Horncastle schools celebrate GCSE success

CEO of Horncastle Education Trust, Sandra James said: “Many congratulations to our students at Banovallum and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School who celebrate their GCSE and A Level results. The outcomes show the commitment and hard work of our young people and we are very proud of them.

“My thanks to our dedicated staff, and to parents and carers, all of whom have worked together to enable our students to achieve their potential. We wish our young people all the best as they take their next steps.”

Banovallum School has celebrated with pupils and their families as Year 11 students collected their GCSE and BTEC results. The majority of students secured their first choice of destination after Banovallum, securing places at local sixth forms and colleges as well as starting employment and apprenticeships.

Jennifer Kirkwood, Headteacher, said: “The results that this year group have achieved are excellent. This is despite the fact that their early terms at Banovallum were disrupted by Covid and its immediate aftermath. The reality for these pupils during their earliest years at our school was not only curriculum disruption but less access to some of the staple trips, events and other opportunities that we work hard to provide for our pupils. Despite this they have demonstrated a can-do attitude, and their achievements are testament to their commitment to curriculum and their wider school lives.”

There are a number of individual notable performances from the following pupils: Molly Tassera, Riley Bridge, Leah Taylor, Xander Hemmings, Amber Renouf, Kira Hodgson, Chloe Gill and Em Brunt.

A number of students secured Grade 9s and equivalent, placing them in the top five per cent of the subject nationally: Layla Bollan (Art), Molly Taserra (Food Technology and Sports Science), Charlie Bardovskis (Photography) Megan Patnell (Photography) and Chloe Gill (Performing Arts).

At QEGS Horncastle, Year 11 students’ approach to their education was hailed as “first class” throughout their time at the school, recognised through their GCSE results.

Again, given the disruption to their education due to the pandemic at the start of their time with QEGS, their achievements were seen as particularly inspiring.

Nearly half of all GCSE grades were 7 or above and the average grade of all GCSEs taken was 6.5.

Special mention should be made of Shreyas Chingale who impressively achieved a grade 9 in all his GCSEs, and Katherine Hunter, Catherine Leedham, Penny Lynn and Rohan Rai who achieved a grade 8 or 9 in each of their GCSE subjects. They are in good company as Afia Amankwa, Ayesha Asif, Harish Kumar, Raahi Padhiyar, Eve Riggall, Mahi Savani, Tyler Spencer, James Thomsett, Darcie Thorpe and Henry Vear all achieved a grade 7 or above in each of their GCSE subjects.

Simon Furness, Headteacher, said “We are particularly proud and impressed to see so many of our students achieving at such an exceptionally high standard and it goes without saying that we are looking forward to welcoming many of them back to the Sixth Form in September”.