MELKSHAM Oak Community School has praised the ‘determination and resilience’ of its Year 11 students who recently received their GCSE results.
Prior to the results day, on Thursday 20th August, GCSE students faced an anxious wait to find out how their results would be calculated after A-level students – who collected their results the week before – had some results downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual.
Because both A-level and GCSE students were unable to sit their exams due to the Covid-19 pandemic, results were originally going to be based on the predictions of teachers.
However, Ofqual’s use of an algorithm – which used a formula based on schools’ prior grades – to calculate students’ final grades resulted in around 40% of A-level results being downgraded, causing wide-spread upset for students across the country.
In response to the national outcry, the government made a U-turn, reverting back to the original plan to base results on the predictions of teachers in time for GCSE students to receive their results.
Principal, Alan Henderson said, “Following such a disruptive school year, we would like to congratulate all our year 11s receiving their results today.
“The conclusion of key stage 4 is an important stage in every young person’s education. For this to have coincided with such exceptional and unusual circumstances will have presented a real test to this year’s cohort.
“Our staff, parents, and wider school community have truly shone during the period of school closures, and we would like to thank them for their amazing support. We have been very impressed with how our students have pulled through, and we hope that every student gets the chance to celebrate their achievements and thoroughly enjoy the rest of the summer.
“Staff remain available to provide advice and support for those seeking additional support whether they are leaving the school or continuing into sixth form. Students should contact the school if they wish to discuss anything – Exam ResultsAug20@melksham oak.wilts.sch.uk
“We are extremely proud of all our students for the determination and resilience they have shown in recent months, but we would particularly like to congratulate Casey Stewart, Thomas Chudley, Florence Donovan, Izzy Nichols, Harvey Dodd and Daniel Key, who all achieved an outstanding set of results.
“Looking forward, we are excited to welcome all our new sixth formers on 4th September for enrolment, and we’d like to wish everyone receiving results today the best of luck in their future studies and endeavours.”
Pictured: One of Melksham Oak’s top achiever, Casey Stewart, receives her GCSE results.
