Among the many celebrating exam successes at a WNAT school this year were a group of genuine ‘star students’.

The seven GCSE Astronomy students at Springwood High School in King’s Lynn attained impressive results in their subject, with one receiving an ‘out-of-this-world’ Grade 9.

High-achieving Grace Dickson was only the second student at the school, post-Covid, to be awarded a 9, while her classmates also did exceptionally well in the subject.

Antoni Ostasz, Cherry Yu, Methumless Kulasinge, and Hui Yu all achieved Grade 8s; while Jack Higgins received a 7; and Nyasha Tarungamiswa gained a Grade 5.

“Our first cohort began the course in 2019,” said Physics Teacher Garry Angus, who teaches the course alongside Springwood’s Head of Physics, Matt Adcock.

“They would have sat exams in June 2021, but the pandemic struck, so they got teacher-assessed grades. Our first set of genuine GCSE Astronomy results were awarded in 2022.”

“On average, around eight students sit the final exams each year,” he explained. “They start at the beginning of Year 9, and sit the two GCSE Astronomy exam papers at the end of Year 10, which adds extra challenge, since they don’t have the additional year of Maths and Science that most other students sitting those exams have.

“Many of the students who study GCSE Astronomy go on to study Physics and Maths at Springwood Sixth Form. Many have gone on to study Science at university.”

Topics covered in the syllabus include the history of Astronomy; different types of telescope; the evolution of stars and how the Sun will evolve; the surface of the Moon and phases of the Moon; the Milky Way and other galaxies; the evidence for the Big Bang and the evolution of the Universe; and the history of space missions and what the future might hold.

“It gives all students the chance to learn to appreciate some of the most interesting phenomena out there, like eclipses, comets, the seasons, and why the sky looks different from other places on the Earth,” continued Dr Angus.

“It also gives our high achievers a chance to grapple with something extremely challenging.

“Their incredible grades are a testament to their hard work and dedication to comprehend an immensely complicated series of topics.”

“I found doing the Astronomy GCSE a great way of exploring a subject I am very interested in,” said Jack. “It is also a great thing to have when applying for Oxford and Cambridge, as it makes you stand out.”

“I really enjoyed GCSE Astronomy,” agreed Methumlee. “It has given me valuable skills and confidence that will help me with the rest of my GCSEs.

“It was tough at times, but with support from my wonderful teachers, and a lot of hard work, I achieved more than I thought was possible. Overall, it was a brilliant experience.”

“I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to study GCSE Astronomy,” added Hui. “It has opened my eyes to the universe we live in – learning about stars, galaxies, and cosmology has been very interesting and insightful.

“I believe it’s also given me an edge in university applications. I would like to thank Mr Adcock and Dr Angus for the support and guidance they have provided in every step of the journey.”