WITH an impressive 42 per cent of grades at A* or A, staff and students at Friends’ School in Saffron Walden enjoyed sharing news of a wonderful set of GCSE results.

Once again, the school recorded a 100 per cent pass rate, with 90 per cent of those grades at A*-C.

Of the students in the year 96% achieved five or more ‘passes’ at A*-C; 83 per cent of students passed five or more subjects at A*-C including maths and English.

Reflecting on the best ever GCSE results achieved by the school, headteacher Graham Wigley said: “We have always known that this year’s cohort are a gifted bunch, but I think they will have surprised even themselves.

“There are so many individual success stories from top students such as Lizzie Cooke and Callum Fleming who have both achieved 10 or 11 A and A* grades, to those of more modest talents who have really done themselves proud.

“A more unusual but revealing statistic is that 87 per cent of the year gained an A grade in at least one subject, which is an incredible achievement.

“I’m proud of them all and look forward to seeing them capitalising on their GCSEs in the sixth form next term.”