GCSE results day: Long Field Spencer Academy

That was the proud message from principal, Chris Haggett, as he welcomed the latest cohort into school for the last time before they head off to study A-levels and other courses.

Results show that 75 per cent of Long Field students attained at least grade four at English and maths, which is one of the measurements used to assess educational performance.

The grades are all the more impressive because students had to learn from home during the first year of their GCSE courses because of the Covid pandemic restrictions before returning to the classroom in the second year.

Mr Haggett told the Melton Times: “I am really pleased with the results – this 75 per cent achievement compares to 61 per cent in 2019 so real progress has been made.

"Our results are better than the two previous years, when grades were assessed by our teachers because of the pandemic, which bucks the national trend.

"The students have worked really hard and this is a phenomenal set of results for us as a school.”

One of the best performers was Chloe Young, who attained a top nine grades in all of the subjects she studied.

Chloe, who is off to do A-levels at Melton Vale Sixth Form College (MV16) and hopes to study biomechanical science at university, told the Melton Times: “I was excited but nervous coming into school today.

"I put a lot of hard work in and I’m really pleased with these results.”

Mum, Ruth, accompanied her daughter to get her grades and she said: “It’s amazing what she has achieved. I’m very proud of her.”

Sam Orange, who is heading to MV16 and wants to study physiotherapy after that, was happy with his consistently high results, with sixes and sevens and a nine in PE.

"I was shaking when I opened the envelope but the results are brilliant,” he said.

"It was a strange two years having to be at home for the first year and it was nice when we were able to go back in the classroom again.”

Toby Langford, who has additional learning needs, got an excellent set of GCSE grades, mostly between fours and sixes.

Toby, said: “I’m really pleased. I want to be a paleontologist so these results will help me do that.”

His mum, Lindsey, who is a governor at the school, said: “Toby has done amazingly well. I can’t believe the individual attention the staff give here to students and Toby has definitely benefited from that.”

Emily Gilder suffered from anxiety issues during her GCSE studies and had to take her exams at home.

But she came through with superb results, with four at grade eight and three at seven.

"These grades have given me so much confidence now,” she said.

James Aldridge and his girlfriend, Hollie Hough, said they helped each other through their studies – he is off to study multi-trades at Brooksby College while she is taking travel and tourism at Loughborough College.