STAFF BLOG: The results day moments I'll always treasure

This results day photograph captures one of the favourite moments of teacher LEE LYONS's career. As our recent A-level and GCSE students embark on the next stage of their education, she reflects on the highs and lows of results day for the staff who invest so much in our students, willing them all to achieve their very best and helping them follow their dreams

I'M always nervous about results days. It starts the day before and stays with me until I check the results, logging on at 7am when the online system opens up. I can't wait until I get into school.

I find it all, particularly A-level results day, quite emotional. I feel pride in my students' achievements, disappointment for some, excitement for those who have overachieved and/or are going on to do amazing things and happiness in seeing students again after a long break, tinged with sadness that this part of our journey together has come to an end.

After six years at RGS, having taught two of my recent A-level group for five years, that is just getting harder. As well as teaching A-level, I am a sixth form tutor so am doubly invested. As at GCSE, we will have taught our groups for two years (if not longer).

In my head they are 'my' students. I have invested in them and, particularly at A-level where we have smaller groups, I have got to know them well - their strengths and weaknesses, their aims and who they are as people.

I want my students to achieve what I believe them to be capable of, to obtain a result that allows them to go on to do what want to do next, to feel like they have achieved something and to be proud of themselves.

At AS, I worry about those students who might not have done as well as they wanted and what that will do to their confidence. Will they still want to continue at A-level? We always lose one or two students between AS and A-level, and it's often hard not to be disappointed when they don't continue, no matter how much I understand their motivations for doing so.

The A* grades are always special, particularly in languages where they are hard come by and always extremely well deserved. But there is nothing that makes me prouder than seeing a dedicated student get the grade they have worked so hard for.

One such student, disappointed by her setting in Year 9, worked tirelessly all the way through to do well at A-level and is now studying French at university.

I love it when a student comes over to say thank you or give me a hug and the hug in the photo has to be one of the loveliest moments in my seven years of results days, but there are always proud and happy moments.

I joke that I am in teaching as a result of an early mid-life crisis. After seven years in marketing, I was no longer satisfied with what I was doing, and the idea of teaching (something that I was never, ever going to do or so I thought aged 18), suddenly took hold.

Two years later, I made the leap to study for my PGCE and I've never looked back. Like any profession, there are days where it feels like a bit of a slog, but I genuinely love what I do.

Sharing my love of languages and making a difference is the best job ever. Celebrating students' achievements is fantastic, but nothing compares to the heartfelt thanks of a student who recognises that you've tried to do your best for them and stood in their corner.

Those are the moments, the notes and the cards, that I treasure, especially on the hard days.