A-level and GCSE results 2021: Aylesbury school praises hard work and perseverance of students

Giles Scoble, Aylesbury High School headteacher, has praised the 'hard work and perseverance' of his students after A-level and GCSE results days.

Mr Scoble says that most of his pupils earned the grades needed to go to the education organisation or workplace of their choice.

GCSE results were released in England, Northern Ireland and Wales yesterday (August 12), A-level results were published on Tuesday (August 10).

Aylesbury High School staff made the decision to not host an in-person results day or an end-of-year prom this year, due to the unpredictable nature of Covid.

In a statement the headteacher hailed his students' ability to adapt to remote learning and cope with the challenges of studying in lockdown. It read: "We are very proud of the achievements of our students shown in the GCSE and A level results published this week.

"They have met the challenges of the pandemic and having been through a very different process this year the vast majority are moving on to their first choice of education or training. This has not happened by chance, rather through the hard work and perseverance of students, parents and staff alike. The need to adapt to the changing demands of remote learning, blended learning and a return to face to face teaching should not be underestimated and all our community have responded with great flexibility to this.

"They have displayed that they are Prepared to face the Challenges of life and they have Inspired us with their sheer determination."

Both GCSE and A-level results were decided this year by teacher estimations. These predictions were made using schoolwork provided in the past two years, from coursework, mock exams and essays.

Headteachers played an active role in checking the grades and evidence for them, before they were scrutinised by an exams board.

It was once an exams board had approved the estimated grades that it became official.

Across England, Northern Ireland and Wales a record number of top grades were awarded for A-levels and GCSEs.