The head teacher of Brighton Girls said that her pupils had been robbed of their “schooldays rites of passage” by the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rosie McColl praised their GCSE performance even though many had suffered “mental health issues as a direct result of the pandemic”.
She said that her school was delighted that 27 per cent of all grades were 8s and 9s – the top grades – and nearly 50 per cent of all grades were 7, 8 or 9.
But what really made her proud was seeing how teens, half of whose secondary school life has been disrupted by the pandemic response, had developed resilience and adaptability.
She said: “The events that have unfolded during all teens’ formative years have been so much more intrusive than before. They have, in multiple ways, altered the course of their schooldays.
“The pandemic robbed children of their rites of passage, such as falling in and out of friendships and then learning to repair them. Or learning how to learn.
“This has meant mental health issues for some as a direct result. But students have shown incredible resilience.
“The disruption has been enormous but the last few years have also perhaps produced young people who have a greater understanding of the issues of the world.
“They have had to engage with the wider world and they have learnt how to manage that. That is a precious skill and will stand them in great stead as they move forward.”
She added: “Our students worked really hard but also achieved so much more – this year’s cohort include a GB gymnast, county cricketers, exceptional athletes and even a finalist in the Young Carer of the Year competition.”
Among those celebrating at the school were pupils Tamara Donelan-Cano, Elvia Harris, Isla Howorth, Megan Nichols-Judge, Louisa Sollohub and Ava Wojciechowska who all achieved a clean sweep of top grades 7-9.
The school said that a quarter of the year group achieved at least five 8s and 9s.
