Student Celebrate GCSE Results on Yorkshire Coast

Thursday has seen students up and down the Yorkshire Coast receiving their GCSE results.

At Scarborough College, pupils have achieved the highest overall examination results since 2016 with over 92% of grades being 9-4 and an exceptional value-added score of 1.18 per subject - meaning the class of 2026 have achieved more than a grade above their expected outcomes. 

The pupils have broken another record, with nearly 90% securing at least five grades 9-4 including Maths and English. As a non selective school, these results are spectacular and their value added will place them as one of the top sets of results in the country. This year’s cohort has combined outstanding academic achievement with the sport, performing arts, outdoor learning and wider opportunities that define life at the College.

Exceptional student achievements include: 

• Sophie - 10 GCSEs at grades 8 and 9, including a grade 8 in Further Mathematics, alongside her silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition and playing the flute in our music recital programme
• Mike - 10 GCSEs at grades 8 and 9, alongside an exceptionally busy programme of school musicals, sport and lead speaker in the TEDx Youth conference
• Ellie - Nine grade 9s and one grade 8. A talented actor and singer, Ellie was also one of the leads in the College’s recent production of Six: Teen Edition
• Bella - 10 GCSEs at grades 7-9, alongside playing in the national quarter finalists 1st XI Hockey and Cricket teams.

There were outstanding performances across individual subjects, with particularly strong results in the core subjects of English, Maths and the Sciences:

• In the Sciences, results continue to go from strength to strength particularly in Physics and Biology where 100% of pupils achieved grade 6 or above.
• Students in English and Maths achieved close to a 100% pass rate, contributing to the highest % of pupils earning five 9-4 passes that include English and Maths in the last 20 years.

For Headmaster Mr Guy Emmett, however, the significance of the results extends well beyond the grades themselves.

“There will be numerous press releases across the country celebrating pupils’ deserved achievements, but this year is the best I’ve known since I started teaching. Never before have I seen grades this spectacularly good in terms of value added achievement and success in the core subjects, but what I want to do is focus on the pupils.

“Whether it be Ellie, who has thrived in the Theatre or Mikey who has led sports teams to national success, this year group have not only achieved record breaking grades, but have thrived in all areas of school life. They are gritty pupils who give their all and their results reflect their dedication and determination to succeed in all they do.”

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said:

“Today is a special day for thousands of young people across the county, and I would like to offer my congratulations to every student receiving their GCSE and equivalent results.

“These results represent years of dedication, determination, and resilience, often met with challenges along the way.

“I would also like to thank parents, carers, families, teachers, and support staff whose encouragement, guidance and commitment have helped our young people to reach this important milestone.

“Whether your results are exactly what you hoped for or they lead you in a different direction, today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

“I wish every student the very best for the future and every success in whatever path they choose to follow.”

Scarborough UTC is celebrating its best-ever GCSE results, with students achieving record-breaking outcomes and securing their next steps into further education, apprenticeships and training.

Results have continued their year-on-year upward trajectory, with this year’s cohort achieving an exceptional 94% Grade 4+ pass rate in English, placing the UTC top in the Trust.

Achievement was strong across the curriculum, with the average grade across all subjects reaching Grade 5 or above. At the highest grades, 19% of students achieved Grade 7–9 across all of their subjects, demonstrating the exceptional academic performance of the cohort.

There were some outstanding individual successes, including Nikita Grayson, who achieved an incredible six Grade 9s alongside an excellent set of results across her remaining subjects. She has received a congratulations from the exam board, placing her as one of the top performers in the country in Health & Social Care.

These record-breaking achievements mean that students now have the results they need to progress confidently to their chosen destinations, with destinations secured across the cohort.

Helen Dowds, Principal said:

“We are incredibly proud of our students. These are our strongest GCSE results to date and continue the upward trend we have seen year on year.

Behind every one of these grades is an individual student who has worked incredibly hard. Most importantly, these results are their passport to the next stage of their lives. Our students leave us with strong qualifications and secure destinations, ready to take their next steps into further education, apprenticeships and future careers.

I am so proud to leave the UTC this year (due to retirement) in this brilliant position, these results are a testament to the support from such a strong trust as Delta and the security of systems and practices I have implemented over my time at the UTC."