Pupil hit by car among GCSE success stories at academy

A teenager who was hit by a car on his way to school was among the success stories as an academy recorded its “best ever progress” at GCSE level.

Open Academy graduate Oskar Wyszynski was in the first year of his GCSE studies when he was knocked off his bicycle on his way to school, leaving him with nasty grazes and concussion.

He missed a fortnight of lessons as a result – and it was during this school year he decided to turn his academic career around.

He said: “In my first few years at school I just could never really concentrate. I was hyper-interested in space, but I just wasn’t interested in anything else and just messed around.

“During lockdown, I would wake up at 12pm, then just play video games, so I missed a lot of lessons. But then, in year 10, I decided to just turn things around.”

The 16-year-old buckled down and came away with passing grades in all of his studies, including five level 7s – the equivalent of an A.

Open Academy’s most improved pupil, Adrian Colcer – Credit: Archant

Fellow student Adrian Colcer came away with level 9 – the top grade – in maths and further maths, along with five grade 8s, three grade 7s and one grade 5.

He saw the greatest amount of progress from when he arrived at the school of all its pupils.

He said: “The last two years were really stressful and I was the first person in my family to get Covid, but being able to come back afterwards was a real turning point for me.”

Open Academy pupils Scarlett Taylor and Kamile Reginaite – Credit: Ian Fisher

It is reaching this type of student that the Heartsease academy, which is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education Trust, prides itself on.

Principal Jon Ford said introducing an extra, optional period to the school day had made a real difference for pupils, as it allowed them extra opportunity to make up for lost time during the pandemic. He said the majority of the students took on the option.

Jon Ford, principal of Open Academy Norwich. – Credit: DNEAT

He said: “We can be doubly proud of these results as they should achieve our best-ever progress figures, so we are celebrating a new high for the Academy. With some fantastic individual performances and some excellent progress journeys we could not be happier for our students and the success they have achieved.”