Camden students’ GCSE results well above the national average
Camden secondary school students were celebrating yesterday (Thursday) after achieving an impressive set of GCSE results, which put them well above the national average.
Provisional GCSE results show the percentage of Camden students achieving a ‘standard pass’ in English and maths (grade 4 and above in both) in 2019 is 68%, an increase of two percentage points from the borough’s 2018 result (66%) - and well above the 2018 national result (64%).
The percentage of Camden students achieving a ‘strong pass’ in English and maths (grade 5 and above in both) in 2019 is 47%, which is the same as in 2018 and well above the 2018 national result (43%). Students are now awarded GCSE grades of 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest, after the government reformed the grading system over the last two years.
One of the highest-performing Camden secondary schools was Parliament Hill, which along with neighbouring William Ellis School and LaSWAP Sixth Form, is benefiting from £30 million of new and refurbished facilities through the Council’s Community Investment Programme (see below).
Sarah Creasey, headteacher of Parliament Hill School, said: “We are incredibly proud of all the Year 11 girls who received their GCSE results today. Performance at Parliament Hill has been extremely impressive, with 41% of grades at 9 to 7 (the new A* / A grades). With students taking new demanding GCSEs across all subjects, this is a phenomenal achievement. It’s also really exciting that our students will be returning to new and refurbished facilities next term.”
Among the students celebrating at Parliament Hill on Thursday (22 August) was Asma Maloumi, who is also Camden’s Deputy Youth MP and a leading member of Camden Youth Council. Asma was overjoyed to get seven of the top grade 9s in her GCSEs, as well as three grade 8s. She's staying on at Parliament Hill and the school’s linked sixth form, LaSWAP, to study English literature, history and French A-levels.
Asma said: “The last year has been so busy. A lot of times I thought ‘I can’t study and be on the Youth Council’. That’s what I’m really proud of - that I put in the work and was able to do well and do both. I’m celebrating with a nice dinner with family and some stress-free time.”
Her fellow Parliament Hill GCSE student Sasha Lewis achieved an incredible nine GCSEs at grade 9 and one grade 8. Sasha said: “I’m so happy - I want to be a doctor and I’m studying biology, chemistry, maths and Spanish for A-level. I’m celebrating at Reading festival this weekend."
At William Ellis School, GCSE student Oliver Paul was delighted to get three grade 8s, including an 8 in his music GCSE, three 7s, three 6s and one 5. He’s heading off to the Reading Festival to celebrate. Oliver is a violin player and said he has been playing since he was aged five or six.
On the funding of new music rooms at William Ellis by the Community Investment Programme (see below), Oliver said: “We had the new music rooms through the whole GCSE year and they were really great. They have proper rehearsal spaces, which really helped and they’re big enough for even a full band.”
Meanwhile, Haverstock School’s students were celebrating a strong set of GCSE results. Ahmednour Abdi was one of Haverstock's top performers. He achieved two 9s, two 8s, two 7s and a 6, which included much better science results than he expected. Ahmednour said he was now rethinking what A-levels he will take after getting a 9 and 8 in his combined double science GCSE.
Among the other high-achievers at Haverstock School was Abigail Silva-Matthews, who got two 9s in her English language and literature GCSEs, two 8s, two 7s and a 6, as well as distinctions in performing arts and music BTECs.
Haverstock GCSE student Aimee Louisa Clapham plans to follow her uncle into a career as a police officer with the Met Police - she got an 8 in English literature, 7 in sociology, 6s in English language and citizenship and a distinction in her performing arts BTEC.
James Hadley, headteacher at Haverstock School, said: “GCSEs are harder than they have ever been but Haverstock students and their teachers have worked incredibly hard. We are very proud of them.”
At Regent High School, the school’s top performing student was Diana Vorona, who achieved a brilliant four grade 9s in English language, geography, history and Russian, three grade 8s, three grade 7s, and one grade 6.
Camden School for Girls students achieved outstanding results in their GCSEs this year, with 90% achieving grades 9 to 4 (standard pass) in both English and maths and 75% achieving grades 9 to 5 (strong pass) in both English and maths.
Elizabeth Kitcatt, headteacher of Camden School for Girls, said: “I am delighted with these outstanding results. They are well-deserved by an extremely hard-working set of students, and they were exceptionally well-supported by the excellent teaching staff. I am especially pleased to see a total of 126 grade 9s achieved by our students - the very highest grade in the new specifications.”
I’m thrilled to hear that Camden students have performed so well in their GCSEs this year, with so many inspiring individual stories of young people who want to give back to their communities as well as achieve academic and career success. Huge congratulations to all the students, as well as the staff, parents and school governors who support them. We are deeply ambitious for our young people and want them to have access to all the opportunities Camden has to offer. Our Community Investment Programme is helping to provide some of the best new facilities for schools, while our STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) programme is helping to open doors to careers in the growing digital, creative and biotech sectors here in Camden. We are proud of all that our family of schools does to help young people succeed and be active members of our community.
Background notes:
- Students and staff at Parliament Hill School are looking forward to moving into brand new facilities next term, including the new Kite Building, which is part of a £30 million investment by our Community Investment Programme - the Council’s plan to build council homes, schools and community facilities through the sale of new homes and underused assets
- William Ellis School and the LaSWAP Sixth Form consortium, which comprises Parliament Hill, William Ellis, Acland Burghley and La Sainte Union secondary schools, have also benefited from this £30 million CIP investment on the Parliament Hill, William Ellis and LaSWAP sites
- See more photos from Camden secondary schools GCSEs 2019