Record-breaking set of GCSE results at Bede Academy in Blyth

A record number of students are set to return to their school sixth form in September after showing “immense courage and determination” to achieve impressive GCSE results.

Success at Bede Academy, in Blyth, was led by top student Leah Johnson, who emulated her brother Lewis who last week secured the best the academy’s top A-Level results and an accountancy degree-level apprenticeship with Deloitte.

Staff said Leah had worked with relentless diligence throughout her time at Bede to achieve eight grade 9s and two grade 7s.

Other high achievers were Naomi Trower with three grade 9s, four grade 8s and three grade 7s, Anna Meggison, Eve Turner, Lola Steele, Evan Heslop, Harvey Jackson, Zara Cook and Joe Ross.

Staff said Owen Sawyer, Leon Chahal, Anna Peart, Brandon Mitchell, Zakk Wilkinson, Charlie Stark, and Isabel Stephens also deserved individual recognition for the progress they had made over the past few years.

Arya Abbas, who along with her sisters Evlina and Kristina joined the academy as Kurdish refugees from Syria four years ago, achieved an impressive set of results at three grade 7s, five grade 6s, one 5 and a Level 2 Merit in BTEC DIT.

Justin Odita’s family joined the academy community two years ago from Nigeria. Coming late into Year 10 from a different education system, Justin has gone on to achieve three grade 6s, five grade 5s, one 4 and a BTEC in DIT.

Principal of Bede Academy, Andrew Thelwell, said: “Our Year 11 students should be incredibly pleased with the grades that they have achieved. They have had to show immense levels of courage to overcome the challenges of recent times.

"They have shown high levels of commitment to their study but, just as importantly, time and time again they have also shown love and compassion through the support and encouragement that they have shown to one another and to our wider community.

“We are looking forward to seeing so many of our Year 11 students back with us in sixth form, but also want to wish those moving onto college or into other forms of training and employment all the very best for the next steps.”