GCSE results: Thurston Community College’s cohort lauded by head of year for success, resilience and triumphing over adversity

The head of Thurston Community College’s 2025 year 11 cohort lauded their resilience and success on GSCE results day.

The 265-strong group were welcomed back to the college’s Beyton Campus to receive their grades, of which 67 per cent achieved a 4 or higher in English and maths.

Principal Maéve Taylor said: “Congratulations to all of our students on their GCSE achievements – they should be proud of their success and will celebrate this with their friends and families.

“We are proud of them all and pleased to see success across subjects from art and dance, to French and Spanish, and across the sciences, as well as in English and maths.”

Rebecca Harper became the cohort’s head of year in year 10 and said they had triumphed over adversity as the first group to come to the school in the heights of Covid and lockdown.

“This year group, they have had an impact across the whole of the school and college life,” she said.

“They’ve been real leaders and just set a really good example to younger years, with being involved in productions and sporting activities and the wider aspects of college life, which are a huge part of the educational journey.”

Jess Carey scored 9s and 8s across the board in her GCSEs, and will be going on to study maths, art and geography at Abbeygate Sixth Form.

She said: “All the teachers here are lovely and they help and support you with anything you need.

“I really liked the last year – with exams, it’s a bit more of a community in year 11 – everyone’s friends with each other.”

Jess said Thurston taught her important skills including how to revise and prepare, which she will take forward into her time at Abbeygate. After sixth form, she is hoping to study architecture at university.

Lottie Taylor achieved the 6s in English and maths she needed to continue on at Thurston Sixth Form, as well as a level two distinction in child development and a level two merit in health and social care, among others.

Of studying at Thurston, she said: “I think the teachers, they were good – they had after school lessons where you could go to revise and that was relly helpful.

“English was my favourite, and of course there’s all the friends that you make along the way.”

Lottie said Thurston had taught her the importance of revision and perseverance, and she would take that forward with her into sixth form.

Alyssia Fryer secured two 8s, a 7, three 6s, two 5s and a merit pass. She is now moving to Liverpool and will study biology, chemistry and both English language and literature at A-level.

She said of her GCSEs: “It was really intense, which is a funny way to describe it. There’s a lot of people and staff, and quite a lot of support everywhere – it was really good and a really nice community.

Of the highlights, she said: “It sounds really nerdy but some of my teachers, they were all really good.”

Alyssia said, in particular, her Spanish teacher of four years, Mr Valentine, was amazing, and that going forward Thurston had taught her that ‘not everyone is going to like you all the time, you’ve got to deal with that and focus on other things’.

Ella Boughton achieved 6s, 5s and 4s in her GCSEs, and importantly scored the grades she needed in English and maths to join the RAF, in her favoured position of survival equipment specialist.

She said: “The teachers here are really good, they put in a lot of work in. If you needed any extra equipment, like papers, they would get that for you. It was really good.”

Ella said, in particular, her science lessons had taught her a lot about staying focused and making sure she did everything which was needed, a skill she would take forward into her time in the air force.

Of the best parts about Thurston, she said: “Definitely making all the friends – everyone is really friendly here.”

Joseph Bassett secured 5s and 6s in his GCSEs and is going on to study electrical installations at West Suffolk College.

Of his time at Thurston, he said: “The sense of community and all the teachers, they were really good and supportive.

“I had a good group of friends here, we all helped each other all the way through.”

Joseph said Thurston had taught him the importance of punctuality and having a good routine, which he would take forward with him into his course at college.

He said his highlights were the leavers’ assembly and the prom.