STAFF at Shaftesbury School have praised their students for their “hard work, resilience, and determination” as they picked up their GCSE results today (August 21).

The school said many students exceeded expectations and secured places at sixth forms, colleges, and apprenticeships.

Among the many successes this year are:

• Imogen Carlyle-Clarke – who joined the school midway through Key Stage 4. Speaking on results day, Mum and Imogen shared how delighted they were with her results and with the school: “Moving here was the best thing we could have done, and we are so happy with the school.”
• Malak Hammoud’s efforts and dedication paid off. She walked away with grades that were far above her expected grades across eight of her subjects.
• Urte Rasiulyte was overjoyed with her results. Urte said: “I am so happy with my grades.”
• Ava Liney also joined the school from a local secondary school halfway through Key Stage 4 and the school said that she has shown that her determination and resilience have paid off, having balanced studies with significant mitigating circumstances over the course of her studies. She was “overjoyed” with her results, with superb grades in fine art, English language and history.
• Jack Ridley is also happy with his results as he goes off to Yeovil College. “He realised quickly that with focus and commitment to studying, he can get what he set out to get and achieved above what was expected of him in four of his subjects, smashing out a grade 8 and 7 in English Language and Literature,” a school spokesperson said.

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Head of school, Stephanie Bowen praised the efforts of students and staff.

“Today we celebrate the determination and hard work that our wonderful Year 11 students have put into their last five years at the school,” she said.

“Whether they have achieved better than they expected or didn’t quite get what they wanted or needed, we are immensely proud of them and recognise them as people, not just a number.

“They have shown resilience, character and perseverance, many overcoming personal obstacles along their journey.”

Head of Year Miss Connie Doohan shared her thoughts on her year group.

“It has been an absolute pleasure and joy to work with this team of students as their year leader, and I am so proud, beyond words of them. I will miss them so much and hope that our paths cross again in the future,” she said.