School exceeded expectations

●● Students celebrate at Alder Grange School’s GCSE Results Day

ALDER Grange School ‘exceeded expectations’ with a series of excellent GCSE grades.

Collectively the students notched up an impressive 23 grade 9s, four A*s and a distinction* — totalling 28 of the very highest available grades. The school has also seen an improvement in the overall development of its pupils with progress in maths, English, science and humanities.

Headteacher David Hampson said the class of 2018 deserved a lot of praise not least because of changes to the testing regime this year to make GCSEs harder.

He said: “We are very pleased with the performance of the year group as a whole, which met and in many cases exceeded expectations.

“Given the results we are particularly pleased to see a large number of students taking the decision to continue with their studies at Alder Grange Sixth Form.”

Keen footballer Ben Lee 16, of Crawshawbooth, achieved five top 9 grade GCSEs and an A* and now hopes to eventually pursue a career in engineering.

The Rossendale United under 17s left back will study maths, further maths, physics and geography at A level at Alder Grange Sixth Form.

He said: “Hopefully I will then study for an apprenticeship degree. Ideally I would like to work in engineering or architecture or even possibly go into teaching. All my teachers at Alder Grange have helped me loads even to the extent of nagging me to do my revision which in the end has paid off.”

As soon as Owen Lees dis- covered he had earned four 9s, three 8s and an A he text his mum and dad who he said were proud of his achievements.

Owen dreams of becoming a doctor but realises there is a lot of hard work ahead for that to come true.

He will now stay on at Alder Grange to study biology, chemistry, maths and psychology at A Level. Then Owen, 16, of Waterfoot, hopes to study medicine at Manchester University.

He said: “I’ve always been interested in science and I like helping people so to become a doctor would bring both of those two things together.”

Jane Morrisey said she couldn’t believe it when she discovered she had achieved two GCSE grade 9s in English language and English literature as well as an A* in psychology. The 16-year- ●● Raf, left, and Zahidul Islam old, from Rawtenstall, was delighted with his grades, which also included 8s in history, maths, biology and physics.

She said: “I didn’t think I would pass some of the sciences after coming out of the exams because you just focus on all the bad things.”

Twins Zahidul and Rafiul Islam were celebrating together after gaining their GCSE results.

Zahidul achieved 7s in history and English literature and a B in product design, while Rafiul notched 7s in maths and English literature and also a B in Product design to ensure that honours were even.

The 16-year-olds from Rawtenstall will now go their separate ways with Zahidul planning to go to Alder Grange Sixth form while Rafiul has secured an engineering apprenticeship. ●● Ben Lee and mum Justine