Hanley Castle High School’s Class of 2021 are celebrating a wonderful set of GCSE results. Due to the pandemic, the school followed Government guidelines to ensure that this year’s grade awarding process was scrupulously rigorous and fair. The process placed a great deal of pressure on students to produce their best work both in and out of the exam hall.
I know that I am speaking on behalf of all members of staff at the school when I say that we are full of pride that our Year 11 students have demonstrated such resilience and accomplished so much in the face of such a prolonged period of unprecedented challenge.
Parents will recall that, when the Government announced the cancellation of all exams due to take place this summer, it also announced that there would be no publication of any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2021.
There were some remarkable individual successes with both boys and girls achieving top grades across all subjects.
Matthew Knight and Erin Lobo led the way, sweeping the board with perfect Grade 9s in each of their ten GCSE subjects. This is an exceptional feat achieved by only a small number of students nationally.
Hot on Matthew and Erin's heels were George Charman and Ruby Williams with eight GCSEs at Grade 9 and two at Grade 8. The top four performers were followed closely by Isabelle Gregory, Scarlett Lythgoe and Meredith Minderman who gained six Grade 9s each, accompanied by a host of Grades 8 and 7.
Everyone at the school is delighted for our GCSE students. They are our biggest cohort ever, and all of their teachers are thrilled to see their exceptional hard work in such difficult circumstances rewarded in this way. It is a particular pleasure to see so many of these committed and dedicated students gaining top grades, or grades which have exceeded all of our expectations. The 2021 cohort had a remarkable work ethic, a fabulous attitude and have set a new standard for academic excellence; the school is proud of each and every one of them. We are already looking forward to welcoming the majority of these wonderful young people back to our sixth form to commence the next exciting stage in their education. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the parents and families of all our GCSE and A level students, as well as their dedicated teachers. The last 18 months have placed a great deal of additional strain on both the students themselves and everyone involved in supporting them. This has been an amazing team effort.
Lindsey Cooke
12 August 2021