Head teacher praises togetherness of GCSE students on results day

Izzie Craig intends to study A-levels in biology, chemistry and media studies

Collecting GCSE results has created a "real sense of happiness and togetherness" among students, a Douglas head teacher has said.

About 900 students on the Isle of Man have received their results, with 72% achieving A* to C grades.

The percentage receiving top grades matches those in 2019 before learning was disrupted by Covid.

Ballakermeen High School head teacher Graham Corrin said most of his students were "absolutely delighted".

The overall pass rate covering grades A* to G for level 1 and 2 IGCSEs and GCSEs stands at 98%, with a pass rate at the highest grades of A* to A at 21%.

Graham Corrin said he would be support all students regardless of their grades

Mr Corrin said the school would be supporting all of the pupils to help them with their "next steps".

He said the students had to put up with a "great deal of disruption" in the years leading to their exams "at the options time when they were choosing their subjects".

Mr Corrin said that had had a "definite" effect on the school year and teachers had worked hard with them to keep pupils motivated.

Results day marked "relief all round, celebration all round and for those who haven't quite got what they wanted, plenty of support around also", Mr Corrin said.

Izzie Craig, 16, said she had been "really nervous" about her results but was "really happy" to have achieved mixture of A*s and As in the 10 subjects she studied.

She plans to study biology, chemistry and media studies at A-level at the school's sixth form.

Krishna Ramesh is going into sixth form to study maths, physics and further maths

Krishna Ramesh, 17, said he was pleased with his results and planed to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level.

He said he had been "a tiny bit anxious" but was relieved to receive his results, which had "ended up being alright, so that's good".

Regan Corrin plans to go to a UK sporting college to pursue athletics

Regan Corrin, 16, said he was pleased to have passed all but one of his subjects and intends to apply to study at a sporting college in the UK.

The athlete, who competed for the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, said the competition paired with his results had "inspired" him to become a "world class athlete".

Congratulating all of the students that had now reached the end of compulsory education, Education Minister Julie Edge said they now had "a number of choices, which can sometimes feel both exciting and overwhelming".

"Whether the future leads into further education, an apprenticeship, or the world of work, I wish them all the very best of luck," she said.

She also praised the "committed staff" who had "played a pivotal role in preparing these young people for the path ahead".