EAGER students started to queue outside the hall entrance at John of Gaunt to collect their GCSE results this morning.

A total of 56 per cent of students achieved five A*-C grades including English and maths plus 59 per cent of students reaching the new basics measure of an A*-C grade in English and maths.

One student who achieved above and beyond what they expected was Caitlin Wosika who bagged herself eight A*s and three As.

The 16-year-old said: “It is such a relief to know what we’ve got and I’m now going to go to sixth form at Beechen Cliff. I think I’m going to be in shock for a while.”

Fellow student Chris Moore achieved two A*s, five As and three Bs. He said: “To be honest, I wanted a couple more A*s particularly in maths but I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

As well as improved GCSE results, the school also saw a rise in the proportion of students achieving the English Baccalaureate at 26 per cent, which was above the 2015 national average.

Headteacher, Mike Gunston, said: “Our students worked extremely hard and very much deserve their successes. Our staff deserve high praise for their efforts and I’d like to thank the parents for their ongoing support. These results are a further demonstration of the continued improvements the school is making.”