Students and staff at Peacehaven Community School have been celebrating GCSE success on results day today (Thursday 24 August).
The school said: “Last year the school saw significant success in academic performance in comparison to previous years.
“This year is no different with pupils reaching for the highest grades.
“Strength in English and mathematics is clearly shown with four pupils excelling in these subjects, each securing a grade 9.
“This academic year has been challenging as significant changes to the way GCSEs are assessed and graded have been introduced for English and mathematics.
“As well as more challenging examination specifications, the grading system for these subjects has been changed from an A* to G scale, where C is the pass mark, to a 9 to 1 scale, where Grade 4 is considered a standard pass.
“All the other subjects have been graded in the A*to G scale but will move to the 9 to 1 scale in 2018.
“Owing to these changes, English and mathematics results cannot be compared with previous years.”
Grade 9 is the highest mark on the new scale – described by some to an A** – while grade 1 is the lowest pass.
Peacehaven Community School head Austen Hindman said: “These excellent results are a credit to the hard work of our pupils and their teachers who have supported them through these challenging exams.
“The curriculum has got harder and Peacehaven Community School has risen to the challenge.
“My thanks go to our dedicated staff members who have worked tirelessly to educate and inspire our pupils helping them reach their potential.
“Across the board, pupils have exceeded expectations and I wish them the very best with their further education.”
The Department for Education website includes an explanation of the new GCSE grading system and a visual guide.
It also includes details about the Attainment 8 and Progress 8 measures here and here.
