Trafford GCSE results among top 10 in England

The borough is sixth in the whole of England for grades 7-9 and ninth in the whole of England for grade 9 – the highest level. 11.8% of results were at grade 9, compared to 5.0% nationally and 3.9% for the North West.

At the pass level of GCSEs marked at 4 or above, Trafford’s percentage was 78.6%, compared to England’s 67.0% and 63.9% for the North West. That puts Trafford 15th in the whole of England and best in the North West. 

Trafford Council leader Cllr Tom Ross and Cllr George Devlin, Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People, visited Stretford High School on results day to pass on their congratulations to the students. Cllr Devlin said:

“It’s been a great week for Trafford. We’ve had fantastic A Level results and now equally impressive GCSE results. Our schools are the envy of the North West and it’s easy to see why. Congratulations to all the students and to their teachers, parents, guardians and school staff who helped them achieve so much.”

Among the students Cllr Ross met was Nael Khawaja, who took 11 subjects and got 10 grade 9s and a Distinction* in Level 2 Extended Mathematics. Nael said:

"I'm feeling very happy, very pleased. I just want to send all my gratitude to all my teachers, because none of this would be possible without all their help and support. 
 

“I just want to say that no matter what you want to achieve, no matter how ambitious you are, how grand your goal is, just work hard, never give up. Do not succumb to the obstacles that block your way and just get through. Because eventually, in the end, you'll get all that you want."

Stretford High School students achieved 47.1% at grades 8 and above, above the UK average. Headteacher Nicola Doward said:

“I'm proud and privileged to be the headteacher of a school where our kids and our community are so hard working and ambitious, not just for themselves but for everybody."

Cllr Ross also praised the students of Trafford Virtual School, a Trafford Council team that offers educational support to children who are cared for, adopted or who have had a social worker at some point in their lives. The team also provides specialist guidance and training to schools across the borough.

One student achieved five GCSE passes, including a Grade 8 in English Language. He will now transition to Access Creative College to a Level 3 BTEC. Another student achieved seven GCSEs passes and will go on to do A Levels at Loreto, while another student attained nine GCSEs and is going to Xaverian College to study A Levels.

Cllr Ross said:

“Taking your GCSEs is difficult at the best of times. These Virtual School students have achieved brilliant results at a turbulent time in their lives and I am awestruck at their hard work and maturity. I cannot praise them highly enough.”

Shannon McDonagh, deputy head of Trafford Virtual School, said:

“This is testament to all their hard work but also to the impact of their education champions – social workers and carers who have planted seeds, kept expectations high and believed that their children could achieve amazing things.”