University Academy Long Sutton celebrates best ever figures for maths and English GCSE results

A teenager who has been learning remotely for more than two years is among the students who were over the moon with their GCSE results.

Lani Philip (16) and her friends returned to University Academy Long Sutton this morning to pick up their GCSE results - and were not disappointed.

The school, which has been selected for a major rebuilding programme, is celebrating an excellent set of results with the Year 11 pupils achieving the best figures for Grade 4 maths and English combined.

Lani, of Gedney Drove End, has achieved three Grade 9s, five Grade 8s and two Grade 7 - and is now aiming for a career in medicine and will be joining Greater Peterborough University Technical College (GPUTC).

She said: "I am ecstatic. Chemistry was the biggest struggle."

Her proud mum Tracy has thanked and praised the school - particularly Principal Liam Davé and |Head of Year 11 James Meehan - for the commitment to help Lani with remote learning over the last two and a half years.

Mrs Philip said: "Lani is a child with special educational needs and the school has been completely fantastic in the level of support they have given to her remotely - and we can't praise them enough.

"I think we need to give praise to Liam Davé and James Meehan for their perseverance."

Another high achieving pupil at the school was Abigail Denham (16), of Sutton St James.

She has achieved a Grade 9, three Grade 8s, two Grade 7s and four Grade 6s.

Abigail, who will be studying her A-Levels at Springwood High School in King's Lynn, said: "I am really happy with my results. I am most proud of my English results and physics.

"It is a big relief."

Matthew McKenna (16), of Gedney Drove End, will be joining the College of West Anglia in King's Lynn to start an engineering course.

His results include a Grade 8, four Grade 6s, a Grade 5 and a Grade 4 along with three BTec qualifications (two merits and a distinction).

Matthew said: "I am really proud of my Grade 8 in Maths."

Alfie Kilcullen (16), from Gorefield, has secured a sixth form place at the Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech thanks to his results.

He has achieved a Grade 7, two Grade 6s, five Grade 5s and a BTec distinction in digital information technology.

He said: "I am pretty pleased with my results. It is a lot better than I thought I was going to do."

Hard work has paid off for Borislava Panayotva (16) who has secured a Grade 7, five Grade 6s, two Grade 5s along with BTec merit and distinction.

She will be joining a business course at the College of West Anglia in King's Lynn.

Borislava said: "I have been revising every day and night since we started the mocks exams.

"I am really proud of the results and myself."

Principal Mr Davé says the school caters for all abilities and is thrilled with the latest set of results.

He said: "We are really proud of our learners and their achievements. This cohort has achieved the best ever figures for Grade 4+ in Maths and English combined. In particular we are delighted by the really pleasing performance of engineering, drama and statistics coupled with the strong performance once again of maths and English.

"In terms of individual performances, I think it is a real testimony to the hard work of all pupils from all backgrounds that the top five performers in terms of progress include pupils of all prior attainment categories - a pupil of EAL (English as an additional language) and a pupil that has had remote access to all of their learning since the pandemic began.

"All of which are tremendous accolades for the individuals concerned while also demonstrating that UALS is an establishment which caters for the needs of all of its pupils.

"I am pleased that our pupils are in a position to pursue the next stage of their educational journey and we wish everyone the best for their futures.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents and carers for the support they have offered their children over the last five years and also all of the staff and Governors at UALS for the work and support they have offered to ensuring pupils have achieved as well as they have."