GCSE success for private colleges

Thursday 20 August 2020

Despite controversy surrounding national exam results over the past week, Guernsey’s private colleges have been celebrating the success of their GCSE students.

Despite trepidation before receiving their results, many students were delighted with their achievements. At the Elizabeth College, 99.5% of results were an A*-C grade equivalent, with 27 students achieving nine or more A*/A equivalent grades.

“I was a bit nervous before, but now I’m very glad,” said Louis Thomas, who will go on to study physics, maths and business studies at the Sixth Form Centre. “I got a bit better than what I was hoping for.”

While the change to the examination process presented some challenges, students largely felt that they had their grades reflected their ability and effort.

“I feel pretty good, I got quite a few results better than I expected,” said Jack Hamill, who will be taking business studies, economics and maths as A-Level. “I kept getting told that I might not have gotten what I wanted because of the different way of grading, but it’s about what I wanted.”

Pictured: Elizabeth College students were nervous to receive their results, but largely pleased with the end result of their efforts

A spokesperson for the College said that “teaching staff have applied a rigorous process in assessing students’ grades, using a range of previous evidence and their professional judgment to ensure that the centre assessed grades were fair and consistent.”

Students and staff at the Ladies’ College were just as pleased with their results. Principal Ashley Clancy said the morning went better than expected.

“I was not 100% confident that the girls would be universally happy with the results, yet that has proven to be the case,” she said. “Because they’re happy, I’m happy.”

Ms Clancy was also very pleased with the way the students had dealt with challenges of lockdown. “The girls here have shown great resilience and determination,” she said. “I think they are satisfied that they got results that reflect their hard work,”

“When we went into lockdown in March, mock exams had been done and other assessments had been completed, so I think they were really realistic about what they might achieve.”

Pictured: Ladies' College students celebrating their results.

Ladies’ College student Szeching Chong said she was pleased with her results after a ‘turbulent’ year.  

“I’ve had a couple of pleasant surprises which has been great,” she said, adding that she was very grateful for her friends during the challenges of lockdown and remote schooling.  

“To cope with it I just stuck with my friends, because you don’t have anyone who knows what to do, the procedure or how you’re going to feel, so I think sticking with people who are around you and going through it with you is how to get through it.” She is moving into the Ladies’ College Sixth Form to study psychology, maths and photography.  

At the Blanchelande College, 96% of students received at least five grades at an A*-C equivalent, 49% of which were at an A*/A equivalent, up 7% from 2019. Principal Robert O'Brien was delighted to see the students' success, in spite of the difficulties the year presented.  

"This has been a uniquely challenging year and it is a relief that the students are receiving accurate and fair GCSE results. It's vital to recognise that these students completed their courses and revised just like previous year groups,"

Pictured: "Students should now lift their heads high and look forward with excitement to their post-16 studies" - Blanchelande College Principal Robert O'Brien

"The decision by the UK Government to abide by the centre assessed grades means that everyone should have full confidence in the achievements of these students, and applaud them not only for their academic achievements, but also for their resilience."