YEAR 11 students at Ortu Gable Hall School in Corringham have been celebrating GCSE results today.

A statement from the Ortu Federation trust which runs the school says: "Despite the extraordinary circumstances disrupting studies, the staff at Ortu Gable Hall are incredibly proud of their pupils' efforts.

"The results have opened up a range of pathways for the pupils, with more than 50% heading to Ortu Sixth Form Centre in September looking for further success."

Gable Hall principal Mr Ceri Evans said: "We are extremely proud of the hard work and effort that our Year 11s have put in to achieve the GCSE grades that they deserve.

"I would like to thank our brilliant staff for supporting their classes throughout the year. Even though the past few months have been extremely difficult, it is truly a pleasure to have watched our students grow and mature at Gable Hall.

"I am proud that more than half of them have decided to stay with us at our Ortu Sixth Form Centre for their A-Level and vocational studies. We wish all our pupils the best of luck and congratulations to everybody."

Ms Nicola Jeffery, Senior Vice-Principal said: "It is not the same as usual again this year. Our students have achieved their Centre Assessed Grade or higher in some cases; so we are really happy with what they have done. We are very pleased that the results are robust".

Students that have excelled at Gable Hall include:

• Aliye Baram, 16 from Stanford-le-Hope, said: "I'm really happy. It's so nice to know that all my hard work has paid off." She is planning to study Psychology, Sociology, Media and Drama at Sixth Form.

She said: "After watching the teachers at Gable Hall teach themselves, it's made me really interested in doing educational psychology or primary school teaching. The teachers here have always given me feedback which has pushed me to want to do better and to achieve what I have today."

• Margarita Brijunas, 16, Basildon, was ecstatic with her results after the hard work she had put in during her school years. She plans to study Chemistry, Maths, Biology and German to reach her goal of working in science. She credits her teachers support and helpful feedback to her success.

• Freja Clark, 16, Corringham, said: "The teachers have made all our lessons really individual and worked with us all each to reach our targets and I couldn't have done it without them. Miss Ashford, my English Literature and Language teacher, has been amazing."

Freja is joining Palmers College in September to study Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and Maths. In the future, she wants to attend Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge to study Medicine and work her way towards a career as a doctor.

• Phoebe Ayres, 16, Corringham, will be heading to Westcliffe High School for Girls in Southend to study Maths, Further Maths, Biology and Chemistry. She said: "I really would like to go to University to study medicine in the future."

"The last year has been quite stressful with Covid, all the teachers have been so supportive with extra work over the past year to boost our grades and it's really helped."

• Oluwaferanmi Alonge, 16, Grays, said once she got her results today, she felt a weight off her shoulders. She's planning on studying English Literature, History and Sociology and work towards attending Cambridge University to study Law. In the future, she plans on becoming a lawyer or social worker.

• Isla Robins, 16, Corringham, will be staying on at the Ortu Stanford and Corringham Sixth Form to study English Literature, Psychology and Biology. She said: "Our teachers made sure all the work was clear, in person and online, and made the live lessons as engaging as possible. They did an amazing job during lockdown."

• Skye Hamilton, 16, Corringham, said: "I'm delighted to have achieved such fantastic results! I'm really pleased, I've worked so hard this year and it's finally paid off."

• Joshua Obilade, 16, Grays, said he was thrilled to see all his hard work pay off in his GCSE results. Joshua said that his teachers at Ortu Gable Hall had been brilliant and had been supportive with giving extra work and providing feedback for him to reach the grades he received today.

• Elize Ndongala, 16, Corringham, was very pleased with her GCSE results. She plans to study Psychology, Maths and Politics at a different Sixth Form, but says she will miss the teachers she has built a relationship with over the past 5 years.

She said: "All my teachers wanted me to push more and go further, so were always checking in with me, giving me extra advice as they really wanted me to do well."

Dr Sophina Asong, CEO of the Ortu Trust, was very proud of all the students' achievements this year and was keen for them to secure a placement in a Sixth Form or college of their choice, studying subjects that excite their passions.

She wanted all students to know that if they have difficulties with their next steps to contact Mr Evans at Gable Hall or Ms Weston at the Sixth Form Centre who will advise and support them.