BUCKING the national trend of a fall in grades this year, students at Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School (KLB) have earned the school’s best ever GCSE results.

The number of students earning the five A*-C grades including English and maths was up six per cent from last year to 79 per cent.

This success comes when national figures show a decline from 69 per cent to less than 67 per cent in students achieving the same benchmark.

Headteacher Andrew Harris praised the “tremendous” work of students and teachers as the school celebrated its best GCSE results ever.

“I’m very happy to see that we’ve achieved our best ever GCSE results,” Mr Harris told the Gazette. “These results will give our students a fantastic foundation to go on and achieve fantastic things.

“It’s tremendous to see the progression that has been made since these children came in at Year 7.

“Good results are down to a lot of hard work, not only from students but also from our teachers.”

Almost every student (99 per cent) achieved at least five A* to G grades and the number achieving the English baccalaureate increased from 45 per cent in the last two years to 46 per cent.

Amongst KLB’s top performers was 16-year-old Holly Hughes from Uley who was awarded 6 A* grades and 3 As.

She told the Gazette she had been nervous but “quite hopeful” prior to collecting her results.

“I was so nervous these last few days waiting to pick up my results but I was quite hopeful that I would get what I needed,” she said.

Holly will move on into sixth form at KLB to study maths, English, geography and biology.

Also one of the school’s best achievers was Robin Pillinger from Yate who earned nine A* grades and one A.

The 16-year-old who will now study psychology, music, maths and Spanish at sixth form at the school.

He said: “I’m pretty happy with my results. I was pretty confident that I would get what I needed but I’m relieved to finally have them.”