GCSE results: 'The marking is a bit stricter but I'm happy'

Rhianna and Toby were pleased with their results, despite Covid lockdowns disrupting their education

A school dining room was transformed into a results hub as pupils collected the envelopes that contained their GCSE results.

Students and parents at Wootton Park School, Northampton, were excited but concerned grades might be affected by disruption during the pandemic.

Headlines about marking returning to pre-pandemic levels brought anxiety.

"Obviously, they're a bit stricter", said Rhianna, 16, but she was "happy with what I've got so I let it go now".

Wootton Park's dining room was transformed into a results hub for students and their families

Toby, 16 said: "It definitely was on our minds.

"We would've wished for a bit more help, but we're looking at our results now and we are happy, so we can't complain."

Sam missed the whole of Year 8 due to Covid. "It just made learning new topics difficult," he said

Sam arrived with his parents and admitted: "I was just constantly thinking, I've seen all these news articles and I was just dreading opening mine".

But he was pleased with his grades.

"I reckon if I'm being honest, probably my English Language grade was affected the most by it, because I already struggle with English and Covid didn't help with that as much, but I'm still happy nonetheless," he said.

Students at the school have worked extremely hard, said Wootton Park principal Dan Rosser

Wootton Park principal Dan Rosser was "delighted with how our young people have achieved and they deserve it".

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He said: "I'm delighted to say that they've bucked the national trend.

"We've actually seen grades go up this year, rather than go down, which I know is a worry for lots of colleagues in other schools at the moment."

Evie was grateful that having a key worker for a mother meant she was able to continue at school through the pandemic

Evie's mother was a key worker during the pandemic, so she was able to attend school when fellow pupils were not.

She plans to study Psychology, Health and Social Care and Art at A Level and hopes to go on to study a child development course at university.

She said: "I did get the additional support that a lot of people didn't get and I think for some people that would've really been a struggle.

"I rely on structure a lot of the time and so that structure of coming into school and being in a familiar environment is really important to me."

Jake plans to go Wootton Park's Sixth Form, after teachers supported him through a difficult year

Jake, who will also go on to Wootton Park sixth form, rang his parents with his results - and they cried.

It was a particularly difficult few months for the family, he said, after his brother Luke, 20, died unexpectedly.

"I got 5s all round and in Sports I got Level 2 Distinction*, so I'm happy with that," he said.

"Considering all the distractions I've had, I've done very very well, so I'll happily take the results I've got."