“As a teacher, Results Day is always one of the best days of the school year and this year has been no exception. It is such a joy to see our pupils collect their GCSE results and reap the rewards of all their commitment and enjoyment in their subjects” said Jaideep Barot, Head of Bristol Grammar School.
It’s been another fantastic set of results with over a third of our students achieving at least 8 GCSEs at grade 8 or 9 – the equivalent of an A* in the old system. Across the board, more than half of all entries (53%) were awarded an 8 or 9, with one in three gaining the very top grade 9.
At BGS we are clear that we celebrate the progress made by each individual, much more than the grades achieved, and so we are particularly proud of this cohort’s excellent value-added score, which is a real testament to their hard work, and the dedication of their teachers.
Proudly co-educational, it’s also rewarding to see our children collectively excel across a broad range of subjects, from STEM to the arts. Just as important is ensuring each child has balance in their school life, taking part in activities beyond the classroom and discovering passions that will stay with them beyond their school days.
Sumedha starred in the school play and took part in both the politics mock elections and Model United Nations. She achieved seven grade 9s and four grade 8s.
“I’m really excited about studying history next year. I love that it’s constantly happening, it’s not held to a specific time and helps to make sense of more recent events we live through too. Doing Model United Nations throughout the year, as well as writing for the history and politics magazine, and doing the school play, meant that I was learning new things, at the same time as revising hard at home too!”
Cristiano who did brilliantly, getting four 9s and six 8s whilst also winning the European and World kickboxing championship titles.
“I’m ecstatic - these are the best results I could have hoped for! I feel the discipline and tools I’ve learned from competing at a high level in kickboxing really fed into my approach to revision and it’s paid off. Miss Cox and Mr Bramley really helped me through the courses and having Mr Clark as my tutor was a big support! I’m really excited about doing new subjects in Sixth Form now – Economics and Psychology will be great to get into.”
Keith who performed with the choir and took part in Model United Nations, was thrilled to gain nine 9s and two 8s.
“I’m so happy! I don’t believe that success is based on status or money but on a person’s humanity so GCSEs aren’t the door to everything but I’m ecstatic with these results! I’ve juggled them with choir and Model United Nations which kept the year fun and both groups really encouraged me to keep going too!”
Thandar got an impressive 11 GCSEs, all at grade 9 – including 100% in her Maths exam – alongside fencing competitively.
“I didn’t expect to do so well, so I’m surprised and pleased! It was tricky balancing GCSEs and fencing, I often had to get up early to travel to competitions and study in breaks, but it was so worth it – fencing is an awesome way to let off steam and it gave me a break from school work.
“My teachers have all been great, particularly Mr Forster, my English teacher – without him, I don’t think I’d have achieved what I did. My Latin teachers, Miss Cox and Mr Watkins, let me change from music to Latin in the last term of Year 10 too. I had to work hard to catch up but I’m so pleased they supported me switching.”
Thandar’s mum commented: “I’m so proud of all she’s achieved. Thandar was at Cathedral Primary and could’ve gone on to BCCS. We moved her to BGS to be with her brother and I’m so glad we did. She’s been nurtured and blossomed here – BGS has been a fantastic experience for all of us as a family.”
James also got straight 9s across his 11 GCSEs, balancing study alongside his musical commitments.
“I didn’t expect to do so well so I’d like to give a shout out to all my teachers, particularly Mr Harford, Dr Macro and Mr Iwi. GCSEs were a lot of work, but I made it through and I’m proud of my results. I play keyboards and jazz piano and really enjoy it. It was important to me to keep playing music alongside my GCSEs – music is a great way to de-stress, and to collaborate with others.”
Reflecting on Year 11’s success, Tamsin Yates, Assistant Head (Learning & Teaching) added: “This cohort has shown particular resilience. The usual transition from primary to secondary education completely changed for them, due to the pandemic, yet they have really thrived during their time at BGS. It’s exciting to see them move confidently into the next stage of their education.”
A huge congratulations to all of you and to those joining us in September for your A levels. We’ve enjoyed getting to know you a little at the post GCSE celebratory summer BBQ and are excited to welcome 50 new faces into the Sixth Form community in September.
