Within the past three days over 350 Droitwich students have received their examination results, first at A-level and then, today, at GCSE.

Every one of these students shares a background that makes their results unique.

No other set of candidates has had to cope with the challenges of such frequent disruption.

I have been well aware of the extra miles that staff have travelled in supporting their students, but there can be no escaping the fact that this pandemic has asked much more of the candidates themselves.

Nor, despite some public comment, is there any cause to question the grades themselves.

Instead of assessing two years of work through one or two written exams, these grades are based on a variety of tests and exercises carried out across several weeks as well as some conventional examinations.

They have been marked anonymously and graded against agreed national standards.

I have no doubt that this weeks results include a multitude of impressive individual achievements.

They should be celebrated.

Natalie Waters
Headteacher