Students across the region celebrating exam success (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Students across the region celebrating exam success

12:00am Friday 24th August 2012 in News By Barry Nelson, Health Editor

STUDENTS across the region have been celebrating another year of outstanding GCSE results.

One school in Darlington exceeded all expectations, recording the best GCSE results in its history.

Darlington School of Mathematics and Science, formerly Branksome School, said nearly 55 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades in maths and science, compared to 32 per cent in 2010.

The best-performing student was Chloe Dillon, who scored seven A* grades.

A record number of students from Longfield School, Darlington, will go to A-levels after receiving their grades, while there was also joy at the town’s Carmel College, where all students achieved five or more A* to C grades.

The number of students achieving top grades at Haughton Academy doubled this year, bucking the national trend, but the decision to move grade boundaries had affected the number of students achieving five A* to C grades.

At Sedgefield Community College, in County Durham, 80 per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson, a pupil in the 1970s, said: “They have done incredibly well. Three years ago it was around 46 per cent.”

Parkside Sports College, in Willington, celebrated its best results, with a 14 per cent rise in pupils earning five A* to C grades – up to 68 per cent.

Spennymoor School and Tudhoe Grange School, in County Durham, which will merge next month, said 63 and 66 per cent of pupils gained A* to C grades.

Teesdale School, in Barnard Castle, celebrated with 71 per cent of pupils gaining five A* to C grades. At nearby Barnard Castle School, 14 pupils swept the board with straight A* and A grades.

The recently-opened Shotton Hall Academy, in County Durham, said 98 per cent of students gained five or more GCSEs at A* to C grade.

In North Yorkshire, Richmond School students chalked up the highest grades on record, with more than 90 per cent of students gaining A* to C grades in English, maths, sciences, drama, textiles and sport.

At Risedale Sports and Community College, in Catterick Garrison, 97 per cent secured an A* to C grade, a vast improvement on the 26 per cent pass rate four years ago.

Students at Thirsk School also improved on last year, with 88 per cent achieving five or more A* to C grades, an increase of eight per cent.

Young people in Hartlepool achieved some of the best GCSE results in the town’s history, with more than 81 per cent achieving five or more A* to C grades.

Across Middlesbrough, 47 per cent of students achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and maths, a six per cent increase on last year’s figure and a rise of 17 per cent over five years.

At Conyers School, in Yarm , the boys beat the girls for the first time in years, achieving several A*s and A* distinctions.

St Peter’s Catholic College, in Middlesbrough said all of its pupils achieved five or more A* to C grades while Nunthorpe School has recorded a 21.5 per cent rise in A* to C grades since 2009.

Unity City Academy, in Middlesbrough, celebrated its tenth year of record results, while 44 per cent of students at Yarm School achieved A* grades.

􀁧 GCSE results from individual schools will appear in The Northern Echo over the coming days. See pages 10 and 11.