IT’S another day of celebrations for pupils at Sittingbourne’s schools. Hundreds of teenagers picked up their GCSE results. Nicola Forman reports.

SITTINGBOURNE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The college is celebrating another record year of GCSE results.

A total of 61 per cent of students achieved five or more A-C grades, with 26 per cent receiving 10 or more A-Cs.

Of particular note are the results of head girl and boy. Hollie Turner, achieved 14 passes, including one A* and 8 As while Khalid Nasiry entered the college in year nine, as a refugee from Afghanistan, not speaking a word of English. He received 12 A-Cs, including eight As.

Head teacher Alan Barham congratulated the students and staff for their tremendous hard work and outstanding success, the results a 10 per cent improvement on last year.

FULSTON MANOR SCHOOL

With 51 per cent of all students achieving five or more GCSEs at C or above including English and Maths, this has been another record breaking year for Fulston Manor.

This represents a 10 per cent increase on last year’s figures, is the first time Fulston Manor has achieved over 50 per cent and is ahead of all targets set for the school.

Particularly eyecatching results came from Rosemary Goddard (seven A*s, five As), Dominika Majewska (six A*s, three As), Sarah Gower (three A*s, six As) and Abigail Vincent (one A*, 10 As).

Head teacher Alan Brookes expressed his delight, saying: "I am so proud of what has been achieved.

"To have more than half of all our students gaining five or more grades at C or above including the all important subjects of English and maths is a magnificent performance by everyone involved.

"A school is about a great deal more than the pursuit of academic qualifications, but the ability to combine all of the other enrichment opportunities provided for students with results such as these is testimony to the outstanding quality and commitment of all those who work at Fulston Manor."

WESTLANDS SCHOOL

The results show that 74 per cent of pupils gained five A*-C grades up from 63 per cent in 2008 and that 38 per cent of pupils achieved five A*-C grades including English and maths.

Particularly notable was the rise in the percentage of pupils gaining two or more good grades in science which rose from 33 per cent in 2008 up to 57 per cent this year.

One pupil who was particularly pleased with her grades was Anna Brookman, 16, from Iwade.

She gained two A*s, three As, two Bs a distinction, distinction* as well as an A in AS Level art. She now plans to go to Borden Grammar School to study the three sciences.

Head teacher Jon Whitcombe said: "The achievements of our pupils this year have improved significantly over those in 2008.

"Given that we now have science as one of our specialist subjects, to see almost two thirds of pupils gain at least two good grades in science is something which we are really proud of.

"Coupled with this, for the first time ever, we have seen the majority of our pupils getting good grades in mathematics, an achievement in which we are delighted.

Out of a total of 279 pupils, there are many wonderful success stories, from the most able through to the less able.

"Once again I am delighted by this record performance. It represents tremendous application by our pupils and outstanding teaching by their teachers. We look forward to celebrating similar successes in 2010."

Jon Gransden was also particularly pleased with his results. The 16-year-old from Minster has dyslexia and came away with a distinction, A, B and four Cs.

He now plans to stay on at sixth form and study fine art, photogrpahy and media studies.

BORDEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Borden’s Year 11 students were also celebrating. Thomas Cantor achieved 12 A*/A grades, while Kyle Dawney, Oliver Hyde, Daniel Kirkham, Oliver McKean and David Westby achieved 11 A*/A grades. A further 17 boys achieved eight or more A*/A grades.

There were particularly notable subject results in history, mathematics, music, product design, religious studies and statistics where the percentage of A*/A grades ranged from 50 to 80 per cent.

"The percentage of students attaining five A* - C grades with english and Maths was not quite at the levels of recent years though the average points per subject entry equalled the previous best, and the school achieved its best ever proportion of A*/A grades.

Head teacher Harold Vafeas said: "Overall these results are a great credit to students and staff."

HIGHSTED GRAMMAR

Of particular note was the fact that 29 students achieved A-A* grades in eight or more subjects. 16 students achieved A-A* grades in 10 subjects or more.

Some 56 students gained five or more A-A* grades. Year 11 students shared 554 A-A* grades between them.

Deputy head teacher, Jonathan Hopkins, said: "The class of 2009 have done very well, we are tremendously proud of our girls and pleased with the results that they achieved.

"It is important that we continue to educate the girls of Sittingbourne and Sheppey in such a way that they have every opportunity to make a real difference to their local community and beyond in the future."

The national picture:

Nationally, the A*-G pass rate increased slightly to 98.6 per cent, up 0.2 per cent on last year. Two thirds of exam papers were awarded an A-C.