KGS GCSE students get their just rewards

Following the Government’s last-minute decision to place faith in the ability of school teachers and leaders to best assess the performance of their students, we are delighted that the GCSE class of 2020 at Kingston Grammar School have upheld, and indeed just eclipsed, the outstanding results of their predecessors.

With an exceptional 70.9% of all grades at 9/8, and 43.4% at the top grade 9 alone, we are particularly pleased that after enduring the myriad challenges and uncertainties of the last few months and, notably, recent days, their hard work and commitment has been justly recognised and rewarded.

While we hope that all of our students are pleased with the final outcome of this year’s highly unusual process, particular recognition goes to those who have been awarded grade 9s across all their subjects. These include Sophie with 12 grade 9s, Paul, Freddie and Jessica with 11, and Alice, James, Anna, Jack, Juliet, Arthur and Sebastian with 10 at grade 9. A further seven students achieved nine grade 9s: Harry, Holly, Nick, Alex, Heertthana, Annabel and Marcus.

Head Master Stephen Lehec said: “Each year I say - and mean - that we are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements; this year is different in that not only am I delighted for their academic successes but exceptionally proud that, at a time of such flux, they have remained focussed, balanced and calm throughout. Last year I wrote that we were in an unsettling period of change in what we teach and how we grade young people’s academic efforts; little did any of us know the landscape this year would be quite so uncertain. As ever, I am incredibly grateful for the wholehearted support we receive from our parent body, and the hard work and dedication of our staff. It really is in difficult times that we can truly appreciate the strength of a community when it pulls together.

To the students, who have experienced months of uncertainty about their futures, I repeat my congratulations. Not only have they achieved wonderful academic outcomes but they have coped admirably with the demands placed upon them. I know that the challenge of the last few months will put them in good stead for the future.”