Half of all students at Felsted School students got A* and As in their GCSEs for the first time.

Hannah Barratt was the school’s top performer, achieving 11 A*s and 2 As. The academic and drama scholar will study German, French, History, English and Latin for A-level and intends to red modern foreign languages at university.

Other significant mentions go to Lara Peck and Tom Carrington, both 10 A*s, Angus Muir with nine A*s and an A, Georgina Stevens and Matthew Morley-Jacob with eight A*s and two As apiece.

Hockey player Lara will go on to study economics, maths, chemistry and Latin in pursuit of a career in law.

Of the 97 students who sat exams this summer, 93 per cent achieved five A*-Cs, including maths and English.

Headmaster Chris Townsend said: “I am hugely proud of the efforts of this group of students and their teachers, as they have become the first ever year group from Felsted to top 50 per cent A and A* grades at GCSE. This means that more than one in two of every GCSE exams taken achieved at least an A grade.

“A remarkable twenty students have achieved at least 8 A/A* grades, and eleven students achieved a full set of A/A* grades. There is no secret formula to this success – it is based on the hard work of students and teachers, supported by parents and pastoral teams at Felsted. It is particularly pleasing to see this level of academic performance alongside all the many other things that the School continues to do to such a high level, including music, drama, sport and service.”