ROOKWOOD School’s largest Year 11 cohort followed in tradition to produce an “excellent” set of GCSE results.

The school maintained its high standards with 96 per cent students gaining five or more GCSEs at grade 4 or higher - equivalent to the old grade C, and in science there was success as almost half (48 per cent) of all grades were 7 or higher.

Anthony Kirk-Burgess, headmaster, said: “I am delighted with another bumper year of excellent GCSE results for Rookwood School. This is down to the hard work of the students and their teachers, and a reflection of the school’s dedication to academic and pastoral excellence.”

One of those who achieved particularly well was Yaviin Jayasama gaining four 9s, four 8s, a 7, plus an A* in further maths - an award only given to the top 5 per cent in the country.

He said: “I am really pleased, I was hoping for four 9s and I got them. It was a lot of hard work.”

Yaviin will now go onto Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury.

Also in high spirits was Luke Rea, who achieved two 9s, five 8s, a 7 and an A* in ICT.

Luke, who picked up his results with his proud parents, said: “I knew if I put in the work I would come out with what I wanted, so I am very happy.”

He will now go onto study history, economics, music and maths at Queen Mary’s College, in Basingstoke.