Spotlight on - GCSE Exam Success Summer 2022

Showing true strength and resilience, Year 11 students at The Compton School have achieved fantastic GCSE results in Summer 2022. Despite a national dip in the pass rate, students made excellent progress across the subject areas. On the day, the Concourse was buzzing with delighted and relieved students opening their white envelopes and there were smiles all round when students saw that their hard work and perseverance had paid off.

Emily Walker-Nolan, Assistant Headteacher, had the privilege of talking to some of the top achieving students on the day:

Top Achieving Boy Tiago (999998886) 

How do you feel today?
I’m happy with my results; I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that nervous before as I knew what I was expected to get.

What has been your greatest challenge this year?
Homework: getting it done. In the end I just made myself set actual time aside to complete it. You shouldn’t let it build up.

What advice would you give to students in Year 11 about getting through the final GCSE year?
Work hard and make sure that you understand what you’re doing. Really make the most of the extra revision sessions offered – there are usually sessions for every subject and some of them are weekly.

What is the best thing about The Compton School?
The teachers: they are helpful and have got me through it.

Three Top Achieving Girls: Lucy (pictured left) (9999998876), Emma (9999988877)and Simran (9999998888) with her proud parents  

How do you feel today?
Lucy: Amazing! I was really nervous and scared before.
Emma: Really good – I got much higher than I expected. Beforehand, I wasn’t sure if I was nervous or excited – they just feel like the same emotion!

What are your future plans?
Lucy: I’m hoping to study Economics, Sociology and Maths and would like to go to university one day.
Emma: I want to eventually study Biomedicine – maybe at Exeter University.

What has been your greatest challenge this year?
Lucy: For me, Maths was so challenging. I started with a Grade 6 and now I’ve got a Grade 9! Honestly, I put in so much work; I was constantly doing past papers and past questions, just everything I could to improve my grade. I’m so proud of the final result.
Emma: Studying through the pandemic was really challenging and I had to learn how to learn a different way online. I wasn’t sure what to expect today so I’m really happy.
Simran: Definitely going through lockdown; studying in an online school was really hard and I’m glad we’re not in lockdown any more.

What advice would you give to students in Year 11 about getting through the final GCSE year?
Lucy: Start revising in February! And with subjects like Maths start from the beginning of the year.
Emma: Same – start revising early and don’t leave it all until the last minute.
Simran: Do a little bit of revision every day; don’t stress yourself out. Just keeping going with it and do past papers.

What is the best thing about The Compton School?
Lucy: There is a really good environment here and I loved studying with my friends.
Emma: The support you get from your teachers in all of your subjects. 

Hard work paid off for Jay (left) (998888777), Jacob (centre) (877666665) and Ty (right) (8887766655) 

How do you feel today?
Jay: I feel proud and feel really good about what I’ve achieved. Obviously, I was really nervous before – the nerves hit everyone – but I’m really happy today!

Jacob: I didn’t expect such good results – I felt like I was just waiting for today. I felt slightly stressed beforehand but am happy and relieved now. I want to say a big thank you to Ms Whelan, my English teacher – she got me through it and I’m so proud of my English results.
Ty: I was a cluster of emotions before today – anxious, but excited. Now, I feel really happy that I’ve got the grades I needed.

What has been your greatest challenge this year?
Jay: I found the final stretch to the exams really hard but it’s done now! It happened and now I’m here!
Ty: Getting the work done and not procrastinating was really challenging for me. I would say to anyone studying GCSE: “Don’t delay, start today!”
Jacob: For me it’s always been my organisation. To overcome this, I made a schedule and every day I kept a to do list to mark off what I’d done.

What advice would you give to students in Year 11 about getting through the final GCSE year?
Jacob: Honestly, never give up. If you put the hard work in, you can exceed your expectations.
Jay: In the final year there can be lots of stress – you still need to make sure you have fun and enjoy your subjects too. Also, organisation is really important – start revising early.
Ty: Knuckle down – it will pay off in the end.

What is the best thing about The Compton School? 
Ty: Just the support from teachers is great. 
Jacob: The friends I’ve made here.
Jay: : The people – teachers, pupils, everyone. 

Girls who made excellent progress: Maddie (997766443) (Pictured left with Mr Alexander-Crump), Ana (centre with cousin Melissa (88766555) and Karishma (right with her Mother) (877766555)

How do you feel today?
Ana: I was so scared but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I felt like I didn’t revise enough beforehand so I was nervous!
Karishma: I’m really happy and really proud of myself. I got the grades I wanted and some that I wasn’t expecting.
Maddie: I was nervous but not I’m really happy!

What are your future plans?
Maddie: I’m staying at The Compton Sixth Form and want to study Sociology, English Literature and Business Studies.
Ana: Also staying here and studying Sociology, Business Studies and Politics.
Karishma: I’ve chosen The Compton Sixth Form as I enjoy the atmosphere and the teaching is wonderful; I going to study Art, History and Chemistry.

What has been your greatest challenge this year?
Karishma: Revising. I would say to make sure that you take regular breaks – it’s really necessary to be in the right headspace for working and that includes rest!
Maddie: It would actually be my behaviour. This year I actually behaved and did the work and I can see that in my results.

What advice would you give to students in Year 11 about getting through the final GCSE year?
Ana: Revise. Also, don’t underestimate yourself. 
Karishma: Revise early. I know it’s the advice that everyone gives!
Maddie: Same – don’t leave it to the last minute!
What is the best thing about The Compton School?
Maddie: You have supportive teachers here who genuinely have your best interests at heart.
Ana: The people – you really get a lot of support.
Karishma: The teachers – the lessons have such a great atmosphere that makes you love learning.

Two happy boys: Daniel (pictured right) (877776664) and Vraj (8877776666) 

How do you feel today?
Daniel: Pretty happy even though it’s a sad weather day! I was nervous before.
Vraj: Surprised – I really thought I was only going to get Grade 5s and I got Grade 6 or higher in every subject.

What are your future plans?
Daniel: I’m coming to the Sixth Form here. I want to study Maths, Further Maths and Physics.
Vraj: Not sure yet.

What has been your greatest challenge this year?
Vraj: Revising. I really needed positive role models around me - I found that really motivating.
Daniel: For me, my challenge was earlier in my school time – between Year  8 and Year 9. I was trying to mature and get myself ready for my GCSEs. I needed a positive role model too – mine was my cousin.

What advice would you give to students in Year 11 about getting through the final GCSE year?
Daniel: Work hard – it’s only 9 months and then you get the best summer of your life!

What is the best thing about The Compton School?
Daniel: All the people around you.
Vraj: My Science teacher – she was such a good teacher and so nice. Her lessons were never boring!