The ‘most difficult year’ for all students taking public exams has ended on a positive note with John Lyon’s 2020 GCSE results pupils matching the successes of their A-Level counterparts.

Despite not having the fortune to sit their summer exams, strong results across the cohort of 120 pupils has led to a record 15% of the year group attaining a coveted academic scholarship to the John Lyon Sixth Form.

RESULTS HEADLINES

• Two students achieve straight 9 grades (the equivalent of the highest A* grades)
• 17 Sixth Form Academic Scholarships, awarded to pupils attaining at least eight 8 grades
• HPQ and Further Maths (Level 2 certificate) prove popular with 27 and 16 candidates respectively

Owing to the unique circumstances of this year’s examinations and in line with A-Level results, John Lyon has made the decision not to release detailed examination grade data at this time.

Harsh achieved a clean-sweep of 9 grades

There have been many notable individual successes.

Harsh Hingorani achieved a clean-sweep excelling in all ten subjects to achieve 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9. A true all-rounder who spends much of his time in Music and Drama, and with numerous extra-curricular interests. On his results he said: “Two extensive, painstaking years of diligent and scrupulous work has finally paid off for me in the best way I could possibly imagine. My results have stunned me and left me speechless; it was not what I imagined getting in a million years.

“I am very grateful to have had such amazing and understanding teachers, including my form tutor, who were there for me whenever I needed help. It helped a lot to have various distractions from the curriculum, namely my involvement in numerous music-related activities. I can confidently say that this has helped with my ability to think differently and work more conscientiously; it has indirectly helped with my studies in many ways.”

Vinay Kapoor also achieved a full set of 9 grades

In his nine subjects, Vinay Kapoor also hit a straight 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 and will also take up an Academic Scholarship.

Those gaining straight 9/8 grades are Fares Shehata, Mihir Malde, Vinaykarthik Rachakonda, Anay Gudka, Dhruv Shah, Yusuf Shaikh and Patrick Colson.

Patrick, a musician and sportsman who once reached the John Lyon Musician of the Year final on four different instruments, and was a crucial member of John Lyon’s London Youth Games trophy winning Water Polo team, said: “I am very pleased with my results, I am grateful for all the opportunities that John Lyon have given me over the last five years and the great support from all the teachers and staff, especially during the last few months. I’m looking forward to joining the Sixth Form in September.”

Patrick collected his excellent results while on the beach.

One of the youngest 1st XI footballers, Kylron Pierre gained 9 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 and has also been awarded a Sixth Form Scholarship.

Garv Mittal achieved a 9 in Chemistry and 8s in each of Mathematics, History and Physics. He said: “I will now go to the Sixth Form to studying Physics, Chemistry and Maths. I am thinking of making a career around engineering due to my deep interest in Chemistry. I have been pleased with my results!”

John Lyon Head, Miss Katherine Haynes, said: “Having said it for last week’s A-Level students I must say it again; that this has been the most difficult year for our pupils. However, despite great uncertainty and not having the opportunity to sit their exams, each and every one of them has shown a great resolve to get to where we are today.

Garv hopes his results will lead him towards a career in engineering

“This year’s GCSE results are remarkable. Some of the individual success stories portray the hard work that has been applied over a number of years by our pupils and it is extremely satisfying to see them achieve at such a high level.

“And once again it is satisfying to see that pupils who achieve high marks in the classroom also enjoy their lives outside the academic curriculum. We hope our musicians, artists, sportsmen and actors will continue with these pursuits and passions while studying for their A-Levels.”