THIS year’s cohort of GCSE students at Friends’ School achieved results very much in line with expectations.

Headteacher Graham Wigley said: “While it was always going to be a tall order to match last year’s record grades, gifted pupils such as Charlotte Crome, George Irwin and others can celebrate their A* and A grades with pride, as can those pupils whose ambitions were more modest but who have achieved grades that reflect the hard work that they have put in.”

This year the school achieved a 99.99 per cent pass rate, with 25pc of grades at A* and A.

73pc achieving five or more A*-C grades and 57pc of pupils gaining five A*-C including maths and English.