Schools across Wharfedale and Aireborough celebrated outstanding GCSE results

Ilkley Grammar School Despite the predicted turbulence nationally after the GCSE grading system was made tougher, 90 per cent of Ilkley Grammar School students achieved five or more A*-C grades in the school’s best-ever showing.

The figure, including English and maths, was 73 per cent against the national figure of 58.8 per cent for 2012. Well over half of all students attained the top A*-B grades (58 per cent).

Top performers were Clare Piscicelli and Rhiannon Savage with ten A* grades, and Holly Stockdale with eight A*.

Ofqual, the exams regulator, had made it very clear that the GCSE changes “mean that year-on-year comparisons may not be comparing like with like”, so Gillian James, the head teacher, was especially delighted that the schools’ results were so strong.

She said: “We knew things would be more challenging this year with changes to GCSE exams and science subjects in particular, which were designed to be more demanding.

“It is therefore a great credit to our students and staff that we can celebrate such an excellent performance. We are ambitious for all our students and that can be tough, but the results speak for themselves and I am delighted for them.”

Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Otley There were many scenes of jubilation at Otley’s Prince Henry’s Grammar School as students ended the anxious wait to find out their GCSE results.

Head teacher Janet Sheriff said she was delighted to see high levels of attainment once again, a week after the school enjoyed some strong A level results.

She said: “Students and staff deserve congratulations for the hard work and dedication that has brought about this year’s impressive results at both GCSE and A level.

“This year’s GCSE results highlight many successes for Prince Henry’s. Last year we achieved the highest percentage across the city for the English Baccalaureate and this year it has increased once again, to 51 per cent.

“Overall, 63 per cent of students achieved five A* - C grades including English and maths, despite the turbulence in English grade boundaries. And the average capped point score is the equivalent of a grade B.

“There have been some fantastic individual success stories too, including Chris Collins, Thomas Ginbey, Owain Hughes, Zachary Leather and Tom Reynard, who all achieved 12 A* or A grades each.

“There are many other outstanding individual achievements – too many to mention. Fifty-eight students across the year group achieved at least five A* or A grades.

“We are particularly pleased that the results across the ability range were also excellent, with 99 per cent of students achieving at least five GCSEs at grades A*-G.

“And 66 per cent of students walked away with an A* to C grade in English, and 80 per cent with an A* - C in maths.”

St Mary’s, Menston Staff and students at St Mary’s Menston Catholic Academy were delighted with this year’s results which saw 85 per cent of students achieve 5A*- C including English and mathematics.

The school was also thrilled over 34 per cent of the entries achieved were at A or A*.

Head teachers Catherine Garrett and Tom Rothwell said: “These are outstanding results and are a credit to the students reflecting both their hard work and that of the staff.

“Students of all abilities have achieved aspirational targets in what has been acknowledged as a challenging year for year 11 students at a national level.

“The majority of students will now progress into our sixth form and our best wishes go to those students who will follow post-16 pathways elsewhere.”

Horsforth School In a year when higher grades fell nationally, Horsforth School was pleased to report that a record 79 per cent of students achieved five or more A* to C grades, including English and mathematics at GCSE.

Dr Keith Bothamley, Horsforth School’s head teacher, said the performance continued the excellent track record of academic success of Horsforth students and consolidated the school’s position as one of the top non-selective schools in the region.

“These excellent GCSE results come exactly a week after a further year of record-breaking A2 results, where almost one third of all grades were awarded at A*/A,” said Dr Bothamley.

“Both sets of results are a reward for all the hard work of our students and staff.

“We look forward to welcoming students back next week as the majority of them are intending to engage in post-16 study with us.”

Details of post-16 courses at Horsforth School are available from Mr S Mason, Director of Post-16 Studies, on 0113 226 5454 or via the school website.

Guiseley School Guiseley School has enjoyed another very strong set of results this year.

Every student in year 11 has left school with a qualification and the key government performance indicator of five plus A*-C including English and mathematics showed a significant improvement.

Head teacher Paul Morrissey said: “Our GCSE results this year indicate our continued commitment to raising achievement in our school.

“Students, staff, parents/carers and governors continue to work together to produce very good results this year.

“The school is very proud of some outstanding individual performances with results that are a real credit to our community.

“We are confident that all our students will enjoy continued success as they move on to the next phases of their careers, many choosing to stay on in our own sixth form. We wish all our students well.”

Of particular note are the following students, who gained eight or more A*/A grade passes: Elizabeth Adams, Jacob Beaumont, Charlotte Bird, Thomas Broad, Abigail Brown, Samuel Colenutt, Grace Dean, Chloe Duggan, Bethan Easeman, Kate Easeman, Emma Fitzpatrick, Patrick Fuller, Amy Green, Natasha Gregg, Hannah Gulliford, Kristin Guzder, Lewis Hallam, William Iles, Sam Laws, Jonathan Mallatratt, Laura Melrose, Abigail Mooney, Hazel Mooney, Rebecca Morrish, Lola Newell, Juliet Norreys, Jasmine Pangly, Joshua Pullen, Georgia Ridley, Frances Scott, Bethany Thompson, Rachel Turner.

