"I've done so much better than I thought I would!"
Abdul was shocked opening his GCSE results at Coop Academy Manchester in Blackley this morning. He said he's been worried about the grade boundaries following changes to exams over the last two years due to covid. But his worries disappeared when he opened his envelope, and now he's excited for where a great set of results will take him.
His surprise was echoed across Greater Manchester, as students received results from exams they sat in-person for the first time for two years. Across the country, pass grades fell since 2021 but are overall still higher than pre-pandemic rates.
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However, there results saw a marked north-south divide, with 32.6% of papers from London being marked at grade 7 and above, compared to just 22.4% in north-east England and in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Taylor Hardy is another student who said his results were better than expected, and was ecstatic to have passed all his exams. "I was very nervous at first," he told the Manchester Evening News. "I have never been a top top student, but I've passed everything!"
He received the grades he needs to go and study policing, and said his teachers had been 'great'.
"The teachers here genuinely care," he said. "They take time out of their own life to spend more time at their job and help you. They've been great."
Meshach hopes to be an American football player professionally, and is currently training with the NFL academy. But he needed to achieve certain grades in order to continue with his training. He said he was 'so excited' to get the results he needed and take the next steps in his career.
"Right now I want to be the best athlete I can be, and I needed the grades, and I have got them!" he said.
In Bolton, twins Suzanna and Jacob Simmonite said they were feeling 'relieved' after both receving strong results that will allow them to carry on at Bolton School for sixth form.
Jacob is preparing to take on a set of STEM-based A levels, but Suzanna is still deciding whether she wants to pursue arts or sciences. One thing is for sure, though - they'll be getting a chinese takeaway tonight to celebrate!
Angelie told the M.E.N she was 'feeling good' after getting better results than expected. She is also staying on at Bolton School for sixth form, and has chosen a wide range of A levels to keep her options open for the future.
In Moss Side at Manchester Academy, plenty of students were also delighted with their results. Laura Ghita said she was especially happy with her maths result, which was better than she had expected. She will attend Loreto college in Manchester next year to continue her academic studies.
Head of Foundation at Bolton School, Philip Britton, said: ‘Today is a day to celebrate endeavour, tenacity and success during the Covid years. Pupils began their GCSEs as their Year 9 studies ran into lockdown and they have stuck with it through absences from school during further lockdowns and with periods of individual self-isolation.
"Having kept their focus, they have been celebrating some excellent results today with one another and their teachers - and they have given themselves a great stepping-stone to the next stage of their education."
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