GCSE results: Chichester Free School students 'smash it out the park'

Students at Chichester Free School opened their GCSE results at the school this morning (Thursday, August 25) with many celebrating their results after a less-than-normal schooling journey.

Provisional figures already show that nearly a third of pupils achieved the top grades of 7 or above in English. Over a third of the year group opted to take triple science this year, receiving individual GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics, with the majority achieving at least a grade 5 and over a third the very top grades.

Thomas Miller, 16, is wrapping up his role as headboy after receiving great results this year.

Thomas, who hopes to one day return to the school as a P.E teacher or even as the principal, said: “I’m really pleased with my results. I've got everything I wanted and I’m really excited for the future. I would love to be a P.E teacher at the Free School because I have been at the school since it opened and the school has supported me a lot and given me the support I need.”

On leaving his role as headboy after about a year, Thomas said: “I enjoyed working to improve the student experience at the school. I’m going to miss the role but I’m going to take the badge and I’m going to keep it.”

Thomas leaves Chichester Free School with nine GCSEs under his belt — Combined science, 6, English language, 5, English literature, 4, history, 6, mathematics, 5, design and technology, 6, P.E, 6, Spanish, 5 and Religious Studies, 6.

Birdham 16-year-old Evangeline Cotterell said she did ‘pretty good’ with her results and told this newspaper: “I’m pleased with my results and I think I got on okay which wasn’t what I was expecting. I didn’t think I’d got on very well in literature but I got a 9 so I’m very happy with my results."

With her stellar performance, Evangeline hopes to take her results to Bishop Luffa Sixth Form to study psychology, media and history.

To celebrate, Evangeline treated herself to a Costa coffee and plans on trying her luck for some free doughballs and a cheeky Nando’s later today.

Evangeline secured the following results: Combined science, 6, English language, 9, English literature, 9, history, 8, drama, 4, mathematics, 4, Spanish, 7, media, 9, religious studies, 7.

Teegan Smith,16, is also celebrating her results after excelling herself.

After opening her results this morning, Teegan said: “I did pretty good. I got better than I expected in some of the more academic subjects.”

Teegan received 7s in English literature and English language and secured 8s in biology, chemistry, physics, history, religious studies, art and mathematics.

Teegan is going to Felpham Community College next where she plans on studying applied law, art and history.

She added: “I’m just looking at subjects which I find interesting.”

Asked whether she was glad the GCSEs period was over, she said: “Yes. I think it is a lot of stress,” adding, “I have been here from year seven and I will miss seeing my friends every day but I will be moving on to greener pastures.”

She will be celebrating with a meal later on with her family, including her cousin who also opened her GCSE results today.

Principal, Louise New, said this morning: “The resilience of young people never ceases to amaze me.

"I am so proud in particular of this year group who, despite everything that has been thrown at them with many parts of the wider world often feeling in chaos around them, have kept their heads down, kept smiling and ploughed on with determination, patience, good humour and – perhaps most importantly – kindness. And today is just one way we can see and truly celebrate their achievements, with a set of fantastic results including so many outstanding individual achievements.

“Congratulations to them all, and I wish all of them every happiness as they move onto pastures new. This year sees the first results from pupils who were also part of our Primary school, and they leave behind them a lasting legacy.”

Head of year eleven, HannahTulley, said: “So many of them have smashed it out the park. With high attainment, greater than targeted results, and countless individual successes with some pupils pushing against such adversity this year and never letting it stop them. I am so proud of every single one of them.”