As GCSE results are revealed at academies across Archway Learning Trust, celebrations are underway.
Staff across the trust have been expressing their pride in their students, who were affected by the Covid lockdowns at a crucial time in their education.
Sian Hampton, our CEO, said: “Given the massive disruption to the lives of all our students during the critical build up to these first national examinations being judged at pre-pandemic levels, we are delighted that the hard work and dedication of both our students and staff have paid off with some wonderful results.
“I would like to congratulate all of our students for their resilience and tenacity in the face of extremely challenging circumstances.”
Bluecoat Aspley Academy
Head Teacher Mr Turton said: “As a school which prides itself on inclusion and striving for excellence for each and every student, I would like to commend all of our young people on behalf of myself, all of the staff at Bluecoat Aspley and right across Archway Learning Trust on their hard work and perseverance in achieving their well-deserved results.
“As students reflect on their results and consider their next steps, we look forward to welcoming a significant number of our own students, as well as students from right across the city, into our Bluecoat Sixth Form.
Santosh Jaisi
Santosh has worked hard and has achieved the highest progress for a boy in his year group, today receiving seven grade 9s and three grade 8s. He said that lockdown had been a challenge, especially online learning, but through his hard work and help from teachers he felt confident sitting his GCSEs. Santosh wants to go into engineering as a career.
James Hillyard-Austin
James has a diagnosis of autism and struggled at times lower down the school, finding the return to school after lockdown as a shock to the system. James and his mum value the support provided by his key worker who made a real difference to his education and classroom experience, highlighting what can be achieved when students are supported properly. Next year James is planning on going to Brackenhurst to achieve his dream of becoming a zookeeper. Both James and his mum put this down to the support he received from staff who showed him what courses are available and what can be achieved when you have the confidence to believe in yourself.
Freya Jepps
Whilst studying for her GCSEs, Freya was also heavily involved in enrichment activities with gymnastics training on three times a week and working as a young leader at Rainbows, Brownies and Guides twice a week. She said fitting in GCSE revision was hard and she recommends that students take every opportunity given to them by teachers to support with revision as it will all help. From September, Freya will build upon her Level 1 Coaching Award as she starts her Apprenticeship and Level 2 Coaching qualification, as well as preparing for the Eurogym festival in Norway next year.
Kylah Cross
Kylah identified the challenges this cohort faced due to lockdown and Covid. Schooling paused in the 2nd term of Year 8 until they returned to a very different school in the September of Year 9. This year group were the first to experience online learning which Kylah describes as being difficult as she was stuck at home and it was a real challenge to stay on top of work and learning. Returning to school was a real shock and highlighted the gaps in knowledge due to lockdown. However, teachers were supportive in filling in these gaps. Kylah found the exams difficult due to the impact of Covid on classroom time. Next year, Kylah hopes to stay on at Bluecoat Sixth Form and study Maths, Physics and Biology.
Bluecoat Beechdale Academy
Kevin Apetrei
Kevin is the highest performing student at Bluecoat Beechdale. He has worked incredibly hard and has achieved outstanding results including; 4 grade 9s, 4 grade 8s, 2 grade 7s and a Distinction*. Kevin was unable to attend Results Day because he was volunteering for the National Volunteer service which is a testament to the well-rounded and conscientious individual he is. Kevin worked diligently throughout the year and it’s clear his revision has paid off, we’re incredibly proud of Kevin and wish him all the success in his next chapter at Redhill Sixth Form where he’ll be studying: Business, Computer Science, Maths and Further Maths. Well done!
Henrietta Akinola
Henrietta is a walking embodiment of the BBA Way. Henrietta’s attitude to her GCSEs was something many students used to improve their own study and work ethic. Henrietta exceeded expectations in order to achieve a phenomenal grade 7 in English Literature, a subject she hopes to pursue further at A Level and we’re confident she will be incredibly successful whilst staying within the Archway Family at Bluecoat Sixth Form. Henrietta’s other grades include 2 Distinctions in Art and Drama, 2 grade 6s and 2 grade 5s amongst other results, we’re incredibly proud of her and wish her all the success for the future!
Keeble Mullings
Despite the fact that Keeble suffered a traumatic bereavement during the exam season, he faced his studies with real determination and resilience. With the support of key members of staff, Keeble channelled his grief into stoicism and persevered through real adversity and heartbreak. Keeble was rightly incredibly proud of his results which included one grade 6 in English Literature, grade 5s in Science, Maths, English Language, grade 4s in Geography and Science. It was an absolute joy to see Keeble’s reaction this morning as he collected his results and we know that his dad would’ve been incredibly proud of him.
Caitlyn McDermott
It has been an absolute joy watching Caitlyn develop into the young person she’s become; Caitlyn has navigated real challenge and personal circumstances to even attempt GCSE. Caitlyn has worked closely with Learning Support to access GCSE and curriculum content and has shown real resilience and maturity in her approach to difficult situations. We’re really proud of her results and wish Caitlyn well in her future endeavours, Caitlyn has made a real impression on so many during her time at BBA and we’ll miss her around the Academy.
