PUPILS at King Alfred’s Specialist Sports College, Wantage, are again celebrating record GCSE results.

For the ninth year in a row, the number of pupils attaining five A*-C grades increased, reaching 92.5% in 2010 from 85.3 per cent last year.

The number gaining five A*-C grades including English and maths increased to 64.2 per cent from 58.9 per cent.

Thirty-seven pupils got seven or more A* or A grade GCSE or BTEC equivalent grades. Imisioluwa Adefala, Benjamin Ayre, Jack Barton, Francesca Claydon, Alexander Evans, Martha Powell and George Rimmer all got ten or more A* or A grades.

Principal Nick Young said “This group of students is the first who have taken a shortened two-year Key Stage Three as we focus on deepening students’ skills and understanding at Key Stage Four and Five in preparation for GCSE and A-levels.” Megan Alexander and Francesca Claydon, who recently achieved national selection in football and team gymnastics respectively, both gained five or more A grades. More than 60 of the school’s Year 11 students were celebrating for the second successive week, having received excellent AS results last week. They completed science GCSEs in Year 10 and began an accelerated A-level programme.