Success still sinking in as pupils celebrate GCSE glory (From Bicester Advertiser)

Success still sinking in as pupils celebrate GCSE glory

7:00pm Friday 24th August 2012 in News By Fran Bardsley, covering Education, East Oxford and Cowley. Call me on 01865 425439

IT WAS A*s and As across the board for some of Oxfordshire’s top-performing pupils as they picked up their GCSEs yesterday.

Fifteen girls at Headington School, Oxford, achieved at least 12 A*s, including Emily Abbott, 16, from Bicester — who was one of three who got 13 top grades.

She said: “At the moment it hasn’t quite sunk in.

“I’m feeling quite relieved to be honest because there were a couple of subjects I certainly didn’t think I would get the A*s in.”

She plans to stay at the school to study the International Baccalaureate.

Dom Palmer, 16, a pupil at Larkmead School, Abingdon, picked up 12 A* grades.

He said: “I am really very pleased, but it is still sinking in.

“I think my results are a testament to the quality of teaching.”

Fellow pupil Harry Gable, 16, took home eight As — despite battling cerebral palsy, which he has had since birth.

He said: “It was a mix of hard work and quality teaching.”

With six A*s and four As, Salma Haque, 16, is Oxford Spires Academy’s top achieving pupil.

The Cowley teenager, who hopes to pursue a career in banking, said: “I feel ecstatic, I am kind of numb at the moment. It is unbelievable, I am so happy.”

Alice Walker, from Headington, topped the board with eight A*s and two As.

She said: “It was weird. I didn’t expect the results I got in some of my subjects.”

Henry Box School’s Lizzy Galloway, who received 11 A*s, said: “I am feeling very good, I am really pleased.”

Hyper-critical Wood Green student Ian Souch – who got nine A*s and two As – admitted he was “a bit down” he was six marks off an A* in music.

He said: “I am pretty pleased with it, but I put a lot of my hopes and expectations into music because it is what I want to do in the future.”

While Magdalen College School’s Edmund Garnett, from Combe, said he was disappointed he only got an A in history – to add to nine other A*s.

He said: “I’m not going to lie, I’m a little bit disappointed. It is a very hard slog, you have to work very hard.”

There were straight A*s for Wallingford School’s Sarah Hirst – 12 of them.

She said: “I’m delighted and I will now do A-Levels in the sixth form here and aim for a career in travel journalism.”