STUDENTS and staff at Okehampton College are celebrating a fantastic set of GCSE results this year.

Spirits were high today (August 24) as students descended on the college to receive their highly anticipated results.

The Year 11 students have performed extremely well in their GCSE exams with 73% of students achieving grades A* to C across all subjects.

This year a new grading system was imposed on three subjects. Maths, English and English Literature were graded from 9 to 1 instead of A* to G.

This new grading system will be implemented for all subjects next year. More than half of GCSE students at Okehampton College (53%) achieved the new government measure of a grade 5 or above in both maths and English.

The college also saw a 6% increase from last year, with 26% of students achieving Cs (grade 5) and above in English, maths, double science, a language and a humanities subject.

Among the top performing students were: Molly Marvin, who achieved seven A* grades and three grade 9s; Elsa Frangleton, who gained five A*s, two As and three grade 9s; Sam McGlynn, who received four A*s, three As and three grade 9s; Emily Rowlands, who achieved seven A*s, one grade 8 and two grade 9s; Deanna Gillings, who was awarded three A*s, four As, one grade 8 and two grade 9s; Poppy Perkins, who achieved two A* grades, five As and two grade 9s and Tilly Dixon, who gained two grade 9s, six As and an A*.

Students Hannah Eastern and Courtney Bolt said they were also very happy with their results. ‘I’m really happy with my results,’ said Courtney, who gained 11 GCSEs including an A* in music.

Hannah added: ‘I was so nervous this morning and wasn’t sure that I had done well. I’m so pleased with my results and I’m just so relieved I passed French, it was pretty tough!

‘I think Okehampton College is a great school, it’s a lovely atmosphere and we are lucky to be given such great support.’

The girls said they would start studying for their A-levels in September and that choosing to back to Okehampton College was a ‘no-brainer’.

Headteacher Derrick Brett said: ‘The Year 11 students at the college should be very pleased with all they have achieved this summer.

‘GCSEs are going through a period of change, with the old A*to G grades being replaced with new grades from 9 to 1. In the majority of subjects this change will take place next year but in English, English literature and maths, students have received the new grades today.

’The Year 11s collecting their results are therefore receiving a mixture of the old and new system, where achieving the highest grades is going to be more difficult. It is very pleasing therefore that three Okehampton College students achieved grade 9 in all three of the subjects where the new system has been imposed.  

‘Well done to all the students for your well-deserved grades. I look forward to seeing many of them back next term to begin their post-16 studies.’