BRAKENHALE Academy students are sure to give their GCSE results the thumbs up as they performed better than national expectations by more than half a grade.

The school scored an outstanding 0.52 on the new Progress 8 measure, which compares pupils' performance with that of their counterparts of similar abilities up and down the country.

Brakenhale also reported an Attainment 8 grade of C, showing that on average across all subjects students achieved the national benchmark of a C grade.

Both these outcomes were half a grade higher than the 2015 results.

Of all candidates, 53 per cent of students achieved A*-C in English and maths.

Headteacher Jane Coley said: "Our GCSE results along with our A level results clearly show the rapid progress that Brakenhale is making.

"We would like to congratulate all our students on their well-deserved success and thank the teaching staff and of course the parents who have guided and supported them."

Paul Gibson, deputy headteacher, added: "We are exceptionally proud of our Year 11 students here at Brakenhale and what they have achieved in their GCSEs.

"I would like to put on record my thanks to the teaching staff and parents that have helped the students throughout their studies."