Students who overcame difficult personal issues are celebrating today after overachieving in their GCSE results.

It was a particularly difficult year for pupils as they missed months of school due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Richmond Park Academy headteacher Nabila Jiwa said she was "delighted" for her students and "very proud of their hard work and resilience particularly during such a challenging period of time."

"Even though students were not able to sit their examinations, these results truly reflect the efforts that students have put in during their time at Richmond Park Academy and the commitment that each of them showed each and every day here," she said.

"In a time of great uncertainty, they should be very pleased with how well they have done, as are we."

Many of the pupils at the school were certainly chuffed.

Three happy students of Richmond Park Academy

Zafirah Hussain, 16, had a very close family member pass away a few years ago, which took a toll on her emotional health.

"However, with hard work and determination, along with the support of my friends, family and my Geography and Maths teachers, I have managed to attain results that I am proud of," she said, "and can now go on to do A-levels in Biology, Chemistry, Business Studies and Psychology.

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Fellow student, Sadiqah Tarafdar, 16, has worked hard and is now going on to study Childcare Level 3 at Richmond Upon Thames College.

She said: "I came to Richmond Park Academy in Year 7 on an Educational Health Care Plan and I did not have high expectations for my educational outcomes.

"However, with all of the support from my teachers and friends, I came off my plan and have achieved better results than I was hoping for."

In Religious Studies she achieved a Grade 8, with a Grade 7 in Textiles, Grade 5 in English and Grade 5-4 in Combined Science.

Taha Mehmood, 16, has moved around a lot over the past few years and attended lots of different schools, but has received and impressive set of results.

He said: "I have always worked hard and today it looks as though it has paid off.

"I attained Grade 8s in Biology and Chemistry and Grade 9s in Maths and Physics and can now go on to do the A-levels of my choice."

More than 80% of students at the school secured a grade 9-4 in English and Mathematics, with 19.6% securing a grade 9-7.

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