Chesterfield College students are celebrating after receiving their GCSE English, maths and biology results today. This academic year, the college helped a record number of students to achieve a GCSE grade 4 or above.
Many people collecting GCSE results earlier studied for these qualifications alongside other courses at the college, working and family commitments. Their aim was to improve the grades they left school with, or refresh qualifications they achieved in the past. These students will now have more opportunities for higher-level study and a wider range of career options open to them.
Student success
Aaron Evans
Aaron Evans, was delighted when he found out he had achieved a grade 9 in English and a 9 in maths after studying on the KickStart programme at college. He said:
“I really didn’t expect to get two 9s. I left school in year 10 due to mental health issues and I wasn’t well enough to do my GCSEs. The KickStart programme was the best course to for me. It was that perfect bridge to get my GCSEs and do so well. I am coming back to college to do my A Levels in maths, further maths and psychology next. I want to study physics at university and my ultimate goal is to be an astrophysicist.”
Lucy Beeson
Lucy Beeson, 33, opened her results to find she had achieved a grade 4 in GCSE English. She has an ambition to become a paramedic and is coming back to college in September to work towards studying on the Health Professionals Access course before applying to university. She told us:
“This pass means more than anything to me today. Especially managing to get it in the pandemic, and having four children at home too. I am really proud of myself because trying to do home schooling as well as my own learning has been really tough so today just feels such a relief. It hasn’t been easy for me to get this grade but I am so pleased I have finally done it.”
Kai Sherriff
Kai Sheriff, left school in year 10 without any qualifications but has had great success with his results today after spending a year on the KickStart programme. He found out he had achieved a grade 5 in English, and a 7 in maths. He said:
“It feels really good to get these results. I am so grateful to the KickStart tutors and to Chesterfield College for providing an environment that allowed me to learn. Maths has been my favourite thing on the course. I was terrible at it in secondary school but the way it was taught here stuck with me much better. I will be studying a level 2 business course in September. I would tell anyone who leaves school without their GCSEs to do KickStart – go for it. You are studying with people who are in the same position as you and it makes college life a lot easier.”
Rachel Pierce and Sara Topham
Rachel Pierce and Sara Topham, returned to learning to study GCSE English in the evenings to fit around their jobs. They made friends at college and came to collect their results together today. They were over the moon when they found out they had achieved some of the top grades. Rachel got a 9 in English Language and Sara got an 8 in English Language. Rachel explained:
“When I did exams at school I just wasn’t confident and when it came to the exams I just did my best but I wasn’t good at revising. I have always wanted to prove to myself I could do it and now I have. I am a teaching assistant and there is always that little voice in your head saying you haven’t even got a GCSE – but I have now!”
Sarah said: “I didn’t have a very good time at school and I was never confident enough to put my hand up and say I didn’t understand. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and it will actually open up loads of doors for me at work. I am an unqualified social worker and now I can be qualified if I want to be. I have done other qualifications but not having this was stopping me go any further with my studies but now I have done it. I got my maths last year too!”
Liza Kamendrovskaya
Liza Kamendrovskaya, was over the moon when she found out she got a grade 7 in English and is also studying on a Skills for Health Professions course at college. She explained why it was so important for her.
“It was really surprising for me to get this grade but I am really happy. It was so important for me to pass today because I want to go to university and English is not my first language so it was even more important for me. I have been living her for about 2 years now and I have really enjoyed studying on the health professions course too. I have my final year of my Level 3 course to do then I will be applying to university to do nursing. ”
Resilience and commitment
David Malone, Deputy Principal of Chesterfield College said:
“Congratulations to everyone who is celebrating their success today. Every year our students show remarkable resilience and commitment to improve their grades, knowledge and skills. This year that commitment has been even greater. I am very proud of the fact it has been a record year for students achieving a grade 4 or above. Especially in another year which saw changes to how courses were taught and assessed. The team across the college have helped students achieve their goals by ensuring quality teaching along with robust systems for assessment and awarding grades.”
“Hearing student’s stories of perseverance to get the GCSE qualifications they need is really inspiring and I hope it will show anyone who might not have achieved the grade they wanted the first time around what is possible.”