GCSE results 2017: Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School

There were jitters in the crowd gathered outside Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School dining hall, where GCSE results were given out this morning.

Theo Nickson, the headteacher, told the Welwyn Hatfield Times: “We are very pleased with today’s GCSE results.”

Thirteen girls at the school achieved a minimum of eight grades at A* or A, or their equivalents in the new grading system.

One of them was Mollie Smith, who got four As, three A*s, one 7 and two 9s.

She said “I thought I’d failed at some of them!”

Her friend Sarah Scofield interrupted to disagree. “No she didn’t,” she joked. “She’s so smart.”

Ella Keenan barely dropped a mark. gaining two 9s, one 8 and a further seven A*s. “I was totally shocked,” she said.

Georgie Newberry gained two 9s, one 8, and a further eight A* grades; and Lucy Afford achieved a 9, 8 and a 7 plus another seven A* grades.

Melody Cremer was almost speechless at her stellar results, which came one day before her sixteenth birthday.

The baby of the year, she achieved two As, six A*s, a 7 and two 8s.

“I’m a bit shaken, to be honest,” she said, before being taken away for a celebratory lunch with her proud family.

Ms Nickson said: “The wonderful thing about this year is not just about the academics.

“The girls all enrich the school in all the extracurricular things they do.”

Viola Maisey is a talented singer and dreams of a career in musical theatre, having just done work experience in a West End theatre.

On top of this, she excelled academically.

She told this paper: “I’m so happy I don’t have to retake maths.

“I nearly cried in the exam!”

Yet she achieved an 8 in maths, along with three A*s, three As, two Bs and two 7s.

Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School moved into a new building mid-year, explained Ms Nickson, who said she was particularly grateful for the resilience of her staff during the move.

“This has been a stressful time but focussing on achieving the best outcomes for the girls has always been a priority,” she said.

“And much praise must go to the girls, who supported by staff and families, have worked so hard to cope with the assessment changes and whilst they may have felt themselves to be a ‘guinea pig’ year, they have risen to the challenge yet again.”

Georgina Nethercott-Akers certainly met that challenge.

She spoke of how hard she had worked to try and gain pass grades, but surpassed expectations by gaining two Bs, two Cs, two 5s, a 6 and additionally, a merit in her BTEC in social care.

“I feel really happy. My mum’s in pieces!” said Georgina, who says she has blossomed in confidence this year.

“Bishop’s Hatfield transformed me.”

• For more GCSE results day news, visit our Education section at www.whtimes.co.uk/news/education