Students and staff at The Petersfield School celebrated GCSE results at the end of a challenging year in light of the pandemic and exams being cancelled.
The highest performing girl, Daisy Webber from Harting, achieved a stunning ten grade 9s GCSE results, and is going on to Godalming to study maths, French and psychology.
She said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at TPS – even over the past challenging year. The support of the school and my friends has made it memorable.”
The highest-performing boy is outgoing head boy Joe Chinnock from Petersfield, who also achieved ten grade 9 GCSEs, and is going to study maths, physics and PE at Godalming.
He said: “TPS has been brilliant and exceeded my expectations.”
Another high-performing girl, Phoebe Patient from Sheet, achieved ten grade 9s and two grade 8s, and is also going to Godalming to study maths, chemistry and English literature, and hopes to go on to study genetics at university.
Phoebe Clifton, from Petersfield, overcame challenges to achieve great GCSE results with three grade 9s, six grade 8s and a grade 6.
She has a rare condition and is partially sighted, so studying presents extra challenges.
Phoebe is going to Bohunt Sixth Form to study biology, psychology and PE, and said: “TPS teaching assistants have been super supportive and I really appreciated their help. It’s a great school and I will miss everyone.”
Tom Martin, from Emsworth, faced significant adversity following a bike accident last September that resulted in a serious head trauma, but still achieved a set of superb GCSE results including eight grade 9s and two grade 8s.
Doctors warned he was unlikely to be able to do any schoolwork at all, and it took him five months to recover.
He is now off to sixth form to study maths, further maths, geography and physics and said:“I missed most of the autumn term, and then we were in lockdown again, so I am really thrilled to have pulled it back and got these results.”
Triplets Jasmine, Paige and Skye Garnett, from Horndean, had three times the celebrations upon receiving their excellent GCSE results.
Having been in the same education setting together since nursery school, all three are going on to Havant & South Downs College – Jasmine to study classic civilisation and business, Paige to study law, business and music production, and Skye to study maths, English and fine art.
In addition to their excellent GCSE results, nearly 100 TPS Year 11 students also successfully gained their Duke of Edinburgh Certificate of Achievement.
This was especially impressive this year because of the extra challenges presented when volunteering and learning a new skill during the periods of lockdown.
TPS principal Mark Marande said: “We are exceptionally proud of all our students who have worked extremely hard over the past two years, and beyond, to receive their excellent grades.
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate their achievements, which are hugely deserved.
“They really are the ‘bounce-back’ generation and we are very excited to hear about their undoubted future successes.
“It is with enormous thanks to all our students, their families, our staff, our governors and the wider school community for their ongoing support over the past year that we look forward to seeing our students take their important next steps.”