High-achieving students helped record a two per cent rise in top grades at Northampton College ' bucking the national trend of an overall dip in results.
Overall, the College achieved a 97 per cent pass rate, with over 2,000 students sitting exams in science, maths and English, with a number of students achieving the highest possible grade of 9 ' the first time the new grading system has been used.
Pat Brennan-Barrett, Principal said: We are delighted that our results in maths and English continue to improve in spite of changes to the grading system and the more challenging national environment. Passing these exams in particular is vital for future progression and our teachers have high expectations of all our students to achieve the highest possible grades.
Among the standout students were:
Jasmine Beal, 25, passed her maths GCSE on the seventh attempt after achieving six D grades on previous attempts at school, college and even while she was at university. Having graduated in history from Oxford Brookes University, Jasmine knew she needed to pass her maths exam in order to enrol on a PGCE and become a history teacher. Jasmine overcame the odds after she was unexpectedly hospitalised in the middle of the exams. She managed to successfully achieve her grade 4 despite taking the new, tougher maths paper.
