THIS year’s GCSE exams have been coined as tough but for Harrow Way students there was still plenty to smile about.

In English 74 per cent of students achieved grade 9 to 4, slightly down on 81 per cent from last year, and in maths 70 per cent of pupils gained 9 to 4, and 73 per cent celebrated their success in combined science.

Headteacher Michael Serridge said: “This new exam regime is tough! Yet despite a lot of pressure I am immensely proud that our students showed resilience and worked incredibly hard to deliver an excellent set of GCSE results.”

One student Jed Trengove achieved four 9s, two 8s and two 7s, he said: “I am very happy, a few of the grades are what I was hoping for, in English I didn’t think I would get a 7.

“There was a lot of revision throughout the year and a few late-night revision sessions.”

Jed will now study maths, further maths and psychology at Peter Symonds, in Winchester.

Also celebrating was Jess Tarbart, who gained two 9s in English literature and language, two 8s and eight 7s. She said: “I am very happy – quite surprised, I thought I would do worse than this. I did work quite hard to get these so I am very happy.”

Jess is going onto study at Andover College.