PUPILS across Huntingdonshire have been praised for another record-breaking year of GCSE results. After an anxious wait, students returned to their schools on Thursday (August 27) to collect their GCSE exam results. Councillor Martin Curtis, Cambridge

PUPILS across Huntingdonshire have been praised for another record-breaking year of GCSE results.

After an anxious wait, students returned to their schools on Thursday (August 27) to collect their GCSE exam results.

Councillor Martin Curtis, Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Children, said: "The results indicate that Cambridgeshire's GCSE students have excelled again. Their success is down to many months of commitment and study, supported by their families and inspired by the professionalism and dedication of their teachers. My warmest congratulations go out to them all."

Kimbolton School are celebrating another year of outstanding results, with more than 89 per cent of the grades at A* to B grade, an increase on last year of almost three per cent. Ninety eight per cent of pupils achieved five or more passes at A* to C grade.

Twenty six pupils (over thirty percent of the year group) achieved nine or more A* or A grades.

Headmaster, Jonathan Belbin said: "We are all very pleased with these super results, with our strongest achieving top grades across the board and 9 out of 10 grades at B or higher. These have been attained alongside a wide range of extra-curricular success."

Students at Longsands College in St Neots also performed well with 76.1 per cent of gaining five or more higher A* to C grades and 41.3 per cent gaining 10 or more passes at this level. The proportion gaining five or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics was 65.5 per cent, an increase of 12 per cent compared to last year.

Principal Robert Whatmough said: "We are absolutely delighted with these results. Our priority throughout last year was to increase the proportion of students obtaining a high level grade in English and Mathematics. In the event, students performed even better than expected on this measure.

"Many subjects obtained over 80 per cent A* to C, with some reaching 100 per cent. These figures represent outstanding effort on the part of students and their teachers in all areas of the curriculum.

"The students deserve their success. This was a year group that settled well into concentrated effort and showed considerable maturity of approach. As ever, we also want to thank parents, who have given so much encouragement and support to their sons and daughters. For everyone involved, study at this level for two years is always very demanding."

At Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon students sustained last year's upward trend in results with 78 per cent achieving the five A* to C benchmark.

Headteacher Keith Nancekievill, said: "We are again delighted at the successes of our young people, many of whom are also fully committed to sport, charity work and service to the community as well as their academic studies. Our high expectations of all students in all areas of school life are raising the bar of academic achievement."

St Peter’s School in Huntingdon celebrated record results for the second year running with 69 per cent A* to C rate compared to last year’s 55 per cent.

Headteacher Val Ford said: “Once again St Peter’s year 11 students have set new records in our GCSE results, building on and improving last year’s success.”

She added: “We are quite simply delighted with these results and so proud of our year 11 students. So many have achieved a high number of outstanding grades but also so many have achieved success above their target grades thanks to their sheer determination, hard work and support from the staff. These results are phenomenal.”

At the St Ivo School in St Ives, pupils were also celebrating after bettering last year’s results. The A*-C rate for 2009 was 76.3 per cent, up from 73.6 per cent in 2008.

Deputy head Martin McGarry said: “We are delighted with the results. This year’s students have improved on last year’s results, which were themselves good, so we are very happy.”

At Sawtry College 75 per cent of student’s achieved five or more A* - C grades. In addition to this 43 per cent of pupil’s achieved a grade B or higher with one in five achieving an A* or A grade. A total of 18 students (eight per cent of the year group) achieved at least seven GCSEs at grade A or A*.

Deputy principal Nigel Smith said: “Overall, the results this year are pleasing. A total of 75 per cent of the students achieved five higher grade passes, which was broadly in line with our predictions and is an excellent performance. Some subjects achieved incredibly high pass rates at both A*/ C and A*/ A levels. These included mathematics (with an 80% pass rate), Art, PE, Textiles, ICT and Child Development. Our headline figures have been affected, however, by a disappointing and unexpected set of results in one subject. These results are somewhat different to those predicted and to the results achieved by the same students in other subjects. This is currently being investigated with the examination board concerned.

“We would like to congratulate the students on their results and we look forward to welcoming many of them back to begin post 16 courses next week.”

Pupils at Abbey College celebrated its best ever year for GCSE results.

The percentage of students at the Ramsey school achieving five A*- C grades at GCSE leapt to a record high of 64 per cent, up 9 per cent on 2008 and 13 per cent up on 2007.

Headteacher Wayne Birks said: “These results have set a new milestone for the college and I’m delighted with the rapid improvements we have seen. Students and staff have worked very hard to secure these results and I would like to congratulate them on their achievements.”

In addition to the overall score, nearly half of Abbey College students secured five A* - C including English and Maths, 96 per cent achieved five A*-G grades and 23 per cent gained 10 or more GCSEs at C or above.

There were notable performances from Chris Parkins, with 8� A*, two As and two Bs; Matt Damant who scored seven A*, three As and two Bs; Tom Murray seven A*, three As and one B; Jodie Short six A* and four As; Emma Watkins six A*, two As and two Bs.

Students were congratulated at St Neots Community College where the A* to C pass rate rose from last year’s 40 per cent to this year’s 44 per cent.

Principal Eueth Forrester said: “Some of our subject areas had simply outstanding A to C pass rates and this is a tribute to both students and staff. These particular successes were reflected in subject percentages that were in the high nineties.

“I would like to particularly congratulate those hard working and dedicated students who have achieved some excellent grades in a variety of subjects.

“In general terms we are moving forward and we expect to progress at an even greater pace with further improved results next year. I wish all our students every success whether their immediate future lies in further education, training or employment.”