Wirral students celebrate another year of record GCSE results

Aug 29 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

A STUDENT who had to learn to walk again after being knocked down on his paper round was among Wirral teenagers delivering GCSE success.

The success of brave Alex Heslop – who was struck by a car two days before Christmas – came as the borough enjoyed another year of record results.

Despite the first drop in GCSE results nationally since 1988, provisional data revealed 65.3% of Wirral pupils achieved five Cs or better including English and maths – compared with 64% in 2011 – and 88% achieved five Cs or better in any subject, 3% up on last year.

Wirral schools making history included Birkenhead School in Oxton, where 30% of all grades were A*.

Wallasey teenager Alex, now 16, had his right leg shattered after the accident in 2010 which occurred as he delivered papers in Mill Lane – a stone’s thrown from his family home.

His injury was so bad that he had to undergo a four-and-a-half hour operation and was forced to wear a special metal cage on his leg known as a “fixator” for six months.

He had to have intensive physiotherapy to strengthen his muscles so he could gradually start walking again.

But the tenacious teenager made such a good recovery he made a triumphant return to Oldershaw Academy in Wallasey and even helps lead sessions for younger pupils at the sports department.

Alex said he now intended to stay on to do his A-levels after getting six GCSEs which were all C or above.

Ben McWilliams, of Heswall, made history at St Anselm’s College by achieved 12 GCSE A* grades, plus a further qualification in Italian, and has set his sights on a career in medicine.

At Upton Hall School both Alice Mackinson and Emily Wood gained 12 A* grades,with Alice getting an A^ in her iGCSE Further Maths.

At West Kirby Grammar pass rates at grades A* to C went up to 99%. Forty girls – a quarter of the exam intake – achieved straight A* and A grades in at least 10 subjects.