Just a week after A-level students collected their results, it's now time for GCSEs.

Pupils in Sittingbourne and on Sheppey are receiving their long-awaited results today – with many returning to schools for the first time since they were closed in March as the UK responded to the threat of coronavirus.

But, this year's results will be different to any other as youngsters are to be given the marks their teachers think they would have got should they have sat exams.

As the fallout from results continues, Ofqual and the Department for Education have said students in England will receive teacher-assessed marks, which is the result schools believe their pupils would have achieved should exams have gone ahead.

For the fourth year running, the GCSEs are being graded from 9 to 1 this year rather than A* to G.

Fulston Manor School's Year 11 pupils achieved positive results.

Head of School Susie Burden said: “After the national shambles that surrounded A-levels last week, and that is continuing to cause problems for many students across the country, it was a relief to everyone at Fulston Manor to be receiving GCSE results that are an accurate reflection of the dedication and ability of our students.

"However, it was extremely disappointing that students had to suffer yet further anxiety and confusion in relation to their BTEC grades. Following a last minute decision yesterday from the awarding body, Pearson, there has been a delay in releasing all BTEC grades and we are anticipating further changes to those released last week for Level 3, we have been reassured that no BTEC grades will be lower than those already issued last week.

"The staff in school will continue to support students as this situation evolves and ensure that we can support students in accessing their next steps, whatever these may be."

Mrs Burden was keen to emphasise that the grades achieved by the youngsters were well-deserved and that the system by which they had been calculated was both fair and rigorous.

She said: "It should be understood that these results have been calculated following a process that has included all the information held on students, including coursework, mock examination results, previous performance of students in each subject and a moderation exercise carried out by teachers, heads of department and senior staff.

"In many ways the outcomes can be seen as even more accurate than those achieved following sitting a particular exam on a particular day as they take so much more evidence into account.

"Students should therefore be immensely proud of their achievements, we are certainly proud of them."

The school has decided not to release its results today, but said there had been a number of high achievers.

Among them were Ayotubokun Aderibigbe (one 9, one 8, two 7s, three 6s and a 5), Adrian Angol-Henry (two 9s, four 8s, three 7s and a 6), Oliver Fox (two 9s, four 8s and three 7s), Spencer Nounke (one 9, one 8 and six 7s), George Vigeon (one 9, three 8s, four 7s and a 6), Sydney Chapman (two 9s, six 8s and a 6), Oliver Gilbert (one 8, seven 7s and a 6), Owen Craycraft (two 8s, four 7s and two 6s), Samuel Dickinson (one 8, six 7s, one 6 and one 5), Liam Egan (six 8s, one 7 and two 6s), Millie Stears (three 9s, three 7s and three 6s), Madison Gardner (four 9s, one 8, one 7, one 6 and two 5s), and Charlie Chung-Yates (three 8s, three 7s and three 6s).

Youngsters at Borden Grammar School are looking forward to progressing to A-level or vocational courses despite not being able to sit their GCSE exams this summer.

A number of them achieved all 7-9 grades.

These were: Josh Bailey, Joshua Bass, Harry Brown, Sam Canning, William Coote, Logan Dootson, Thomas Fassenfelt, Ethan Gear, Zak Proudman, Shaharyar Sikander, Elliott Tannerhill and Ted Vidyarthi.

The top achiever – securing all grade 9s – was Ciaran Higgins.

Meanwhile, youngsters getting all 6-9 grades were: Nevish Appadoo, Archie Bowman, William Burnett, Harvey Child, Connor Cook, Clement Dinh, Ben Dutnall, Will Foster, Joseph Fowler, Luke Francis, Sam Hawkins, Thomas Kirk, Femi Kuku, Josh Lawry, Daniel Lott, Ben Nayler, Jack Procter, Dillon Ross, Ethan Sales, Joe Shaw, Prosper Solanke and Thomas Starn.

Sue Smith, assistant head teacher, head of Key Stage 4, said: "All Year 11 students have worked hard for their results and are to be congratulated on all they have achieved.

"As they move onto their next post-16 pathway, we wish them all the very best."

Highsted Grammar School said it was delighted to report some outstanding results at the end of this unprecedented year, with 58% at grade 7 or above.

It recognised, in particular, 11 pupils who gained a clean sweep of top grade 9s and 8s.

These were Hannah Broad, Gabriella Deevoy, Amy Duffy, Maia Fullalove, Bethany Hook, Emily Jenkins, Freya Jury, Alice McKenzie, Lucy Stacey, Mia Thomas and Rebecca Wilson.

Gavin Ford, deputy head teacher, said: "We are absolutely delighted by these results and are full of admiration and pride for our pupils who thoroughly deserve this considerable level of success in these difficult times.

"We pay tribute to the work of pupils and their teachers for their efforts and wish them well as they begin their sixth form courses."

At Westlands School, 267 pupils studied GCSEs and 68% of pupils achieved a 9 to 4 grade in both English and maths.

A total of 74% of pupils achieved an English grade of 9-4, and 80% achieved a maths grade of 9-4.

Youngsters did not go into school to collect their results, instead they received them electronically at 10am.

Among the top performers was Veronika Parfjonova, who was awarded seven grade 9s, one grade 8 and one grade 7.

Meanwhile, Hannah Austin-Brooks achieved four 9s, three 8s and two 7s, while Harrison Smith got three 9s, three 8s, one 7, one 6 and a Distinction*.

Head of school Christina Honess said she was pleased the youngsters' hard work had been recognised.

