West Norfolk students were celebrating a bumper crop of GCSE results after getting their grades today.

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Three quarters of students secured Grade 4 and above in English and Maths at Smithdon High School in Hunstanton.

Half of the students at the Hunstanton school also picked up Grade 5 and above in English and Maths. Notable achievers at Smithdon included Emillie Hipkin and Nathaniel Linsell but headteacher John Hirst also mentioned Caytlin Davies, Hassan Miah, Rose Richardson and Declan Davies for the progress they have made while at Smithdon

Mr Hirst said: “No-one could have predicted what we would be facing together in 2020 and we are all very proud of our students and staff who have worked so hard in difficult circumstances.

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

“Today’s results and the grades our students have received are a true reflection of their work and dedication along with the professionalism and integrity of our staff. We are very proud of what the students have been able to achieve.”

Chairman of governors Andrew Gee added: “Our school family has coped incredibly well with everything that has happened in this unprecedented year and I am so proud of our students, staff and the wider school community.”

Lydia Askew was delighted with her results of a 9, 8, six 7s and three 6s - her top grade coming in PE. She’s now off to Springwood Sixth Form to study English, history and biology.

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

She said: “I was really nervous about coming in to collect my results because I was worried about what they might be. When I opened the envelope, the first result I looked for was history and I got a seven so I was happy. Overall I did better than I expected.”

Grace Bailey was over-the-moon with her results - two 6s, four 7s, two 8s, and a Level Two distinction. She’s now off to Access Creative College Norwich to study event production.

“I’m really chuffed with these results,” she said. “I was a bit overwhelmed when I opened up the envelope and saw my results for the first time - I really didn’t expect to get these results.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Twins Matthew and Hannah Back were delighted for each other as they picked up the grades they needed for their post-16 destination.

Matthew who secured good grades in Design and Technology and PE is going to study engineering at the College of West Anglia, and Hannah who was pleased with her results in Geography, English Language and PE is off to Springwood Sixth Form to study biology, chemistry and criminology.

Hannah said: “I was a bit nervous coming in today but I was very pleased when I opened my results.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Matthew added: “I did better than I thought I would and I’m pleased to have got what I needed to get into college.”

Elsewhere, the percentage of both 9-5 grades awarded and 9-4 grades both increased at the King Edward VII Academy in Lynn.

Success stories included Ema Tomkova and Nell Ashworth who achieved 6 grades awarded at the coveted grade 9, and Henry Newman, Jasmine Ayas, Olivia Sharp and Jacob Gyton, who all attained the majority of their grades at a 7 or higher.

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Principal Sarah Hartshorn said: “I am relieved that the government has made the U-turn enabling our students to receive their centre-assessed grades where the hard work and professionalism of our teachers has been acknowledged. It has been a difficult year for our students who have missed out on their usual rites of passage expected at this stage in their education.”

At King’s Lynn Academy, headline grades were not made public. Principal Alan Fletcher said: “We are so proud of our Year 11 leavers from KLA – they have dealt amazingly with everything that has been thrown at them this year, and we are relieved that for the overwhelming majority of them the Centre-Assessed Grade process has resulted in outcomes that are fair to them.

“Our class of 2020 were in every way the best year group KLA has ever had, and we will miss them very much.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Three quarters of students at Springwood High School in Lynn secured Grade 9 to 4 in English and maths with half securing a Grade 5 and above in both subjects.

High-performing students included Zara Bek, Nazli Atalay, Nicola Mathew, Jake Parish, Simona Pilmane and Neethu Thomson

Executive headteacher Andy Johnson said: “This has been an unprecedented year for all of us and Springwood High School is no exception. Today’s results reflect the hard work by our students and the professionalism of our staff.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Chairman of the governors Roger Livesey added: “The entire Springwood High School family has been dealing with these difficult times and families, staff and students are to be congratulated on coping with a unique set of circumstances.”

Nearly three quarters of students at St Clement’s High, in Terrington St Clement, achieved Grade 4 and above in English and Maths with over 10pc also securing Grade 7 and above. Their highest performing students include Elizabeth Wood and Harry Preston.

Headteacher Nigel Willingham said: “The grades achieved reflect the hard work of our students during their whole high school career. We are very proud of them and we are delighted to see them secure results which enable them to move on to the next stage of their education.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Chairman of the governors Malcolm Wood added: “Our GCSE students and their teachers have experienced a unique set of circumstances this year and they have worked very hard to achieve their exam results. Staff, families and students should be congratulated on coping with a year none of us could have predicted.”

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian BurtGCSE results day at Smithdon High School Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High SchoolGCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High School (Image: St CLement's High School)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High SchoolGCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High School (Image: St CLement's High School)

Eastern Daily Press: GCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High SchoolGCSE Results Day at St Clement's High School. Kaitlyn Masters is going on to study Level 3 Extended Diploma in Nursing. Picture: St Clement's High School (Image: St CLement's High School)