IT WAS another successful year for Marling School with 98 per cent of students scoring five or more A* to C grades in their GCSEs.

There were many individual success stories with 21 students earning 10 or more A* to A grades and 72 getting the same amount of A* to Bs.

Among the highest achievers was 16-year-old Jack Aspinall, from Forest Green, who gained five A*s and seven As.

"I am shocked because I wasn’t expecting to get an A* in German," said Jack, who begins his A-level studies in maths, further maths, physics, chemistry and history at Marling School Sixth Form next month.

"I had a £100 bet with my mum in case I failed it so she is going to be pleased but not very happy at the same time."

Joining him at sixth form to study maths, physics, chemistry and geography is 16-year-old Luke Bloodworth, from Brimscombe, whose hard work earned him six A*s and five As.

"I want to be an engineer so it was important that I did well," he said.

Also collecting results on Thursday were friends Toby Burgess and Tom Davies.

Toby, 16, from Frampton on Severn, achieved seven A*s, four As and one B and will now go on to study biology, chemistry, physics and physical education at Marling School Sixth Form.

"I was very nervous this morning because lots of work went into these exams and I was revising all the time," he said.

Tom, 16, from Nailsworth, couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he found out he had achieved seven A*s, five As and two Bs.

"I am actually in shock, I don’t know how I did it," he said.

"I did my best and that’s all you can do so I am extremely happy."

Headteacher, Dr Stuart Wilson, said: "These are a fabulous set of results and the boys thoroughly deserve their success.

"This year Ofqual has been warning that students need to perform at a higher standard to achieve the same grades.

"This has been unsettling for our students, staff and parents so I am delighted for the boys that their hard work has paid off."