Tavistock College students are jumping with joy today as they collect GSCE results.

After over two years of unprecedented challenge inflicted by the pandemic, many students are both happy and surprised with the outcome of their results, with this group of Year 11s producing some of the best grades the school has seen in recent years.

Principal Tristan Muller Forster: ‘We’re incredibly proud of how young people have tackled the adversity of the pandemic and they’ve come out with one of the best set of results Tavistock College has had in recent years. In terms of attainment and progress, so many can now go on further to do what they want to do. We’ll be welcoming some back in just under two weeks’ time to do A-Levels and vocational subjects. People are also off to do apprenticeships and work across many other sectors of employment. What really pleases me is that the perceived harder subjects have achieved the best. Sciences such as Physics and Biology have outperformed themselves as have some of our vocational subjects such as childcare development.

‘We’re proud of staff and students and we thank them all for what they’ve done. We bettered 2019 results which were pre-pandemic. Schools nationally faced comments concerning grade inflation but I’m hugely proud of how our staff and QA procedures didn’t inflate grades and were fair and honest to our students which allows them to share their achievements today.’ 

Nick Read, outgoing head of year 11: ‘I’m immensely proud. This is a fanstic set of results in two of the most difficult years students have ever faced. I’m elated with how they’ve done and I hope they’re pleased with themselves. Good luck with the future!’ 

Student Molly Evans said: ‘The support from the school has been first rate. After such a difficult time we’re happy with these results and will definitely be celebrating.’

Students Freya McDonald and Naomi Holden Iwasyszyn said: ‘Due to all the challeneges with the past two years, we’re really proud of how we’ve done. As a year group, we’ve had a turbulent time but we’ve all done so well. We haven’t had a full year of school since working towards our GCSEs, our only full years were year 7 and 8.’

Student Samuel Boyle said: ‘I did better in some subjects than I thought especially French and Spanish - I’m shocked with my 7s. The exam boards in my opinion gave enough help, others students might disagree, but I’m really pleased.’ 

Many students will be returning to the College for further study when the new term begins next month, with others heading on to different avenues of education or employment-based training.