Yorkshire students celebrate GCSE success

Thousands of Yorkshire students have picked up their GCSE results, with many thanking their teachers for their excellent grades.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, 19% of GCSE entries were awarded the top grades of 7 or higher - an improvement from 18.4% in 2025 and 17.8% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

The pass rate in the region - entries awarded a 4 or higher - was 64.2%. In 2025, the pass rate was 63.6% and in 2019, it was 64.1%.

Students in Scarborough, Leeds, Bradford and Barnsley were among those celebrating success.

At Scalby Academy in Scarborough, students have faced an additional challenge after two-thirds of the school site was closed due to unsafe concrete in 2023, forcing many lessons online.

Despite that, the results this year were the "best the school have ever had", said principal Chris Robertson.

"For them to have produced the results they have done, it's a real testament to their hard work and resilience."

Friends Freddie, Arthur and Hudson, who opened their results together, said they would go out as a group to celebrate.

Revealing his two 9s, four 8s, two 7s and one 6, Arthur said: "I'll take that. I'm very happy with that."

Hudson said his results - one 6, four 5s, two 4s and a 3 - were "better than I expected".

"All that hard work is worth it," he said.

Meanwhile, Freddie said his one 9, two 8s, three 7s and three 6s were "pretty good".

Diya Eman, 18, was among those celebrating at Leeds Sixth Form College, which offers older students the chance to take or retake their GCSE exams.

She joined the city centre college 13 months ago, having moved from Jhelum in Pakistan to be with family.

Diya achieved four grade-9 GCSEs and one 7, having joined the college's one-year Step Up Pathway course for students aged 16 to 18.

Diya said: "I was really happy, I was thrilled to be honest.

"I'm going to do A-levels at the sixth form - biology, chemistry and psychology. All the sciences.

"I'm really interested in biomedical science, so that's what I'm going to do in the future."

She praised her teachers at the college, which caters for students aged 14 upwards.

"I just loved their classes. The teachers were the best part of the year, to be honest," Diya said.

"They taught really, really well and I'm really thankful to them."

Oasis Academy Lister Park in Bradford is in one of the most deprived areas of the country.

Some of the Year 11 students collecting results on Thursday only arrived in the UK at the beginning of the academic year.

Hisham, who achieved 9 and 8 grades, said assistant head of year Intikhab Ahmed had "changed his life".

"I was going to fail before I met Intikhab Ahmed," he said.

"He's responsible for these grades. He taught me how to revise. When I was in a very dark path in my life he was there - like a shining light."

The student will be heading to Bradford New College to study maths, further maths, economics and history, with the hope of one day becoming a corporate lawyer.

Principal Jules Millar said it was important not to "define ability by postcode" and the school's focus was on reducing NEET (not in education, employment or training) figures.

"Manningham ward is the most disadvantaged ward in the Bradford area, and in fact it's one of the most deprived wards in the country," she said.

"We absolutely believe in every individual and take great care of them to make sure they've got everything they need to succeed."

At Netherwood Academy in Wombwell, Barnsley, 16-year-old Troy opened his results.

"I've done well, I feel amazing," he said.

The student is going on to study engineering in Sheffield but then wants to live and work in ski resorts.

"I'd really like to be a ski chalet host in France. I could service skis and I want to do a cooking course," he said.

Tearing up, his mum Rachel said: "I'm absolutely so proud. He's worked so hard.

"He's been so resilient all the way through school.

"You just see how much work they put in and how overwhelming it is for them. To come out with these results is just amazing.

"I just think, keep dreaming big, that's all I want for him."

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