She said: "It goes without saying that this has been an extraordinary year. I have never known so many last-minute changes to policy and so much confusion over the awarding of exam results. There are still a raft of BTEC results to come in next week, which will improve our results further.

"I’d like to praise our Year 11 students for the enormous amount of resilience they have shown and their excellent attitudes towards the disruption they have faced. I’m really pleased that their hard work has finally been recognised and that our students have received the grades they deserve."

She added: "Most of our results have remained steady this year, with our Year 11 building on last year’s impressive improvements in English, maths and science.

"We are looking forward to welcoming many of our students back to our sixth form to study a range of Level 3 courses.

"And I would like to personally congratulate all our Year 11 students for their excellent results and the positive way in which they have handled the challenges this year has thrown at them. All of the staff at Westlands are very proud of them."

Veronika Parfojonova, who moved from Latvia aged seven, said: "I'm very happy and grateful but I understand there are other people that aren't as happy because of the grading and how it's been worked out.

"I'm going to sixth form to study English literature, French, politics and maths at Highsted. I'd love to go to university and possibly go into the field of politics and economics."

Hannah Austin-Brooks is looking forward to staying on at Westlands to study A-level biology, sociology and psychology.

"I'm really happy, over the moon and relieved they changed the scheme because I was worried I might be downgraded," she said. "It took a while to sink in because we've been spending years doing mocks so when they told us we weren't sitting them we were all shocked."

She is aspiring to make a career as an officer in the Army.

Harrison Smith added that he was going to sit A-levels in psychology, biology and maths before hopefully going on to Canterbury Christ Church University.

"I feel great, I was just full of relief that it's all over," he said.

"It was weird not sitting exams but because of that it doesn't really feel like I've got my GCSEs.

"I was looking forward to sitting them because I've worked so hard for it.

My mum was really pleased and thrilled for me that it's all over and I wasn't marked down."

It was also revealed 5% of the grades at the school were 9 and 8 – both equate to the old A* grade, with 9 being slightly higher than the old A*.

At The Sittingbourne School, 61% of pupils received a grade 4 or higher in English and maths, while a number achieved grade 9s across a range of subjects including English, maths and science.

High performers included William Price who got five 9s, one 7 and one 8, Kallie Bean who achieved three 9s, three 8s and two 7s, Gemma Crutchley who received five 7s and two 6s, and Liam Elliott who got two 9s, one 8, three 7s and a 6.

Yvette Peden, head teacher, said: "We are absolutely thrilled for our students, especially now that they have been issued grades commensurate with all their achievement and hard work over the past five years.

"This year group were always set to achieve highly, far before the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown, so we are very happy they have been awarded the grades they deserve."

There were plenty of smiling faces at Sheppey's Oasis Academy.

Daniel Marsh, 16, got five 9 grades and two 8s, while Matt Webster-Dowsing, also 16, achieved two 9s, three 8s, a 7 and two distinctions in sports and enterprise.

Grace Scopp, whose dream is to work for NASA, got four 9s, two 8s and a distinction in art. The academy said the 16-year-old had achieved "outstanding" results despite having had a difficult childhood, with attending four different schools and losing her mum at a young age.

Her dad, Ashley, added: "Against the odds, Grace achieved fantastic results and I am super proud of her."

Oasis said it would not be releasing its results this year, but a spokesman said it had been a "fantastic" day today.

"Students arrived at allocated time slots and followed a one-way system that has become the new norm," he added.

"There was relief and excitement as youngsters learnt of their results, with many securing the grades they need to progress onto sixth form and college.

"The academy’s sixth form received record-breaking numbers of applications as students chose to remain at the school for A-levels and vocational courses."

Seventy-nine students studied GCSE English and 60 students studied GCSE mathematics at Sheppey College in Sheerness.

The number of GCSE English students who achieved grades 9-4 increased by 10% from last year while the number of GCSE mathematics students who achieved grades 9-4 increased by 17%.

Principal Alan Salter said: “We are delighted to see the number of students achieving grades 9 to 4 in GCSE English and mathematics increase this year. Our results demonstrate the hard work and commitment of our students and staff members during what has been an extraordinary year.

“Passing GCSE English and mathematics is essential to our students’ long-term prospects, and we are proud to provide Islanders with the opportunity to study these vital GCSEs alongside vocational qualifications.

“I would encourage anyone who is unsure about what to do next, or who is considering studying at the college, to contact us. Our team is available to offer advice and guidance for the next step of their journeys.”

It wasn't all about GCSEs today. Youngsters home-schooled on Sheppey have also been celebrating.

Five who had been working with Eastchurch-based Technology Triumphs since October 2018 to complete their portfolios all passed the NCFE Level 2 certificate in creative craft.

Tutor Pip Rothwell said: "I have been guiding them through a range of mediums such as architectural model-making, special effects make-up, woodwork, textiles and jewellery making."

Following the results, James Wilde, 16, will be joining Sheppey College in Sheerness to study construction.

Amelia Tindall, 15, has long-term ambitions to train as a midwife.

Olivia Russell, also 15, is going on to study art and media at college while continuing to complete her GCSEs in history and business studies from home.

Aiah Smith, 16, will be studying animal care at Canterbury College and Jarred Carter, also 16, is working towards applying for the fire service.

Pip said: "I started running workshops at the former library in Trinity Road, Sheerness, but I put all on my creative courses and qualifications online last summer to make everything more affordable for families. Technology Triumphs now has more than 200 children from Sheppey, around the UK and overseas enrolled."

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