'˜Outstanding' GCSE results at Claremont Senior School

This is the first year that all of the GCSE subjects have been marked using the Government’s new grading system.

The top grade (9) is equivalent to an A* with distinction, or A**, and is given out only to the top two per cent of students in any given subject.

Ed Dickie, deputy head, said: “Claremont Senior School has again delivered an outstanding set of GCSE grades for their students. Despite the new challenges presented by the 9-1 qualifications students exceeded expectations across the board.

“Claremont was delighted that so many students were able to achieve 9s across a range of subject areas, including mathematics, English Literature, chemistry, biology, physics, drama and religious studies (RS).

“This is the fifth year of results from a school established only in 2011 yet Claremont continues to deliver results that match any of the other independent schools in the area.

“It is a remarkable achievement and is reflected in the fact that numbers in the school will reach record levels in September.

“This year 33 per cent of all GCSE grades were marked as being 9-7 (A**- A) with 20 per cent of these being 8s or 9s.

“There were some notable individual successes with Emily Winter achieving an average grade of close to 8 across her nine GCSEs and Hester Carpenter achieving ‘9’s in both mathematics and double science, an outstanding achievement by any measure.

“Arka Perrin achieved a ‘9’, five ‘8’s and two ‘7’s while Maya Ostle achieved ‘9’s in both Drama and RS.

“The science subjects received particularly strong results with 80 per cent of chemistry and biology results rated as 9-7. Isobel Burrows and Maisy Pearce’s ‘9’s in art reflected a particular strength in the school’s curriculum.”

Giles Perrin, principal at Claremont, said: “We are a school that continues to punch above our weight at GCSE. These are outstanding results with students achieving across the ability range and thriving in so many different subject areas.

“We measure ourselves chiefly by the value we add to the students in our care, both inside and outside the classroom, yet one cannot escape the realities of examinations and their importance to young people’s futures The government has raised the bar; our staff and students have met the challenge and, in many cases, gone way beyond it.

“We always aim to get the very best out of our students but these results are testament to the dedication and hard work on their part. It is a triumph of attitude and application. Work has recently started on the new £3.5 million Octagon Classroom Development and the new Music and Dance department, all of which the school expects to be open by the start of summer 2019.”