Students greeted with cheers and applause at Thurston Community College
Students at Thurston Community College collected their GCSE results today and were met with cheers from teachers and parents.
The pupils arrived in batches of 50 at the college's Beyton Campus between 9am and 11.30am.
Helen Wilson, college principal thanked and praised them, along with staff and parents for their dedication, and said the vast majority of pupils had been able to go on to their chosen place of study.
She said: "I would like to pay tribute to our students and their families who have dealt admirably with the exceptional and challenging circumstances in the past few months. To be told in March that the examinations were cancelled was devastating for our young people, who have have spent an immense amount of time preparing for this moment in their lives.
"Overnight, they were stripped of the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a final series of examinations.
"Yet, despite the distress caused by this year's circumstances, today's results have rewarded our students for their dedication and commitment to their studies.
"Although they have been generated in an atypical way, captured in today's grades is a recognition of the accumulation of considerable knowledge, understanding and skill and experience.
"Students should go forward with confidence in their grades. reassured that their endeavours have been recognised and rewarded.
"I am delighted to confirm the vast majority of our students have been able to access their chosen post-16 destination. I would like to say an enormous thank you to our staff, our parents and all members of out wider community for their unstinting support, and to congratulate our students for their brilliant achievements today."
Olivia Coe, 16, from Ixworth, was delighted with her results including a distinction in music.
"I got a Grade 9 in English and also in Media, which is great as I think I want to be a journalist," she said.
"I wouldn't have been happy if we had been graded by an algorithm and pleased with my results today."
Meanwhile, George Howarth, 16, chalked up an amazing10 Grade 9's and one Grade 8.
George was "very excited by his grades".
"I am over the moon with coming out with such a great set of results," he said.
"I found studying over lockdown fun and attended a virtual maths camp which I was hoping to be attending in person before the Covid-19 closed everything down."
George hopes to one day work in computer programming.
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