GCSE students celebrate excellent results having risen to the challenges they have faced

The Grange School is delighted to be celebrating another set of excellent results with GCSE students taking centre stage today.

Head Debbie Leonard praised the efforts of all receiving their results, “Our students well deserve to celebrate their impressive outcomes today. Mastering such a wide range of subjects with different requirements takes great dedication and time management. Thanks to their tenacity and collaboration with supportive and expert staff, all of our students have much to be proud of. All parents and students will fully appreciate the challenges that this cohort have had to overcome and I am delighted with how all of our students have risen to every challenge and seized each opportunity.”

Annabel Clancy and Oscar Jolliffe were two of the students collecting their results, as well as being named sixth form scholars. Annabel told us, “I set myself a benchmark that if I got above a certain level then I‘d be happy and I just needed to accept that whatever had happened had happened. But I’m just over the moon with what I’ve got. I can’t believe it, it’s like a ‘pinch me’ moment!”

Annabel will be taking A Levels in English Literature, French, Politics and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and said that, “it’s weird to think that there are some subjects I’ll never do again but it’s so nice to go out on a high.” Oscar will be studying A Level Art, Textiles, Physics and an AS in Mathematics at The Grange Sixth Form and he’s hoping to eventually continue his studies in Design at a University in London. Of the last 18 months, he said that, “this has been a strange time to take GCSEs. The last six months have been sort of full on but it was worth the effort we put in.”

Mirroring the achievements of the class of 2021 on Tuesday, our GCSE students have fully immersed themselves in an all-round educational experience. During lockdown Olivia Cawley showed impressive time management skills when entering the 100 words Young Writers competition and had her piece chosen for publication in their ‘unsolved’ anthology.

Our sports stars have been busy throughout the two years with Grange students becoming National silver medallists in netball in 2020 but have also represented the region in hockey, rugby and eventing. Whilst the pandemic has inevitably affected this year’s seasons in all sports, Grange Year 11 rowers grasped the opportunity to row on the 2012 Olympics course at Eton Dorney by competing in National Schools shortly after completing their GCSEs.

Similarly, after a year of recorded and streamed events, all of our musicians returned for our end of year summer concert in The Grange Theatre, with full orchestral pieces wowing the live audience present. 

Community is an important facet of a Grange education and our GCSE cohort have personified this during their final year. As well as contributing to the school’s 1.583 tonne donation to Mid-Cheshire Food Bank, Year 11 students went above and beyond to prepare and deliver Christmas gifts to local residential homes and nurseries. Grange GCSE students and their Head of Year, Hannah Horsley organised fundraising activities including capture the flag, bake off and e-sports on the final day of the Spring term in aid of Cancer Research, a cause close to their heart. Further to this, a wide range of organisations have benefitted from all Grange students’ time with over 1,500 community hours volunteered as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. Two fifths of this year group have completed their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award this year with a further fifth achieving their Bronze Award, giving further cause for celebration today.

Head of Sixth Form Jamie Walker said “I know how hard our GCSE students have worked and it is fantastic to be celebrating another stunning set of achievements from Grange students. The skills they have amassed during their GCSEs places each of them in a superb position and they should confidently approach their next steps. Given how they have made the most of every opportunity available, I am looking forward to working with the future class of 2023 in our Sixth Form.”