BRIGHTON Hill Community School students are celebrating GCSE results after collecting them this morning.

The school’s headteacher, Chris Edwards, whose Year 11 group consisted of just 80 students, says he is “elated” with the results.

“It is amazing,” he told the Gazette on GCSE results morning.

“All the hard work that went into this cohort has paid off.

“They have worked so hard, they joined when the school was at its lowest but I’m delighted for the parents and kids who showed loyalty to the school.”

Results were up to 15% higher than last year, including in maths, where 74% of students achieved a grade of 4+.

78% of students achieved a 4+ in English and 68% achieved that grade in both core subjects.

There was also a showering of grade 9s, with 28 coming from a group of five students.

Alex Kearney said that his results went “very well”, whilst Heath Nicholson said it was “better than expected”.

Both will be heading to Queen Mary’s College next year, and will study physics, double maths and computer science.

Freya Prestidge was speechless with her results, whilst Holly Bernard was overjoyed and Emma Ilsley was ecstatic.

The three will also be attending QMC in September.

Leah Holmes was “over the moon” with her results, achieving a grade 8 in English literature, biology and French.

With the aim of going into medicine and becoming a doctor, she is studying Biology, Chemistry and Modern History next.

Headteacher Mr Edwards was hopeful that the great grades would continue, with the next year group to enter the school much bigger at 230.

Elsewhere, Combined Science results showed a 4+ rate of 76%, including twelve grade 9s.