TOUGHER GCSE exams containing more difficult content and mostly marked on final exams, rather than coursework, failed to deter Woolmer Hill students and pupils of surrounding schools.
Record results were achieved all round, as schools in South West Surrey out-performed the national average, with many pupils achieving the top grade nine (formerly A*).
Yet again, Woolmer Hill achieved ‘excellent’ GCSE results, with an exceptionally strong showing in English and mathematics.
A total of 89 per cent of pupils achieved grade four (formerly C) and above in English, with 77 per cent achieving grade five or above. In mathematics, 81 per cent achieved a grade four or more.
The results put Woolmer Hill well above the initial national average for 2018 of around 70 per cent achieving grade four and above for English and maths.
Improving on last year’s results, 82 per cent of its pupils achieved the level two basics measure with a standard pass – grade four and above in English and maths – and 61 per cent attained the level two basics measure with a strong pass – grade five and above – in two core subjects.
Headteacher Clare Talbot said: “I am delighted our students have achieved such great results as they have worked really hard. We are very proud of them and wish them well as they move onto the next phase in their education.”
GCSE pass rates in England and Wales rose across the board , despite an overhaul to make the exams more demanding.
For the first time most of the GCSEs were graded from 1-9. About four per cent nationally of entries received the top grade, and 732 pupils in all scored a clean sweep of grade 9s in all subjects.
The proportion of students reaching the pass levels – England’s new grade four – was up by 0.5 per cent to 66.9 per cent.
In total, 17.2 per cent of boys’ entries scored a grade 7 (formerly A), up from 16.4 per cent last year, while girls’ remained static at 23.7 per cent.
Bohunt School’s Jess Williams, from Haslemere, got seven grade nines and three As. nMore schools results – see page five