Students and teachers left delighted across the West Midlands as GCSE results day delivers great results and high grades

At Kingsmead School in Hednesford and Willenhall E-ACT Academy, there was a nervous anticipation in the air as students came in to get their results, marking the end of two years of coursework, revision, studying and exams and a day to celebrate and commiserate with friends.

The theatre at Kingsmead was a busy and noisy scene, with sounds of joy echoing throughout as students received their results and found out how they had done and how their friends had done.

The school has made results day a celebration in the past and the 2025 results day was no different, with balloons and streamers visible in the hall and congratulatory messages visible on the wall and teachers on hand to chat with students about their results and future plans.

Among the students celebrating a big day was Will Seymour, who achieved six 9s and four 8s, and the 16-year-old said he was delighted with what he had achieved.

He said: "I think I've done very well and I'm very happy with my grades after getting six 9s and four 8s, so I'm very happy.

"I was hoping for good results, but I wasn't sure and I didn't want to go in being arrogant, so I'm very happy with what I've got and it means that I can go and do Sixth Form here and do maths, geography, further maths and history.

"Kingsmead have really helped me and I think it's the teachers who've helped the most as every single teacher is so dedicated and they have put on so many before and after school revision sessions and have just been so supportive."

Charlotte Whittle said she was feeling very excited, with the 16-year-old saying she wasn't expecting to do as well as she had done.

She said: "I'm really glad that all my hard work has paid off, so I've got 9s in French, Maths and Physics and a 7 in Further Maths, which I was really pleased with.

"I just feel really relieved and glad that it's finally done and I can now take the next step into A-levels and work more on the subjects I like.

"The teachers here are just wonderful and you can go to them whenever you need help and I've spent so many hours after school with many teachers doing extra revision sessions, so they've been really helpful and I love all my teachers."

Another student celebrating was Luke Cresswell, with the 16-year-old saying he was happy with five 9s and two 8s.

He said: "I've actually done better than I expected as I was expecting maybe three 9s, so I've somehow got more than I predicted.

"My teacher have been really good, especially my science teacher and maths teacher and just all around, they've been really helpful and supportive.

"I'm going to Stafford College next to study Physics, Maths and Chemistry, so I'm just excited for the future."

Headteacher Simon Cope said he and the whole school were absolutely thrilled for the students, saying they done phenomenally well.

He said: "They're really good people, really nice students as well and we're seeing loads of them coming back to Sixth Form, but just seeing them jumping around, smiling and happy is excellent.

"From all of us here at Kingsmead, from parents, staff and students, I just want to say well done to our year 11s and best of luck for the future."

Over in Willenhall, there were reasons to be cheerful for students, teachers and for Willenhall E-ACT Academy in general as the school celebrated great success from GCSE results day.

The school had been one with a troubled past, seen as a failing school, but has underdone a tremendous turnaround and a recent Ofsted report saw it rated ‘good’ in all four categories and praised for its ‘ambitious curriculum’ and ‘positive culture of success’. 

Among the students celebrating success from GCSE results day was Joshua Cooper, who achieved an 8 in language and a 6 in History.

He said: "I'm really excited and happy right now and I was hoping that I was going to do really well, but I was really surprised to see that I'd done as well as I had.

"I was really stressing the whole week before, but I'm really happy and I'm going to Sandwell College to do a creative media course, with things like animation.

"Every teacher has helped me so much and it's just been amazing all the way through the journey."

Friends Phoebe Dawkins and Rosie Sambrook were both delighted to have passed everything and be able to go to college together.

Phoebe said: "I got and 8 and a 6 in English, so I'm really glad that I've got those grades and that I've passed everything."

Rosie said: "We got the grades that we wanted and I got two 7s in English, which I was expecting, but I'm really happy about it.

"We're both going to college to study dance, so we're both really excited about that."

Amber Currey was taking in her results, with the 16-year-old saying that she felt she had done really well.

She said: "I got all the grades that I wanted, such as getting good grades in Maths and Science, which is something I thought I would fail.

"I feel a sense of closure about today as the exams have been so stressful and it's all come to an end, but I got good results, so I think it's been a good experience and I'm so happy.

"I'm going off to Sixth Form next to do Maths, Geography and Dance, so I'm just excited for the future."

Headteacher Tim Marston spoke of his own pride at the success of the students, having been through the improvements at the school.

He said: "I think I would never underestimate the young people who come to this school, as the combination of hard work the youngsters have shown and worked with teachers means that some of them have left with exceptional results.

"Yesterday was actually more stressful for me as the results land in and we then look at them and check them, find some errors and send them back to be checked, so today is a chance to be joyful and celebrate the achievement of the kids."