TENBURY High School is on a roll after another successful year with good GCSE results despite major changes to the way in which the key subjects of English and Maths are graded.

Students and staff at the Ormiston Academy School are celebrating with 65 per cent of students achieving the government’s new headline measure in both English and Maths, despite this being the first year of the new tougher exams.

Overall, more than 65 per cent of students achieved grade four or above in both English and Maths – with a grade four the new grade set by the government as a pass, equivalent to the old grade C.

In English 82 per cent of pupils achieved grades four or above. This is up five per cent on last year, when the old grade C was still in place.

More than 42 per cent of students also achieved a grade 5 or above in both subjects – defined by the government as a “strong pass” or better – a fantastic achievement.

A third of grades awarded in the core subjects of English and Maths were also grades 6 and above.

Tenbury High’s student leaders achieved particularly highly.

Deputy head girl Hannah Lancaster achieved grades 7, 8 and 9 in her core subjects of English Literature, English Language and Maths and A* in all her other subjects.

This a fine achievement, given her intense training and competition schedule as a triathlete, who has represented her region at national events.

Head boy Reuben Sheppard achieved grades 7, 6 and 5 in English Literature, English Language and Maths along with one A, three Bs and three C grades elsewhere. Head girl Tabitha Ashcroft-Wilson achieved a grade 6 and two 5s in English Literature, English Language and Maths, with four Bs and two Cs.

There are also several students, who have overcome adversity and gone on to achieve highly.

“Two of our year 11 students suffered severe medical traumas in their last year at school, very close to the exams and went on to achieve extremely highly,” said principal Adrian Price.

“One achieved high passes in the core subjects of English and Maths and two As, one B and three C grades in other subjects. The other achieved grades 7, 6 and 5 in English and Maths, one A, three Bs and three Cs.

“Given the very difficult circumstances they faced, these results are a credit to those pupils and the support of their families and the academy’s staff.”

Some individual success stories include:

• Eve Lambrick, who achieved an incredible two grade 9s, a grade 5, four A*s and three As

• Toby Prentice, who achieved one grade 8, one grade 6 and one Grade7, three A*s, three As and one B

• Ella Snape, who achieved two grade 7s, one 6, three A*s, three As and one B

• Reece Gibbons, who achieved one grade 5, one grade 6, one grade 7 and one A* and six As

• Oliver Wallace, who achieved a grade 9, two grade 5s, one A*, five As and one B

• Megan Ward, who achieved one grade 9, one grade 8 and one grade 6, four As, one B and two Cs

• Amy Harris, who achieved one grade 8, one grade 6, one grade 5, two A*s, one A, three Bs and one C