It is GCSE results day today - the day that the scores for the big set of exams that are written at 16 here are released. Depending on the results that they get, kids either leave school at this stage, or start some kind of vocational training, or enroll for their A-levels (a two year course) before going on to university.

The GCSE exams cover two years' work, so, because Steve arrived at the beginning of the second year, he had to do a lot of the work entirely on his own. Some teachers gave him extra help, some just gave him the textbook and said get on with it. Also, some of the GCSE is comprised of course-work. Everyone else did most of this last year; Steve had to do it on his own this year.

None of us - Steve included - had any idea how he would do. The teachers at his school (aside from his Religious Studies teacher, who took quite a shine to him) didn't have particularly high expectations for him (we had to fight to get them to enter him for the higher tier maths and science exams, for instance), and he didn't seem to put in as much work as Bobby and I thought he should.

However.

His results :
History : A*
English Literature : A*
English : A
Physics & Chemistry : A
Biology : A
Maths : A
Religious Studies (half course) : A
Business Studies : B
Geography : B
Food Technology : C
ICT (half-course): D

We are so proud of him! He starts his A-levels on September 7; he'll be doing Maths, English Literature, Chemistry and Photography. He's pretty excited. It's lovely to see him so happy.