Bury St Edmunds school Sybil Andrews Academy relieved 'long wait' finally over for GCSE grades
The headteacher of Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury St Edmunds said today's GCSE results mark the end of an 'anxious period', but the achievements of students should not be forgotten.
The secondary school has not released a grade average, but said the results should be taken 'seriously' with the future of Year 11 leavers at stake.
Trenica King, headteacher, said: "We are taking it seriously on an individual student basis, but this is not the year for us to be printing what the overall results were."
Students will be receiving the grade the teacher assessed them as - or the calculated grade if that is higher.
Miss King said: "We are so relieved for our students that they are getting one of those two grades. It will best represent the hard work they have put in for many years.
"We have really missed seeing them. They have missed the exams, they have missed the prom, most of the rites of passage to mark the end of secondary education have passed them by. So, we were keen for the students to come in and get their results - but they could see them on the computer if they wanted to."
She added: "The anxiety started to build with A-levels. We have seen it unfold in front of us. This is a time so unprecedented."
James Mason, head of Year 11, said: "The majority of students got the grades they needed to get.
"Our focus is on helping individual students (rather than looking at grade averages) and that is why we do this job."
Harsh Kulshrestha received seven 9s, three 8s, and one 7 and is looking to study chemistry, biology, and mathematics at Abbeygate Sixth Form College with a view to read biochemistry at university.
He said: "I am really happy, I was expecting a lower grade in English but I will take it!
"There has been a lot of changes (in school since I was last here) and it feels good to be back, although it would be nicer to be here with friends.
"The news got me a bit worried. Our teachers know us a lot better than an algorithm."
"It has felt an uncertain time, but now getting the results makes it feel like it is over."
Read more: GCSEs 2020: Live updates as Suffolk students receive their results
Also bound for Abbeygate is Jesse Granville, who received four 9s, two 8s, three 7s, and two 6s.
He said: "It has felt an uncertain time, but now getting the results makes it feel like it is over."
School is set to resume for most students in two weeks, with Sybil Andrews Academy implementing social distance measures inside, and also a laptop scheme to help students needing to work at home.
Miss King added: “Students have had a long wait for the results and were finally able to reflect on what they have achieved and focus for their next steps in education or training.
“This has been a very difficult time for our Year 11 students and we pay testament to their hard work and effort which has resulted in the grades they have been awarded these grades.
“We hope that all our students will keep in touch and join us for our Awards Evening in December.”
