Chulmleigh College ‘maintains high standards’ on GCSE results day

Chulmleigh College has reported a 5.3 average grade for students on GCSE results day, with a quarter achieving grade 7 and above

A quarter of all GCSE grades achieved by pupils were at grade 7 and above, Chulmleigh College has reported.

Grade 7 would have been ranked A in times past and the college said it had also seen an increased number of grade 8s and 9s for this year, while the average grade achieved by pupils was 5.3.

The average grade across the challenging English Baccalaureate measure, which is the gold standard of qualifications (pupils must achieve at least a grade 4 in English, mathematics, two sciences, a language and either geography or history) was also grade 5 with almost two thirds of the pupils achieving this.

It was a bumper year of top grades in mathematics, not only in the main GCSE but also in the further maths qualification.

Headteacher Neil Payne said: “The results today are absolutely fantastic and a great testament to the hard work of these young people, not just in Year 11 but throughout their time in education.

“At Chulmleigh our motto is 'nothing but our best' and we value effort over all else. It is no surprise that the hard work of these young people has paid such dividends for them.

“I would like to pay tribute to not just the pupils today but also to their families who have supported them throughout this GCSE year and of course to their teachers, teaching assistants and to all the College staff that have enabled them to be so successful.”

Also receiving GCSE results today were Year 10 pupils who collected their GCSE religious studies results – all pupils complete this GCSE a year early in preparation for Year 11 and the college said results were “typically high” with a large number achieving grade 7 or higher.

Deputy head Abigail Thorncroft added: “We are incredibly proud of this Year 10 cohort who have undertaken this GCSE a year early.

“They have experienced the rigour and challenge of revision and the public exam hall and are now so well placed for the final examinations in May and June 2027.”