C grades, an increase of nine per cent.

Headteacher Diane Khanna said: “The governors and I are delighted to be able to report today’s excellent GCSE results.

This school has shown a marked academic progress in the last two years with GCSE results improving significantly.”

She added: “Staff and pupils have worked very hard with incredible support from parents and all are to be congratulated on this achievement.”

There were celebrations at ERITH SCHOOL where 82 per cent of pupils gained at least five A* to C grades in their exams, smashing last year’s record of 51 per cent.

The school chalked up an overall pass rate of 100 per cent with 97 per cent of pupils gaining at least five passes.

The pass rate for at least five A* to C grades including maths and English was 36 per cent.

High achievers included Toria Gray, five A*, three As, three Bs and a C; Fern Wotton, two A* , seven As, two Bs and a C: Danielle Leigh, three A* , four As, three Bs and two Cs; Danielle Hume, two A*, two Bs and 8.5 Cs; Katie Demuth, one A* 2.5As, seven Bs and two Cs; Gina Chall, one A*, two As, five Bs and four Cs; Rajan Rai, 2.5A* , eight Bs and two Cs; Latifah Ayinde-Usman, five As, six Bs and C and Hanna Whale, six As, four Bs and two Cs.

Describing the results as “stunning”, headteacher Julie Turner said: “We have huge smiles on our faces at Erith School.

“We have more than met our targets and we have smashed through last year’s record of 51 per cent five A* to C grades.

“That is an incredible 31 per cent improvement in one year.

“What a remarkable achievement for Erith School students and their teachers. I congratulate them all.”

At CLEEVE PARK SCHOOL in Sidcup, the overall pass rate among its 193 GCSE students was 99.5 per cent.

Its pupils achieved a 37 per cent pass rate in more than five A* to C grade exams including maths and English and a 72 per cent overall pass rate of at least five A* to C grades, compared with 62 per cent last year.

Outstanding results came from Robert Hammond with 10 passes at A* and A grades, Kate Shotayo with nine passes at A* and A grades and Rhia Cooper who achieved eight passes at A* and A grades.

For BEXLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL’s 222 GCSE students it could not get any better.

The Welling-based school achieved 100 per cent passes overall, and also in at least five A* to C grades and at least five A* to C grades including maths and English.

Headteacher John Welsh said: “A very pleasing set of GCSE results this year.

“These will enable our students to follow their desired courses in the sixth form.”

Star pupil Fern Woodhouse achieved 12 A* grades and 10 other students gained more than A* grades.

Deputy Bexley Council leader and cabinet member for education, Councillor Simon Windle said: "Bexley students are on the rise again.

“We saw a massive improvement in grades across the borough last year and our students have made us proud once again.

“ I congratulate the students that have worked so hard and thank the teachers for their hard work and parents for all their support.”

He added: "It is worth mentioning St Catherine's Catholic School for Girls.

"It has achieved some fantastic results.

“As a non-selective school they have shown again that it can hold its own against the high performing selective schools.

“In these difficult times when exams are so key, I am delighted that Bexley students continue to shine."