MELKSHAM Oak Community School is celebrating another successful year after students collected their GCSE and A-level results.
GCSE students impressed again this year, improving on last year’s performance in English and maths, and performing well in other subjects despite changes to the grading system for nearly all subjects, which now follows a 9 to 1 number grading, as opposed to the A to C letters format.
Headteacher, Stephen Clark said, “We are so proud of our pupils who have worked hard to achieve a great set of results in a year of hugely increased exam rigour. Faced with new exams, and new grading systems across nearly all subjects, we have achieved a fantastic number of top grades, and increased the percentage of pupils who have met the government’s new standard of achieving grade 4 or better in both English and maths to 57%. This is a credit not only to pupils, but also to parents, carers and our hard-working staff.”
One student who had cause to celebrate on the day was Darren Lok Fung Leung, Melksham Oak’s top achiever with four Grade 9s and five Grade 8s and a Distinction in BTEC Level 1 & 2 Music.
“It’s hard to believe,” said Darren. “This is really going to motivate me to continue on to A-levels. I haven’t decided what subjects they will be, but these results will help me make some decisions.”
A-level students also gave reason to celebrate, with the majority of students who had applied for a university place through UCAS, being accepted onto their first choice.
Headteacher Stephen Clark said, “We are incredibly proud of the great performance of our A-level students, with almost 99% of students achieving a pass and a quarter of these at A or A* grade.
“These great results are a reflection of their hard work and the support from parents and teachers.”
Head of sixth form, Steve Phillips added, “Students have stepped up massively in response to the changes that have been made to the whole of the A-level system. I’m really proud of them, really proud.”
One of Melksham Oak’s top A-level achievers, Harry Fletcher, celebrated an A* in biology, A in chemistry and a B in English literature. Harry said, “I’m not sure what to do next – I could go to university in Exeter or go travelling in South-East Asia.”