STROUD High School headteacher Tim Withers said he was delighted with this year's GCSE results after 100 per cent of students achieved five or more A* to C grades.

More than 75 per cent of marks were at the highest A* to A threshold, while 98 per cent of the girls achieved A* to C grades across the board, meaning very few students fell below this standard. "This particular cohort is a special one for me since they are the students that I welcomed to the school in 2007 as the newly appointed head," said Mr Withers.

"This set of grades is the result of a lot of hard work by our students, with some very solid support both within and outside of school." Twins Phoebe and Hannah Loe, both 16, from Amberley certainly had cause for celebration after the pair gained five A*s, 15 As, two Bs and a C between them.

"We both worked really hard and sometimes helped each other revise," said Hannah, who, like her sister, is currently finalising which subjects to study at Stroud High sixth form from September.

Joining them to study biology, chemistry, history and English literature will be 16-year-old India Wright from Ashley, near Tetbury, who achieved an incredible four A*s and seven As.

"I did not believe it when I opened my results," she said.

"I thought I was going to get at least one A but when I saw what I did get I was overwhelmed."

Classmate Marnie Grant, 16, from Cirencester, was given all the confidence she needed to study economics, German, psychology and chemistry at Cirencester College with her four A*s, six As and one B under her belt. Another high achiever was 16-year-old Ruby Goddard from Longney, who overcame her nervousness in exams to secure a superb eight A*s and two As.

"I am ecstatic," said Ruby, who will study English literature, psychology, politics and either history or geography at Stroud High sixth form.

"I honestly did not expect this."