Islington students brave Covid-19 upheavals to post strong improvements at GCSE

Islington’s GCSE students recorded a great set of results today, improving on last year’s performance despite the trauma, upheaval and uncertainty of the last few months.

As reflected across much of the country, Islington’s provisional GCSE result benchmarks have improved on last year, despite changes to the way they were graded due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

More than half of pupils achieved a strong pass in English and mathematics – 52% achieving a grade 5 or above, compared to 44% in 2019 – while the average Attainment 8 score per pupil is 4.99, up from 4.69 last year. The EBacc average point score increased from 4.2 last year to 4.4.

However, hundreds of Islington pupils have been affected by yesterday’s decision by exam board Pearson to review all BTEC grades nationally, and currently  do not know their final results.

Leader of the council, Cllr Richard Watts, and the Mayor of Islington, Cllr Rakhia Ismail, visited two of the borough’s schools to congratulate pupils this morning and hear how they have managed to stay focused in an unprecedented year for schools.

Cllr Richard Watts, who met pupils at Highbury Fields School, said: “Speaking to students today about their achievements at the end of a long summer of uncertainty was both humbling and inspiring.

“These young people have the power and purpose to become leaders in their field – whether it’s business, medicine, e-commerce, law, music, media or anything they put their mind to.

“My congratulations go to every student for their commitment and hard work. It has been a difficult year, and thankfully our GCSE students can be confident in the integrity of their grades today.

“But the last-minute delays to BTEC results will be a further wrench for many of our young people who were hoping to end months of uncertainty and stress.

“This comes on the back of a series of utterly shambolic U-turns and mixed messages from Government before and after the A Level results last week. The Government seem blind to the gravity and consequences of their ham-fisted approach on both the mental health and the future aspirations of our young people.”

Mia Folkes Pawlowski was among the pupils who met the challenge head-on and was celebrating with friends at Highbury Fields School this morning. Mia started studying for her A Levels soon after lockdown, not knowing whether or not she may still need to sit her GCSE exams in June as well.

“It was a hard time, I was worried about everyone,” she said. “But I did a lot of work, which kind of took my mind off it. I was scared I was going to fail some of my GCSEs and not get some of the A Levels I wanted to do after I already learned some of the content.” Mia will study chemistry, biology and psychology A Levels after excelling in her GCSEs, and is thinking of becoming a surgeon.

Pharima Atchariyakorn will take A Levels in chemistry, biology and psychology after getting two grade 9s, five grade 8s and a grade 7. “I’ll probably go into psychology,” she said, “but I still have to decide if I’m going to do research, or be a therapist or psychologist. But definitely in that field.”

Pharima said the lockdown was stressful as she “had to put my life on pause for a while,” but was grateful that she got to spend more time with her family.

The world of medical research beckons for Kissakye Kigongo, who will take biology, chemistry, physics and geography at A Level after a strong set of GCSE results. “I think I’d like to go into immunology or something to do with diseases, on the research side,” she said.

Meanwhile, Alicia Little did better than she hoped and will take maths, biology, chemistry and history A Levels. “I thought I might be downgraded, but I’m pleasantly surprised and I’m relieved – it’s a weight off my chest,” she said. “I’ve always thought of medicine as a profession, but I quite like history as well, so I’m combining what I want to do and also what I like to do – that’s my strategy in life.”

Meri Fisniku said the last few months had been “really hard for all of us” but was “glad” she could pick up her results at school. She plans to go into medicine after staying on at the school to study biology, psychology and maths A Levels.

At Central Foundation Boys’ School, students met the Mayor of Islington, Cllr Rakhia Ismail, who congratulated them after they picked up their results. Seni Balagan is working towards his dream of becoming a psychologist and helping others after achieving six GCSEs at grade 6 and three at grade 5.

Dylan Gregory is applying for college after gaining a grade 9 in geography, four each at grades 8 and 7, and a grade 6. He said: “It’s been very tense for the last week. I was quite pleased with my geography grade because I’ve worked really hard for that for two years, and I’m really relieved to have it pay off, finally.”

Jacob Potter said he was “feeling good” after achieving a brace of grade 9s across the board. He is heading to the sixth form at Camden School for Girls to study maths, further maths, English and history.

Cllr Ismail said: “Talking to students today it was clear that, despite the uncertainty surrounding this year’s grades and the inevitable stress that comes with it, they have great strength of character and should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. I wish them and all of our young people the very best of luck in their next steps.”

For young people looking for advice on their next steps, the council’s Progress Team are available to talk in confidence and offer information, advice and guidance to help them find places at school sixth forms, college, training courses and apprenticeships.

Students can get in touch with them throughout the summer over the phone, Skype and email – and in person by appointment from both 222 Upper Street and Lift Youth Hub.

 

 

Notes to editor

GCSE results day follows more than a week of significant uncertainty in the wake of the A Level results release. On Tuesday, the Government announced that students would be awarded either their teacher-assessed grade or the grade created by their algorithm, whichever was higher. There will still be the opportunity for students to appeal their grades to Ofqual, and sit an exam in the autumn term if they wish.

Changes to the way GCSEs were graded this year means the provisional benchmark results for 2020 are not directly comparable with the benchmarks from 2019, albeit these are the only benchmarks available.

Across Islington schools, 186 pupils who took one or more GCSE-equivalent BTECs will have been affected by yesterday’s decision to review their grades, and currently do not know their final results. A further 101 Islington students who received their A Level-equivalent BTEC grades last Thursday are also now having their grades reviewed. Both of these groups include students who live in Islington and those who don't. At City & Islington College, 248 pupils (who are all Islington residents studying for BTECs at various levels) are in the same situation.

The council’s Progress Team can be contacted at progress@islington.gov.uk or on 020 7527 7031.