Two friends look at each others’ marks after getting their grades

RAIN didn’t dampen the spirits of pupils as they collected their GCSE results on Thursday (today), as their age group became the first to collect results of exams they had sat since 2019.

For the last two years, Covid has meant that teachers awarded grades to pupils based on what they would have thought they would have got, if they had sat full exams.

Boroughwide results were higher than last year and 2019 – in bumper news for headteachers. The number of students getting a “strong pass”, a grade 5, in English and maths, was 59 per cent, higher than 55 per cent last year and 46 per cent in 2019, the last time youngsters filed into exam halls.

At Acland Burghley in Tufnell Park, drizzle did not do anything to halt the nervous excitement of teenagers who were queuing up outside school gates just before 10am to get their grades.

Overall results stayed roughly where they were for pupils at the secondary school, with the average grade being a 5 – the equvalent to a B in the previous grades – reformed in 2017. The number of students getting a grade 5 in English and maths rose by 16 per cent to 53 per cent compared to 2019.

There were also successes for science, where 9 per cent more pupils got a grade 4 and above. History, French and Spanish saw high levels of pupils getting grade 5 and above, 74 per cent, 77 per cent and 87 per cent respectively.

Nationally grades fell compared to 2021, but are still higher than 2019.

Headteacher Nick John said: “I feel proud of what they have done, it’s an improvement on 2019 which is really good.

“The story nationally is it is different between different regions, of course that is the case. In local areas, there is definitely an impact on results on some more than others, and that applies to Camden.

“With the pandemic those who were going to do well have picked it back up, and those who have struggled have struggled a bit. We have put support in place to help everyone, because it has been a really disruptive time.”

Josephine Robinson with artwork she painted, next to headteacher Nick John

One pupil who described herself as pleasantly surprised by her results was Josephine Robinson, 16, who beat expectations to get four grade 9s and five grade 8s.

“I was hoping for this but I didn’t think I would get it. I had been doubting myself a bit.

“My SATS weren’t very good which meant the grade expectations weren’t very high when I started, but I worked really hard, I have always been very persistent with interpersonal relationships with my teachers, I always talk to them and ask if I’ve got any questions. I had an English teacher, Tara Vakil who had taught me since year 7, who was really helpful and I would go and ask questions if I had any.”

READ MORE: JOY AT ACLAND BURGHLEY AS PUPILS GET GRADES

At Haverstock School, 29 per cent of all grades were grade 7 and above, and 78 per cent at grade 4 and above. This is an increase on previous years, including 2020 and 2021.

Helen Enayatullah, a Haverstock pupil after getting her grades

Mark Mayne, head of school at Haverstock said: “This has been an incredible team effort. I feel so proud of the effort that students have made through the past few years, and through these examinations.

“As always, our staff have shown great determination and kindness and have been exceptional in stepping forward and working alongside each and every student. We are delighted to be welcoming these students back to our sixth form this morning.”

In Highgate Road, 122 William Ellis students collected their results after sitting exams.

The all-boys school saw 80 per cent of students getting grades 4 to 9 in England and Maths. More than a quarter of results fell in to the grade 7 to 9 categories, representing A and A*s in the old system.

Jumping for joy after results: Daniel Dean, Shalin Chada, Muhainnul Islam, headteacher Izzy Jones, Xander Russell, Ethan Luong

Headteacher Izzy Jones said: “We would like to commend the students for their maturity, resilience, and persistence through two and a half years of disruption and this can be seen in their individual stories of achievement and progress. All students who began Year 10 at William Ellis continued to attend the school and sat their GCSEs here. We are especially pleased to see continued improvement in our English results.”

Screams of joy could be heard at La Sante Union school in Highgate Road, as students matched results in 2021 when exams were set. Top grades increased, bucking the national trend. Headteacher of the all-girls Catholic school, Sophie Fegan said she was “especially pleased” with maths grades.

LSU’s Niamh Tarrant rings her mum to pass on the good news

Praise was given to Niamh Tarrant, who got grade 9s in all her GCSEs and is staying at the school’s sixth form.

Across the road at fellow all-girls school, Parliament Hill, 55 per cent of grades were from 7 to 9, equivalent to old A and A*s.  Eden Bailey-Davies said: “I feel like I should never have doubted myself because I knew deep down all the hard work would have paid off and it did.”

Headteacher Sarah Creasey said: “Their calm perseverance and effort paid off and is reflected in the stellar results which we have enjoyed celebrating with families. Our results are significantly above national performance – we are thrilled with these outcomes which are well deserved by this incredible cohort of students. ”

At Regent High School, school bosses said that results were “the strongest in recent history” in Chalton Street. A total of 60 grade 9s were awarded, double the amount of last year. Top marks were also given in BTECs, Cambridge National and VCert qualifications.

Regent High pupil and newly elected deputy youth MP Edayet Otaky-Jalalzadeh with his grades

Newly elected deputy youth MP for Camden, Edayet Otaky-Jalalzadeh got a grade 9 in history, six grade 8s and two grade 7s. The former Netley pupil will be staying at the school. He paid tribute to the morning and after-school sessions available.

“Students should work consistently from the start,” he said.

Headteacher Gary Moore said he couldn’t be prouder. “I am absolutely thrilled by this incredible set of results. The results are a testament to the fortitude shown by our Year 11 students during an international pandemic. They have been focused, demonstrated significant amounts of resilience, and worked tirelessly to overcome the disruptions at the start of Key Stage 4 to triumph in the recent examination series.”

Private school UCS Hampstead celebrated its best ever set of publicly examined GCSE results, with 53 per cent of grades at 9, and 77 per cent at 8 to 9.

Samir Rahman gained grade 9s in every subject. He said: “We also had a lot of fun over the last two years, not just in lessons but also in our co-curricular activities. I played first team cricket throughout the year, even during the exam season, and it was brilliant.”

Headteacher Mark Beard said: “I am delighted for this particular cohort, who very much deserve such fine outcomes. Along with their peers across the nation, they were thrown into lockdowns and remote learning at a sensitive moment in their lives, and so it is lovely to see their resilience and determination win through.”

UCS Hampstead. Top (L to R) Michael Humphreys, George Rollo, Lucas Verpoest, James Casparie. Middle (L to R) Ali Alsabty, Nathan Diamond, Kristian Partridge, Sasha Maslov, Jake Altmann. Bottom (L to R) Maruf Samad, Jaren Ziegler, Headmaster Mark Beard, Oskar Gershfield, Samir Rahman

Down in Swiss Cottage, UCL Academy said its pupils had “raised the bar” with 30 per cent of grades at 7-9.

Co-heads Robin Street and Simon McBride said: “Today is about celebrating the
successes of every single one of our students. In amongst the excellent grades achieved are so many students who have made exceptional progress from a range of starting points.”

Hampstead School saw a jump of students getting Grade 5s and above in English and maths of 12 per cent. The provisional average grade is 4.71, which works out at a grade 5.

Matt Sadler, head at the secondary in Westbere Road said: “The success of this group of young people is nothing short of awe-inspiring. In the face of lockdowns, absence and instability, they have approached their education with resilience, ambition and good humour.”