GCSE results: Chichester High Schools are jumping for joy

Hillary Keyamo’s family were delighted at her nine A*s and two A-grades.

“I’m really really pleased,” said the 16-year-old. “I was very nervous. We have a really close sense of family within our school between students and obviously students and teachers were very close.

“We can talk about what’s worrying us and I love the atmosphere and relationships.”

Her father Titus Keyamo added: “I’m so proud of her. She’s worked extremely hard over many years. To combine that with being head girl is exemplary.

“She loves this place and it’s a very good school.”

Hillary said she would be staying on for sixth form to study chemistry, physics, maths and further maths.

Chichester High School for Girls and Chichester High School for Boys have been given the official seal of approval to merge after months of consultation, meaning the September 2016 intake will see a mixed Year 7 group start.

Executive head teacher of both schools Yasmin Maskatiya said: “Both schools were the best results they’ve ever received.

“These are exceptional and well-deserved results for both schools and give us a fantastically strong foundation on which to build for the future as we prepare to unite the schools into one – providing an exciting and outstanding educational experience for the young people of Chichester and the region.”

Eleanor Pendle, 16: ten A*s

“It went really well. I was nervous because it was such a long wait. I really wanted to find out what I had got.

“It’s a big relief not to have to worry anymore. I’m really excited to start at the sixth form. It’s a really good sixth form and I’m really excited to be here.”

She will go on to study Spanish, English Literature, geography and economics.

Chloe Mulkern, 16: seven A*s and five A’s

“I’m very pleased. I wasn’t expecting as many A*s. I wanted to get A* and A’s and I’ve done well – I think.

“I tried to stay as calm as possible during my exams. I think that helped because I wasn’t nervous so I could perform better.”

Joss Edwards, 16: three A*s and seven A’s

“I was quite nervous but not as bad as I thought it would be.”

He will be staying at the school to study law, geography, English literature and economics.

Betsy Marshall, 16: five A*s and six A’s

“I’ve really enjoyed it – all of it. I was really nervous and I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Jack Longden, 16: five A*s and six A’s

Jack was the highest-scoring boy at Chichester High School for Boys and will be heading to Havant College to study English, French and maths.

Ben Hewitt, 16: one A*, six A’s, three B’s and one C

“I’m going to sixth form here to do physics, history, media and English literature,” he said.

He was particularly pleased at beating his friend Alwyn Davies-Ebsworth at religious studies, with the pair betting 20 chicken nuggets on who would get the better mark.

Ben got an A*, with Alwyn marks off an A*.

“I just made a bet with Alwyn, 20 chicken nuggets for whoever got a better mark,” he said.

Alwyn Davies-Ebsworth, 16: three A*s and seven A’s

“It’s so good,” he said of the relief at finally knowing how he had got on. “You’re really nervous.”

He said results day was a memory that would stand out.

“It’s a special moment. It’s five years building up to one moment.”

Madeleine Angell, 16: four A*s, eight A’s, one B

She will be going on holiday with her family after the stress of results day.

“When I first opened my results and saw them it’s a sense of relief,” she said, adding she was staying at the sixth form to study PE, biology, psychology and maths.

Lara Wiggins, 16: two A*s, seven A’s, one B

“I was pushing myself to get that sort of grade and I actually wasn’t expecting to get it. It’s a good sense of achievement.

She will study Spanish, business, English language and geography at sixth form.

Yasmin Cooper, 16: Ten A’s and three B’s

“I’m really pleased – it was a lot better than I was expecting.”

Speaking of her time at the school so far, she said: “It’s definitely been the most-fun time of my life.”

She is also an under-18 alpine skier for Great Britain and had to fit her studies around training and competing.

“Luckily, I had some really good support and the teachers were really supportive with giving me work. It was a really good system and I really benefitted.”

She said she could relax now and would return to the school to study biology, chemistry, PE and ancient history at A-level.

Yasmin Maskatiya, executive head teacher

She spoke of the school building on its recent ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection.

“It finishes off a really good year for both schools and bodes well for joining both schools together.

“Everything is aligned for the new high school to be one of the most successful schools in the county – which is where they are at the moment with these results.

“Two years ago the girls’ school was satisfactory and had been satisfactory for several years. Now it’s outstanding and that’s exactly what we’re going to do with the boys’ school and the joint school – we’re going to take them to outstanding as well.

“It’s lovely to see things move so rapidly and in the right direction and that’s exactly what the schools deserve. They’ve languished too long and not going where they should be and that’s changing now.”

Watching the students celebrate together, she added: “This is what it’s all about, this is the most important day in the year, when you see the outcome of all that hard work.”

To follow the latest news around the Observer area, follow the #ObsGCSE15.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.chichester.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ChichesterObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @Chiobserver

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Chichester Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.