It has been a difficult couple of years for Cumbria’s GCSE and A-level students and despite the challenges pupils have shown their ‘resilience’ and ‘hard work’.

This year’s GCSEs and A-levels were calculated using teacher-based assessments, after the government received huge backlash last year after grades were formulated using a controversial algorithm which led to thousands of A-level students having their results downgraded from school estimates, before Ofqual announced a U-turn.

Teachers in England were required to consider a range of evidence, including mock exams, coursework, and in-class assessments using questions by exam boards, to make decisions on pupils’ grades.

Headteachers had to submit a personal declaration that they believed grades to be accurate and schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected, as part of quality assurance (QA) checks.

A few highlights from across the county include Windermere School seeing its best year yet for A-levels in their IB results.

The 2021 school average IB Diploma score of 36 points was the best result in the school’s history and corresponds to A*AA at A-level. The scores earned Windermere students a place in the top 12 per cent of the world’s IB candidates.

Meanwhile Kirkbie Kendal School saw 80 per cent of students achieve a grade 4 (good pass) or above in both maths and English.

And for the seventh successive year the school saw every single year 11 student attaining five or more GCSE passes.

In Ulverston, 83 per cent of Ulverston Victoria High School's year 13 hoping to go to university were accepted into their first-choice.

Cockermouth School also celebrated after 35 students gained all A*/A grades.

Many headteachers praised pupils on how they had conducted themselves during their studies.

Queen Elizabeth School’s headteacher, Alison Wilkinson, said: "We are proud of the hard work and resilience of all our students receiving their exam results this summer.

“Our exams team and teaching colleagues managed this situation with real integrity and thoroughness, and we want all our students to feel confident that their grades are the well-deserved rewards for their efforts throughout their courses.”

At Workington Academy, headteacher Des Bird said: "These grades reflect the hard work of the students and the depth of learning throughout their courses. I am immensely proud of the way students rose to the challenges presented this year.

"The vast majority of students have achieved the grades required for their first-choice university or apprenticeship scheme, which is incredibly pleasing to see.

"Students have had to work harder than ever before to remain motivated and diligent in their studies which mainly occurred outside of the school building; they deserve a great deal of praise for such success in such difficult times."

While Queen Katherine School’s headteacher Jon Hayes said: "The students have worked incredibly hard for their results under the most challenging of circumstances. We are so proud of all our students and the staff team that worked so hard to support them reach their goals.”

In Carlisle, Dan Markham, principal at Richard Rose Central Academy, said: "For our own group of students at Central Academy, I know how much this will mean to them and how hard they have worked – not just through the ups and downs of the pandemic, but for the past five years of their secondary schooling."

Keswick School's headteacher Simon Jackson said: “Almost every student has secured their first choice place at university, on an apprenticeship or has decided to defer for a year.

"Their achievements are also a reflection on the dedication of our team of specialist teachers and associate staff.”

And Mrs Jackson, headteacher at St Benedict’s in Whitehaven, said: “We are very proud of our students and the results they have achieved, in an unprecedented year they have shown true determination to do their very best.”

Next year in England, ministers hope that exams will go ahead in the summer after two years of cancelled exams.

But pupils taking GCSE exams could be given advance notice on the focus of exam papers to ensure they are not disadvantaged as a result of lost learning during the pandemic.