YOUNG people at a school in Rhondda Cynon Taf have described their joy as they received their GCSE results.
Year 11 pupils arrived at Ysgol Bro Taf in Cilfynydd on the morning of Thursday, August 21 to collect their GCSE grades.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service was there to speak to some of them and this is what they had to say.
Bethan Stone had two As and five Bs among her results and said she was feeling good about the outcome as it had been a nervous wait. She is now off to Coleg y Cymoedd to study criminology, psychology and history.
Imogen Howells achieved three As, six Bs and three Cs and said she was really happy. She is heading to Nantgarw to study PE, health and social care and criminology. She said it was an awful wait but it all worth the effort now.
Emily Smith got four As and two Bs among her results and is also heading to Nantgarw for A-levels. She will be doing law, history and Welsh and said that with the results she felt “a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”
Travis Nesling got Bs and Cs and is off to Coleg y Cymoedd to study engineering. He said he wants to join the RAF next year and he has got the grades for that now.
Hannah Lewis got As and As and a couple of Bs and said she was “really chuffed.” She’s off to Coleg y Cymoedd to study physics, biology, psychology and combined English.
She said she’d liked to be a psychiatrist and felt really relived and happy. She said she was proud of her friends and everyone had done well.
Ryan Bond got seven As and five As and said is “well happy” and that it is a bit of a relief. He is off to Merthyr College to do physics, maths, further maths and computer science and he will see where that leads him.
Councillor Rhys Lewis, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s cabinet member for education, inclusion and the Welsh language, said: “Congratulations to all learners in Rhondda Cynon Taf today who have received their GCSE qualifications results. Today marks a special celebration of our community coming together to help our learners thrive.
“It’s important to acknowledge that the successes of our learners could not have been achieved without the fantastic support and encouragement of our school staff and the wider school community – including parents and carers. Thank you for your dedication in supporting our young people every day.”
Gaynor Davies, director of education and inclusion services for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “GCSE results day is always a powerful reminder of what our young people can achieve through dedication, perseverance and with the right support. I would like to congratulate every learner receiving their results today, they should be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved.
“It’s wonderful to see so many happy faces of students and staff members at our schools this morning. I’d like to wish all Year 11 learners the best of luck as you embark on the next part of your journey – whether that’s returning for sixth form, attending college, starting training, or entering the world of work.
“I also want to thank our school staff, whose commitment and hard work have been instrumental in supporting and guiding our learners through these important years and to parents and carers for all the support and encouragement provided behind the scenes.
“We have additional support available in our schools for those who didn’t achieve what they expected today, and for those who are unsure of their next steps.”
