Head of school Jacqueline Prime said it was wonderful to see St Francis Xavier, Richmond, pupils’ hard work being rewarded in their exam results.
“I am delighted with all this cohort of students has achieved,” she said. “They have been a great year group to work with and it’s fantastic to see so much hard work and determination being rewarded.
“Staff and students, along with parents and carers all deserve credit for what has been achieved.
“Approximately 40 per cent of all grades achieved were at 7 or above and these were well distributed across all subjects.
“There are many impressive individual stories. Some students have achieved far beyond expectations academically, while others have shown real determination to achieve in adversity.
“While studying for their GCSEs, a significant number of these students managed to excel in sporting activities, engage successfully in music and drama performances or continue with volunteering work in the local community and beyond.
“They are to be commended for being able to achieve that all-important healthy balance.
“As a staff, we are thankful for the time we have been able to spend with these students during their years at St Francis Xavier School and we wish them happiness and success in their futures.”

Joshua Greenwell

As head student, Joshua Greenwell has had to manage his school leadership responsibilities alongside his own studies throughout year 11.
He has been a shining example to his peers and to younger students and has really pushed himself to achieve in all aspects of his life.
Joshua has always been willing to share his experiences of autism and this year delivered an assembly to 600 students and staff on the subject.
He has achieved a phenomenal set of results securing 10 grade 8s or 9s as well as taking on the additional challenge of the Further Maths course.
Next year Joshua will be completing his A Levels with an organ scholarship.

Not satisfied with the normal challenges of year 11, Sia Makwana chose to give herself the personal challenge of tackling an additional GCSE Spanish course in her own time. Her determination was rewarded with an impressive grade 9.
Sia also managed her time to great effect so that she could take part in the school performances of Hamlet and Matilda throughout the year.
In total Sia gained 11 GCSEs, six of which were at a grade 9 as well as four grade 8s and a grade 7.
After opening her results, with her mum, Sia said: “I am delighted, I am really pleased. The hard work has paid off.”
Sia is looking forward to starting her A Levels in Chemistry, Biology and Spanish in September. She has been a huge asset to the school and we wish her maximum success in the future.

Harry King

We are absolutely thrilled with Harry King’s outstanding GCSE results. His dedication and hard work have truly paid off. With impressive grade 6s in English, Geography, PE, and RE, Harry has shown his commitment to excellence across a range of subjects, securing 10 GCSE passes.
In addition to his academic achievements, Harry’s talent and dedication on the rugby field has been outstanding. During his time completing his GCSEs, he earned a well-deserved scholarship with the Newcastle Thunder Under-16 Academy.
His continued representation of both the academy and the school rugby team is a testament to his remarkable ability to balance his studies with his passion for sports.
Harry embarks on the next chapter of his academic journey studying Level 3 BTEC in Sports, while continuing with his rugby commitment.
Harry said: “Looking forward I now hope to go on and play rugby in America. That’s the dream.”
We have no doubt he will continue to excel. Congratulations once again, Harry. Your achievements are an example of what hard work and determination can accomplish.

Nathaniel Gleave

We could not be any prouder of Nathaniel Gleave. Navigating his educational path with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, Nathaniel has demonstrated resilience and determination throughout his journey at SFX.
Starting school with aspirational targets of a grade 7, Nathaniel has worked incredibly hard to gain grade 9s English Literature, History, Media, RE and overall achieving 10 strong GCSE passes.
Nathaniel’s mum, who came into school with him to collect his results, said: “We couldn’t be any prouder, what a fantastic end to a wonderful time at this school.”
Nathaniel is now going on to study History, Classics and English Literature. His strength and courage will no doubt continue to inspire others and we wish him the very best for what we know will be a bright future.