GCSE results ‘resounding success’

Results day for Bayside, Westside, and College students has been a resounding success following last week’s debacle, having achieved better results than the previous years. Michael Tavares, headmaster at Bayside School Comprehensive noted a 79% threshold for levels 9 to 4 grades. Mr. Tavares feels much more relieved after the UK Government’s U-turn to use teacher-assessed grades. It was “that the fairest thing to do”. 

“I think that many of our students, especially the brighter ones, were being short-changed by the whole standardisation process – this algorithm that people talk about. Nobody really knew, nobody realised really that this was having such a negative impact on the more academic students”.

Mr. Tavares believed that the grades students received this year were “the grades they have deserved”. He is completely satisfied and feels it has been a fair process in which “students have been able to attain what they deserve, what they were capable of.”

SATISFIED

Students were equally satisfied with their results. Hannah Cavilla did not expect her grades but is evidently “very happy with my results”. James Rosado, who achieved four 9s and one 8 was likewise pleased. Studying through the Covid pandemic was challenging “because we were very unsure how it would play out in the beginning. We weren’t sure if we would have exams or not. And as well it was very difficult to be revising without teachers but thankfully we were given the grades based on teacher’s predictions”. James plans on picking Biology, Chemistry, Maths, and Spanish for his A levels – “It’s going to be difficult and a challenge but I feel if I put my mind to it I should be able to”.

Pedro Caballero though he was obviously pleased with his results, said: “I got better than I expected but to be honest I’m a little disgruntled and a little dissatisfied. For some reason I don’t feel like I’ve earned my results, I feel like I should have done my exams. I don’t know – I feel like I didn’t deserve them”.

However, Joseph Garcia, who obtained six GCSEs at grade 9 and 3 at Grade 8 said that he was very pleased that the hard work done by all students throughout the year had been reflected in the grades. He added that it had been a stressful time with the COVID pandemic and it was a relief to receive the results.

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21-08-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR