Colyton Grammar School students excel at A-level and buck the national trend

• 66% of students have achieved A and A* grades, against the national average of 25.5%
• Overall, 87.1% achieved grades from A* to B
• An Exmouth student will study architecture at Cambridge
• An improvement on last year's results, bucking the national trend
• 9 students hold offers for Oxbridge
• 5 students have places for medical and veterinary schools

Students from Colyton Grammar School (CGS) have again achieved excellent A-level results, far outstripping the national average for A and A* grades.

Some 66% of students achieved A and A* grades, compared with the national average of 25.5%. Overall, 87.1% achieved grades from A* to B, with the school outperforming its results from last year and bucking the national trend.

Fourteen CGS students obtained an astonishing four A* grades. Nine students are holding offers from Oxbridge, and a further five have places on medical and veterinarian courses including Fern Acheson from Exmouth, who will study architecture at Cambridge. In all, some 105 CGS students sat A-level examinations in a range of subjects.

Although every subject area performed very well there are some remarkable outcomes in some areas. In English Literature, History, Fine Art and Psychology more than 90% of students obtained either an A* or an A grade. In Mathematics 60% earned an A*/A grade. In Economics, Design and Technology, French, Further Maths, German, Religious Education and the Extended Project Qualification, 100% of students achieved grades from A* to B. These results not only illustrate the fact that CGS is a leading school for scholarship but also that its standards are very high across a large range of subjects.

Tim Harris, Headteacher at CGS, commented: "My congratulations go to our students and my colleagues - this is a wonderful achievement and I am delighted with yet another fantastic set of A-level results. This year's results are even more impressive as they have been obtained against a backdrop of significant curriculum reform with the return to linear examinations and turbulence in the A-level educational landscape. This success is due to the resilience and hard work of students and school staff. Also, I am indebted to the tremendous support of our parents. It is through this partnership and mutual trust that such outstanding results can be achieved."

He added: "I am particularly heartened by our results in Modern Foreign Languages, an area which has come under pressure nationally this year, and in the Extended Project Qualification which is highly-regarded by universities."

CGS remains committed to providing high quality post-16 education within East Devon, with plans to increase its sixth-form to allow more local students to prepare for A-level and beyond. It is furthering its commitment to Modern Foreign Languages by adding Mandarin to its curriculum from this September.