Tavistock College students celebrate GCSE success

TAVISTOCK College GCSE students are celebrating after gaining the results they need to take A levels at the school’s sixth form.

The 15 and 16-year-olds studied for exams in 37 subjects, with 19 of those courses recording 100% pass rates and over 90% of music, physics and chemistry students gaining at least a C.

Assistant director of sixth form Pete Keegan congratulated the students and said he looked forward to welcoming them when they returned to study A levels in September.

“There have been some fantastic results from some very talented students,” he continued. “It is clear they have worked extremely hard and should be very proud of their achievement. I am very much looking forward to seeing the year group develop over the next two years.”

A total of 42 students achieved at least five A*s or As, with Lottie Allen, Lizzie Clarkson, Beni Evans, Lara Hopkins, Katy Hyde, Hannah Keane, Elsie Kirby, Yasmine Rich and Ciaran Stoker all gaining ten or more.

Jack Glover and Ed Longden both worked extremely hard to secure straight A*s and As.

Ed, who achieved eight A*s and four As, said: “I did a lot of work but it seems to have paid off and I’m coming back to Tavistock for sixth form to do history, Japanese, maths and English literature. I would like to study law at university and maybe become a barrister.”

Jack gained five A*s and five As and was also very happy with his results.

“It was what I was expecting because I worked really hard,” he commented. “I’m going to do chemistry, physics, maths, further maths and sports studies. I’ve got a university course in mind: sports technology at Loughborough, which needs AAB at A level.”

In line with the national picture, girls outperformed boys with 57% of females achieving at least five A* to C grades including English and maths, while the percentage for both boys and girls was 48%. A total of 57% of students gained at least five Cs in any subject.

Japanese students all passed their GCSE with 20% securing an A* and 26% an A, meaning many will stay on to take the language at A level.

Lizzie Clarkson achieved three A*s, five As, two Bs and an E and will now study Japanese alongside English language, English literature, history and sociology, while Beni Evans, who gained six A*s, four As and a B, will combine the language with English literature, performance studies and Buddhism and philosophy.

“I’m very pleased and very surprised; I didn’t expect the results,” he said. “I worked quite hard and I’m looking forward to sixth form; it’s going to be good.”

GCSE maths results rose from 59% gaining at least a C last year to 65% this year, and 98.5% of students passed with an A* to G.

English language saw 99.6% achieve at least a G, while English literature was at 99.1%.

Kirsten Smith said she was overwhelmed after achieving an A*, eight As, a B and a D.

“It’s what I was expecting so I’m very happy,” she said. “I want to come back to Tavistock College to do A levels in maths, physics, biology and chemistry so I can go on to do medicine at university.”

Yasmine Rich’s two A*s, eight As, a B and a D secured a place at Tavistock College’s sixth form to take A levels in history, law, media, English literature and French, while Elsie Kirby’s five A*s, five As and a C mean she will study three sciences, maths and geography.

Beth Neave, who achieved six As, two Bs and two Cs, said: “I’m so happy it’s ridiculous. It’s brilliant; I’m going to do sports studies, English language, media studies, sociology and law.

“I would maybe like to go into the navy but I’m keeping my options open and doing subjects I like.”

Helen Salmon, who will take over as acting principal in September, said she was confident the changes to the curriculum and new systems would result in a rapid improvement of GCSE results next year.

“Tavistock College has many strengths and there is the capacity for it to become an outstanding school in the future,” she added.