Celebrations: Eighty six per cent of Warren School students obtained five or more A* to Cs

GCSE pupils at Warren School have continued to improve despite taking a hit in English, provisional figures show.

The secondary school in Whalebone Lane North, Chadwell Heath, said that half its students were expected to obtain five or more GCSEs with the core subjects maths and English.

However, just 40 per cent passed the exams with the core subjects compared to 44 per cent last year amid reports a tougher grading system had been introduced this year.

Headteacher Francois van Rensburg 42, said: “I’m extremely proud of the hard work our young people have put in.

“Like other schools up and down the country we have taken quite a hit, particularly in English.

“There seems to be an issue around the grade boundary, which is affecting our school. It is disappointing.”

Mr van Rensburg said that maths results had increased by two per cent but dropped in English.

However, the school received its best crop of GCSE results without the core subjects, as 86 per cent of pupils passed five or more A* to Cs compared to 82 per cent last year.

Star pupil Elle Witek, 16, received five A*s, seven As and a B. She is planning to study art, English literature, physics and biology.

Elle, of Lawn Farm Grove, Chadwell Heath, said: “I’m happy with the results and surprised with a few of them.”

Science whizz Alex Hunter, of Shepherds Close, Chadwell Heath, obtained four A*s in maths and science, three As and two Bs.

He is planning to take A-levels in maths, chemistry, biology and physics.

Alex, 16, said: “I hope to go to university. I have a lot of interest in science, mainly physics especially astronomy and astrophysics.”