Joy as records tumble

RECORDS tumbled across Oldham today as pupils received their GCSE grades.

Many of the borough’s schools were reporting record results alongside outstanding individual achievements.

Leading the way at Radclyffe was head girl Yasmin Jolly who chalked up 10A*s, 4As and one C.

A banner was unveiled to celebrate the school’s best performance with 71 per cent of pupils achieving at least five A* to C grades, 46 per cent including English and maths.

New Bridge followed up its recent glowing Ofsted report with its highest number of passes since it opened in 2005, with pupils at the special school excelling in visual arts, maths, science and PE.

They included Craig Taylor and Shane Cox, who both got As in art and head boy David Clayton who passed a BTEC in PE.

Other schools who have so far reported record results include Failsworth, Breeze Hill, Hathershaw and St Augustine.

At Counthill the pass rate for five top grades jumped from 44 per cent to 80 per cent.

Meanwhile, Crompton House duo Fiona Bushell and Anna Newton received 21 A*s between them. An impressive 96.9 per cent of pupils gained at least five A* to Cs and head teacher Elsie Tough said: “These are our best results ever.

Nine pupils at Grange passed their fine art AS-level a year early. The best results there went to head girl Rucksana Begum with three A*s, two As, four Bs and a C. Head teacher Gilly McMullen said: “The GCSE results are the best ever in the history of Grange School. I am very proud of all the staff and pupils.”

Nationally more than 600,000 pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their results today.