Wick High School exam results in – Thrumster mum talks about her daughter's delight

Wick High School (WHS) said that the move back to a more traditional examination setting has seen pupils adjust and perform well under the conditions.

The school says the exam results "are very encouraging" with most pupils achieving the results required to move forward with their learning at college, university, or an apprenticeship.

One delighted mum from Thrumster talked about the nail-biting moment her daughter, Rachel Swanson, opened the envelope with the results. Donna Swanson said: "You can get the results from text message or by post but she opted for the post which I think made her a bit more anxious as she realised she could have had them sooner.

"As soon as she got it she messaged me and my husband and she was so delighted as there were a few she wasn't sure about. Obviously doing six Highers is not your usual, I think it's more normal for them to do four or five, but she was encouraged by her teachers to do an extra one if she felt able.

"She just got her head down and worked really hard. This year we can relax a little bit and take our feet of the gas. We knew she would do well and now she's exploring various options for the future."

Rachel gained five A passes – English, chemistry, human biology and physics along with art and design – and one B in mathematics. The school commended her exceptional achievement at Higher level along with another S5 pupil called Sarah Henstridge who also passed a "remarkable six Highers this year".

A statement from the school's acting deputy rector, Craig Ross, reads: "We are delighted to say that our S4 cohort have continued to build on last year’s excellent performance, with 42 pupils now achieving 7+ National 5 passes.

"Notable achievements this year include twins Charly and Lucy Coe, Cara Miller and Logan Burt who all achieved a fantastic seven A passes – with a special mention going to Jack Wise who achieved eight A passes this session in his National 5 exams. We were also thrilled to see Morgan Kennedy, Sarah-Jane Dunnett and Amy Groat rise to the challenge and pass eight National 5 exams, and a massive congratulations to these pupils on their achievements."

Mr Ross adds that 13 pupils achieved 5+ Higher level passes, notably with Freddie McBoyle achieving 5 A passes.

Among the stand-out individual performances for the highest attainers at WHS was Ewan Bartlett (S6) who achieved three Advanced Highers, including two A grades.

Mr Ross added: "A massive congratulations to all our senior pupils; their hard work, determination, and resilience has resulted in some excellent results giving pupils options for their future study.

"And we now look forward to greeting all our pupils on their return to school on Tuesday, 15th August."

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