Central Foundation Boys’ School (CFBS) students have bagged “excellent” results despite ‘challenging’ GCSE exams, according to their headteacher.

The new GCSEs are graded from 1 to 9, with a new top grade of 9 only being awarded to about 3per cent of students across the country. At CFBS, 7pc of all grades awarded to its students were at grade 9.

A grade 7 is set at the standard of an A grade in the old GCSEs. The school has achieved its highest ever percentage of top grades, with 34pc of all grades awarded being at 7, 8 or 9. 86pc of all grades were at grade 4 or better, which is equivalent to a C grade.

In English, 86pc of students achieved a grade 4 or above, with 33pc at grade 7, 8 or 9.

In maths, 88pc of the students achieved a grade 4 or above with 34pc achieving grade 7, 8 or 9. In the sciences, 86pc of all grades were at a grade 4 or above and 40pc of all grades in sciences were at grade 7, 8 or 9.

This “very good student performance” continued across the breadth of the curriculum with EBacc subjects “performing particularly well”, including Computing (97pc at 4-9, with 49pc at grade 8 or 9), French (96pc at grade 4 -9), Spanish (100pc at grade 4 -9) and geography (84pc at grade 4 -9). ICT results were gradesd 4-9 at 89pc. The creative faculty was well represented with art (94pc at grades 4-9) and music (88pc at grades 4-9) both scoring highly.

Headteacher Jamie Brownhill said: “It has been challenging for students and teachers to take on these new GCSEs. They are all to be congratulated for their hard work that has resulted in them achieving some very good results.

“The students now head on to the next stage of their education and whether they are joining us in our sixth form, or going on to pastures new, we wish them all the very best with the next stage of their lives.”