Exam results delight students and staff across West Suffolk
Students at the Sybil Andrews Academy, in Bury St Edmunds, celebrate their exam results. Photo: Gooderham PR.
Students have been celebrating today after receiving their exam results.
At the Sybil Andrews Academy, in Bury St Edmunds, pupils achieved a continued year-on-year improvement in their GSCE exams and other Level 1 and 2 qualifications.
Interim headteacher, Joe Pointon, said students should feel proud of their hard work and positive attitude to learning – having engaged enthusiastically in lessons and opportunities outside of the classroom.
Mr Pointon added: “The pupils have worked extremely hard to achieve these impressive grades and I am so pleased that their perseverance and resilience have been rewarded.
“I am grateful to the staff for their commitment and dedication, and I would also like to thank the parents for their ongoing support.
“We wish all our pupils the best of luck for their academic and vocational courses next year. It has been a pleasure to work with this cohort of pupils and we are confident that they will be successful in their chosen career paths.”
Youngsters at the Thomas Gainsborough School, in Great Cornard, (pictured above) have been praised for their commitment and resilience following the publication of GCSE results.
Headteacher Helen Yapp said: “Following our outstanding A-level results last week, we are delighted that our Year 11 students have also achieved highly at GCSE.
“They have shown themselves to be a committed and resilient year group who have made excellent progress and achieved GCSE results in line with last years.
“We are looking forward to welcoming many of them into our sixth form and wish them, and all our Year 11 students, every success and happiness in their chosen pathways.”
At the County High School, in Bury St Edmunds, the partnership between students, parents and staff and the importance of attendance was highlighted at after the strongest set of GCSE results since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Headteacher Sally Kennedy said: “We are very proud of the achievements of the class of 2025 as they have gone on to build upon previously established strong results.
“One of the most significant factors impacting on the outcomes of students is attendance.
“It is an area that all headteachers nationally are concerned about because we can see the impact that attending school has on the results that each child achieves and we know that this will impact on the opportunities available for each young person.
“It is very clear from our results this year, that the students who attend regularly and are in a good learning routine do exceptionally well at County High School.
“For this reason, we will continue to be ambitious for all of our students and prioritise working with students and their families to ensure that there are no barriers to them attending and going on to achieve their potential.”
Students at Newmarket Academy celebrated the best set of GCSE results in the school’s history.
Headteacher Martin Witter said: “On behalf of all staff at Newmarket Academy, we are so proud of the achievements of this year’s GCSE cohort.
“They have shown amazing dedication and commitment to their studies and their hard work has been rewarded with the best GCSE results in the school’s history.
“They deserve all this success and we can’t wait to watch them continue their studies in the months and years ahead.”
Castle Manor Academy, in Haverhill, praised students for working incredibly hard to achieve results that everyone is proud of.
Headteacher Vanessa Whitcombe said: “We are delighted to celebrate with our class of 2025.
“Their hard work and efforts have really paid off and we are very proud indeed of them.
“My congratulations go to all students and we wish them best wishes for their next exciting steps.
“I also want to offer my thanks to staff and families who have together worked to really support students with their efforts.”
Notable high achievers included Arun Thirunavukkarasu (pictured above) who attained 11 GCSEs grades – seven grade 9s, two grade 8s and two distinctions*.
He will be going on to Hills Road Sixth Form College to study chemistry, maths and physics.
Jessie Lee attained 10 GCSE grades (four grade 9s, five grade 8s and a grade 7), as did Leo Wagstaff (three grade 9, two grade 8, three grade 7, a grade 6 and one M2) and Oliver Read (two grade 9s, six grade 7s and two D2).
“Thrilled” leaders at Breckland School, in Brandon, praised the performance of GCSE students.
They include Natan Zadworny who achieved Grade 9s in maths, science and computer science, Harriet Gibson-Manser’s Grade 8s in English, maths and PE, and Cullen Ashford who achieved Grade 9s in English and French and Grade 8s in maths, science and geography.
The school said they were also delighted with impressive Grade 9 performances from Abigail Smith and Leonie Burrows in Textiles and Layla Wharf in Art.
Deputy headteacher Annabelle Culley-Tea said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the class of 2025 and the host of success stories.
“These results are a true reflection of their unwavering dedication, resilience and incredible focus. The school continues to be ambitious for our future generations.”