Last updated at 13:04, Thursday, 27 August 2009

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TEENAGERS across West Cumbria received their GCSE results today, with youngsters celebrating with some record results.

Netherhall School in Maryport celebrated its best ever GCSE results with 51 per cent of students getting five A*-C grades - up four per cent on last year.

Ninety four per cent of students got five or more A*-G grades and 97 per cent received at least one GCSE.

Headteacher David Sibbit said: “This year’s results are a tribute to a really hard-working group.

"They were unassuming students who just knuckled down and worked.”

Sarah Hill, 16, of Maryport, came top of the school with 10 A*s and four As in a range of subjects including geography, science, maths, PE and citizenship.

Sarah, who said she did better than expected, will stay on at Netherhall next year and hopes eventually to work in something that will combine sport and health.

Anne Money, 16, of Maryport, gained nine A*s, two As and a B for subjects including science, music and French.

Scott Telford, 16, of Camp Road, Maryport, was delighted with two A*s, eight As and a B.

He said: “I was really pleased with my As in French and geography. They were the hardest exams.”

At Cockermouth School more than 200 students collected their results, with 75 per cent attaining A*-C grades.

Headteacher Stuart Reeves said: “We are all absolutely delighted with the results.

“The headline figures are on par with previous years and there are an exceptional number of outstanding results.

"Students across the ability range are to be commended.

“Congratulations to everyone and I wish you all every success in the future.”

Outstanding performers at the school included Claire Dumbill and Elanorcorr Watts, who each got 11 A*s, Sophie Mason with nine A*s and three As, Rae Lamour with nine A*s and one A, Georgina Craig with nine A*s, Sean Ogilvie who got eight A*s and three As, Alex Opie who had eight A*s and two As, Laura Trewick with seven A*s and two As, Rory McGreevy and Matthew Wilkinson, who both got six A*s and five As, Laura Turska with six A*s and four As, Emily Penney and Aimee Desert, both with six A*s and three As, Harry Rigby and Tom Smith, who both got five A*s and five As, Rebecca Telford who had five A*s and three As, Stephanie Bradshaw and Lisa Byers, who both got three A*s and seven As, and Josh Havlin with two A*s and six As.

Alex Opie, 16, of Cockermouth, said: “I’m really pleased with my results and that all the hard work has paid off. I want to go on to sixth form here and I want to be an English teacher.”

Elanor Watts, 16, of Little Clifton, said: “I’m going to sixth form here and I want to study medicine at university. I’m really pleased with the grades that I got today.”

Laura Trewick, 16, of Cockermouth, said: “I think I did better than I thought I would. I’m going on to sixth form here to study geography maths phyics and biology. I want to go on to study geography at university.”

Sophie Mason, 16, of Cockermouth, said: “I’m really pleased with my grades.

"I’m going on to sixth form here to study maths, biology, art and English literature.”

At Stainburn School and Science College, Workington, 174 pupils took their GCSEs.

Sixty three per cent got five A*-C grades, and 50 per cent passed English and maths.

That compared with 50 per cent getting A*-C, and 30 per cent passing English and maths last year.

Headteacher Chris McGrath said: “We are really delighted with the end of year results.

"They are the best results we have ever had. These are terrific results. It is a massive improvement on last year.

"I predict we will be in the top 30 schools for improvements in English and maths.

“As a year group they have made a fantastic effort supported by their teachers and mentors. It is the first year we have run a diploma course, and the students got A* right across the board.

“Everyone has worked really hard for the results.”

Notable students were John Hellicar and Daniel Ivison, who both got six A* and three As and the pupil who made the most improvement was Michelle Small who got an A*, a B, four Cs and two Ds.

Mr McGrath said: "She came from the learning support department. From her starting point to now it is unbelievable how much she has improved."

Southfield Technology College, Workington, celebrated records results this year - with 65 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades.

Headteacher Lynda Dalkin said she was thrilled with the figure, which was four per cent higher than last year.

Mrs Dalkin said: “I am absolutely delighted that Southfield has yet again achieved a record number of children with five or more A*-C grades.

“The government prediction for this year in similar schools was 43 per cent, and we achieved a massive 65 per cent.”

Liam Wood, 16, of Grasmoor Road, Salterbeck, achieved 14 passes - with four As, eight Bs and two C grades.

He said: “I didn’t realise I’d done that many and didn’t think I’d have passed them all.

“I’m hopefully going to sixth form now to get some A-levels as I want to be a primary school teacher.”

Mrs Dalkin: “We’ve now got a really strong, committed set of teachers who are getting the results for our children and the parents are supportive as well.”

Results were down at St Joseph’s Catholic High School in Workington, with 43 per cent achieving at least five grades A* to C, including English and Maths, compared with 51 per cent last year, but headteacher Tom Ryan said he was pleased.

He said: “Even though the results were lower than last year, the children exceeded government targets.

“The picture is complex and there are different ways to assess performance.

“Next year we will be pushing them even harder because the better we do our jobs, the more choices the children will have.”

Some students at the school were delighted to learn that the “D” grade on their ICT result stood for distinction.

At Beacon Hill School in Aspatria 47 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades, including English and maths - up 13 per cent on last year.

Headteacher Julie Richardson said: “It’s fantastic. We have had record results this year.

“They have all done what we expected them to do. It’s a real team effort.”

She added that this year’s results were particularly special to her because she joined the school at the same time as the children who got their results yesterday.

Keswick School also got its best GCSE results ever, with 79 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A*-C grades, up one percent from the last two years total of 78 per cent, and 72 per cent getting five A*-C grades including maths and English.

Deputy head Peter Roberts said: “We are very pleased with this first rate set of results.

“The students have all worked very hard to get their results they wanted and we want to congratulate them on that and staff and parents have also made a big contribution top this success.

“We have also had 13 pupils who have got all A* or A grades in all their subjects.”

At Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton, 72 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades.

Headteacher Janet Downes said: “We are very pleased with this excellent set of results.

“The results reflect all the hard work of all the students and staff and 11 of our pupils have received all A* or A grades.”

First published at 12:27, Thursday, 27 August 2009
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk