GCSE results at Colfox Academy, Beaminster School and Woodroffe

A nervous wait came to an end for students at the Sir John Colfox Academy, Beaminster School and Woodroffe School on Thursday. 

At Colfox, in Bridport, headteacher Adam Shelley said: “We are delighted with the GCSE results. Students have done brilliantly over this difficult time and have achieved great results. We look forward to welcoming most of them back to our sixth form, where I have no doubt they will do extremely well.

“Year 11 have had to cope with so much change during their time at school. They have been a credit to the school with the way they have risen to this challenge.”

“I would like to thank all school staff, who have worked so hard to support our students in preparation for their exams”

“I hope that students will now look forward to the next stage of their education and to getting back to learning new subjects in school, we are certainly looking forward to welcoming everyone back in September”.

Charlie Wheeler was overwhelmed with his results. He said: "I have done better than expected, it is overwhelming. It is nice the hard work has paid off." He will be studying media and journalism at Exeter College.

Sapphire Pearse was thrilled with her results after being nervous for weeks. Sapphire achieved four grade 9s, 6 grade 8s and a grade 7 a and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. 

She said: "My hands are still shaking. For the past few weeks I have been extremely nervous. I worked really hard but some of the exams did not go how I wanted them to. I woke up this morning completely terrified and then the utter relief of getting the results."

Molly Rayner was happy, having done better than expected in some of her exams than expected. She said: "I was nervous this morning but this is a big relief."

Fin Davies felt that things were difficult with the raised grade boundary, covid and strikes, but is pleased with his results. He said: "Overall I would say the grade bands were quite tough. It has gone better than expected." Fin will going on to sixth form, and hopes to go into robotics.

At the Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis, head of Year 11, Charlotte Lemon, praised pupils for their achievements despite 'challenging' and 'difficult' circumstanes. 

“It was a pleasure to see so many Year 11 students and I am delighted and proud of all their achievements," she said.

"Our students have worked hard throughout many challenging and difficult circumstances and their perseverance and resilience has been exceptional. I would like to wish all our Year 11 students the best of luck whether they are returning to join our sixth form or starting their next journey elsewhere."

Woodroffe headteacher Dan Watts said it was pleasing to see so many top grades across all subject areas, with outstanding performances in Chinese, chemistry and biology in which 100 per cent of students achieved a grade 9 to 4 and classics, religious studies, English, Spanish, Art, Maths, Physics, Geography, and Design Technology where over 75 per cent of students achieved a grade 9 to 4.

Mr Watts said: "We are delighted with the strong set of examination results achieved this year. Congratulations to our fabulous students, your achievements are well deserved."

And there were happy scenes at Beaminster School where pupils celebrated another impressive set of results.

Alongside many outstanding individual performances, the following students gained the equivalent of five or more A grades (9-7): Ruth Sloper (10), Megan Reed (7), Dennis Knight, Sam Shard, Beth Still (6), Emily Cross, Daisy Harris, Rosie Price (5).

Kevin Donovan, head of Year 11, was delighted ith the results and said: 'It has been a real privilege to see the students grow over the past 5 years and earn themselves such great opportunities for the future. I am incredibly proud of the positive and focused approach that they brought to their studies, particularly over the past few torrid years; their fortitude and determination is richly rewarded by these wonderful outcomes.’

Poppy Goddard will be going on to sixth form after doing better than she expected. She said: "I feel like I need to cry my eyes out. I feel happy. I am just shocked."

Ollie Drake passed everything he was hoping to, and was even surprised he had passed French. He said: "I am thoroughly shocked I passed French. I think it went pretty well."

Octavia Chaffey will be going on to sixth form. She hopes to become a paramedic. Despite one disappointing subject, she got what she expected. Octavia said: "I was very nervous this morning, so I am relieved to get the results. I didn't get the results I was hoping for in one subject but in every other one, I got what I expected."

Ronnie Tattersall wants to become a paramedic and having received his GCSE results will be studying construction in the built environment at Weymouth College. He said: "I was feeling confident. I did not do too badly. At least how I expected."

Keith Hales, Beaminster School headteacher, said: ‘This has been a wonderful year group who are very worthy recipients of some stunning results in the face of such adversity.

"The performances are also a great credit to the staff team for their endless hard work and skill in carefully preparing the students, alongside the support and encouragement from parents and carers. We are also delighted to be welcoming a large cohort of students back to our sixth form."