Inspiration Trust celebrates another year of triumphant GCSE results

With nine secondary schools under its wings, it has been a busy day across the Inspiration Trust with students from across Norfolk and Suffolk collecting and celebrating their GCSE results.  

We are so proud of all our students, from across all our schools, who have had a challenging five years for this cohort, who have had to cope with national lockdowns and prepare for the GCSE grading system to return to what it was pre-pandemic, yet have still been able to achieve some incredible grades.  

At Cromer Academy, 75% of grades achieved in Maths and English were 9-4, a 10% increase on 2019’s results, with 53% achieving grades 9-5, which is a 19% increase on 2019’s results! Alongside this, the academy saw a record breaking 41 grade 9s and 23 Distinction*s which are top grades for GCSE and BTEC respectively, up from 2019’s results of 20 and 9.  

KES Academy has followed suit with a significant increase in grades too, with Maths and English 9-4 grades up to 60% from 48% in 2019 and 41% achieving 5+ seeing them top both last year’s results and 2019s.  

Sarah Hartshorn, Principal at King Edward VII Academy, said:  

“I am so proud of our students. In a year when nationally we are seeing results move in line with pre-pandemic figures, KES Academy continues to see results rise.” 

East Point Academy in Lowestoft has been celebrating their best ever GCSE results with 69% of pupils achieving grades 9-4 in Maths and English, a monumental 20% increase on 2019’s results and 54% of its students achieving grades 9-5.  

Standout subjects have been Maths, Science and History, with the academy seeing it’s largest improvement in Modern Foreign Languages – a massive 46% increase in results since 2019. Incroyable! 

Lucy Austin, Principal at East Point Academy said: 

“Our students, at East Point Academy, have made themselves and all our community extremely proud of them with some fantastic results. The students, their families and the staff have all worked incredibly hard to achieve this set of results – the best East Point Academy has ever known. We wish our students all the best for the bright futures ahead of them.” 

Increases from pre-pandemic levels were also seen over at Thetford Academy where 60% of students achieved 9-4 in Maths and English, up from 51% in 2019, while 38% of students achieved grade 5 in Maths and English, up from 32% in 2019.  

Of all the qualifications achieved by students in 2023, 9% were awarded the highest possible grades of Grade 9 (4%) or Grade 8 (5%), with 17% of qualifications awarded a Grade 7 or above.  

There were some stand-out performances from individual students. Twin brothers Taylor and Tyler achieved between them twelve Grade 9s, six Grade 8s, one Grade 7 and a Starred Distinction. Both Taylor and Tyler will be continuing in the Thomas Paine Sixth Form. 

The Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ secondary school, Hethersett Academy continues to impress with yet another year of exceptional GCSE results today seeing 80% 9-4 grades in Maths and English, with 40% of grades across all subjects being 9-7 and an average of 85% 9-4 grades and 73% 9 - 5 across all subjects. 

The school has also seen an impressive increase in the percentage of 9-5 grades compared to 2019, with Art up to 70% from 30%, History up to 71% from 52%, Sciences up from 46.9% to 68.3%%, Geography from 63.9% to 81.6%, English Language up from 58% to 85%, Computer Science up to 72.2% from 57.1%, Resistant Material up to 60% from 33.3%.  

Over at Hewett Academy, the atmosphere was electric as the academy saw its results improve by almost 20% in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. These are the best results that Hewett Academy has ever seen with 63% of English and Maths grades were 9-4 and 44% 9-5, proving to be an outstanding year for the school.  

Antony Little, Principal of The Hewett Academy, said: 

“There is such joy here at these fantastic outcomes and no students deserve them more than the Hewett Year 11 of 2023. This group of young people has faced the challenges of COVID with steely determination and hard work that is a credit to both them and their supportive families. With so many Hewett students now going on to sixth forms like Sir Isaac Newton, we know their futures are bright. The staff at the school have been incredible with them this year, going the extra mile and proving that they will do whatever it takes to support our students. Year 11 has been so wonderful to work with, we shall miss them enormously and wish them all the best.” 

At Jane Austen College, 71% of Maths and English grades were 9-4, with six pupils achieving 7+ grades in all their subjects with an impressive increase seen in the percentage of 9-5 grades compared to 2019 with sciences up from 51% to 61%, Maths up from 55% to 62%, and Art from 59% to 68%.  

Wayland Academy pupils are celebrating too, seeing 63% of students achieving grades 9-4 in English and Maths, within this, 77% of pupils achieved grade 4 or higher in Maths and 73% in English. Alongside this 47% achieved grades 9-5 across English and Maths, with 62% achieving a grade 5 or better in Maths and 55% in English. While, in addition to the core offer, students achieved excellent results in a wide range of subjects with over 30% of the cohort securing the English Baccalaureate.  

Glen Allott, Principal at Wayland Academy said: 

“We are incredibly proud of our Year 11 cohort and how they have been able to once again achieve results for the school which are significantly better than those pre-pandemic. There have been some amazing standout performances this year and it is an absolute privilege to present those students with their results. I would also like to thank our teachers and parents for their support in making this possible.” 

Finally, over in Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmouth Charter saw 56% of students receive 9-4 Maths and English grades with numerous students staying on to study at the academy’s connected sixth form – Sir Isaac Newton East.  

Well done to everyone in Year 11 across all our schools – you have been brilliant and we can’t wait to see how much you flourish in the next stage of your education.