Durrington High GCSE results: students excel

An unprecedented 84 per cent of students passed English and 82 per cent passed maths – not only surpassing 2019’s results, when examinations last took place, but also 2020 and 2021’s, when teacher awarded grades were given.

The school said this was particularly significant given the national context, in which results have dropped significantly from 2021.

In total, 191 grade 9s, the highest possible grade, were awarded to Durrington students this year. Special mention went to Tom Hillier, who achieved the remarkable feat of gaining a grade 9 in all ten of his subjects.

Alongside Tom, there were a number of students who were awarded grades to put them in the top tier nationally: Ivy Hite, Josh Belchamber, Saxon Finney, Uzair Imran, Ruby O’Hara, Thomas Teissandier, Dan Claydon, Thomas Daniszewski and Billy Hopkins.

Sue Marooney, chief executive of the Durrington Multi Academy Trust, said: “I could not be prouder of our students and staff. These results are a testament to the strength of team Durrington. Our students showed great resilience and maturity as parents and staff supported them through the challenges and disruption that COVID caused.

"Their great success is truly deserved and they leave us with brilliant examination outcomes. This is the result of a huge team effort and validates the tremendous amount of hard work that our staff, students and parents put in on a daily basis.”

Co-headteachers Shaun Allison and Chris Woodcock heralded the results and emphasised the importance of the leaders of individual subjects and pastoral care.

Mr Allison said: “Our DNA has long been a relentless focus on high quality teaching and learning. This is founded on a shared language of what makes great teaching which all our teachers understand and use daily. This is led by our curriculum leaders who are the true experts in their subjects and have led their teams to such brilliant results.”

Mr Woodcock added: “Results like this only happen when students feel safe, happy and secure in school. Our school principles of kindness, aspiration, perseverance and pride run through

everything we do. Our pastoral teams provide exceptional support to our young people, allowing them to flourish in their academic studies.”