Art star Emma receives country’s top marks

Emma Makin, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, only learned she’d scored 200/200 in her GCSE when she arrived at Bradford Grammar School (BGS) and her delighted art teacher, Sarah Horsfield, let her know. In addition to a 9 in Art, the talented 16-year-old also found she’d gained three 9s, four 8s and two 7s in the rest of her GCSEs.

Said Emma: “I’m so happy. I’ve always enjoyed art, but I didn’t know if I was going to pursue it at A Level until I chatted with another student. Then I received the news of full marks and now I’m definitely going to study it.”

Emma said she’d had to work incredibly hard to keep up with her studies after she ended up in hospital having her appendix removed just before Christmas.

“At the time, it was stressful and agony to go through. Doctors didn’t pick it up straight away as my appendix was in the wrong place which complicated things,” she said.

“I then had to recover from the operation and try to catch up with work. I think I just pushed myself harder because I’d missed school. The results today though make everything worthwhile! I’ve really enjoyed art at BGS and the way they push you in your creative process.”

Emma Makin (Image: BGS)

Emma described her GCSE work as industrial, built around the themes of war and family. She will now pursue A Levels in Art, Physics and Maths with another one to be confirmed.

Sarah Horsfield, Head of Art at BGS, said it was very difficult to gain full marks and very few had achieved it in their Art results in more than two decades teaching at the school.

She said: “Emma’s work is beautiful. She’s shown great dedication and has got the best out of all her work because she’s driven by her interests,” she said. “She loves research and history and she loves her family. It’s not about what I can teach her it’s about nurturing her natural interests. I’m so pleased for her and that she’s planning to study Art in the Sixth Form.”