ELLESMERE College students are celebrating 'fantastic' GCSE results which saw a 90 per cent pass rate with 30 per cent of grades in the top 9-7 range (A*/A equivalent).

Headmaster Brendan Wignall praised the students for their efforts after a difficult few years, in the first exams to be taken since the Covid-19 pandemic.

And he added that he was looking forward to seeing students return for A-Levels.

"It is a pleasure to see how well pupils have achieved," he said.

"They are commended for their positive approach to the examinations this summer.

“With two years of disruption to their education their achievements are even more impressive.

"Our swift move to teaching online as soon as the country went into lockdown, delivering our full timetable using Microsoft Teams for remote learning, ensured that little time was lost.

"But nevertheless, being online rather than in school has been a difficult experience to adjust to and it is a testament to our pupils determination and resilience that they have risen to the challenge."

Particularly notable performances include Cameron Davies, from Wrexham, who achieved four 9s and two 8s.

Further to these results, a number of younger pupils sat a GCSE early in Mathematics and a range of languages.

The youngest of the early year entrants, Natt Kritchanarat, currently in Year Nine, completed her GCSE Mathematics and was delighted to achieve a top score with a 9, she will go on to study A-Level mathematics through year 10 and 11.

At Moreton Hall Girls School, near Weston Rhyn, students are celebrating a record-breaking set of results with the highest percentage of Grade 9 in externally set and marked examinations in recent history.

Likewise, the percentage of Grades 8 and 9 is the highest achieved in examinations since 2017.

Gaia Vyas-Adams achieved 9s across the board while Bea Kani and Jenabai Kassam (either side) achieved 8s and 9s. 

Incoming principal at Moreton Hall, Sarah Davis, said: "A week after our excellent A-Level results, we congratulate our students on their impressive GCSE achievements.

"We applaud the hard work and determination of our students and staff and look forward to their continued success in the next stage of their education."

And at Adcote School, near Nesscliffe, students celebrated with 45 per cent of all GCSE results achieving the top grades 9-7 or A*/A – far exceeding the national average.

Compared to results from 2019, the class of 2022 increased the number of Adcote’s top grades by 23 per cent.

Diane Browne, headmistress of the non-selective, independent school at Little Ness, said students had achieved a stunning set of results, despite the difficulties of the pandemic.

“Once again, Adcote girls have impressed," she said.

"These are truly spectacular results, especially given the context of the dreadful disruption these girls have had to contend with as a result of the pandemic.

"We are so proud of them all.

“There were many notable achievements, but special mention should be made of our Music, Art and PE departments where 100 per cent of entries were awarded grades 8 or 9, and Further Maths, Textiles and Drama where all grades were 7-9.”