The Nottingham Emmanuel School
Head Teacher Mrs Stapleton said: “It has been a real pleasure celebrating our GCSE results with our Year 11 students today! Many of our students have achieved brilliant grades and are now ready for the next stage of education. We are delighted that so many of our Year 11’s have chosen to stay at The Nottingham Emmanuel School to study A levels, Vocational Applied courses or on our Level 2 pathway within the Sixth Form. Enrollment is now open for external students too.
Erin Pearson
Erin has achieved some outstanding results – seven grade 9s and three grade 8s! Erin is hoping to study International Law in the future and is staying at The Nottingham Emmanuel School for Sixth Form. Erin will be studying A levels in Biology, History, Chemistry and French in September. Erin said: “I’m over the moon! Hard work does pay off in the end and I wouldn’t have got through it without the help and the support of staff in school”
Matt Lunn
Matt Lunn, who is staying at The Nottingham Emmanuel School for his A levels, also got some fabulous results. He achieved four grade 9s, four grade 8s and three grade 7s. Matt has decided to study A levels in Physics, Chemistry and Maths. Matt said: “I’m really happy, hard work has paid off!”
JJ Duffus
JJ was mainly predicted grades 6s and 7s mirroring his results from his mock exams. JJ worked really hard and put a lot of effort into his revision in the run up to the GCSEs and has excelled, jumping up two grades in a number of subjects! JJ achieved one grade 9, one Distinction*, seven grade 8s and a grade 7. We are so proud of JJ!
Alvaston Moor Academy
Principal Mrs Strong said: “We’re so proud of our Alvaston Moor Academy students today. They have had their education interrupted with Covid and yet they have still performed brilliantly. Some of our students have only recently arrived in the UK. It’s humbling to see how hard they have worked to achieve these results.”
Iara Santos
The overall top scoring GCSE student at the school was Iara Santos, who was delighted with 7s in Portuguese, maths and French. “I’m speechless!” said Iara. “It was worth it, all the stress, crying, studying and everything. It was all worth it!” Iara is going on to study maths, economics and business.
Anthony Okunnuga
Anthony achieved 10 GCSEs including 8s in maths and further maths, despite having only arrived in the UK from Nigeria last November. Anthony, who is going on to sixth form to study maths, further maths and physics, plans on becoming an aeronautical engineer, said “I’m very happy and pleased with my results.”
Hiba Nibouch
Hiba achieved grade 7s for Italian and French and 6s for English language and literature. She said: “I was nervous at first, but I’m proud of myself. I didn’t have that much confidence but I’m grateful that it’s over and done with!” Hiba is going on to study English language, criminology and psychology at sixth form.
The Long Eaton School
Katie Vradi
Kate has got the grades she needs to go up into the school’s Sixth Form, where she will study psychology, health and social care and RE. What made her achievements, which includes a Grade Six in English Language, more remarkable is that she moved to the UK at the age of 11 from her native Cyprus and so has only been speaking English for seven years. She said: “I feel like I have done my best at my GCSEs, especially since I moved countries when I was 11 and had to learn English just before we moved here. I was worried about how I’ve done but I’m happy with my results.”
River Cottrell
River, whose line-up of results included Grade 8s in history, English Literature and English Language, will now enter the school’s Sixth Form to study English, history and art at A Level. She said: “I’m really relieved with my results. It has been stressful and we hadn’t really done exams before now, and when we heard in the news that the marking was going to be harsher than in previous years I was worried.”
Lucas Cocker
Lucas is now heading to Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies to study music performance, after picking up a host of GCSEs including a nine in music. He said: “We missed a lot of learning in Year 8 because of COVID and I didn’t learn much in that year because it was hard studying via a screen but I’m happy with my results, especially in music. I love playing my guitar and I want to work in music, maybe as a teacher or a session musician.”
Lees Brook Academy
Toby Sullivan
Toby was delighted to achieve a double grade 9 in Science and was quick to pay credit to the hard work of his teachers. He said: “There were lots of extra revision classes put on by the teachers after school to help us catch up with things we had missed. I’m so pleased with my results – I had to work really hard and complete lots of revision. I felt quite good after the exams, but I feel so much better now I have got my grades.” Toby is going on to study A Levels and hopes to move into an engineering or computing career.
Jamie Hallett
Jamie was over the moon with a top grade 9 in Maths and a grade 8 in German. He said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic. I physically can’t tell you how many hours I spent working for these exams. It’s amazing to get such good results. And I can’t pay enough credit to the teachers for getting us through COVID. They were in constant touch through phone calls and then helped us adapt back into the school environment.” Jamie is going on to study A Level Physics, Maths and German.
Nikita Haines
Nikita was doubly pleased to get a great set of GCSE results. She moved schools in Year 10 and had to cope with moving into a strange environment as well as her exams. She said: “I literally knew no one in the school when I moved here, so I had to cope with making new friends and learning my way around as well as preparing for my GCSEs. The school were really flexible as I had studied different texts in English Literature and was taking Spanish – even though Lees Brook had no Spanish teachers! They gave me time and space, and helped with resources so I could still achieve a grade 7 in Spanish.”
