GCSEs
Rugby bucks trend with impressive results

Buy photos » Princethorpe College pupils Lucy Stanton, Caroline Hay and Emma Williams with their GCSE results. (s)

RUGBY's GCSE results appear to have bucked the downward trend with no reports so far of pupils being hit by apparently tougher marking on English papers.

The borough's secondary schools and colleges have today (Thursday) announced another set of excellent exam results despite the national picture showing a fall in achievement for the first time since GCSEs started 24-years-ago.

Princethorpe College head teacher Ed Hester did say some students had achieved lower results than expected but added it was not clear why this was.

He said: "It’s quite difficult to tell as results vary year on year depending on the strength of the year group, however it does look like some of our pupils received lower grades than anticipated."

From a cohort of 139 candidates at Princethorpe, almost 40 per cent of grades were at A* or A, and over 70 per cent at grade B or better.

Mr Hester said: "It is marvellous to be able to celebrate such success and all credit goes to the pupils and staff for their hard work."

Bilton School meanwhile continues to show big improvements, scoring ten per cent above national averages in both English and maths.

Head teacher Patsy Weighill said: "I am delighted by the efforts of staff and students which has led to Bilton results improving significantly for the third consecutive year.

"Over the last three years the figure including English and maths has improved by 17 per cent and the overall five A* to C grades by 25 per cent.

"Very pleasing for us is that English grades have remained high. Nationally results in both English and maths have dropped for the first time so it is really pleasing that we have continued our rapid improvements in these crucial core subjects."

Girls grammar school Rugby High produced another impressive set of results, increasing the number of A* and A grades for the fifth year in a row.

Nearly three quarters of entries scored As, with over a third awarded the top grade of A*. Top performing students were Millie Wardle and Anna Mowbray with 11 A* grades.

Headteacher, Charlotte Marten, said: "Our year 11 students love of learning shines through in these results; they should be very proud of their achievements.

"What always amazes me is how much our students manage to pack into their lives - trips and visits, orchestra, choir, representing the school in various sports, raising money for charity, coaching younger students.

"It’s this willingness to join in, to have a go and to give something back to others which make Rugby High School such an enjoyable community to be a part of."

At boys grammar school Lawrence Sheriff, a similarly impressive set of GCSEs were achieved. Over 60 per cent of students gained A* or A grades, with every pupil getting five A* to C passes.

Jake Patel gained en A* grades, while Jim Dickinson, John-Francis Goodacre, Benjamin Holton and Joshua Reed all gained nine A* grades.

Head teacher Dr Peter Kent said: "One of the hardest things to do is to maintain very high standards over a number of years.

"Once again our students have succeeded in doing this, producing results which in some subject areas even exceeded those achieved last year.

"Students, teachers and parents have all worked very hard and deserve our congratulations."

Rugby School saw 138 pupils gain a clean sweep of ten A* grades, with 50 scoring A* and As in as many as 12 GCSEs.

Poppy Hudson, from Kites Hardwick, achieved 11 A* grades, and Genevieve Hirst, from Rugby, scored ten A* grades this year.

Head teacher, Patrick Derham, said: "It is always rewarding to see pupils performing at their best - not only the brightest boys and girls but also those who have to work hard for their grades."

Avon Valley School meanwhile declared its best ever set of results, with over half of pupils gaining five or more A* to C GCSEs including English and maths.

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