Top GCSE results for Portishead and Pill students

SCHOOLS across North Somerset have celebrated some of their best GCSE results ever. Thousands of students nervously queued yesterday morning to collect their results, with cheers of happiness resounding around many school halls. St Katherine's School in Pill posted its best GCSE results ever with an overall pass rate of 99.4 per cent and a massive 90 per cent of students achieving A* to C grades including maths and English - the highest ever achieved by a school in North Somerset. A total of 37 per cent of students achieved three or more A* or A grades. Top performer was Amy Harris who got 10 A* grades and six A grades. Amy, 16, of Westbury-on-Trym, who is staying on at St Katherine's to do A levels, said: "I am so pleased and I really didn't expect to do so well. "I can't even remember all the exams - it's freaky!" Two sets of twins were also amongst the top performers. Lucy Carleton got four A* grades and seven A's while sister Rosie got four A* grades and three A's. Lucy, 16, who is staying on at the sixth form with her sister, said: "The exams were pretty tough." Rosie, of Stoke Bishop, said: "Mum and dad were really pleased at our results." Other 16-year-old twins Ben and Luke Stagg were also celebrating. Ben got three A* grades and nine A's while Luke got three A* grades and eight A's. Luke said: "I am really pleased and the results are better than I expected. "I am staying on to do A levels and eventually would like to be a lawyer." As a specialist school, St Katherine's was also pleased with its science results where 100 per cent of students who took the GCSE triple science were awarded A*-C grades in biology, physics and chemistry, with 75 per cent who took double award science, achieving two or more A*-C grades. Headteacher, Stephanie Quayle, said: "This school year has been an incredibly successful one for St Katherine's. "We are delighted that these results reflect outstanding performances by a large number of students." Gordano School in Portishead was celebrating an overall pass rate of 100 per cent with 70 per cent of students getting five GCSE's at A*-C grades including maths and English.. Top performer of the year was Adam Grey, 16, who got 14A* grades. Adam, of Portbury, who is staying on at Gordano to do A Levels, said: "I am lost for words and I cannot believe that is what is on the results paper. "I had hoped I would do well, but never in a million years expected to get all A* grades." Ben Hunter-Craig was also pleased with his results - 13 A* grades and three A's. Ben, from Portishead, said: "I am really pleased but my phone is broken so I couldn't call my parents straight away." Gordano student Lizzie Mansell had been studying hard with her friends and it paid off - with five A* grades and five A's. Lizzie said: "I am going to stay on at sixth for and do A levels in geography, history, maths and biology. "And I am looking forward to celebrating with my friends." Clevedon Community School posted the best set of results in the school's history with an overall pass rate of 81.6 per cent and 65 per cent of students getting five A*-C grades including maths and English. Top achievers included Ella Millier who got 10 A* and one A grade, Natalie Ham who got eight A* grades and an A and a B, Kathryn Mortimore who got five A* grades, five A's and a B and Rebecca Fitzhenry who got five A* grades and six A's. Other students happy with their results included Lucy Pope who got five A* grades and six A's, George Harris who got four A* grades, three As, two B's and a C and Naomi Treble who got 10 A grades and one B. Natalie Ham, 16, of Clevedon, said she was 'over the moon' with her grades. Natalie, who is going to Bridgwater College to do an International Baccalaurent, said: "My grades are amazing, I am so pleased. "I worked hard but I wasn't sure I would do so well." Naomi Treble, 16, from Clevedon, was celebrating her 10 A grades. Naomi, who is staying at Clevedon to do A levels, said: "I was really nervous when I collected my results and was shaking. "I worked hard and when I told my mum she squealed down the phone at me." Headteacher, John Wells, said: "The GCSE figures show significant levels of progress made by all students across the whole ability range. "This is a measure of the improvement each child makes in a range of subjects and in particular, maths and English. "I am very proud of the hard work and commitment shown by the students during their time at Clevedon School." Backwell School recorded its best ever results at GCSE with 70 per cent of students achieving five A*-C grades including maths and English. David Bossanyi was one of the top performers with 12A* grades. Last week his brother Tim was one of the A-level high achievers and is off to Cambridge to read engineering. But David was particularly pleased that his beat Tim at GCSE. He said: "Tim only got 11A*s and one A." Other high flyers include Megan Powell with 12A*, one A, and one B; Sophie Headdon 11A*; Wizzy James 10A*, and two A's; Hayley James who got 10A* and two A's, Eleanor Furlong with 10A* and two A's and one B and Katie Hickling with 10A* and one A. But it isn't all about those who get the highest grades. Matthew Murra, Yatton, was predicted E grades in his GCSEs. Matthew had been struggling to cope after his mother died last year and had lots of moves to different schools. Despite this, he achieved three B's and four C grades and is off to Weston College to study construction engineering. He said: "I really wanted to do even better." Another pupil who excelled expectations is Shaun Johns with got five A*, five As and one B. Shaun had been told he was likely to get 11Cs. One of the youngest in the year Hannah Middleton who is not 16 until next Wednesday achieved an A in English and drama as well as a handful of other subject grades. Headteacher Julian Baldwin said: "We are very proud of these young people. "All our students across the ability range have done superbly well in subjects that really matter for their futures. "They have worked really hard and deserve their success." Fifty nine per cent of Nailsea School GCSE pupils got five A*-C grades including maths and English. Seventy seven per cent of students got five A*- C grades. Alice Packham was awarded 11A* and several of her classmates got 10 or more passes at A* or A. These included Daniel Bagnall, Bea Dowling, Oliver Fudge, Maddy Glover, Luisa Hank, Evelyn Howe, William Keyworth, Phoebe Mitchell, Harry Pike, Christopher Poole, Ellis Turner, Olivia Turner and Kieran Walker. Alice said: "It was a lot of very hard work." Natalie Gambrell got one A and five Bs. She said: "I am really proud of myself - I am speechless." Nailsea School percentages are slightly skewed as it had to include nine students who were on the register but didn't actually attend class for personal or health reasons and were educated at home. Exams officer John Sleigh said: "The true achievement of this year group is even better than the class of 2011." Deputy headteacher, Steve Richards, said: "All the work we have been doing in developing the curriculum and raising expectations for students and staff has come to fruition." Chair of governors Sally-Ann Hancock said: "Parents and students alike can be confident that Nailsea School will deliver the outstanding education required to succeed in the increasingly competitive university and employment market." Students at Churchill Academy and Sixth Form were also celebrating good grades. Eighty three per cent of students got five A*-C grades, with 59.4 per cent getting A*-C including maths and English. Top students included Rosie Pegg who got 11 A* grades and Erin Jones who got all A* grades apart from one A. Headteacher, Barry Wratten, said: "Overall these are very positive results and we will be welcoming back many highly motivated students back into our sixth form. "It is testimony to their hard work and the inspiration of their teachers that there were so many happy faces as the results were collected."