Students at Jewish schools were again tasting the joys of success after today's GCSE results were declared.
Nationally, the Joint Council for Qualifications said the picture was stable this year with a slight increase in grades 9 to 7/A* to A and 9 to 4/A* to C grades. The top 9 to 7 and A* to A results edged up from 20.5 per cent to 20.8 per cent.
But after last week's best A-level return, Immanuel College was breaking school records again with 49 per cent of GCSEs producing A*s or the top two 9 and 8 grades - under the new numerical system introduced two years ago.
Gideon Futerman, Raquel Menashe and Sarah Root enjoyed a clean sweep of grade 9 and A*s in all their subjects.
More than a quarter were at A* or 9, with 70 per cent A* to A or 9 to 7 - and 97 per cent at A* to C or 9 to 4.
Gary Griffin, headmaster of the fee-paying college in Bushey, congratulated his year-11s on receiving “such an excellent set of results, which continue to break college records. We look forward to welcoming students back to embark on their A-level courses in September.”
At Yavneh College in Borehamwood, headtecher Spencis Lewis welcomed “another fantastic set” of results with 44 per cent of grades from nine to 7 and 91 per cent at grade 4 or above.
As well as GCSEs, Mr Lewis was “extremely proud of those pupils who have taken vocational courses in business studies, PE and digital media and done incredibly well”.
Leading Yavneh’s GCSE pack were Joshua Angel and Georgia Reback with eight 9s and two 8s, closely followed by Gabrielle Adda with eight 9s and one 8; Georgia Fishman, Zev Grunwald and Sam Wagman collected seven 9s and two 8s; and Talia Rabinowitz and Jessica Kosky six 9s and four 8s.
At Kantor King Solomon High School in Redbridge, headtecher Hannele Reece said she was delighted" at the school's "amazing success", maintaining the progress over the past two years.
While over 87 per cent gained passes in maths and 75 per cent in English, Jewish studies again proved a strength with over 35 per cent achieving grades 9 to 7; in modern languages, 45 per cent of exams were passed at the top three grades.
Manoor Afseh and Ayra Tariq achieve nine 9s and one eight, while top-performing Jewish pupil Abi Marcovitch secured five 9s, two eights and three 7s.
The results, Ms Reece said, were "testament to the focus, determination, skill and tenacity of our teaching staff and our students. It has been a difficult year for many of our year 11 students and I am tremendously proud of the whole year group".
At JFS, 46 per cent of students acheived grades 9 to 7, of which 28 per cent were grades 8 or above.
Headteacher Rachel Fink said the results were the "culmination of the collective hard work or our students and staff together with support from home.
"I am deeply proud of all our students who have shown such commitment to their studies as a step towards their future goals.
Whilst many JFS students attained a "clean sweep" of top grades, Ms Fink said the school had decided not to name individuals to "promote positive wellbeing".
At JCoSS in Barnet, half of all results were grade 7 or higher, with 32 per cent grade 8, 9 or A*, and 18 per cent grade 9.
Tom Mosseri, Lucy Ritter and David Robertson all received nine grade 9s and an A* distinction (awarded for further maths), closely followed by Tammy Berlinsky who received nine grade 9's and one A*.
Headteacher Mr Moriarty said he was "delighted" by the results, and that students' "hard work and resilience, married to the expertise and care of their teachers, have enabled them to meet the increased challenges of new specifications with flair.
"I am exceptionally proud of students and colleagues alike."
At Hasmonean High School in Barnet - now divided formally into boys' and girls's schools - over half of all GCSE grades were at the top grades (9 to 7 or A* to A) for the eighth year in succession. Both boys and girls passed 53 per cent of their exams at 9 to 7 or A* to A.
Eleven boys and ten girls gained eight or more GCSEs at 9,8 or A*
In science and art, 100 per cent of entries were awarded grades 9 to 7.
Biny Bloom, who achieved nine grade 9s and two 8s, said he was "absolutely delighted" with the results.
Libby Levey was "absolutely over the moon - and more than a little surprised" with eleven GCSEs at 9,8 or A*. “I could never have achieved it without the support and encouragement of my incredible teachers," she said.
Andrew McClusky, chief executive of Hasmonean's new Multi-Academy Trust, which governs both schools, said it was "wonderful to see both our brightest students and those who find academic study more challenging achieve excellent results.Their devotion to secular and religious studies is wonderful to behold."
King David High School in Manchester celebrated 29 percent of all grades being 8 to 9 or A*, with 45 per cent at 7 or A and above
Its leading academic lights included Amelia Berkeley, Devorah Moise, Nechemya Rosenzweig and Hadassa Schwinger who achieved eleven grades at 9 to 7 or A* to and Debbie Bitan, Deborah Denderowicz, Orli Edwards, Woody Jeffay and Emily Mocton who achieved ten at 9 to 7 or A* to A.
King David Chair of Governors Joshua Rowe said he was "so pleased" for all pupils.
"Although we publish a list of best performers," he said, "we value all our pupils and celebrate all their achievements equally."
At Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, almost three quarters of all grades were 8 to 9 or A*, with 23 per cent of students achieving 10 or more grades 8, 9 and A*.
Max Joseph, who is member of the Habs Jewish Society and recently returned from a tour of Israel, received 10 straight 9/A*. “I am over the moon with my results," he said.
Headteacher Gus Lock congratulated pupils for their "exceptional" results, which he said would provide a "firm foundation for further success".
Board of Deputies vice-president Edwin Shuker, sent a mazeltov to "pupils, teachers and schools for all your hard work."
But he called the drop in modern Hebrew entries from 750 in 2018 to 378 this year "concerning", compared to "an otherwise upward trend of modern foreign languages."
