GCSE joy for students at Duchess's Community High School in Alnwick

The class of 2022 started their exams during the worst of the pandemic, with classes being held both virtually and in ‘bubbles’.

The less than ideal conditions for learning did not stop DCHS students achieving stronger results than the last exams year of 2019.

This means a record number of students are staying on to start A-levels at the Alnwick school.

Over 22% of all grades this year at DCHS were graded as 7-9, and over 60% of all grades were awarded at 5-9 which is considered a ‘strong pass’.

There were particular strong results in the health faculty whereby in childcare 75% of students were awarded A*-A, and in health and social care 40% of students secured Distinction* - Distinction grades.

Strong results were also found in the further maths course, where over 50% of the grades were a 9.

There were records broken too, with some students achieving some of the highest grades DCHS students have ever achieved under examination conditions.

Jessica Taylor and Pandora Barnes, secured nine grade 9s and one grade 8, Caitlin Taylor secured eight grade 9s and two grade 8s.

The outstanding results were not just limited to Year 11 students.

Makoto Kurio, a Year 10 student secured a grade 9 in Japanese this summer, with the school supporting Makoto with Japanese lessons and arranging for a native speaker to conduct the speaking component of the exam.

Sophie Johnston, a year 9 student secured a grade 8 in music, two years early!

Co-headteachers Alan Rogers & James Wilson said: “Despite all that has been thrown at the class of 2022, we could not be prouder of what they have accomplished.

"These results are down to the hard work, resilience and commitment shown by the students at DCHS.

"They really do prove that you get what you put into the examination process.

"However, just like we said to the Year 13 students last week, we have to remember these students as remarkable individuals, and we are simply thrilled to be welcoming back over 160 students into sixth form in two weeks’ time.

"We know that it takes a lot of support to enable students to succeed, and we want to take the opportunity to thank the wider school community for supporting students over the last two years.

"In particular we wanted to thank the work of the DCHS Trust, who have been incredible at stopping the pandemic affecting the learning of these students, purchasing Chromebooks for those that needed them during lockdown, and ensuring every classroom has the equipment needed to enable high quality learning to take place.”

Many of the Duchess’s High students are staying on to study A-level and Level 3 courses this September.

Although the school has seen record numbers of students studying the largest list of A-Level courses since the school began, there are still some places left.

Students who have already applied have had places confirmed this week, however; prospective students are asked to contact the school over the next week in order to secure places.

Director of Sixth Form Martin Allenby said: “It has been great today to be able to offer so many of our young people the opportunity to study A-levels here at DCHS.

"We are already excited to see what they can achieve in two years!”