Students at Felixstowe Academy are hoping to have higher GCSE grades after the remarking of papers in English and maths.

Thirty English students and a number who sat maths have had their papers sent back after after concern over changes to grade boundaries.

The academy announced a provisional figure of 42% of students achieving five GCSEs at A*-C grades, including English and maths, but principal Andrew Salter was confident the percentage would be higher after the remarking.

He said: “Our own results under this measure this year are disappointing and not what we had predicted or expected.

“We believe that examination board boundary changes, particularly in English and Maths, have adversely affected our results in this area.

“The academy is in the process of having significant number of papers in maths and English re-marked where students are one or two marks away from the C grade boundary.

“Following these re-marks, we intend to identify where the differences between predictions and actual grades differ so that we are able to address these issues with our current Year 11 from September.”

Not including English and maths, 64% of students achieved five A*-C grades.

Bucking the national trend within science, academy students taking individual science subjects exceeded both the national A*/A results as well as the A* to C average grade performances.

With 98% of Physics and Biology students and 96% of Chemistry students achieving A* to C results, and more than half of all the students sitting these exams achieving the highest grades of A*/A.

All students studying BTEC courses achieved A* to C grades equivalent.

Students were delighted with their success – many getting the grades needed to take them on to the next stage of their education.

Bethany Piper, 16, who got a distinction-star, two As, 5Bs and a C, was delighted with her results and will be attending Felixstowe Sixth Form to study A levels.

She said: “I am really pleased – I worked quite hard and I got the grades I needed. I will be celebrating with my family tonight.”

Freya Brennan, 16, who achieved six As, four Bs and a C, and has set her sights on becoming a teacher, said: “It was hard work but I am very pleased with the results. I will be doing English language, French, chemistry and either physics or history at sixth form.”

Emma Stanbridge, 16, said: I am really happy and quite excited now about sixth form. It was a not of hard work but really worth the effort.”

Daniel Jacklin, 16 , said: “Really pleased with my results! Got the grades needed to get onto my new course in September”.

Francesca Minter, 16, was delighted to achieve three A* and six A grades. She said: “I am really, really happy. I didn’t expect to get these results as it was a really stressful time.”

Sophie Clarke, 16, and Kirsty O’Connor, 16, were both thrilled to get the grades needed for their courses at Suffolk New College – Sophie to study performing arts, and Kirsty art and design.

Sophie said: “I am really happy and excited and looking forward to the course.”