Petroc Students Celebrate Success in GCSE English and Maths Resits! 

Petroc is celebrating the determination and resilience of its students after an incredible year of hard work and commitment towards their GCSE resits in Maths and English, with results above GFE national averages once again.

Petroc is proud to share the strong results from this year’s GCSE English and Maths resits, with a 96% pass rate for English and 95% pass rate for Maths. These outcomes mark an important milestone for the college, with Petroc’s high-grade (Grades 4-9) results in both English and Maths also now above the national averages for further education colleges.

Petroc supports students of all ages and backgrounds through their GCSE’s from post 16 students resitting exams, to adult learners returning to education, in search of new career pathways. 

Many adult learners returning to education balance study, childcare or work commitments. Adult student, Rebecca Naylor, said “I didn’t sit my GCSE’s as a teenager, but I’ve found the whole process at Petroc enlightening, I’ve passed my GCSE’s now and also passed my Teaching Assistant qualification. Now I can progress with my career in teaching alongside being a mum”.

Matthew Beavan shared these sentiments, adding “I wanted to get my GCSE’s in case future career opportunities required them, I’m training as an Electrician, currently studying a Level 3 qualification, as well as working. Getting my GCSE’s opens up new doors for me”.

Francesca Evans decided to step back into education after seeing her daughter succeed at Petroc last year. She said “I wanted to push myself now that my children are older. I’m really pleased to have passed my GCSE exams and now I’m going on to study an Access course in Humanities and Sociology, and hope to eventually do a degree”.

Tia Jeffs found her maths exams extremely challenging, saying “I had given up trying to get my Maths GCSE, but I finally did it! My teachers never gave up on me and I really couldn’t have done it without their help, I can’t wait to get started on my Mechanics course in September now!”.

Joshua Young shared these sentiments, saying “I found the exams challenging, but in a good way, I really pushed myself and wouldn’t have passed without the help of my teachers. I’m really happy to have passed. Now I can start my Supported Internship in September”. 

Balancing the demands of their chosen courses alongside preparing for resits has been no easy task, but our students rose to the challenge with positivity and persistence. For many learners, these results represent much more than a qualification, they are a gateway to new opportunities. Success in English and Maths opens the door to university places, apprenticeships, and further study, helping students move one step closer to their future aspirations.

Kurt Hintz, Interim Principal and CEO, said “These results are a great achievement for our students and a reflection of their resilience, commitment, and hard work. Resitting GCSEs alongside their main courses is never easy, but our learners have risen to the challenge and should be extremely proud of their success. I would also like to thank our dedicated teaching and support teams, whose efforts have made this possible. Seeing our high-grade results now above national averages in both English and Maths is a great milestone for the college and a real boost for our students as they progress on to university, apprenticeships, and higher-level study.”

Assistant Principal, Jo Byrne shared these sentiments adding “We’re so proud of what our students have achieved. For some, these exam resits were a daunting prospect, but they’ve proved that with the right support and mindset, they can reach their goals. This success will open doors to even greater things next year.”

Petroc congratulates all students who embraced the challenge of GCSE resits this year. Your determination and positivity have opened up exciting new pathways, and we look forward to seeing the incredible things you will achieve next.