A-level results: Berkhamsted School

Outgoing principal Mark Steed added that this figure swelled to 45.6 per cent of grades being A* or A, and 94.5 per cent at A*-C.

He said: “We are delighted that so many of our students, with the support of their teachers, have reaped the reward of their hard work during their time in the Sixth Form.

“They have helped the school work towards its unashamed aim of providing the best all-round education in the area. As many of our students have proved, the busiest people tend to be the most successful, and we are confident that those leaving us will make positive contributions at university and beyond.”

This year’s top A-level achievers included Hugo O’Grady, who earned A* grades in cconomics, maths, further maths and physics plus an A in EPQ. He plans to pursue a course in economics and management at Oxford.

Cathy (Ziyi) Zhu also earned four A*s, hers being in in chemistry, maths, further maths and physics, plus an A in Chinese. Cathy joined Berkhamsted Sixth in 2013 from China as a boarder to complete her A-levels and has secured a place to study engineering at Cambridge.

Benedict Brazier collected A*s in biology, chemistry and maths, an A in physics and an A* in EPQ; he has secured a place to study medicine at Oxford.

And Alexander Harrington will study chemistry at Oxford with his three A*s in chemistry, maths and physics.