Penryn College GCSE results day: ten grade 9s and top scores

Balloons in black and red framed the gates of Penryn College on Thursday morning, and for a couple of hours the car park outside filled with hugs, brown envelopes and a few nervous laughs before the grins took over. This was GCSE results day for the Class of 2026, and by the time the first envelopes were open it was clear there was plenty to celebrate.

Results above the national average

Penryn College’s Class of 2026 achieved above the national average number of students securing both grade 4 and above and grade 7 and above, alongside a high number of top grades across the board. It capped a morning that brought students, families and staff together for what the school called a memorable day, built on hard work, determination and resilience.

The top scorers

Some students had days to remember for very specific reasons. Amalia A achieved a staggering 10 grade 9s, while Benjamin G collected eight of his own. Beth D, Sarah W and Mia P each walked away with seven grade 9s, among a wider group who picked up 9s and 8s across their subjects.

Twelve students secured an average of grade 8 or higher across their GCSEs, and 25 achieved eight or more grades at 9 to 7, described by the school as a huge achievement. Congratulations also went to Kate B, Eden S, Penelope E, Marinour M and Theo F for their grade 9 results.

Strong results across the cohort

118 pupils achieved at least one grade 7, and nearly half the cohort reached at least a grade 5 in both English and Maths. Across all ability ranges, the school says a significant number of pupils achieved grades higher than expected, keeping up what it calls an excellent track record for progress, a point of pride for families across Penryn.

Languages and sport add to the tally

Language students had a particularly strong year. 62% of the Spanish cohort came away with a grade 9, and the school reported wonderful results for those studying home languages including Arabic, German and Greek.

Sport remains one of the school’s strengths too. 51% of PE GCSE grades came in at 7 or above, and 62% of students achieved a Merit or higher.

A head start for Year 10

Year 10 students who sat the GCSE RE Fast Track exam a year early all came away with a grade. Sixty per cent achieved a grade between 9 and 7, and nine pupils reached the top grade of 9.

Success for the ARB

Ten Year 11 students in Penryn College’s ARB had reason to celebrate on two fronts this week, picking up strong academic results and their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) certificates on the same day.

‘We could not be prouder’

Reflecting on the results, Penryn College Headteacher Mrs Croxall said almost all students in the Class of 2026, 97.9%, left the school with at least one qualification, with the average number of qualifications achieved standing at 7.1.

“This is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of all our students, but also their families who continue to be the greatest support,” she said. “Our new school motto is ‘Belong, Aspire, Succeed’ and our Year 11 students have embodied this in their approach to life at Penryn College, not only achieving academic success but taking advantage of all the other opportunities afforded to them along the way. They now have all the skills to start the next stage of their journey. We could not be prouder of their success, and we wish them all the very best for their futures. Well done to them all and to the staff and families who have worked tirelessly to inspire this success.”

One parent summed up what the results meant closer to home. “We are very pleased with the results,” they said. “He wouldn’t be going on to where he is, having been awarded a scholarship, if it wasn’t for Penryn College. This school has shaped his future. They found out all about him and homed in on what he needed. It has been amazing!”