GCSE Results Summer 2021

The last 18 months have been an incredibly challenging time for schools, with students and teachers facing many uncertainties and difficulties. All results and outcomes across the UK should be considered through the context of what has preceded them – a global pandemic which has put heads, teachers, parents and students under immense pressure.

We are delighted to celebrate another year of outstanding results: almost 20% of all grades awarded this year were Grade 9 (the A** equivalent), with 90% of all examinations taken achieving Grades 9–6 (equivalent to A*–B in the old grading system).

Half of this year's cohort obtained Grade 8 or 9 in GCSE Mathematics; a fifth of the cohort were also entered for Additional Maths, with 70% of those pupils obtaining a Grade A or above. 

Many departments achieved a 100% pass rate at Grade 9–6. These include the Art Department which offers a GCSE in both Fine Art and Photography, and the Classics Department which offers a GCSE in both Classical Civilisation and Latin. The growing Music Department also achieved a 100% pass rate at Grade 9–6, with GCSE pupil numbers almost doubling over the last two years. The Languages Department has continued to buck the national trend: 124 grades were awarded (80% at Grade 9–6) in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish and Russian. Our traditional humanities subjects History and Geography continue to see a very high uptake at GCSE with a total of 104 entries, with 78% awarded Grade 6 or above.   

70% of our GCSE engineers, 82% of physicists, 79% of chemists and 70% of biologists were awarded Grade 7 or above. Whilst girls out-competed boys in GCSE Biology and Physics, boys out-competed girls in Chemistry. This again highlights the careful process that enabled teachers to award GCSE grades this summer. Academic excellence may be achieved by a combination of continual hard work and a final sprint.    

Commenting on the results, Head Master Dominic Oliver said: ‘Lancing pupils have worked exceptionally hard over the last two years and had to adapt to very different ways of learning, whether in the classroom or studying remotely from homes around the world. These results pay tribute to their work and to the support of their teachers over the most difficult of times. They can now look forward to the next two years in the Sixth Form where they can further develop independent learning skills, explore their interests and receive the very best support and coaching.’

Here are some of the highlights from this year’s cohort:

Alexander Badcock, who attended Lancing Prep Worthing, achieved eight Grade 9s and one Grade 8. Alex goes on to study Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Economics in Lancing’s Sixth Form.

Miranda Church gained a clean sweep of Grades 7, 8 and 9 - the equivalent of straight As and A*s in the old measurement. Miranda proceeds to the Lancing Sixth Form where she will study Geography, Psychology, English Literature and Politics. 

Vlad Enache-Pescariu, from Bucharest, Romania, achieved four Grade 9s, four Grade 8s and one Grade 7, equivalent to A*A in the old grading system. He continues to the Lancing Sixth Form where he will study Mathematics, Economics, Psychology and Spanish.

Isabella Hope attained a clean sweep of Grades 7, 8 and 9 – straight As and A*s in the old grading system. She continues on to the Lancing Sixth Form, following in the footsteps of her sister Alicia who, having attained A*AA grades at A Level, is going on to the University of Exeter to read International Business and Modern Languages. 

Benjamin Irvine-Capel joined Lancing having been a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral School. An outstanding academic scholar and musician, Benjamin gained five Grade 8s, an A* in IGCSE Music and four Grade 9s along with a Grade 6 in Mathematics. He goes on to study Music, Politics and Religious Studies in the Lancing Sixth Form alongside performing on the extraordinary four-manual Walker organ in the Lancing Chapel.

Jessica Joyce is another in Lancing’s long tradition of brilliant young women in the STEM subjects. She scored an excellent clean sweep of Grades 7, 8 and 9, the equivalent of straight As and A*s, and goes on to the Lancing Sixth Form where she will study Design Technology, Physics, Mathematics and Psychology.

Natalie Moody attained a clean sweep of six Grade 9s and four Grade 8s, the equivalent of straight A*s or better in all her GCSEs. She goes on to study French and German in our outstanding Modern Languages Department, alongside English and Maths.

Henry Oliver attained a clean sweep of Grades 8 and 9 (the equivalent of straight A*s or better) and proceeds to the Lancing College Sixth Form where he will study French and German alongside Art and Design &Technology.

Archie Ng, from Hong Kong, a former Lancing Prep Hove pupil, achieved seven Grade 9s and three Grade 8s. He will join the Lancing Sixth Form studying Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths.

Kiran Patel achieved nine Grade 9s and one Grade 8. He goes on to join Lancing College’s high performing Mathematics Department, studying Mathematics and Further Mathematics alongside Economics and Chemistry.
The Lancing Mathematics Department has sent 14 students to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the last decade, alongside a crop of other outstanding students to some of the world’s best universities for the discipline.

Ethan Roberts attained six Grade 9s and three Grade 8s, the equivalent of better than straight A*s at GCSE. He goes on to the Lancing Sixth Form, studying in our excellent Science Department and Modern Languages Department with aspirations to follow the well-trodden path from Lancing to medical school.

Erin Ruff, a former pupil at Lancing Prep Worthing, achieved straight 7, 8 and 9 grades, the equivalent of straight As and A*s. Erin, an outstanding Art Scholar, continues in Lancing’s fine tradition of Art and Design, having gained a Grade 9 in Art at GCSE. She will study both Art and Design & Technology in the Lancing Sixth Form, among other subjects. 

Poppy Sutcliffe attained a fantastic six Grade 9s and three Grade 8s; better than straight A*s in the old grading system. She continues into the Lancing Sixth Form, studying the arts and humanities with A Levels in English Literature, Drama, History and Politics.
Lancing has a fine literary tradition as the alma mater of Evelyn Waugh, David Hare and Christopher Hampton and continues to send students to the best English and Drama courses in the UK and overseas.

Thomas Willis, one of Lancing’s Academic Scholars and a former pupil at Lancing Prep Worthing, scored a clean sweep of nine Grade 9s, the much vaunted ‘double A*’ grade. Thomas, an outstanding student, goes on to study Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Latin and to follow the well-trodden path from Lancing to medical school. Lancing, with its dedicated medical and veterinary preparation programme, has long had a very strong record of success in preparing students for medical careers, a path that Thomas is keen to follow.