![Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts, the cabinet's children's lead Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts, the cabinet's children's lead Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts, the cabinet's children's lead Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
Our reporters and photographers have been out and about to capture the joy of these teenagers and their parents and teachers - whether they've bagged a glut of top scores, worked hard to overcome adversity, secured a place at college, or simply felt relief at finishing school.
We'll be bringing you stories throughout the day but for now here are some of our favourite shots from City of London Academy Highgate Hill (the old Mount Carmel Catholic Girls College) and St Aloysius' College in Archway.
It has been a year of ups and downs for St Aloysius, with the exoneration of its veteran former head Tom Mannion, who was arrested and accused of a £70,000 fraud earlier in 2018, and a week of strikes by students over what they saw as overly strict new rules, a lack of staff, and poor administration that resulted in management meeting some of the boys face to face and promising concessions.
![Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with students at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
But today 70 per cent of the students achieved the benchmark grade 4 or above in both English and maths, while 100pc of those who took physics, biology and chemistry got a 4 or above.
Executive head Jane Heffernan said: "We are exceptionally proud of all of them. The impact of these results on student lives and opportunities cannot be underestimated. I am exceptionally proud of the students' successes. The dedication shown by everyone in the school is genuinely inspirational. We are delighted to welcome so many back in September, and look forward to sharing their future achievements."
Meanwhile City of London Academy Highgate Hill is preparing to enter its third academic year since rebranding from Mount Carmel and being taken over by the academy trust, which also runs primary and secondary schools in Highbury and Canonbury.
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
The school said 58pc of students gained grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 10pc more students got grades 5 and above than last year.
Since the school became an academy, it added, the number of students achieving a 5 or above has increased by nearly 20pc.
Principal Prince Gennuh said: "We want to develop highly qualified and skilled young adults who achieve to the best of their ability and go onto support their local and global community.
![Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with Sonny Elton at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with Sonny Elton at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
Islington Council leader Cllr Richard Watts and mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail with Sonny Elton at GCSE results day 2019 at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
"Congratulations and to all students and we wish them the very best of luck in the next chapter of their lives."
Success stories included Klaudia Mitigate, who joined in Year 8 with "quite limited" spoken English, having grown up in Poland, but learnt very quickly. She became a student prefect and was named 2018 MiSST Musician of the Year. She gained two 9s, four 8s, two 7s, a 6 and a 5.
Janet Sule, another student prefect, gained three 9s, four 8s, a 7 and a 6.
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: © Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
Send my colleague Lucas your GCSE stories, good or bad: lucas.cumiskey@archant.co.uk.
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: © Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Executive headteacher Jane Heffernan, Islington children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, student Mohammed Hussin, associate headteacher Andy English and student Zaki Ibrahim-Johare. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Executive headteacher Jane Heffernan, Islington children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, student Mohammed Hussin, associate headteacher Andy English and student Zaki Ibrahim-Johare. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Executive headteacher Jane Heffernan, Islington children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, student Mohammed Hussin, associate headteacher Andy English and student Zaki Ibrahim-Johare. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill: Yanet Alemu, Klaudia Mitiajew, Martyna Zajma and Janet Sule. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill: Yanet Alemu, Klaudia Mitiajew, Martyna Zajma and Janet Sule. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill: Yanet Alemu, Klaudia Mitiajew, Martyna Zajma and Janet Sule. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Martyna, Nana Sarpong, principal Prince Gennuh and Yanet Alemu. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Martyna, Nana Sarpong, principal Prince Gennuh and Yanet Alemu. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Martyna, Nana Sarpong, principal Prince Gennuh and Yanet Alemu. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: © Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: © Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at City of London Academy Highgate Hill. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: © Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Francisco Rola Rahman, whose grades were four 9s, four 8s and two 7s. Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Francisco Rola Rahman, whose grades were four 9s, four 8s and two 7s. Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Francisco Rola Rahman, whose grades were four 9s, four 8s and two 7s. Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
![Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Zaki Ibrahim-Johare, centre, with among others mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail, children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz and council leader Cllr Richard Watts . Picture: Joshua Thurston]( "Islington Gazette: GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Zaki Ibrahim-Johare, centre, with among others mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail, children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz and council leader Cllr Richard Watts . Picture: Joshua Thurston")
GCSE results day at St Aloysius' College, Archway. Zaki Ibrahim-Johare, centre, with among others mayor Cllr Rakhia Ismail, children's chief Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz and council leader Cllr Richard Watts . Picture: Joshua Thurston (Image: � Joshua Thurston - All Rights Reserved)
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