There were smiles, tears and a sense of excitement for the future as students at The Ramsey Academy in Halstead collected their GCSE results.
Pupils gathered at the school in Colne Road on results day to celebrate their achievements after five years of hard work, with many now looking ahead to sixth form, college and future careers.
Among those celebrating was Neha Pratheep, 16, who achieved an impressive set of results including two grade 9s, two 8s, three 7s and two 6s across subjects including maths, science, English and history.
“I am so, so happy,” she said. “I didn’t expect some of these grades, especially in maths. I kept my revision slightly less structured, but I did what worked for me.”
Neha, who has applied to a grammar school, hopes to study psychology, chemistry and biology, and pursue a career in animal psychology.
“It’s something I’ve been interested in since I was really little,” she added. “I love David Attenborough, and it’s always been a factor for me in my life. I’m a bit sad to be leaving, but I’m so happy to move on and see what comes next.”
Head boy Max Farnes, 16, said he was “really happy” with his results, which included a grade 9, five 8s and three 6s.
Reflecting on his time at the school, he said: “I enjoyed being head boy. There were good opportunities in public speaking, which have helped me improve. It was a great opportunity to practise leadership skills.”
Max is heading to Colchester Sixth Form to study politics, modern history and economics, with ambitions of a future career in politics or the civil service.
“I’m going to miss this place,” he said. “I’ve felt quite nostalgic about it over the summer, but I’m excited for the next chapter.”
Ruby Wiles, 16, was celebrating after achieving three grade 9s, alongside a strong set of results including a perfect score in English literature.
“I did really well. I’m really happy and so proud of myself,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d do this well in some things.”
Ruby will go on to study performing arts in Gosfield and hopes to pursue a career in stage performance.
“I’ve always wanted to go into performing arts because it makes me the happiest I could be,” she said. “I’m so excited to move on to the next chapter.”
For Angel Sprought, 16, results day brought both shock and joy after exceeding her own expectations.
“I’ve done better than I thought. I was convinced I’d fail history,” she said. “I’m shocked and excited – I’ve been crying and everything.”
Angel achieved top grades including 9s in religious education and English literature, and will now study chemistry and psychology at Colchester Sixth Form, with hopes of a future career in healthcare.
Finlay Harnden, 16, who secured a string of high grades including a 9 in history and multiple 8s, said the results were “really rewarding”.
“I was hoping to get a 9, but I wasn’t expecting to do quite this well,” he said. “It’s really rewarding to see all your hard work pay off.”
He will also attend Colchester Sixth Form, studying biology, history and politics, and is considering university in the future.
“I’ll be sad to leave this place, but I’m really excited for what’s next,” he added.
Headteacher Christian Appleford praised the cohort for their achievements, highlighting improvements across the school.
“We’re extremely proud of the achievements and collective efforts of our whole community,” he said. “These results reflect the dedication of our staff, the academy trust and our students.
“We have seen a huge improvement in our subject measures, including a 23 per cent increase in students achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths.
“We’ve had strong performances across maths, English, science and humanities, with some very high achievers, but we are equally proud of all students who achieved grades in line with their targets.
“Today, our students have truly embodied our values of resilience, aspiration and mutual respect – and they have all achieved the grades they deserve.”
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