Year 11 students at The Blue School have justified their hard work and tenacity with an excellent set of GCSE results this week.

These past two academic years have presented these students with a wide range of challenges that went beyond the traditional academic tests. It is to their credit that these students have faced these difficulties with a positive approach and have found themselves rewarded with some rightfully strong grades. Whilst grades across the country are likely to fluctuate this year, over a quarter of all grades were at 7+ (equivalent to A/A*) and the early indications are that progress is well above national benchmarks.

Headteacher, Mark Woodlock, commented, "As a school, we are very proud of this cohort of young people and the way in which they have managed the last two years. Their GCSE grades should give them a great sense of achievement. In gaining these grades, they have set themselves up for the next steps in their education and careers.

"The overall headlines hide the many individual stories that exist for students in all subjects. These include many personal challenges that were overcome, of demons that needed to be vanquished and epic quests that needed to be fulfilled. That is true for staff, as much as for the students and their families. We congratulate them all on reaching this point with such grace and determination.

"We thank all of those, inside and outside school, who have supported these students during the last few years and who have helped them to fulfil their potential."