Hard work brings rewards for happy high school youngsters

YEARS of hard work brought rewards at All Saint’s Catholic High School as students’ GCSE results were revealed.

And the school, in Rawtenstall, was the scene of celebrations as many youngsters got the grades they needed to take the next step in life.

Headteacher Brian McNally said: “Staff invest so much into the students so they are just as nervous on results day.

“It makes the winter nights where students are kept in detention and we make them do their homework all worthwhile.”

An elite swimmer made a splash on GCSE results day with a string of top results.

Dominic Stanley, from Waterfoot, was awarded high marks across 11 sub- ●● Georgia Holmes jects with English literature the best of the bunch.

He had been taking his mind off judgement day with swimming training and this year was just 0.7 seconds off taking part in the national championships for his age group.

The 16-year-old’s best event is the 200m breast- ●● Dominic Stanley stroke, for which he has clocked 2min 49secs.

Although this is what he would like to follow as a career, he will also study sports science at Burnley College next year.

Dominic said: “I am really happy, I out-performed my mocks and feel like I have done well. ●● Ciaran Locke

“I want to go wholeheartedly with the swimming but sports science is my back up plan.”

Everything added up nicely for maths star Ciaran Locke on results day.

The 16-year-old, from Bacup, was awarded 11 GCSEs and will now study business at Burnley Col- ●● Josephine Braithwaite lege.

His best result was in maths and he hopes to carve out a career in accountancy.

Ciaran said: “I can’t believe it, I was expecting lower grades but I worked hard and stayed behind at school.

“GCSEs are very important because if you don’t get the grades your future plans have to change.”

The hard work also paid off for a student who now has a dozen GCSEs.

Josephine Braithwaite, 16, of Bacup, scored high across the board with her top marks coming in religious studies and English literature.

These will be the subjects she will take A Levels in at Rochdale Sixth Form College, along with art.

She said: “I had forgotten about it all after the exams, my mum was more worried than I was.

“But I had worked hard and I was a bit nervous before I opened the results envelope.”

It was a double celebration for Georgia Holmes after she received GCSE on Thursday and turned 16 on Saturday.

The student, from Bacup, was awarded 11 GCSEs with her best grades in maths, physics and religious studies.

She is now heading off to Burnley College for A levels including maths and physics .

eorgia said: “It’s been hard not to think about them. I woke up feeling sick but now I feel so happy.”