Schools' exam joy

BOTH St Richard's Catholic College and Bexhill High School have again improved on their GCSE results.

There was jubilation at both schools on Thursday morning as queueing students opened the long awaited envelopes.

Last year St Richard's topped its 2002 tally of 74 per cent of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C by achieving 82.5 per cent - the first time an East Sussex school had achieved more than 80 per cent.

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Yesterday the school overhaulled that record pass rate to the clear delight of staff and students.

Yells of joy could be heard across the school terrace, as students tore open the brown envelopes to reveal a collection of exceptional scores.

Principal Tony Campbell said: "They exceeded all expectations for another year. They broke the record again with 83.5 per cent achieving A* to C.

"Congratulations are due to all the staff and students for all the effort they have put in. It just goes to show there is excellent education available throughout Bexhill."

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It is not only students who have to wait for results - schools have to as well.

A glitch in new county computer software meant that the High School didn't begin to receive students' details until Wednesday afternoon.

The scheduled release time at the High was 11am on Thursday. By then, most of the 287 exam entrants were queuing anxiously outside the Rother block.

Now the school faces a wait of its own.

Assistant head Dave Cowley said: "These are going to be our best results yet. Some 58.8 per cent gained five of more A* to C grades last year after we appealed about some results.

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"We have achieved 58.15 per cent this year and I am pretty confident that, after appeals, we will top 60 per cent. This will be the first time that we have topped 60 per cent.

"Last year we ended with 59.1 per cent after appeals. You always gain three to four per cent after appeals. So, essentially we have done better than last year.

"Results like these give teachers a boost. You get one every year. It gives me just as big a boost when a student of lesser ability has really worked hard and got credible results. Some of those with five Cs have done incredibly well - and so have their teachers."

This year's High School top-scorer was Claire Bull, of Beacon Hill. To a B in Maths and an A*in English which had both been taken early, she added ten A*s, an A and a B.

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That did stop her worrying as she waited in the queue. "I had worked really hard. But you can only do as well as you can do..."

Claire plans now to study languages at Bexhill College.

Early exam starters included Year 7 pupil Max McConnell who got a B in Dutch and Year 7 colleague Alex McMichael who got an A in French.

Across Sussex, pupils have again produced results which are above the national average. Overall national results have barely improved on 2003.

The percentage of students gaining A* and A passes has risen by just 0.7 per cent to 17.4 per cent. The number of passes at grades A* to C has risen by 1.1. per cent to 59.2 per cent.

But the A* to G pass rate of 97.6 per cent has remained level with 2003 - which dropped from 2002's 97.9 per cent.

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