FOREST schools have shone again, posting great GCSE results - with Ringwood School bucking the national trend with its best ever results.

Seventy per cent of its students got five A*- C grades, including English and maths.

There was an 84 per cent A*-C pass rate in maths, when the national average is 63 per cent, and 79 per cent in English language, where the national average is 61.4 per cent.

An amazing 56 students achieved five or more A*-A grades, with the top 11 students achieving ten or more – Samuel Whittingham, Lucy Waterman, Callum Salisbury, Bryher Rose, Maxwell Grant-Walker, Robert Fisher, Matthew Fenwick, Matthew Davies, Rebecca Darcy, Olivia Cornwell and Rebecca Andrews.

Students studying vocational subjects achieved a 100 per cent success rate. Headteacher Christina Edwards said: “Students have matched and in many cases exceeded our expectations.

“We take great pride in being a true comprehensive school and I am delighted with the success of every single student.

“My congratulations go to all the students who have worked so hard over the past two years to achieve these excellent results. My thanks also go to the staff for their dedication and commitment in helping every student to achieve success and to our parents for their continuing support.”

The Burgate School achieved its second best set of results in the last five years, with 77 per cent of students gaining five or more passes at grades A*- C.

Maths results were good, with 83 per cent of students gaining grades A*-C, despite being the first cohort only allowed to sit the examination once, due to in-year government policy changes.

Science and humanities subjects also performed particularly well, with results about 20 per cent above the national average.

However, the national dip in English grades has affected the school’s overall results, with 66 per cent of students gaining five A*-C passes including both English and maths, not including any resits or iGCSEs. Nearly a third of students achieved the English Baccalaureate, which includes A*- C grades in English, maths, science, languages and humanities.

Headteacher David Pover said: "This cohort has seen the greatest number of political changes to the education system for as long as I can remember.

“Despite this, they have performed brilliantly in key subjects such as maths, science and history.

“Changes to the way English grades have been awarded this year have undoubtedly affected our overall result, but this definitely does not take the shine off the wonderful achievement of our students.

“I am proud that they have the grades to progress to their chosen courses. Congratulations and well done to all involved.”

This year, the school also increased the percentage of students achieving five A*- A grades by five per cent to 21 per cent.

Six students of particular note attained all grades A*- A, including head girl Natasha Wale(5A* 6A), Ellen Bradley (6A* 5A), David Handscomb (7A* 4A), Toby Bottomley (6A* 5A), Emily Bufton-Taylor (6A* 5A) and Joseph Nobes (6A* 5A).

Further success stories include Omer Cetin, James Hiles, Jessica Hirst, Holly Tritschler and Adam Cheney, who all gained a significant number of top grades.