FORM Five pupils and parents joined staff at Ditcham Park School to celebrate the excellent GCSE results of 2020 – despite the pandemic.

Headmaster Graham Spawforth said: “I send heartfelt congratulations to all our pupils who have achieved excellent results having experienced the most unusual final school term.

“Our pupils’ achievements are fully deserved and are testament to the tremendous efforts they’ve made, supported by our excellent teaching staff.

“I am delighted our students have obtained grades which reflect this hard work and their talents.

“These grades are despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the exam process; this impact has been stressful for students and teachers.

“I am proud this year’s results build on the strong results achieved in 2018 and 2019 and that the 2020 results continue an upward trend in pass rate and value added.

“As our Form Five students begin their next chapter, it gives me the very greatest pleasure to send each student, on behalf of the entire team at Ditcham, our very best wishes for the future.

“I know they will go out into the world with the skills and the confidence to make a positive impact and improve it. We are really looking forward welcoming them back for a proper celebration as soon as it’s possible.”

The headline GCSE exam results for Ditcham Park School in 2020 were 42 per cent of all grades were between nine and seven, 65 per cent were between nine and six, and 99 per cent of all grades were between nine and four.

Ditcham Park School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged from two-and-half to 16. It is located in the South Downs National Park just outside Petersfield.