Students across Eden are celebrating their post-16 exam results today after two difficult years in the education system battered by COVID-19.
Vicki Jackson, chair of Cumbria Association of Secondary Headteachers, and Peter Blackburn, vice chair, said: “Our students in schools across Cumbria should be congratulated on their exam results that they receive today. They have worked so hard over the last two difficult years, with determination to fulfil their aspirations alongside the staff in schools and with their parents’ support.
“We thank the staff who work in schools and congratulate them also on the fruits of their labour. Without the dedication and commitment of teachers and all staff in schools, our students would not have been so successful.
“Cumbrian schools have worked together and supported each other to ensure that of our young people receive a high quality education. As in previous years schools across Cumbria have agreed not to use the results to make comparisons between schools whose contexts are very different and this gives us an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our children.”
Ullswater Community College
Headteacher Stephen Gilby, said: “As a Cumbrian and community school, we are incredibly proud to serve our children, their families and the communities they come from. Recent years have been incredibly challenging, for both students and staff. The achievements of our students this year, and the way they have approached their time in school, makes them a credit to themselves, their families and the school. I want to congratulate them all on their achievements.
“Our students will be very pleased with their results and now have the keys to go onto their chosen next step. Their results reflect their hard work and their dedication, as well as the support they have received from their families and the teachers and staff.
“I want to encourage everyone to focus on the success of our students and celebrate their achievements as individuals with their own story to tell. We congratulate all the young people on their achievements today and wish them all every success for the future.”
Rob Jackson, head of sixth form, added: “Our students and staff have done a tremendous job, they have worked incredibly hard and supported one another through some of the most challenging times we have seen in schools up and down the country in many years.
“We are incredibly proud that our overall results are significantly above national for A*-E pass rates, with over 50 per cent A*-B or equivalent grades.
“To know that we have played a part in getting all our students to where they want to be has been an enormous privilege and this is supported by our excellent destinations with every student securing their next step. For those headed off to University, the vast majority have secured their first choice and over 30 per cent of these will be making their way to the Russell Group.
“I want to congratulate each and every one of them on their achievements and wish them every success for the future.”
Individual successes include:
- Alana Allison A*A*A*
- Sophie Austin AAB
- Callie Beattie D*D*D
- Daisy Blundell AAB
- James Bowman A*A*A*
- Abbie Brown AAA
- Samantha Burton AAA
- Lauren Caris A*AA
- Zaim Choudhury AAD*
- James Culling AAD*
- Ruby Dargue D*DD
- Cara Dudson D*AB
- Megan Eastham A*A*A*
- Ruby Eden A*A*B
- Ella Feltham A*A*A*
- Jacob Fidler AAB
- Georgina Gale D*AB
- Jo Garnett AAB
- James Gee AAB
- Finn Harrison A*ABB
- Sophie Harrison A*AB
- Anya Heape AAB
- Lola Hewitt AAA
- Sadie Hoskins A*AC
- Elizabeth Jackson AAB
- Eve Jenkinson D*D*D*
- James Jones A*A*A*
- Leah Lawson-Wilson D*D*D
- Ellie Lloyds AAB
- Emma Mayhew D*DD
- Emily McKie AAA
- Grace Mepham AAC
- Ellie Morton D*D*D
- Annabel Murphy A*A*A*
- Hannah Nelson AAA
- Lily Nulty A*AA
- Elysia O’Neil D*D*D*
- Megan Platt A*AA
- Callie Popple A*A*A
- Adam Prentice DistDistD
- Caitlin Pridmore DDD
- Isaac Pullan DistAB
- Emily Robinson D*D*D
- Oliver Saxon AAB
- Molly Scrivens ADistD*
- Rhian Stratford D*D*D*
- Caitlin Ward A*A*A
- Isobel Waugh AAAA
- Samantha Westgarth A*A*A*
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith
Headteacher Paul Buckland said: “The majority of students will be pleased with their results and will have the keys to go onto to their anticipated destinations in September. Their results reflect their hard work, their dedication and the support they received from their teachers and families.
“The adaptations to the exam series this year has allowed for the students to take their exams in a manner as close to a normal year as possible. Whilst these changes were not always ideal, the students should be rightly proud of their grades and should in no way think they are diminished by the small number of changes they were afforded.
“Our students, the children of our wonderful county and schools are also more than the sum of their grades and so today we want to celebrate the individuals who have shone for all sorts of reasons.”
Pleasing results were achieved by many including:
Daisy Gillon, Danny McAlea and Mahathi Varma all achieving 4 A* grades. Three students, including Amelie Marshall and Danny McAlea, also had their Oxbridge places confirmed.
Appleby Grammar School
Headteacher Elaine Sargent congratulated students, but warned that comparison between schools this year was not appropriate, due to the pressures faced by youngsters during COVID-19.
She said: “It is only right that we recognise that the variability in how students and schools were affected by COVID-19 means that any meaningful comparison between schools is simply inappropriate. It is for this reason that we would caution against such comparisons and instead encourage everyone to focus on the success of our students and celebrate their achievements as individuals with their own story to tell.”
She said the last two years had been a trying time for pupils and staff and the achievements by pupils was all the more special, given the challenges they faced.
She added: “The adaptations to the exam series this year has allowed for the students to take their exams in a manner as close to a normal year as possible. Whilst these changes were not always ideal, the students should be rightly proud of their grades and should in no way think they are diminished by the small number of changes they were afforded. We congratulate all the young people on their achievements today and wish them all every success in the future.”
Kirkby Stephen Grammar School
Headteacher Gary Hartley also warned against comparing schools and added: “The majority of students are pleased with their results and have the keys to go onto to their anticipated destinations in September. In fact all students who applied achieved their first or second choice university place or their apprenticeship offer. Their results reflect their hard work, their dedication and the support they received from their teachers and families.
“We congratulate all the young people on their achievements. Today we want to celebrate the individuals who have shone for all sorts of reasons.”
Notable results included:
- Molly Woodmass, three As.
- James White, A and two Bs.
- Eleanor Bowness, A and two Bs.
- Jana McWhirter, A*BC.
There were a number of other students who achieved grades in excess of their expected grades, such as Ross Gilby-Steadman (distinction BB) and Sam Holmes (ACC), the school said.
