GCSE results day 2022: Newark Academy bucks national predictions to achieve strongest set of GCSEs ever

Students from the Newark Academy have been praised for their hard work in achieving the school's best ever set of GCSE results.

The year group was the first to sit GCSE exams in two years after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to study throughout national lockdowns, remote learning and home isolations.

The academy achieved the strongest set of outcomes it has ever seen, with nearly 75% of all pupils securing a grade 4 and 46% achieving a grade five in both English and maths.

Friends Summer Frost, Abbie Percival and Sophie Pay all plan to continue their studies at the Newark Academy sixth form.

Sophie put in the effort following the pandemic, coming into at 7am most days and ended up achieving four nines, four eights, a six and a five, saying: "I cried when I opened the results, physics was my hardest subject but I got a nine and I'm glad the school gave me the best possible chance with their support.

"Science is my favourite subject and I want to go into medicine so these results really set me up for my next steps."

With aspirations to become a journalist, Abbie worked hard to get the results she wanted , saying: "I was a nervous wreck coming up to exams because we'd never done anything like them before, but I tried my hardest because I wanted to do well and had the drive to do well."

Summer overcame the loss of her grandad a few weeks before sitting exams and couldn't quite believe her grades, saying: "When I looked at them, I just thought 'they're not mine'. Physics was always my worst science, in my mocks I was getting fours but I came out with a nine."

Luke Dixon, 16, feels made up after achieving high grades across the board including a distinction in sport.

"I'm especially proud of sport because I'm in a wheelchair and it's not normally a subject that people with disabilities would take.

"I'm going to carry on with it at sixth form here because I feel this is the best place to help me along my journey and career.

"My dream is to be a sports coach, so I can help others in the same or similar situations to me."

After a difficult few years Luke also wanted to thank his one-on-one support, Sharon Preston, saying: "I wouldn't have been able to do it without her, she nagged me when I needed nagging and kept pushing me, not only to achieve my goals but to go even further too."

Szymon Swiatek and Adam Howcroft, both 16, did better than they expected after a difficult few years of school disruption.

Szymon wants to go onto study Geography at university after receiving a seven in the subject and will continue with it at sixth form. He said: "I knew the exams would be hard, but I did my best and I think I was able to succeed because and the help of the amazing teachers and their one to one advice."

Adam says he revised really hard in his difficult subjects, he said: "When we came back after lockdown we were almost a year behind and I thought it'd be too much. It's been stressful, but I took one exam at a time and it got easier as it went along."

School head, Chris Fisher, praised the team effort of everyone associated with the school, saying: "From our perspective it's been a difficult few years and we're super proud of what we did as a school. Every member of staff went above and beyond to give the students the best possible chance to succeed in their next steps and it seems we've managed to buck the national trend to achieve our best ever set of results.

"It's important to acknowledge the parents and carers for their support as well and the the school governors for helping us to overcomes challenges."

Deputy head at Newark Academy, Steve Brown, said: "All of our students gave everything they could and have reaped the rewards, with 100% achieving what they needed to go on to what they wanted next.

"I'm delighted that a large portion of them will also be remaining with us as our sixth form continues to grow year on year."