GCSE results day 2022 live blog: Pupils across the Portsmouth area eagerly collecting results as grades fall from 2021 but above pre-pandemic levels

Busrat (l) and Malik Busrat (r) are celebrating her daughter Ilmi’s GCSE achievements at Portsmouth High School today.

Ilmi’s grades included an A* in English and 8s in maths and physics.

Busrat said she was pleased her daughter would be staying on at the school’s sixth form as it inspired ‘girl power’.

She said: ‘There’s a real sense of girl power. This school gives them a sense of power inside of them.’

Ilmi, 16, echoed other students concerns that exams boards had given confusing messages about which revising certain topics.

She said: ‘I was definitely expecting somethings in the exams that were supposed to turn up - and they didn’t’.

Speaking about the impact of the pandemic on her generation, she added: ‘I don’t think there’s enough appreciation - not as much as there should be.’

Evie Prior, 16, a student at Crookhorn College, is going off to the Portsmouth College to study business, criminology and phycology.

She had a hard time with her maths and had to get a tutor to help her every Monday, but she has passed all of her exams.

She said: ’We had a bit of a hard time with maths.

‘I had a maths teacher but she left which made it difficult.

‘I was only getting a 3 last year but I have done it now’.

Portsmouth Academy pupil Samirah Samad, 16, achieved eight 7s and three 6 grades and will now go to Portsmouth Grammar School to study art, economics and philosophy.

She said: ‘I’m happy but it could have been better. But I’m happy as it means I can go to the college I wanted.’

Sarah Bennett, head of Crookhorn College, has given her reaction to the GCSE results.

Students are getting the opportunity to discuss their results with their teachers.

Tadi Matanhire, a Priory School pupil, feels 'really good' about her results, which includes a 9 in English Literature.

She said: 'I worked so hard, I had stacks of flash cards.

‘I really tried to use my teachers as utilities as they know so much more about this stuff than I do.

‘I was really happy to get what I got'.

To celebrate, Tadi is going to get 'that free Nando's' and 'maybe some cake'.

Domino Booth and Camille Phillips, both 16, are celebrating achieving the highest grades in Spanish and French respectively - thanks to a little help from their parents.

Domino’s mother is Colombian, while Camille’s mother is French - but both agreed that the return of in-person exams was a nerve-wracking experience.

Camille said: ‘I was really nervous and it was the first exams back, so I didn’t know what to expect. But the school has been really good.’

Castle View Academy pupil Alfie Grimes achieved seven 9s one 8, and one distinction.

He is going to Eton on a scholarship for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He came alone as he wasn’t sure what his results would be, and now he’s excited to board in Eaton in September.

‘They’re not as snobby as you might think,’ he said.

Teachers and pupils at Fareham Academy are celebrating their school’s ‘best ever’ set of GCSE results.

An impressive 4.8 per cent of GCSEs were marked at grades 4 or above – equivalent to a ’C’ – which is higher than the national average.

You can read more about the results here.

Despite the obstacles pupils faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they are celebrating some ‘outstanding’ GCSE results.

Overall, 70 per cent of pupils at the school achieved a grade 4 or higher in English and maths, with 50 per cent achieving a grade 5 or above.

You can read more about the results, and reaction from head teacher Stewart Vaughan, here.