Pupils look forward to next step after GCSE results

Gaby had major surgery lasting 14 hours, and donated her hair to make wigs for other cancer patients

Students in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been receiving their GCSE results and looking forward to what their futures hold next.

The overall pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen to levels last seen in 2019 - the last year exams were sat before Covid.

Most year 11 pupils were due to start their first year of secondary school when the pandemic hit, but this cohort has not received any pandemic support measures.

Gabby, a pupil at Thomas Clarkson Academy, Wisbech, said she was planning for a career in nursing as she was inspired by the life-saving care she received while fighting cancer.

The 16-year-old missed a large part of her education and had to undergo chemotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge after her diagnosis in November 2021.

“I am really happy with my results and nursing is something I really want to do,” she said.

"I want to do a T-Level in nursing, which includes a year’s placement at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn."

'A huge pressure'

Wendy Gooding, assistant headteacher at the Jack Hunt School, Peterborough, told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire it was a nervous day for both students and staff.

"Most of them may have sat between 20 and 30 exams; it's a huge pressure for them," she said.

"We have tried to close the gap for them [from missed learning during the Covid pandemic] but it's impossible to give them back that year and a half."

One student, Aiden, praised his mum and dad for their help and said he felt his results were "a passport for my future".

Olivia, also from the Jack Hunt School, thanked her family for helping her study during the disruptive first year and now hopes to become a doctor.

Since Covid, exams have been gradually returning to pre-pandemic arrangements.

At the Thomas Clarkson Academy more than a fifth of students achieved an average grade of 5 and above across all of their qualifications.

Jensen, 16, achieved grade 9 in both maths and statistics and said he would be studying maths, further maths, physics and computer science.

“I would like to go on and study mechanical engineering at Cambridge University after my A-levels,” he said.

Grace, 16, hoped to take a different path and was heading to Stageworks, a musical theatre studio, in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

She said: “It is something I have always wanted to do, ever since I was small and I really want to get to the West End in a musical theatre production."

Jensen achieved Grade 9 in both maths and statistics

Bryony Goodliffe, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s children and young people committee, praised the young people collecting their grades.

She said it could be hard to "juggle priorities" and she was "hugely impressed" with Cambridgeshire's youngsters for rising to the challenge.

"They have shown focus, determination and a will to succeed," she said.

"None of this would have been possible though without the tireless support of their teachers and families, all of whom have played a crucial role in guiding them through this challenging period."