AMIDST the turmoil of a headteacher's resignation over budget cuts one school has secured a near 100 per cent pass rate. 

A Level students at The Forest School in Winnersh achieved 99.7 per cent A to E grades, just one student away from a perfect score. 

The strong return comes two weeks before headteacher Mary Sandell is due to step down following her shock resignation in February. 

At the time Mrs Sandell said: "I would like to be able to say that I am taking early retirement, but that simply isn't true.

“The situation with regard to schools funding, both nationally and locally, is bleak: in common with other headteachers.

“I did not enter the teaching profession to make cuts that narrow the curriculum, or to reduce the number of teachers and increase the class size."

Her anger over the state of school finances did not stop the headteacher leading Forest School to a good set of results, with seven students achieving A* or A grades across the board. 

She today said: "With much publicity about results falling nationally, the most rewarding statistic from our prospective is that from approximately 300 subject entries, only one failed to meet the required standard to pass.

"We have seen more students secure apprenticeships prior to the examination period and a number of unconditional university offers but this has not distracted them from performing to the best of their ability.

"Early indications are that most higher education applicants will secure the university places of their choice."

One student in particular, Sam Oliver, could have got into Oxford or Cambridge with his grades, but instead was accepted onto an apprenticeship with KPMG. 

He said: "I'm just in shock really. 

"It won't really sink in until September, but I'm really excited and looking forward to getting going."