Treorchy Pupils express delight as GCSE grades are received

PUPILS in year 11 at Treorchy Comprehensive School have expressed delight at their GCSE results following the challenges of Covid.

They gathered at the school in the Rhondda on Thursday, August 25 to find out their results.

Here’s what some of them had to say on receiving their grades.

One such pupil was Tom Hooker who said he was “ecstatic” to be heading on a scholarship to Howells in Cardiff after getting 8 A*s, a B, an A and a distinction while fellow pupil Alfie Watkins said it has been tough but the hard work has paid off as his five A*s, five As and a pass will see him come back next year to study geography, chemistry and biology.

Ben Sims said he was “very surprised” with his results which included Cs and he said there were a lot better than he thought.

He said it’s been “absolutely mental” during the pandemic he said they’ve all come back with a positive attitude and “absolutely smashed it.”

He is coming back next year to do history and politics.

Hope Garland-George said she was “really chuffed” and that she “can’t believe it to be honest.”

She said it’s been so stressful but it’s nice to see it pay off having achieved two A*s, four As, three Bs and a C and she is also coming back next year to do Welsh, chemistry, English and psychology.

Madison Bevan and Kennedy Shephard both got 8 A*s, an A and a distinction.

Madison said she was “shocked” and that she was “not expecting that” and is coming back to do maths, biology, Welsh and product design while Kennedy said she is “speechless” especially after the last few years and but she said it’s paid off.

Mia Jones said she was “so happy” and “I am really proud of myself” after her results included an A*, three As, a B, two Cs and a D meanwhile Freya Taylor-Evans got an A, six Bs ad three Cs.

Tiffany Williams said there has been a lot of stress and was expecting to fail but she got eight Bs and an A.

Cian Gough said he was hoping to do the best he could and is really chuffed but admitted he was nervous about some subjects.

He said it has been strange because they’ve had less time in school but said it has been managed quite well and he’s coming back to do Welsh, history, biology and maths.

Rhiannon Leach had an A*, five As and three Bs and said it had been so stressful and the pressure had come on tenfold but she is coming back to do history, drama and psychology while Lily Packwood-Jones is doing psychology, biology and RE after her two A*s, three As, three Bs and a C although she did wonder if she was going to pass when she went into exams.

Jo Gardner felt “brilliant” with three A*s and six As is coming back to do politics, drama and biology while Cerys Watson said she was “so happy” and that it was hard to put into words.

She got three As, three Cs and three Bs and said it’s been so hard but it has been worth all the revision and the late nights and is now off to Nantgarw College to do history and law with the ambition of becoming an historian.

The head teacher of Treorchy Comprehensive School Jennifer Ford said: “We are really really pleased to have that traditional results day.”

She said the students had worked so hard and there had been a lot of pressure on them, more pressure than ever.

She said the year just gone has been the first year of complete school without lockdown since the pandemic and that they are “hoping next year will be even better again.”

She praised the students, teaching staff, non teaching staff, parents and the community for creating a village like environment of support.

She said they were “exceptional results” and the students had “worked incredibly hard to get to the next stage” whether that’s college, an apprenticeship or sixth form with them.

She said: “We hope to welcome back as many as possible.”

She said it was a “milestone day” and mentioned the role of parents, grandparents and carers saying it was a “huge team effort.”

She said: “I’m pleased to see so many staff come in and want to be part of it.”