GCSE Results 2020

After an unprecedented time of remote learning and a cancelled exam series, the Year 11 students at Wellfield were delighted and relieved this morning to finally received the GCSE grades they have been awarded.

Up and down the country, Year 11 students have been denied the last 6 months of their ‘normal’ schooling and staff at the school felt that this year group have navigated the last twelve months in remarkable fashion. Along with the disappointment of missing out on sitting their exams, the students did not have the opportunity to attend their traditional prom, sign shirts, reminisce at the leaver’s assembly or say farewell to one another. It is the overall resilience, determination and hard work that the staff say they have observed with this year group throughout their time at Wellfield that has been truly outstanding.  

Mr Lewis, Head of School, added: “We are immensely proud of our students and how they have risen to the challenges faced throughout the GCSE course and over recent months in particular. We have seen them blossom and grow into fantastic individuals and a year group who will be missed around the school. We wish all of our students continued success as they move onto the next steps in the education and we are still hoping that we can celebrate together at some point in the Autumn term. They will always be a part of the Wellfield family.”

The Head Student, Sophie, completed tasks sent on to the students during lockdown from universities and colleges to help fulfil her ambition of studying medicine. She said: ‘After an uncertain year it has been a huge relief to receive the results I needed. I am so thankful for the help and support from all of the Wellfield staff and I can’t wait to start my A Level studies and to see whatever else the future holds’.

Wellfield, a school described by Ofsted in its most recent inspection as ‘transformed’, has seen a significant improvement in standards, behaviour and quality of teaching and learning over recent years. Since moving into partnership with Endeavour Learning Trust in 2017 Wellfield has developed a strong reputation within the local community for its nurturing approach in an environment where all students are known by the staff, which is matched by high quality teaching where students are stretched and challenged. As a result, Wellfield are excited about welcoming their largest intake into Year 7 from September and will continue to work with local primary schools throughout the Autumn term to spread the word of the exciting changes that continue to take place. 

Mrs Gwinnett, the Executive Head at the school and the overall leader of Endeavour Learning Trust, of which Tarleton Academy was the founder school, told us: ‘Despite much national uncertainty regarding the GCSE grades, and all things considered, we feel that these results are a fair set of grades. We underwent a rigorous process to moderate the original teacher assessed grades which evolved into the Centre Assessed Grades, using the careful advice we were given not to overinflate. We fully appreciate that there was never going to be a perfect solution to how these students were going to be assessed this year, but we were in a very good position as a school, due the upward trajectory the Wellfield results have been on over the last few years. 

We are delighted that the vast majority of our students have more than enough to enable them to take up the destinations they have applied for and I have no doubt some of them may even be able to aspire to higher level courses/apprenticeships than they originally considered, now their grades have been confirmed. We have been very careful to guide our students towards courses and apprenticeships at which they will excel, regardless of the grades they have now received and we wish them every success in the future’.

Carol Gaynor, Chair of Governors, concluded: “On behalf of the Governors, I would like to express our immense pride in all our Year 11 students and how well they have coped with the challenges that the last two terms have brought.  We applaud their resilience, hard work and dedication and they deserve fully every success that they have achieved today. We also like to thank the staff, who put their hearts and souls into working with the students and who believe in the potential of every one of them. Our school, within the Trust, really feels like a family and we are relieved that today has gone so well after all the heartache and worry of the last few months.”