Adult and young Exeter College learners celebrate brilliant GCSE achievements 

Adults and young people are celebrating their brilliant GCSE results at Exeter College after learners discovered the outcome of their studies. 

Over 200 adult learners studied a part-time GCSE qualification at Exeter College during the 2025/26 academic year, with many attending evening classes or studying alongside other work and life commitments to gain their qualifications in one of the three GCSE subjects offered by the College.  

Adults enrol on GCSE courses at Exeter College for a range of reasons. These include allowing them to progress in their careers, meeting the requirements of their existing jobs and gaining the qualifications needed to study a higher education course. For the majority of Exeter College’s Adult GCSE English learners, English isn’t their first language, which highlights the significant progress they’ve made. 

An incredible 80% of adult learners studying Biology GCSE achieved a grade four or above, with two securing a grade nine. In English and Maths over 50% of adult learners achieved a grade 4-9, respectively a staggering 24.7% and 18.8% ahead of the latest national average.  

John Laramy CBE DL, Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group Principal and CEO, said: 

“There is much to celebrate in this year’s results. For young people retaking the critical subjects of Maths and English, students achieved results ahead of the national averages for both subjects. But it’s in the progress data that our students really shine, where in the last published data Exeter College students were in the top ten nationally for both Maths and English. 

“This year also saw our adult learners achieve truly outstanding results, and I would like to thank all the staff involved in our Maths and English delivery and congratulate the students!” 

Sam Hillman, Exeter College Vice Principal, said: 

“Huge congratulations to all our GCSE learners, we are all incredibly proud of you. Our learner’s progress in Maths and English is exceptional, and their amazing results are a testament to their hard work and determination. A big thank you as well to all our brilliant and dedicated staff for the support they have provided to learners throughout their GCSE journey.” 

Jon Hardy, Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group Director of Professional Adult Learning, said:  

“We are so proud of our adult students who decided to return to education and give themselves a chance at a better life and better chances with a GCSE qualification in English or Maths.  

“Juggling a busy life alongside study is not easy, but we know how rewarding it is, not just now on results day, but for the rest of their lives. These qualifications open the door to fantastic new opportunities.” 

Becky Tout studied GCSE Maths while working at Exeter College in the Learning Support department. Becky was ecstatic and relieved to learn she’d passed, earning a grade 4. Rebecca said:  

“I’m really pleased. I’m so relieved. I honestly didn’t think I’d passed it. My teacher called me and asked if I wanted the results, and when she told me, I was ecstatic.  

“I feel I’ve been really lucky to be in a position to study and work at the same time. Work have been amazing in supporting that and now I’ll be able to better support students by having a better understanding of Maths.  

“My teacher was amazing, I cannot fault her at all, she was brilliant. There were some tricky moments throughout the year, but she was brilliant. I feel really, really lucky.  

“I have an eight-year-old son, so sometimes revising would be a little bit tricky, but now I’ve got that foundation of knowledge, I can also help him going forward as well as the students at the College.” 

Donna Rooke studied GCSE English part-time alongside working in the NHS as a Healthcare Assistant. Donna said: 

“I’m very excited, very relieved I don’t have to take it again. I needed to get my English GCSE so I can move up to the next level at work. Hopefully having this will open a lot more doors and help me spread my wings at the hospital and do different courses. 

“The teaching (at Exeter College) is really good. They’re very understanding and very supporting. If you get nervous, they take time out to help you or point you in the right direction where you can get one-on-one help.  

“I’d say to anyone thinking about doing one of these subjects to definitely go for it. Take that huge step, it’s definitely worth it in the end. It just builds up your confidence, and you get to meet new people.” 

Sarah Yonwin was an adult GCSE Maths learner. Sarah has learning disabilities, and after struggling at other Colleges, she came to Exeter with the help of Nala, her support dog, and successfully achieved her Maths GCSE. Sarah said: 

“When I found out I was excited. I haven’t told my boyfriend yet, but I’m really pleased! It was just amazing, especially with my teacher Krisztina, she’s amazing, and my mum, to have that support is just brilliant. To celebrate I’m going to have a couple of milkshakes with my mum and then have a play with my support dog Nala.  

“No matter what your disability is, you can always achieve it, and you can do it, even if you are labelled. When you have so many people say you couldn’t do it, you want to prove them wrong. The thing is to have a really amazing support network, and mine was my mum. When you get that one person who says, come on, you can do it, you’ll get the result at the end of it.”  

The results also brought success to young people who resat GCSE English Language, GCSE Maths, or both alongside their full-time further education studies. 

More than 270 Exeter College learners passed their English resit, while 230 passed their Maths resit. The College’s English resit pass rate was more than 5% above the national average, while its Maths resit pass rate exceeded the national average by more than 4%. 

GCSE qualifications in English and Maths are crucial to young people’s future education and employment opportunities, and supporting learners to achieve these qualifications is a key priority for Exeter College. 

This year’s above-national-average results for English and Maths GCSE resits build on the College’s strong track record of supporting further education learners who do not yet have these qualifications. Exeter College was recently named as one of the top ten further education colleges in England for progressing GCSE English and Maths grades, and it also ranked in the top three for progress made by vulnerable learners. 

Learners who arrive at Exeter College without these qualifications have access to specialist teaching alongside their main programme of study. This support focuses on building confidence, developing essential skills and helping learners achieve their GCSEs. 

Applications are still open for GCSE English and Maths for this coming academic year. Apply here.