Alongside the Year 10 pupils receiving their GCSE results, a Year 7 Guiseley School student also passed Arabic GCSE.

Omar Al-Ghazal who passed his first module in Arabic at 11, completed his GCSE and passed with an A*.

His father Sharif, a consultant plastic surgeon at Bradford Royal Infirmary, came to England in 1994 with his wife Hayat and together they have encouraged Omar to speak and learn the written language of Arabic.

The school congratulated Omar on this excellent achievement and outstanding result.

Benton Park, Rawdon Rawdon’s Benton Park School celebrated record-breaking GCSE results. A week after an excellent set of A level grades, 70 per cent of pupils achieved at least five A*-C grades including English and maths, the best the school has ever achieved.

Over 85 per cent of students also achieved at least five A*-C grades, again the highest ever for the school.

Outstanding performers included Eleanor Friggott and Arin Singh who both gained seven A*s. Not far behind were Paige Baldwin, Joshua Brockebank and Joshua Fry who all gained six A*s.

Co-head teachers Steve Dixon and Delia Martin said: “We are absolutely delighted with our GCSE results and they represent the hard work of the students and staff which has rewarded the school with our best ever set of results.”

Bradford Grammar School Bradford Grammar was delighted to see so many pupils achieve outstanding results.

This year 98 per cent of the grades awarded were A*/A to C and over a third of grades awarded received the top mark of an A*. Kevin Riley, headmaster said: “I am delighted to see the hard work of pupils and staff rewarded, particularly those who gained the A*.

“It really does take a lot of hard work and effort by both the pupil and staff to achieve the highest mark possible. A fantastic set of results.”

Henry Websdale, of Ilkley, is a Bradford Grammar School student who achieved A* in French, German, English language, English literature, biology, chemistry, maths, physics and history and A in Latin. He is a Bradford Cathedral organ scholar and one of the youngest organists ever to be awarded the Associateship of the Royal College of Organists.

The 15-year-old plays at two or three services a week. The RCO examinations are the gold standard in organ playing and the failure rate is high.

Canon Sam Corley, of Bradford Cathedral, said: “We are thrilled with Henry’s achievements and by the mature way he dedicates himself to the role of cathedral organ scholar. He is an inspiration to musicians old and young and contributes much to the life of the cathedral.”

Henry has lived in Ilkley since he was five. He learned to play at St Margaret’s in Ilkley.

He said: “It’s nice to be one of the youngest people to have this but it is a second really to just having the qualification ready on my CV.”

At 14, Henry gained the Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music for his organ performance, which gained a distinction.

Another outstanding Bradford Grammar School student is Matt Chivers, of Ilkley, who achieved A* in maths, biology, physics, A in chemistry, geography, history and French and B in English language, music and English literature.

Matt took part in the English Indoor Rowing Championships which were held in the Manchester Velodrome at the end of January.

All pupil competitors from BGS achieved personal bests in their rows on the day. Matt excelled himself, winning the gold medal in the U16 event with a time of 6 minutes 38 seconds for a 2,000- metre row.

Following his success at Manchester, he won another gold medal at the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championship at the Lee Valley Stadium in North London.

He came first out of 100 competitors from England, Wales and Scotland. Rowing next to the Welsh champion, he rowed 1,798m in six minutes and was 11 metres ahead of the silver medallist.

The Grammar School at Leeds Students at The Grammar School at Leeds notched up 834 A* grades at GCSE, with Wharfedale claiming some star performers.

Thirteen students scooped 10 A*s each in this year’s results, with one student, Leora Sevi, from Timble, Otley, celebrating 11 A*s.

The school’s other standout Wharfedale student was Mary-Anne Sixsmith, from Rawdon, who achieved 10 A* passes.

Mary-Anne combined her studies this year with a seat on Leeds Youth Council, a group of 11-18-year-olds who represent the young people of Leeds citywide.

Mary-Anne, who wants to study biology, chemistry, maths and history at A-level, said: “As well as studying hard I want to gain experience that will help me to make the right decisions about my future, and being on the youth council is just that.

“I enjoy it and it’s an honour to be able to influence issues that are important to young people.”

Bramhope pair Rory Brogden and Helen Jordan each attained nine A*s and an A, as did Lucas Smedley from Menston, while Gianni Singh, also of Bramhope, achieved eight A*s and two As.

Leeds Grammar has pulled off outstanding results in a number of subjects at A* and A with an 82 per cent pass rate in mathematics, 64 per cent in English language, 88 per cent in religious studies, 83 per cent in music, 71 per cent in geography, 93 per cent in ICT and 72 per cent in the double science award.

Principal Mike Gibbons said: “In a year which many experts have described as turbulent we are delighted that approaching a third of our cohort achieved at least 10 As.

“These results are evidence of the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm of all our students and they are all to be congratulated.”