Selsey Academy pupils celebrate their GCSE results

DM16137476a.jpg GCSE results, Selsey Academy. L to R Gabriel Clark, Angela Kirazyan, Ellie Galloway, Keely Samain and Lily Collins. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160825-130712008

The students collected their grades from Seal Primary School following the huge fire that destroyed 75 per cent of the Academy building last week.

Headteacher Tom Garfield said that today, particularly from 10am to 12am, the focus should be on celebrating the students’ achievements.

He said: “These two hours are about our year 11 students from Selsey Acedemy, their success, their results, their future.

DM16137454a.jpg GCSE results, Selsey Academy. L to R Megan Heys, Molly Thorns and Katie Byrne. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160825-130727008

“For two hours [the fire] can wait, they deserve our attention, they deserve our support and they deserve our congratulations.”

He added that he was very proud of the school’s Progress 8 score of 0.26 and the academy’s best ever English results at 70% A*-C.

Find out what the Progress 8 score system means here.

Among the high-achievers was Katie Byrne, who plans to take A-Levels in biology, chemistry and maths at Havant College after getting 1A* and 7As.

DM16137471a.jpg GCSE results, Selsey Academy. Charlotte Harding, left, and Olivia Allen. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160825-130659008

The talented teenager also achieved a bronze medal in a national swimming competition this year.

“I did better than I thought I would in some of them,” she said. “I’m looking forward to going to college, it’ll be hard, but a bit of a challenge.”

Charlotte Harding was pleased with her 1A, 5Bs, 4Cs and ECDL computing certificate, but she was particularly proud of her B in French, which had taken months of effort.

She said: “I found it really hard, but I worked really hard and the teacher was amazing.”

Charlotte plans to go to Chichester College, although she wants to wait to look at her options before picking a course.

“I think you have to really enjoy what you do, otherwise it’s not going to be worth it,” she explained.

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