GCSE joy as Jewish schools top the class

Hasmonean students are celebrating today after helping their school to become the top performing non-selective comprehensive at GCSE for the second consecutive year, writes Toby Mann.

An impressive 64.4 perecent of the school’s GCSE entries achieved A or A* grades with 92 percent of all entries getting a C grade or higher. The results were described as the school’s “best ever”.

Executive head teacher Rabbi David Meyer praised the “hard work” of students as well as the “guidance and commitment given to them by our teachers”.

At King Solomon in Barkingside, meanwhile, 93 percent of students achieved five or more A* to C grades, while 41 percent of all grades at Yavneh were awarded A or A*. Seventy percent of grades were A*to C grades.

Meanwhile, the heavy rain falling at JFS in Kenton wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of students opening their envelopes to receive their GCSE grades. “I’m surprised,” said Charlie Hillman on discovering he had been awarded 10A*s. “Surprised and very, very pleased”.

Pre-results day nerves had set in 24 hours earlier, fellow JFS student Hannah Koffman confided in the Jewish News. But she had no need to fear, opening her results to find she was among the school’s top performers with 10 A*s. Expressing “delight’, she said she was now looking forward to celebrating by going out and seeing family before starting her A level courses in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and History.

And they were far from the only student celebrating such success. The school saw a rise in the number of exams receiving A* or A to more than 47 percent. Head teacher Jonathan Miller said: “These excellent results, once again, are testament to the hard work of all of our students and staff.  We are delighted that so many of our students supported by their families have achieved and surpassed their potential, enabling them to proceed to the next stage of their education with confidence.”

In a year that saw a fall in the proportion of GCSEs awarded C or above, head teachers of all London’s Jewish schools lauded their pupils’ outstanding performance.

Spencer Lewis, who is leaving the post to lead Yavneh, said: “This Year’s GCSE results include some really outstanding performances and I am very proud of the students who have done so well. I am delighted to report that 30 percent of grades  are A* or A and that an amazing 19 students (12% of the year group) have achieved at least 10 A* + A grades. So many students have outperformed their own target grades by some way and they can be really proud of themselves.” He also had high praise for the showing of his new school in Borehamwood.