HOLMES Chapel Comprehensive School hit record GCSE results this year with one stand-out pupil Chloe Whitehead achieving a clean sweep of 10 A*’s.

 

More than 83 per cent of subject entries achieved higher grades of A* to C against a national figure of 68.8 per cent.

 

The school’s drama pupils achieved an A* to C pass rate of 98 per cent and all sciences hit pass rates above 90 per cent along with IT, English language and literature, music, art and PE.

 

Denis Oliver, head teacher, said: “I am absolutely delighted at the incredible achievements of our students.  It became clear early in the year that this cohort would do the school proud. 

 

“Their work ethic was extremely strong and their teachers gave freely of their time to support them.  My congratulations to all of our students and my thanks to their teachers for going well beyond what could reasonably be expected in ensuring that all achieved their full potential. 

 

“What pleases me most is the nature value that we have helped students of all abilities to add to their achievements from whatever their starting point.

 

“We promise to prepare our students for a changing world and with these superb results and a work ethic to match we are confident that we have fulfilled our promise.”

 

As well as Chloe, other pupils who achieved all A* and A grades included Jason Hartas, 16, who got five A*’s and six A’s.

 

Jason said: “I’m extremely pleased and I’m just really glad all the hard work has paid off in the end.

 

“I couldn’t be more proud at the minute and I’m so happy I’ve done my parents proud as well.”

 

However, unlike many other pupils, Jason did not get the opportunity to break the good news to his mum, with the head teacher admitting to spoiling the surprise.

 

Mr Oliver added: “Jason’s mum Leslie is our exams officer and she spent the whole of yesterday trying to avoid Jason’s results while sorting through them all.

 

“The thing is, I didn’t know this and first thing this morning before the pupils had come in I went over to Leslie  to say ‘you must really proud of Jason’s results’, so I did spoil the surprise a little bit but I’m she won’t mind.”

 

A tearful Alice Young, 16, got five A*’s and five A’s, and was shocked at how well she had done.

 

 “I can’t stop crying,” Alice said, “I’ve told my family and my mum cried, my dad cried and my grandparents cried, so I think we must be an emotional family.

 

“I really didn’t expect to get grades as good as this. I did work hard all year and it’s worth it all now.”