Students at Reaseheath College and University Centre are celebrating another standout year of GCSE results, with the proportion of learners achieving high grades (9 to 4) in English and maths rising for the third consecutive year, firmly bucking a wider national decline.
The achievements represent a crucial turning point for students resitting qualifications alongside their technical and vocational courses. Across the 2025/26 academic year, covering both the November and June exam series, 142 students secured a grade 4 or above in maths, while 121 achieved a grade 4 or higher in English.
More than 260 individual learners gained a high grade in English, maths, or both across the academic year. To put the scale of that transformation into perspective, that exceeds the size of an average UK secondary school Year 11 cohort, which sits at around 180 pupils.
For these learners, achieving a grade 4 or above is far more than just passing an exam. Securing these essential qualifications removes a long-standing barrier from school, transforming their life chances and opening up competitive career paths, higher apprenticeships, and university progression without missing credentials holding them back.
Ryan Green, Curriculum Area Manager for English and Maths, said: “It is fantastic to see our proportion of students achieving grades 9 to 4 continue to rise for a third straight year, especially against a challenging national backdrop. Many of these learners arrived needing a fresh start with subjects they found difficult at school. Gaining these grades alongside their main vocational studies takes real resilience, and it provides them with the essential literacy and numeracy skills that underpin long-term career success.”
Marcus Clinton, Principal and CEO, added: “Every student deserves the opportunity and the right environment to succeed, and these results highlight what happens when determination is matched with dedicated teaching.
“To see our grades 9 to 4 proportion improve year-on-year for three consecutive years is a huge credit to our students and staff. Securing these core qualifications makes an enormous difference to our learners’ life chances, giving them the confidence and freedom to pursue their ambitions. We could not be prouder of their hard work.”
