Students, staff and parents have been celebrating at Bower Park Academy today after receiving their GCSE results.

Delighted head teacher Mary Morrison congratulated students and staff.

She said the school had seen a “significant increase” in the number of A*s and As being awarded to pupils.

“This has been the result of a relentless focus on pushing our more able students,” she said.

Overall, 12 per cent of students achieved five or more A*s and As and almost a third achieved five or more A* to B grades.

There were also outstanding individual performances, with a number of students getting all A* and A grades across a broad range of subject areas.

The school also paid tribute to its former pupils who had gone on to success in sixth form after leaving the school.

Former head girl Alice Porter, who continued at the Henrietta Barnet School, has been offered a place at Cambridge University to read Geography after getting and A* and two As in her A-levels – including full marks in Geography.

Current head girl Rachel Farguson continued the trend of exceptional performance by achieving nine A*s and four As.

Top boy was Mark Pickett with 8A* and 4As.’

Richard Shaw, chair of the governing body, said: “The academy offers a wide and varied curriculum to suit the needs of all students.

“The introduction of triple science has enabled students to really focus on the individual science subjects and opened further opportunities post Bower Park.

“The drama department continue to maintain high standards with 11 students achieving LAMDA qualifications following on from the A* and A grades achieved in Year 10. Two of the students achieved distinctions in these qualifications.”