Hard work, determination and resilience.

That’s what Year 11 students at Horndean Technology College have shown as the class of 2025 returned for GCSE results day.

A decent 73 per cent of students at the Barton Cross school achieved a standard pass – a grade 4 to 9 – in both English and Mathematics.

And the average grade across eight subjects was only marginally below a 5, with headteacher Julie Summerfield calling the results a “fantastic accomplishment”.

She said: “It shows that students and staff have worked hard and are continually maintaining high standards, ensuring that progress made in English and Maths supports all learners.

“This achievement is brilliant, despite all the hurdles that were thrown at them, they came through strong, met the challenges head on, learnt from their mistakes and performed when it mattered the most.

“We are extremely proud of these results as they demonstrate the excellence that both students, parents and staff have achieved together.”