Penny Oates - A North East basketball star has achieved a slam dunk with her GCSE results. Penny is marking GCSE success at Our Lady & St Bede Catholic Academy, in Stockton, after six years in the sport. Penny’s exam results were a perfect end to a successful season which saw her named Most Valuable Player of her team.
She said: “I’m so pleased with my results and my parents are also delighted. I’m hoping we’re going to be celebrating.”
Despite training eight hours a week, Penny remained dedicated to her revision, achieving passes in Science 6/5; Spanish 6; Geography 7; 3D Design 6; English Literature 6; English Language 6; Maths 5, and RE 6. Penny now plans to pursue her love of the sport through Bede College’s basketball programme, and to pass on her passion by continuing to coach younger players.
She will also be studying Psychology, Criminology, and probably English Language, although she’s still deciding.
Teddy Dennis - Although he did well in his mock GCSE exams, even Teddy was surprised at his final results. The pupil, at Our Lady & St Bede’s Catholic Academy in Stockton, passed 8 subjects in DIT (Grade D2); Combined Science (9/9); Spanish (7); Geography (9); English Language (9); English Literature (8); Maths (7); R.E. (9).
Teddy will be moving on to Darlington’s Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College to study Politics, English Language and Geography, with a future view to becoming an airline pilot. He is already a pilot under training at Teesside International Airport’s Aeroschool Flight Training programme, and takes to the skies whenever he gets the chance.
“I’m really chuffed – I exceeded my own expectations,” said the high flyer. His parents, Louise and Noel, were equally pleased, saying: “It’s just unbelievable – he has worked so hard. Teddy was also Head Boy and had a transformational role in the school community, acting as the voice for the other students.”
Elena Ruzman - A Stockton student is celebrating after achieving the grades she needs to follow her dream of going into medicine. Elena was overjoyed at scoring high marks across the board in her GCSEs at Our Lady and St Bede Catholic Academy, in Stockton.
Having only joined the school in Year 10, Elena earned Grade 9s in Maths, Science, Spanish, and Religious Education, Grade 8s in English Language, English Literature, and History, and a D2 in Health and Social Care.
Her success takes her one step closer to following in the footsteps of her parents, who are both doctors at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.
“I wouldn’t mind if we eventually all ended up working together, because they are really helpful,” laughed Elena.
“I’m not absolutely certain I want to be a doctor yet, but I would like to do something in medicine – maybe be an anaesthetist like my dad.”
Elena will now go on to study Biology, Maths, and Chemistry at Bede Sixth Form College, in Stockton. “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Our Lady and St Bede,” she added. “The school community is really positive – it’s always clear the teachers understand the students and want the best for them. I’m not sure about universities yet, but I’m thinking maybe Newcastle or Edinburgh.”
Ernes Peres - A Stockton pupil is hoping to follow his aunts into the family business after achieving top marks in his exams. Ernes is aiming to become an accountant like his aunts – who live and work in the Philippines – after achieving Grade 9s in Maths, English Literature, English Language, Computer Science, Spanish, Science, and Religious Education, and a Grade 8 in History. He said: “I was really overwhelmed when I saw my results – I honestly didn’t expect to get that many Grade 9s!”
Now the young number-cruncher is planning to study Core Maths, Further Maths, Economics, and Business at Stockton Sixth Form College – and from there move into an Accounting degree apprenticeship at Northumbria University. After collecting his results from Our Lady and St Bede Catholic Academy, Ernes and his family went straight out to celebrate his success with lunch at Wagamama’s, in Teesside. “I think the thing that’s made me happiest is how happy this has made my family,” he admitted.
Martha Anderson - A Teesside rower and Olympic hopeful is celebrating after a strong finish in her exams, and winning gold at a recent rowing competition. Martha, who attended Our Lady & St Bede Catholic Academy, in Stockton – who previously won silver in the Under 18s England Coastal Rowing Championships – found rowing the perfect way to relax from the stress of exam revision.
Fitting her revision around six hours of water training and two hours of strength training every week, and also asking her teammates to quiz her during competitions, she achieved Science 7/6; Spanish 5; Geography 8; PE 9; English Literature 7; English Language 8; Maths 7; and RE 9.
Martha’s mum, Ally, said: “We are so proud of her and glad that her hard work has really paid off. Martha had a few tears when she opened her results, but they were happy tears.”
The 16-year-old hopes to one day compete in the Olympics, after winning Gold along with her team mates, brother Henry, Harry, Emily and Sefi, and becoming British Champions in the J18 coxed mixed quad, in the British Coastal Rowing Championships 2025, in Tynemouth earlier this month. She said: “I am really happy with my results and my rowing success.”
Her next step is to study PE, Sociology and one other subject, yet to be decided, at Bede College.
Ryan Muwonge - Although he was hoping to do well in his GCSE exams at Our Lady & St Bede’s Catholic Academy, in Stockton, Ryan says that his results still came as a shock. The talented student achieved Grade 9 in English Language, English Literature, Maths, Science, Computer Science, History, and RE, and a Grade 8 in Spanish.
He said that he was so surprised at his own success, that, at first, he thought he had misread the results. “I am very proud of myself, and all my teachers were so kind. I did feel that I had to apologise to my Spanish teacher for only getting a Grade 8!”
Ryan’s family are so proud of him, too, with his mum, Martha, saying: “We were over the moon with Ryan’s results. I was so excited that I was laughing and crying. He has always worked hard – right from nursery – and I have told him that he must continue doing well.”
After a well-deserved rest, Ryan is planning to take up a place at Stockton Sixth Form College to study Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science, and Chemistry.