The Littlehampton Academy students give their reactions after receiving GCSE results

This year, 49 per cent of students gained at least five GCSEs at A* to C including English and maths. The school welcomed a number of success stories this year including Calum Yardley, Abigail Race and Matthew Hubbard. Calum, 16, achieved three A* grades, five A grades and 1 B grade. He said: “The grades were more or less what I was predicted so I am pretty happy with them. “I now intend to study for A-Levels at the sixth form here. “I wasn’t nervous about my results until I went to open the envelope. I told myself that there was nothing I could do about it so tried not to worry. “I start again on September 7 so I now have a couple of weeks to relax and enjoy myself.” Matthew Hubbard, 16, was another success story this year. He achieved five A* grades, four A grades and one B grade. He said: “I am very pleased and I have done better than I thought I would, I’m especially pleased with the B in Spanish. “I am now planning to study maths, chemistry, physics and biology at Worthing College. “I wouldn’t mind a bit longer off for summer but it’s fairly exciting to start. I am intending to go to university in the future but I will see how my A-Levels go.” Abigail Race, 16, achieved 100 per cent grades A*-A as she secured six A* grades and four A grades. She said: “I was so nervous this morning as I came into get them but it is such a relief now. “I am planning to go out for a meal with my family to celebrate and then relaxing.” Another student that achieved 100 per cent grades A*-A was Chloe Capelin. Chloe, 16, is now planning to begin a fashion diploma at Chichester college in September. She said: “I am very pleased that my hard work paid off. There were many late nights preparing for these exams. “I picked them up at about half ten this morning but I did not sleep at all well last night because I just kept thinking about my results. I was so desperate to open them. “I am excited to finally be doing something that I absolutely love in September.” The year group’s head girl, Beth de Claire, 16, was another extremely high achiever as she achieved four A grades and six B grades. She said: “I am very pleased with them, I was just looking for passes so to get A’s is great. “I am going to study at Worthing College and I will be set some bridge work on September 1 to complete before I officially start on September 15. “In terms of celebrations, I am on a lifeguard course and so I am being assessed in that tomorrow so I guess I will be in the pool mostly.” Shannon Gaskin, 16, was another student to achieve top GCSE grades and is already considering her university options. She said: “It is still early days but I am looking to go onto study a chemical and pharmaceutical degree at Canary Wharf. “It is a long way off but that is the goal. “I will be doing my A-Levels here at Littlehampton Academy and hopefully I can get the grades to get on the course.” Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LittlehamptonGazette 3) Follow us on Twitter @LhamptonGazette 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Littlehampton Gazette - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.