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Students celebrate best ever GCSE results
Anna Davis21 Aug 2008
Students at Kingston Grammar School celebrated today after achieving their highest ever GCSE results.
Thirty Five per cent of all the exams were graded at A star and 38 per cent were graded at A. All students gained at least five A star to C grades.
Matilda McAleenan, 16, from Kingston, scored the highest mark in the school. She was awarded 11 A star grades. She took her first GCSE at the age of 13 in Italian, another at 15 which was in maths and nine more this summer, and scored top marks in all of them.
She said: "I am relieved and very happy. It was really, really tough and I was shattered when the exams were finished. In each subject there were around two or three exams so I had to keep on working hard for a whole month. I don't believe exams are getting any easier. My older brother and sister both did well in their GCSEs but found it hard to help me with these exams. I am going to stay on at school to study five A levels but right now I'm going to go home to sleep."
Glennis LaRoe, 16, from East Moseley scored nine A stars and one B grade.
She said: "This is so much more than I expected and I'm quite shocked. I didn't think I did so well, but I was grounded over the Easter holidays and did tons of revision then so it must have paid off."
Danielle Altink, 16, from Thames Ditton, scored nine A star grades.
She said: "I am really happy and it shows that all my hard work has paid off. I was so excited last night I couldn't sleep. I really did work hard for these exams and I have to give credit to my teachers and my parents who helped me as well. I'm going to take four A levels and I'm going to stay on at school to do them."
Nicholas Gale, 16, from Thames Ditton, scored seven A stars and three A grades.
He said: "I was hoping for these results but I was not entirely sure. I had to work very hard for them and my chemistry exam was particularly difficult."
Greg Whitby, 16, from Barnes, scored nine A stars and one A grade.
"I was aiming high but this is amazing. I was trying to keep up with my sister who got the same grades a few years ago and I have equalled her so I am happy. The GCSEs were not too stressful, because you have so much time to do your coursework. I think as long as you revise you will be okay."
Oliver Park, 16, from Thames Ditton, scored eight A stars and two A grades.
He said: "I did work hard for these grades because you can't get marks like this without trying hard. I am feeling quite pleased this morning because I wasn't sure I would do so well."
Headmaster, Duncan Baxter, said: "Having achieved our highest ever number of A grades at A level, GCSE students have broken all previous A star and A grade records. Aspiring to and achieving excellence is at the heart of everything we do. I am thrilled for the students and teachers who have worked so hard."
