RECORD-BREAKING results and a girl who is top of the class in the entire country – it was a fantastic GCSE results day for schools in Bromsgrove and its surrounding areas.

Paige Palmer was the girl to score the nation’s top mark – the pupil from Waseley Hills High School in Rubery proving she has one of Britain’s sharpest young minds by achieving a grade 9 in psychology.

Her scores – five grade 9s and four grade 8s – capped what headteacher Alan Roll called a ‘fantastic set of examination results for Waseley Hills students’.

Mr Roll said: “Pass rates in English, mathematics and science have all shown big improvement and there have been many other successes in the newly reformed GCSE subjects.”

Other top performers included Aaron Benson (three grade 9s, two grade 8s and two grade 7s), Vicky Johnson (one grade 9 and five grade 8s) and Ellie Harrison (one grade 9, three grade 8s and two grade 7s).

There was also joy at Hagley Catholic High School, which achieved its best-ever GCSE results.

Almost half of the cohort achieved the top grades 9-7 in English and over one third scored grades 9-7 in Maths. Overall, one third of all GCSE entries across all subjects achieved the top grades 9-7.

Most Hagley students (85.5%) secured grades 9-4, in both core and option subjects.”

Principal Suzanne Horan said: “We are absolutely thrilled with these record-breaking results, particularly as, in addition to showing examination success, they also highlight that our students have developed the necessary skills in determination and resilience.”

There was also a historic achievement at Hunters Hill College in Blackwell as students sat GCSE exams in English and maths for the first time ever – and passed.

The Rev Mr A P Lomas, college headteacher, said: “It is testament to the hard work and commitment of our students and staff that this year’s results build on the excellent outcomes achieved last year.

“Students in year 11 leave us with a whole raft of academic and vocational qualifications at GCSE, Entry Level, BTEC and Functional Skills Level 2.

“These achievements allow our students to follow the path of their choice, whether that be into further education, apprenticeships or other training.

“A significant number of our students will now progress to colleges and sixth form provision and we are able to celebrate some exceptional individual performances.”

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

North Bromsgrove High School enjoyed a ‘significant improvements in the achievements of its students, including a rise in the school’s overall attainment figure’.

It also achieved an increase in the number of students attaining grade 5 or higher in both maths and English and a substantial improvement in the number of students achieving the E-Bacc measure.

Mike Horton, assistant headteacher, said: “We are pleased to see so many subject areas improve on their achievements from last year.”

Star pupils included Lukas Pye (nine grade 9s, two grade 7s and an A), Mackenzie Waller (seven grade 9s, four grade 7s and an A), Jim Round – four grade 9s, five grade 8s and an A), Teigan Lilly (three grade 9s, four grade 8s and two grade 7s) and Lucy Ring (three grade 9s and four grade 7s).

At South Bromsgrove High School, 71 per cent of students in a year group of 322 have achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and Maths – an improvement on last year’s results.

In addition, 16% of students averaged the equivalent of an A grade or better across all their subjects.

Headteacher Chris Smith said: “Students who have worked hard and shown commitment to their studies have been rewarded with great results.”