Excitement for the Future on GCSE Results Day | News

August 21st 2025

There was a lively atmosphere in both Great Halls at Bolton School as Year 11 returned to collect their GCSE Results this morning. It was wonderful to see so many students who were pleased with their personal achievements this Results Day.

The School also had plenty to celebrate, with more than half of the grades awarded to the year group (53.1%) at grades 9-7, and 15.1% of grades across the School being 9s.

Head of Foundation Mr Britton said:

“We are delighted with our results today and I am proud and pleased that our pupils have done so well. They have worked hard for their grades and it is a great life lesson when hard work produces results. As ever, they have done so whilst developing a whole range of interests in an enormous range of activities, including some excelling at a national level in sport.

“This year group is one that was ‘bubbled’ and masked on arrival in secondary school and that had its impact, which they have worked through. For many, Covid seems a long time ago, but education happens over many years and the impact of those early years in senior school is real. This makes the results very special.

“We measure ourselves on value added, not our headline percentages, and that comes along later, but the last time we had results like this the government value added measures placed us in the top 100 schools in the whole country.

“Today is also about next steps, which for many are to our Sixth Form. We like to think of that as adult life with guard rails and a safety net, to make the young people ready for the steps beyond school in a couple of years’ time. Sixth Form years can be some of the best that young people enjoy and it has been great to hear so many looking forward to returning in September.”

12 Girls’ Division students achieved 10 or more grade 8/9s, including four students who received 10 or more Grade 9s. It was a similar story in the Boys’ Division, with 10 students achieving 10 or more grade 8/9s.

Among this group was Girls’ Division student Ziyuan, who said: “I’m very happy with my results, and I plan to go on to study Engineering at University.” When asked about her stand-out Bolton School moment, she added: “I really enjoyed playing my traditional musical instrument, the cucurbit flute, in front of all the School in the morning assembly.”

Fellow musician Rith, who played the organ at Prizegiving, was one of the highest-achieving Boys’ Division students. He said: “I’m very, very happy. I see the hard work has paid off! I’m doing Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Economics here next year, so excited for that. I’m thinking of doing Engineering at university but we’ll see! I was quite happy with my English result: I struggled with that in Year 10 so I’m happy to see I’ve done very well in it.”

A number of other students are continuing their studies into the Sixth Form, including high-achiever Aanya, who said: “I’m really glad it’s over now, but it’s been a nice day getting my results back! I’m hoping to do Biology, Chemistry, Economics and Maths for A Level here and hopefully will study Medicine. All the hubs really helped at school and I was in the Dymond Society as well, which was really good. Overall, it’s been a really nice time. My stand out Bolton School moment was probably the school trips to London: I went on the Food Tech and History trips which were both really good.”

Antoine, whose results were also among the best in the School, will return to Bolton School in September to start Year 12. He said: “I’m very happy with what I got. I’m going to come back to Bolton School for Sixth Form and I’m going to be taking Maths, Physics, Electronics and Computer Science. I did well in the subjects I want to study! Outside of school, I have been doing some workshops with a band, which has been nice over the summer. It started a bit before GCSEs so that helped me to get through. It was a bit of motivation every week that I got to play with my band, in between all the stress of the exams. Honestly, Year 11 as a whole has been a highlight, I’m very happy with my progress this year.”

Honor, who is also an enthusiastic member of the Choir, said: “I’m very happy! I’m staying at Bolton to do Ancient Greek, Philosophy and Ethics, Politics and English Language.”

Boys’ Division student Lohith said, “I’m very happy with the results. I’m going to do my A Levels here: Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Economics. Then I’m either looking to do something in Engineering or Finance.”

Zahra is another student who is remaining for the Sixth Form. She said: “I’m really happy with my results, I think my hard work paid off. I’m hoping to do Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Spanish for A Levels and then go on to study Dentistry. I studied quite a lot out of school and I made sure I focused on my mocks, which helped me with my actual exams. The support that we’re given has helped a lot, but also the community that I’ve made with all my friends has encouraged me to carry on studying here.”

Footballer Hugo, who was part of the team who won the Year 11 Town Cup in May, said: “I’m quite happy, I got three 9s, five 8s, a 7 and a 6. I’m probably most pleased with getting a 9 in Electronics! I’m going to stay on at Bolton Sixth Form and take Biology, Chemistry and Maths, and I want to go into Medicine in future.”

Another young sportsperson who is remaining at Bolton School is Scarlett, who said: “I’m very happy with my results, I got 7s, 8s and 9s which was what I was expecting! I’m staying on at Sixth Form, and will keep playing Lacrosse on the side. Winning the National Schools competition for the first time in Year 11 was such a highlight of my year!”

GCSE Results Day was a wonderful morning of celebrations for students and their families as they received their grades and shared future plans and congratulations with one another.