STUDENTS collected their GCSEs yesterday, with an unprecedented move by the Government to base results on teacher-led assessment, amid the pandemic.

Ella Rocca was delighted with her top grades when she visited Queen Elizabeth High School yesterday morning and plans to study a mixture of science and humanities A-levels.

|Ella said: “When A-level results were published, I was stressed as I was wondering what would happen with GCSEs.

“I still got to open an envelope to get my results and I got to see my friends and the teaching staff again so it was a fun day.

“I thought I’d miss out on the experience of opening an envelope, but the school has been great.

“The last couple of weeks have been a real mixture of emotions.”

Martin Farmer, headteacher at Queen Elizabeth High School Panniers Lane, Flaggoners Green, Bromyard, said: “We have been pleased to see so many smiling faces as pupils have secured the grades they need to progress to their next stage.

“Results are in line with expectations and reflect the hard work that pupils put in over their five years with us. “We wish them all the very best as they leave us to venture further afield.”

Peter Hammond, assistant Headteacher at John Masefield High School, Mabel’s Furlong, Ledbury, said: “In what has been a hugely challenging year for all of our students, the results obtained by our Year 11 students demonstrate their perseverance and commitment. The process by which our teachers assessed students’ grades was extremely thorough and rigorous. The grades reflected what teachers believed would have been achieved by their students under normal exam arrangements.

“We would like to congratulate all of our students, and we wish them well in the future.”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, county councillor for Newent, said: “I would like to congratulate all the students at Newent Community School who got their GCSE results this week.  They are a testament to their hard work, and the hard work of all the teachers and staff at the school, particularly in such challenging times.”