Two Woodham Academy students are celebrating success in exams sat just days after they were wounded in the Manchester terrorist attacks. Millie Robson and Laura Anderson took their GCSE English exams at home while they were still recovering from their injuries. The friends were leaving the Ariane Grande concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22 when they were hit by shrapnel from the explosion. But the year 10 students were determined to sit their exams and last week received excellent grades. Millie, who left hospital just three days before taking her exam at home: “I was really determined to do the exam. I did it with the invigilator sat in the corner. It was a lot less stressful than it would have been in the hall.”
Millie came into school to collect her result, while Laura received her’s while on holiday in Spain. Laura said: “I didn’t think twice about doing the exam. I wanted to get on with it and I’m really glad that I did – I’m really happy with the result.” Woodham Headteacher Christine Forsyth said: “We are very proud of them both. Their determination to excel in the face of adversity is a shining example to the rest of the school community.” Overall, Woodham Academy’s GCSE results are the best in the school’s history, despite the introduction of tougher new exams this year.
