GCSE results special
DESPITE spinal surgery and starting her education, Chanelle Pearson achieved the qualifications needed to land her dream career.
She walked tall when she attended school to collect her results and was delighted to secure a place on a Level 3 diploma in travel and tourism – a step nearer her dream of joining cabin crew.
Chanelle, 16, from Bacup, suffers from CRPS – Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. She was diagnosed in 2015 and has two fractures of the spine.
At Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, she had an operation on her spine in December 2017 and a further one in July this year. Both times pain blocks were inserted into her back so when she is in pain she is able to directly administer medication to relieve the symptoms.
She said: “I moved high schools and, at first, I was struggling to walk and was in and out of hospitals. My condition stops me moving and walking and sometimes makes it difficult to do anything.
“I didn’t expect to do that well and I had a lot of support and extra tuition from teachers. I also dropped a few subjects
so I could concentrate on what I wanted to do.”
Chanelle, who is off to Bury College, achieved a Grade 8 in English literature and six further GCSEs along with a BTEC merit in travel and tourism at Whitworth High School.
A nervous wait over the summer holidays is over for GCSE students with those long- awaited exam envelopes finally being opened.
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School students celebrated ‘excellent’ GCSE results.
There were a number of students achieving exceptionally high results, with 25 scoring five or more grade 9s, 14 of which got at least seven. Nearly a quarter of the 180 students scored a clean sweep of top 9- 7 grades in 10 subjects, with 23 achieving the feat in 11.
Headteacher Alan Porteous said: “Congratulations to all of our Year 11 students on their outstanding achievements in the GCSE exams this year, which are clearly the result of a huge amount of work and commitment from both students and staff. We look forward to welcoming students into BRGS Sixth Form; these successes should enable them to approach their A level studies with real confidence and selfbelief.”
In all 15 per cent of all GCSE grades at the highest grade 9, 59pc were at 9- 7 - up from 53pc in 2018 - and 72pc of the year group achieved five GCSEs at the highest grades of 9- 7.
The English Baccalaureate figure, the percentage of students achieving a 9 to 4 grade in English, Mathematics, Science (dual award or two single Science subjects), a humanities subject and a MFL subject was 78.5 per cent.
Alder Grange School staff and students also delivered excellent GCSE grades, with big increases across English and Maths.
The students collectively achieved a huge increase in English results, with 60 per cent getting good passes (of grade 5s and above), which is up from 45pc last year.
The school has also seen a marked improved in those passing both Maths and English increasing, from 59pc in 2018 to 65pc this year.
Headteacher Joanna Griffiths, who takes the reins from the retiring David Hampson in September, said: “Overall, I’m absolutely delighted and so proud of our students.
“The success is a clear reflection of our students’ dedication and the outstanding levels of support provided by our teaching staff.
“We’re very pleased with the performance of the year group as a whole, which met and, in many cases, exceeded expectations, with a number of students collecting armfuls of 9s, 8s and 7s.
“What’s been particularly pleasing is seeing a large number of students taking the decision to continue with their studies at Alder Grange Sixth Form and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back to campus September.”
Whitworth Community High headteacher Gill Middlemas said they were ‘delighted’ with this year’s GCSE results, which “are outstanding and which, as expected, reflect the hard work and commitment of our students, staff, families and governors.”
She said: “English and maths have delivered strong performances yet again, with students of all abilities, and with another increase in Grades 7 and above and in the top Grade 9.
“Over half of our students achieved at least one Grade 7, showing how our wide range of option subjects offers all students chance to excel.”