UPPER Wharfedale School students at Threshfield are celebrating "tremendous" achievements in the new look GCSE examinations.

Staff have praised them for responding remarkably well to the reformed tests in English and maths, performing equally well in both subjects at grade four and above with 86 percent of the cohort achieving the threshold, well above the national figures.

Head teacher, Andrew Taylor, said: “As with all other schools, we were very uncertain about the implications of the GCSE reforms this year.

"Although we cannot make any meaningful comparisons with previous years in English and maths, the results in the vast majority of subjects are excellent, including physical education, religious education, geography, technology and business, with students making outstanding progress.

"This is testimony to the dedication of all the teaching and support staff, to whom I owe a great deal of thanks and we congratulate all our students on their hard work and commitment.”

Chance Marsden, who achieved grade seven in English literature and maths and a further A* and two As, was delighted with his results. “I’m ecstatic!” he said. “I am now going to study sciences at A Level.”

Chris Hestletine was equally pleased and will be studying politics and economics next year. “I’m so happy. I have got the results I needed and more,” he said.