GCSE Results 2014: Harrogate High School

Staff and students celebrated 60 per cent A*-C in English and Maths, with 72 per cent achieving those grades in Maths and 66 per cent in English.

The results come just one week after record Sixth Form results celebrations and Principal, Andrew Bayston, credited the school’s ‘positive ethos and culture’ for the success.

He said: “My congratulations to the students and staff. During 2014 we have achieved record results at Key Stage Four, Key Stage Five and in student attendance.

“Three records in one year is fantastic and reflects the positive ethos and culture we have all worked hard to achieve.

“In addition to this the young people in this year group have been excellent to work with and really do deserve the success they are enjoying today.”

Students celebrated their results with fellow pupils, staff and family members with many saying they had achieved better grades than expected.

George Renicor, 16, said: “My results went really well. I’ve not told all my family yet but my dad is really proud.

“I wasn’t that nervous last night because I didn’t think I had done that well but I actually couldn’t believe it when I came out with results like this.”

David McCabe, 16, was in high spirits after achieving a number of A* and A grades and said the results are better than he ever could have imagined.

He said: “I can’t believe it’s real and I’m over the moon with my grades. I have to thank my teachers for this because I could not have done it without them.

“There was one topic in Physics I had not revised for but, a couple of days before the exam, my teacher helped me through it and that was the topic that came up in the exam.”

Ian Curtis, Chair of Governors offered his congratulations to both the students and staff on the back of a record-breaking week for the school.

He said: “These are outstanding results and a reflection of the hard work by our students and teachers during this year of change in the examination system.

“This is a really hard-working school and it’s also like one big family. The teachers really care for their students and do so much to help them. It’s great to see the hard work paying off.”

Brother and sister, Niall and Paige Summerton, started at Harrogate High School one year after each other but both picked up results this morning.

Niall, 16, picked up his GCSEs while Paige, 15, collected two of her GCSEs and the pair said they enjoyed the competition.

Niall said: “I’m very happy with my results and it’s been good having that bit of competition from my sister whilst helping bring her up through school.”

However, Paige said: “I was trying to avoid him at all costs and we didn’t walk in together today but only because he set off later.”

Despite collecting his GCSEs the brother and sister will still be together come September as Niall moves on to study his A Levels at the sixth form.