We are really proud of all of our students today. One student has been congratulated for receiving the highest mark in the country in two separate exams. Twelve students achieved grades 9s for all of their entries, and 45% of all grades were grade 9s.

We’re especially pleased for students like Alex, who joined us from Ukraine and has achieved six grade 9s and two grade 8s. Equally, we delight in Baharldin’s triumph: he joined our boarding community just nine months ago, and today secured wonderful grades across in each of his subjects. The family effort that goes into exam success is also a source of great joy – for example today the children of three of our governors, who volunteer hours each week to support the school, have achieved 23 top grades between them.

Even more importantly, as we celebrate today, we are reminded how thoughtful, courageous and funny so many of our students are, and how much of a privilege it is to share in their journeys as they grow in character. We remind all of our students past and present, of the famous sociological law that “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Congratulations to young people across the country who have overcome the travails of their GCSEs, and good luck with all that comes next.